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As the threatening bull continued his stiff and jerky circling of the ape-man,

much after the manner that you have noted among dogs when a strange canine

comes among them, it occurred to Tarzan to discover if the language of his own

tribe was identical with that of this other family, and so he addressed the brute in

the language of the tribe of Kerchak.

Who are you," he asked, "who threatens Tarzan of the Apes?"

The hairy brute looked his surprise.

I am Akut," replied the other in the same simple, primal tongue which is so low

in the scale of spoken languages that, as Tarzan had surmised, it was identical

with that of the tribe in which the first twenty years of his life had been spent.

"I am Akut," said the ape. "Molak is dead. I am king. Go away or I shall kill

you!"

"You saw how easily I killed Molak," replied Tarzan. "So I could kill you if I cared

to be king. But Tarzan of the Apes would not be king of the tribe of Akut. All he

wishes is to live in peace in this country. Let us be friends. Tarzan of the Apes

can help you, and you can help Tarzan of the Apes."

"You cannot kill Akut," replied the other. "None is so great as Akut. Had you not

killed Molak, Akut would have done so, for Akut was ready to be king."

For answer the ape-man hurled himself upon the great brute who during the

conversation had slightly relaxed his vigilance.

In the twinkling of an eye the man had seized the wrist of the great ape, and

before the other could grapple with him had whirled him about and leaped upon

his broad back.

Down they went together, but so well had Tarzan's plan worked out that before

ever they touched the ground he had gained the same hold upon Akut that had

broken Molak's neck.

Slowly he brought the pressure to bear, and then as in days gone by he had given

Kerchak the chance to surrender and live, so now he gave to Akut--in whom he

saw a possible ally of great strength and resource--the option of living in amity

with him or dying as he had just seen his savage and heretofore invincible king

die.

Ka-Goda?" whispered Tarzan to the ape beneath him.

It was the same question that he had whispered to Kerchak, and in the language

of the apes it means, broadly, "Do you surrender?"

The Beasts of Tarzan