www.freeclassicebooks.com

"Someone should be shot for this," he said. "I might just as well not establish an

out-post if a man can filter through whenever he pleases."

Tarzan smiled. "Do not blame them," he said, "for I am not a man. I am

Tarmangani. Any Mangani who wished to, could enter your camp almost at will;

but if you have them for sentinels no one could enter without their knowledge."

What are the Mangani?" asked the colonel. "Perhaps we might enlist a bunch of

the beggars."

Tarzan shook his head. "They are the great apes," he explained; "my people; but

you could not use them. They cannot concentrate long enough upon a single idea.

If I told them of this they would be much interested for a short time-I might even

hold the interest of a few long enough to get them here and explain their duties to

them; but soon they would lose interest and when you needed them most they

might be off in the forest searching for beetles instead of watching their posts.

They have the minds of little children--that is why they remain what they are."

"You call them Mangani and yourself Tarmangani--what is the difference?" asked

Major Preswick.

"Tar means white," replied Tarzan, "and Mangani, great ape. My name--the name

they gave me in the tribe of Kerchak--means White-skin. When I was a little balu

my skin, I presume, looked very white indeed against the beautiful, black coat of

Kala, my foster mother and so they called me Tarzan, the Tarmangani. They call

you, too, Tarmangani," he concluded, smiling.

Capell smiled. "It is no reproach, Greystoke," he said; "and, by Jove, it would be a

mark of distinction if a fellow could act the part. And now how about your plan?

Do you still think you can empty the trench opposite our sector?"

"Is it still held by Gomangani?" asked Tarzan.

What are Gomangani?" inquired the colonel. "It is still held by native troops, if

that is what you mean."

"Yes," replied the ape-man, "the Gomangani are the great black apes--the

Negroes."

What do you intend doing and what do you want us to do?" asked Capell.

Tarzan approached the table and placed a finger on the map. "Here is a listening

post," he said; "they have a machine gun in it. A tunnel connects it with this

trench at this point." His finger moved from place to place on the map as he

talked. "Give me a bomb and when you hear it burst in this listening post let

Tarzan the Untamed