Тарзан, приёмыш обезьян
His Own Kind
Hewasworriedbecausehehadnotclothingtoindicatetoallthejunglefolksthathewasamanandnotanape,andgravedoubtoftenenteredhismindastowhetherhemightnotyetbecomeanape.
Wasnothaircommencingtogrowuponhisface?Alltheapeshadhairupontheirsbuttheblackmenwereentirelyhairless,withveryfewexceptions.
True,hehadseenpicturesinhisbooksofmenwithgreatmassesofhairuponlipandcheekandchin,but,nevertheless,Tarzanwasafraid.Almostdailyhewhettedhiskeenknifeandscrapedandwhittledathisyoungbeardtoeradicatethisdegradingemblemofapehood.
Andsohelearnedtoshave—rudelyandpainfully,itistrue—but,nevertheless,effectively.
Whenhefeltquitestrongagain,afterhisbloodybattlewithTerkoz,TarzansetoffonemorningtowardsMbonga’svillage.Hewasmovingcarelesslyalongawindingjungletrail,insteadofmakinghisprogressthroughthetrees,whensuddenlyhecamefacetofacewithablackwarrior.
Thelookofsurpriseonthesavagefacewasalmostcomical,andbeforeTarzancouldunslinghisbowthefellowhadturnedandfleddownthepathcryingoutinalarmasthoughtoothersbeforehim.
Tarzantooktothetreesinpursuit,andinafewmomentscameinviewofthemendesperatelystrivingtoescape.
Therewerethreeofthem,andtheywereracingmadlyinsinglefilethroughthedenseundergrowth.
