Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-05-20
CHAPTER YIII--Continued

TT WAS many days before the outward
i evidence of the lesson he had learned had
left him, while the impression upon his
mind was one that was to remain with him
Tor life Never again did he uselessly tempt
fate Ho took long chances often In his
after life. but only when the taking of
chances might further the attainment of
< some cherished end--and always thereafter
,he practiced pole vauting ..
For several days the boy and the ape lay
I, up while the former recovered from the
painful wounds inflicted by the sharp
shorns The great anthropoid licked the
wounds of his human friend, nor, aside
from this, did they receive any other treat
ment but soon they healed for healthy
flesh quickly replaces itself
When the boy felt fit again they contin-
ued their journey toward the coast. and
once more his mind was filled with pleas
urable anticipation
~ And at last the much-dreamed-of mo-
ment came. They were passing through
tangled forest when the boys sharp eyes
SdAeovered from the lower branches through
fHhich he waG travelling an old but we'll
marked spoor-7a spoor that set his heart to
leaping--the s'poor of man, of white men;
FLOR among the prints of naked feet were the
swell-defined outlines of European+rilade
boots. .+
The trail, which marked the passage of
q good-sized company, pointed north at
right angles to the course the boy and the
ape we're taking toward the coast.
Doubtless these white men knew. the
nearest coast settlement They might even
be headed for it now. At any rate, 1t would
be worth while overtalSing them. even If
only for the pleasure of meeting again
creatures of his own kind.
The lad was all excitement, palpitaht
. with eagerness to be off In pursuit. A<ut
demurred. He wanted nothing of men, To
: him the boy was a fellow ape, for he was
the son of the king of the apes, He tried
to dissuade the lad telling him that soon
they should come upon q tribe of their own
fol; where some day when he was older the
boy should be king. as his father had before
him,
But Jack was obdurate. He insisted that
he wanted to see white men again. He
wanted to send message, to his parents.
Akut listened, and an he listened the intui-
ton OF the beast suggested the truth to him
1.-The boy was planning to return to his
ewn kind.
The thought filled the old ape with sor-
row, He loved the hov as he had loved the
father, with the layalty and faithfulness Of:
hound for its master. in his ape brain
and his ape heart no had nursed the hope
that he and tao lad would never be sep
artted
He saw his fondly cherished plans fading
away, and yet he remained loyal to the lad
and 10 his wishes Though dlsconsolate, he
gave In TO the boys determination to pursue
the .safari of the white men, accompanying
him upon what he believed would be their
last Journey together
The spoor was but a couple of days old
when the two discovered II. which meant
that the slow-moying caravan was only
few hours distant from them, whose trained
ana agile muscles could carry them swiftly
tueugh the branches above the tangled un'
osTgrowth which had inipeded the progress
erthe ladened carriers of the white men.
The boy was In the lead. excitement and
anticipation carrying him ahead OF his COM
panion, to whom the attainment of their
goal meant only SORROW. And II was the
boy who first saw the rear guard of the
caravan and the white men he had been so
anxious to oyertake. fi-
stumbling along the tangled trail OF those
sAsad dozen heavily laden blacks, who,
from fatigue OF sickness, had dropped be-
aihd, We're being prodded by the black sol
aieFs OF the rear guard, kicked when they
Iells and then roughly jerked to their feet
ana hustled onward. On either side walked
: giant white man. whose heavy blond
eeefds almost obliterated their eounte-
The beyalllps formed a glad cry of salu-
tatlon as his eyes FIRST discovered the whites
"a cry that was never uttered for almost
immediately he Witnessed that which turned
NJ happiness to anger as he saw that both
the white men were Wielding heavy whips
erutaily upon the naked backs Of the poor
devils staggering along beneath loads that
Neuir have overtaNed the strength and en-.
aprsRee Of strong men at the beginning of
new day
Every now and then the rear guard and
ne white men cast apprehensiye glanees
Isarwafd, as though momentarily expecting
she materiallzatten of some long-expscted
Sanger from that quarter. The boy had
paused after his first sight Of the caravan.
saa now was following slowly in the wake
q me sordld, brutal spectacle. ~
Presently Aknt came up with him. To
rs beast there was less OF horror in the
7lEnf than 10 the tad yet even the great
fpe BFowlsd beneath his breath at useless
I9ftuge being inflicted upon the helpless
Hs looked Al the boy Now that he had
saasht up with the creatures OF his own
Aiaq. why was 1t that he aid not rush for
ward ana greet thsm4 He put the question
e hlz coinpanlon.
IAsy are hends.* muttered the boy. Il
would not travel with such as they, for II
did ] should SET upon them and kin them
kae nfst time they beat the people as they
- beating them now. But. he addsa
after moments thought Z can ask them
- sazFeahouts q Tie nearest port AID
sHza Akut. Ne cen leafe them
41z ane made % rep'y. ana ihs by