The older ape, pessimistic by nature, recognized no such thing as
humor. Creatures laid their paws upon him for but two things--to
search for fleas and to attack. The pulling of the Tarmangani-scented
thing about his head and eyes could not be for the performance of
the former act; therefore it must be the latter. He was attacked!
Chulk had attacked him.

With a snarl he was at the other's throat, not even waiting to lift
the woolen veil which obscured his vision. Tarzan leaped upon the
two, and swaying and toppling upon their insecure perch the three
great beasts tussled and snapped at one another until the ape-man
finally succeeded in separating the enraged anthropoids.

An apology is unknown to these savage progenitors of man, and
explanation a laborious and usually futile process, Tarzan bridged
the dangerous gulf by distracting their attention from their
altercation to a consideration of their plans for the immediate
future. Accustomed to frequent arguments in which more hair than
blood is wasted, the apes speedily forget such trivial encounters,
and presently Chulk and Taglat were again squatting in close
proximity to each other and peaceful repose, awaiting the moment
when the ape-man should lead them into the village of the Tarmangani.

It was long after darkness had fallen, that Tarzan led his companions
from their hiding place in the tree to the ground and around the
palisade to the far side of the village.

Gathering the skirts of his burnoose, beneath one arm, that his legs
might have free action, the ape-man took a short running start, and