"Enough!" he snapped. "Let us be true to our oaths of friendship
that we may be honorable in the sight of God in whatever form we
conceive Him."

"You are right, Tailless One," said Ta-den. "Come, Om-at, let us
look after our friendship and ourselves, secure in the conviction
that Jad-ben-Otho is sufficiently powerful to look after himself."

"Done!" agreed Om-at, "but----"

"No 'buts,' Om-at," admonished Tarzan.

The shaggy black shrugged his shoulders and smiled. "Shall we make
our way down toward the valley?" he asked. "The gorge below us is
uninhabited; that to the left contains the caves of my people. I
would see Pan-at-lee once more. Ta-den would visit his father in
the valley below and Tarzan seeks entrance to A-lur in search of the
mate that would be better dead than in the clutches of the Ho-don
priests of Jad-ben-Otho. How shall we proceed?"

"Let us remain together as long as possible," urged Ta-den. "You,
Om-at, must seek Pan-at-lee by night and by stealth, for three,
even we three, may not hope to overcome Es-sat and all his warriors.
At any time may we go to the village where my father is chief, for
Ja-don always will welcome the friends of his son. But for Tarzan
to enter A-lur is another matter, though there is a way and he has
the courage to put it to the test--listen, come close for Jad-ben-Otho
has keen ears and this he must not hear," and with his lips close
to the ears of his companions Ta-den, the Tall-tree, son of Ja-don,
the Lion-man, unfolded his daring plan.