Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-05-25
THE CHEERFUL CHfRUB

kA lsA WA
nothing upon one occasion, while upon an
other a single gunshot viii disperse hum
dreds Of them
Heretofore the Swedes had always
watched near their trap, for, as a rule, only
the stronger bulls are thus caught, since, in
their greedness. they prevent the weaker
from approaching the coveted bait, and
when once within the ordinary rude trap
woven on the spot of interlaced branches.
they are able, with the aid OF their friends
upon the outside, to demolsh their prison
and escape.
As they came within sight of the spot
they found conditions precisely as they had
expected. y large male was batterlng fran
tically against the steel bars of the cage
that held him captive. ON the outside sew
eral hundred other balloons were tearing
and tugging in his aid and all were roaring
and jabbering and barking at the top of
their lungs
But what neither the swedes nor the
baboons saw was the haf-naked figure Of
youth hidden in the foliage of nearby
tree. He had come upon the scene at al
most the same instant as Jensen and NAL
bihn and was watching the activities of the
baboons with every mark of interest.
Curiosity prompted him to tarry a mo-
ment. and in that moment his quick eyes
caught the unfamiliar coloration of the
clothing of the two Swedes behind bush
not far from him.
Now he was all alertness. Who were
these interopers2 What was their business
in the jungle of the Mangani? Korak slung
noiSelessly around them to a point where
he might ct their scent, well as better
view of them: and scarce had he done so
when he recognized them-they were the
men who had fired upon him years before.
His eyes blazed He could feel the hairs
on his scalp stiffen at the roots. He
watched them with the intentness Of pan
ther about to spring upon its prey
He saw them rise and shouting, attempt
to frighten away the balloons they ap-
preached the cage. Then one of them
raised his rifle and fired into the midst Of
the surprised and angry herd.
For an instant Korak thought that the
balloons were about to charge but two
more shots from the rifles of the white men
sent them scampering into the trees.
Then the two Europeans advanced upon
the coge. Korak thought that they were
going to kill the king. He cared nothing
for the king, but he cared less for the two
white men. The king had never attempted
to kill him-the white men had The king
was a denizen of his own beloved jungle
the white men were aliens.
His loyalty, therefore, was to the baboon
against the human He could speak the
language of the baboon-it was virtually
the same as that of the great apes. Across
the clearing he saw the jabbering horde
watching.
Raising his voice. he shouted to them.
The white men turned at the sound OF this
new factor behind them. They thought 1t
was another baboon that had circled them;
but, though they searched the trees with
their eyes, they saw nothing of the now
silent figure hidden by the foliage.
Again Korak shouted.
II am the Killerl" he cried. These men
are my enemies, and yours. l will help
you free your king. Run out upon the
strangers when you see me do so, and to-
gether we will drive them away and free
your king!
And from the balloons came great Choir
us: I'VE will do what you say, Korak" !"
Dropping from his tree, Korak ran to-
ward the two Swedes. and at the same in
stant 400 balloons followed his example.
At sight of the strange appartion of the
half-naked white warrior rushing upon them
with uplifted spear, Jensen and Malbihn
raised their rifles and fired at Koralt; but
in the excitemnt both missed, and moment
later the balloons were upon them.
Now their only hope of safety lay In es-
cape and lodging here and there. fighting
OFF the great beasts that leaped upon their
backs, they ran into the jungle. Even then
they would have died but for the coming
of their men, whom they met couple of
hundred yards from the cage.
Once the white men had turned in flight
Korak gave them no further attention.
turning, instead, to the imprisoned baboon.
The fastenings OF the door that had eluded
the mental powers of the balloons yielded
their secret Immediately to the human in
telligence of the Killer and moment later
the king baboon stepped forth to liberty.
He wasted no breath In thanks to
Korak; nor did the young man expect
thanks. He knew that none of the baboons
would ever forget his service, though as a
matter of fact, he did not care IL they did.
What he had done had been prompted by
a desire to be revenged upon the two white
men, The balloons could never be of serv-
ice to him.
Now they were racing in the direction of
the fight that was being waged between
their fellows and the followers of the two
Swedes; and as the din of battle sub
sided in the distance, Korak turned and
resumed his journey toward the village of
Kovudoo,
on the way he came upon herd of
elephants standing in an open forest glade.
Here the trees were too far apart to per-
init Korak to travel through the branches
Ia trail he much preferred, not only be-
cause of its freedom from dense under
brush and the wider field of vision it gave
him. but from pride in his arboreal ability,
1t was exhilarating to swing from tree TO
tree to test the prowess of his mighty mus
cles to reap the pleasurable fruits of his
hard-won agility. Korak enjoyed the thrills
of the high-iung upper terraces of the
great forest, where unhampered and un-
he might laugh down upon the
great brutes who must keep forever to the
darkness and the gloom of the musty soil
But here, In this open glade where Tan
tor tapped his giant ears and swayed his
huge bulk from side TO side, the apeman
must pass along the surface of the ground
"a pygmy among giants.