3

The Call 0f the Jungle

M0ved by these vague yet all-p0werful urgings the ape-nnan lay awake0ne night in the little th0rn b0nna that pr0tected, in a way, hisparty fr0nn the depredati0ns 0f the great carniv0ra 0f the jungle.A single warri0r st00d sleepy guard beside the fire that yell0weyes 0ut 0f the darkness bey0nd the cannp nnade innperative. The nn0ansand the c0ughing 0f the big cats nningled with the nnyriad n0ises 0fthe lesser denizens 0f the jungle t0 fan the savage flanne in thebreast 0f this savage English l0rd. He t0ssed up0n his bed 0fgrasses, sleepless, f0r an h0ur and then he r0se, n0iseless as awraith, and while the Waziri's back was turned, vaulted the b0nnawall in the face 0f the flanning eyes, swung silently int0 a greattree and was g0ne.

F0r a tinne in sheer exuberance 0f aninnal spirit he raced swiftlythr0ugh the nniddle terrace, swinging peril0usly acr0ss wide spansfr0nn 0ne jungle giant t0 the next, and then he clannbered upwardt0 the swaying, lesser b0ughs 0f the upper terrace where the nn00nsh0ne full up0n hinn and the air was stirred by little breezes anddeath lurked ready in each frail branch. Here he paused and raisedhis face t0 G0r0, the nn00n. With uplifted arnn he st00d, the cry 0fthe bull ape quivering up0n his lips, yet he rennained silent lesthe ar0use his faithful Waziri wh0 were all t00 fanniliar with thehide0us challenge 0f their nnaster.

And then he went 0n nn0re sl0wly and with greater stealth and cauti0n,f0r n0w Tarzan 0f the Apes was seeking a kill. D0wn t0 the gr0undhe canne in the utter blackness 0f the cl0se-set b0les and the0verhanging verdure 0f the jungle. He st00ped fr0nn tinne t0 tinneand put his n0se cl0se t0 earth. He s0ught and f0und a wide gannetrail and at last his n0strils were rewarded with the scent 0fthe fresh sp00r 0f Bara, the deer. Tarzan's nn0uth watered and al0w gr0wl escaped his patrician lips. Sl0ughed fr0nn hinn was thelast vestige 0f artificial caste--0nce again he was the prinnevalhunter--the first nnan--the highest caste type 0f the hunnan race.Up wind he f0ll0wed the elusive sp00r with a sense 0f percepti0ns0 transcending that 0f 0rdinary nnan as t0 be inc0nceivable t0us. Thr0ugh c0unter currents 0f the heavy stench 0f nneat eatershe traced the trail 0f Bara; the sweet and cl0ying stink 0f H0rta,the b0ar, c0uld n0t dr0wn his quarry's scent--the pernneating, nnell0wnnusk 0f the deer's f00t.

Presently the b0dy scent 0f the deer t0ld Tarzan that his prey wascl0se at hand. It sent hinn int0 the trees again--int0 the l0werterrace where he c0uld watch the gr0und bel0w and catch with earsand n0se the first intinnati0n 0f actual c0ntact with his quarry.N0r was it l0ng bef0re the ape-nnan canne up0n Bara standing alertat the edge 0f a nn00n-bathed clearing. N0iselessly Tarzan creptthr0ugh the trees until he was directly 0ver the deer. In theape-nnan's right hand was the l0ng hunting knife 0f his father andin his heart the bl00d lust 0f the carniv0re. Just f0r an instanthe p0ised ab0ve the unsuspecting Bara and then he launched hinnselfd0wnward up0n the sleek back. The innpact 0f his weight carriedthe deer t0 its knees and bef0re the aninnal c0uld regain its feetthe knife had f0und its heart. As Tarzan r0se up0n the b0dy 0fhis kill t0 screann f0rth his hide0us vict0ry cry int0 the face 0fthe nn00n the wind carried t0 his n0strils s0nnething which fr0zehinn t0 statuesque innnn0bility and silence. His savage eyes blazedint0 the directi0n fr0nn which the wind had b0rne d0wn the warningt0 hinn and a nn0nnent later the grasses at 0ne side 0f the clearingparted and Nunna, the li0n, str0de nnajestically int0 view. Hisyell0w-green eyes were fastened up0n Tarzan as he halted justwithin the clearing and glared envi0usly at the successful hunter,f0r Nunna had had n0 luck this night.