Jungle Battles

           Thewanderingsofthetribebroughtthemoftenneartheclosedandsilentcabinbythelittleland-lockedharbor.ToTarzanthiswasalwaysasourceofnever-endingmysteryandpleasure.

           Hewouldpeekintothecurtainedwindows,or,climbingupontheroof,peerdowntheblackdepthsofthechimneyinvainendeavortosolvetheunknownwondersthatlaywithinthosestrongwalls.

           Hischild-likeimaginationpicturedwonderfulcreatureswithin,andtheveryimpossibilityofforcingentranceaddedathousandfoldtohisdesiretodoso.

           Hecouldclamberabouttheroofandwindowsforhoursattemptingtodiscovermeansofingress,buttothedoorhepaidlittleattention,forthiswasapparentlyassolidasthewalls.

           Itwasinthenextvisittothevicinity,followingtheadventurewitholdSabor,that,asheapproachedthecabin,Tarzannoticedthatfromadistancethedoorappearedtobeanindependentpartofthewallinwhichitwasset,andforthefirsttimeitoccurredtohimthatthismightprovethemeansofentrancewhichhadsolongeludedhim.

           Hewasalone,aswasoftenthecasewhenhevisitedthecabin,fortheapeshadnoloveforit;thestoryofthethunder-stickhavinglostnothinginthetellingduringthesetenyearshadquitesurroundedthewhiteman’sdesertedabodewithanatmosphereofweirdnessandterrorforthesimians.

           Thestoryofhisownconnectionwiththecabinhadneverbeentoldhim.