" Thus the old ape imparted to the son of
Tarzan the boy's first lesson in jungle lore. Side by side they
set off across the rough plain, for the boy wished first to be
warm. The ape showed him the best places to dig for rodents and
worms; but the lad only gagged at the thought of devouring the
repulsive things. Some eggs they found, and these he sucked raw,
as also he ate roots and tubers which Akut unearthed. Beyond
the plain and across a low bluff they came upon water--brackish,
ill-smelling stuff in a shallow water hole, the sides and bottom
of which were trampled by the feet of many beasts. A herd of zebra
galloped away as they approached.
The lad was too thirsty by now to cavil at anything even remotely
resembling water, so he drank his fill while Akut stood with raised
head, alert for any danger. Before the ape drank he cautioned the
boy to be watchful; but as he drank he raised his head from time
to time to cast a quick glance toward a clump of bushes a hundred
yards away upon the opposite side of the water hole. When he had
done he rose and spoke to the boy, in the language that was their
common heritage--the tongue of the great apes.
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