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"Adenen yo!" echoed O-dan and In-sad. The fugitives scarcely paused as these unexpected reinforcements joined them but they eyed Ta-den and Tarzan with puzzled glances. "The Kor-ul-lul are many," shouted An-un. "Would that we might pause and fight; but first we must warn Es-sat and our people." "Yes," said Om-at, "we must warn our people." "Es-sat is dead," said In-sad.
"It is An-un, father of Pan-at-lee, and his two sons," exclaimed O-dan. "They will pass without seeing us if we do not hurry," he added looking at Om-at, the chief, for a sign. "Come!" cried the latter, springing to his feet and running rapidly to intercept the three fugitives. The others followed him. "Five friends!" shouted Om-at as An-un and his sons discovered them.
Here the scent was fully as strong as upon the pegs and the ape-man moved rapidly across the ridge in the direction of the Kor-ul-lul. Presently he paused and turned toward Om-at. "Here she moved swiftly, running at top speed, and, Om-at, she was pursued by a lion." "You can read that in the grass?" asked O-dan as the others gathered about the ape-man. Tarzan nodded.
The ape-man rose and shook himself, even as might ja, the leopard-coated lion of Pal-ul-don, had he been the one to survive. O-dan advanced quickly toward Tarzan. Placing a palm upon his own breast and the other on Tarzan's, "Tarzan the Terrible," he said, "I ask no greater honor than your friendship."
A single blow wrenched O-dan's club from his hand and sent it hurtling against Ta-den, knocking him from his feet. Taking advantage of its opportunity the lion rose to throw itself upon O-dan and at the same instant Tarzan flung himself upon its back.
"All right," agreed Om-at; "Ta-den, In-sad, and I will go first, you follow and O-dan bring up the rear and collect the pegs we cannot leave them here for our enemies." "Can't your enemies bring their own pegs?" asked Tarzan.
It was the first acknowledgment of Om-at's chieftainship and immediately following it the tenseness that had prevailed seemed to relax the warriors spoke aloud instead of in whispers, and the women appeared from the mouths of caves as with the passing of a sudden storm. In-sad and O-dan had taken the lead and now all seemed glad to follow.
"Who is chief?" asked one of An-un's sons. "Om-at," replied O-dan. "It is well," cried An-un. "Pan-at-lee said that you would come back and slay Es-sat." Now the enemy broke into sight behind them. "Come!" cried Tarzan, "let us turn and charge them, raising a great cry. They pursued but three and when they see eight charging upon them they will think that many men have come to do battle.
Some came to talk with Om-at and to look more closely at Tarzan; others, heads of caves, gathered their hunters and discussed the business of the day. The women and children prepared to descend to the fields with the youths and the old men, whose duty it was to guard them. "O-dan and In-sad shall go with us," announced Om-at, "we shall not need more.
Two young warriors climbed closer to the ledge upon which Om-at stood. They were In-sad and O-dan. It was the latter who spoke. "Gund of Kor-ul-ja," he said, "we would go with you to search for Pan-at-lee."
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