Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-07-19

to bristling from shaggy craniums
down the length Of mighty spines.
Inside the clearing, Numa paused
and on the instant there fell upon
him from the trees near by a
shower of broken rock and dead
limbs torn from .age-old trees. A
dozen times he was hit, and then
the apes ran down and gathered
other rocks, pelting him unmerci-
fully.
Numa turned to flee, but his way
was barred by fusillade of sharp
cornered missiles, and then, upon
the edge of the clearing, great
Taug met him with a huge frap-
ment of rock as" large as a mans
head, and down went the Lord of
the Jungle beneath the stunning
blow.
With shrieks and roars and loud
barkings the great apes of the tribe
of Kerchak rushed upon the fallen
lion. Sticks. and stones and yellow
fangs menaced the still form. In
another moment, before he could
regain consciousness, Numa would
be battered and torn until only a
bloody mass of broken bones and
matted hair remained of what had
once been the most dreaded Of
jungle creatures.
But even as the sticks and stones
were raised above him and the great
fangs barred to tear him, there de-
scended like plummet from the trees
above a dinlinutive figure with long,
white whskers and a wrinkled face.
Square upon the body of Numa it
alighted and there it danced and
screamed and shrieked out it's chal-
lange against the bulls of Kerchak.
For an instant they paused, para
lyzed by the wonder of the thing.
1t was Manu-, the monkey, Manu-,
the little coward, and here he was
daring the ferocity of the great
Mangani, hopping about upon the
carcass of Numa, the lion, and cry
ing out that they must not strike
it again.
And when the bulls paused, Manu-
reached down and seized a tawny
ear. With all his little might he
tugged upon the heavy head until
slowly it turned back, revealing the
tousled, black head and clean-cut
profile of Tarzan of the Apes.
Some Of the older apes were for
finishing what they had commenced;
but Taug, sullen, mighty Taug,
sprang quickly to the ape-man's side
and straddling the unconscious form
warned back those who would have
struck his childhood playmate. And
Teeka, his mate, came too, taking
her place with barred fangs at
Taug's side. Others followed their
example, until at last Tarzan was
surrounded by ring of hairy cham
pions who would permit no enemy
to approach him.
1t was surprised and chastened
Tarzan who opened his eyes to con-
sciousness few minutes later. He
looked about him at the surrounding
apes and slowly there returned to
him a realization of what had
occurred.
Gradually a broad grin illumin-
ated his features. His bruises were
many and they hurt; but the good
that had come from his adventure
was worth all that it had cost. He
had learned, for instance, that the
apes of Kerchak had needed his
teaching, and he had learned that
he had good friends among the sui
len beasts whom he had thought
without sentiment. He had dis
covered that Manu-, the monkey
even little cowardly Manu-had
risked his life in his defense.
1t made Tarzan very glad to know
these things; but at the other lesson
he had been taught he redeemed. He
had always been a joker, the only
joker in the grim and terrible COM
pany; but now as he lay there half
dead from his hurts he almost
swore solemn oath forever to for
go practical joking-almost, but not
quite.
The next complete Jungle Tale" will
appear Saturday, July &c.
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