Then will I seek the cave of my ancestors to have speech with my
own blood. It will not take long. Wait here--I shall return soon.
Afterward shall we go together to Ta-den's people."

He moved silently toward the foot of the cliff up which Tarzan
could presently see him ascending like a great fly on a wall. In
the dim light the ape-man could not see the pegs set in the face
of the cliff. Om-at moved warily. In the lower tier of caves there
should be a sentry. His knowledge of his people and their customs
told him, however, that in all probability the sentry was asleep.
In this he was not mistaken, yet he did not in any way abate
his wariness. Smoothly and swiftly he ascended toward the cave of
Pan-at-lee while from below Tarzan and Ta-den watched him.

"How does he do it?" asked Tarzan. "I can see no foothold upon that
vertical surface and yet he appears to be climbing with the utmost
ease."

Ta-den explained the stairway of pegs. "You could ascend easily,"
he said, "although a tail would be of great assistance."

They watched until Om-at was about to enter the cave of Pan-at-lee
without seeing any indication that he had been observed and then,
simultaneously, both saw a head appear in the mouth of one of the
lower caves. It was quickly evident that its owner had discovered
Om-at for immediately he started upward in pursuit. Without a word
Tarzan and Ta-den sprang forward toward the foot of the cliff. The
pithecanthropus was the first to reach it and the ape-man saw him
spring upward for a handhold on the lowest peg above him. Now Tarzan
saw other pegs roughly paralleling each other in zigzag rows up