A knife was
thrust through its folds.
When the boy saw the ape he hastened forward to exhibit his trophies.
Proudly he called attention to each of his newly won possessions.
Boastfully he recounted the details of his exploit.
"With my bare hands and my teeth I killed him," he said. "I would
have made friends with them but they chose to be my enemies. And
now that I have a spear I shall show Numa, too, what it means to
have me for a foe. Only the white men and the great apes, Akut,
are our friends. Them we shall seek, all others must we avoid or
kill. This have I learned of the jungle."
They made a detour about the hostile village, and resumed their
journey toward the coast. The boy took much pride in his new weapons
and ornaments. He practiced continually with the spear, throwing
it at some object ahead hour by hour as they traveled their loitering
way, until he gained a proficiency such as only youthful muscles
may attain to speedily. All the while his training went on under
the guidance of Akut. No longer was there a single jungle spoor
but was an open book to the keen eyes of the lad, and those other
indefinite spoor that elude the senses of civilized man and are
only partially appreciable to his savage cousin came to be familiar
friends of the eager boy.
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