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They understood, and also they guessed from the expression of his face that he sought Tarzan from motives of affection rather than the reverse, but of this Om-at wished to make sure. He pointed to the stranger's knife, and repeating Tarzan's name, seized Ta-den and pretended to stab him, immediately turning questioningly toward the stranger.
Tarzan voiced a suppressed sigh for he had liked Om-at and then, with Ta-den, approached the edge and looked over. Far below, in the dim light of the coming dawn, two inert forms should be lying stark in death; but, to Tarzan's amazement, such was far from the sight that met his eyes. Instead, there were the two figures still vibrant with life and still battling only a few feet below him.
With a stifled scream she drew back and the ape-man rose and faced her. "Have no fear, Princess," he assured her. "It is the friend of Ta-den who salutes you," raising her fingers to his lips. Pan-at-lee came now excitedly forward. "O Jad-ben-Otho, it is he!" "And now that you have found me," queried Tarzan, "will you give me up to Lu-don, the high priest?"
Say that you will come, O Dor-ul-Otho, and my cup of happiness will be full, for even now Ta-den, my son, marches toward A-lur with a force from the northwest and if we can attack, with the Dor-ul-Otho at our head, from the northeast our arms should be victorious." "It shall be as you wish, Ja-don," replied the ape-man; "but first you must have meat fetched for my gryf."
"But it is not Bu-lat whom you love," said Tarzan. Again the flush and the girl half turned her face away. "Have I then displeased the Great God?" she asked. "No," replied Tarzan; "as I told you he is well satisfied and for your sake he has saved Ta-den for you." "Jad-ben-Otho knows all," whispered the girl, "and his son shares his great knowledge."
"No," Tarzan hastened to correct her lest a reputation for omniscience might prove embarrassing. "I know only what Jad-ben-Otho wishes me to know." "But tell me," she said, "I shall be reunited with Ta-den? Surely the son of god can read the future." The ape-man was glad that he had left himself an avenue of escape.
The recruits were now gathering at the city and it was decided that the next day Ja-don and Tarzan would return to the main body in the hidden camp and immediately under cover of night the attack should be made in force upon Lu-don's forces at A-lur. Word of this was sent to Ta-den where he awaited with his warriors upon the north side of Jad-ben-lul, only a few miles from A-lur.
For a moment they stood in wide-eyed amazement and then, in answer to the command of their leader, they turned and bolted for the shelter of the nearby wood. The ape-man had but a brief glimpse of them but it was sufficient indication that there were Waz-don with them, doubtless prisoners taken in one of the raids upon the Waz-don villages of which Ta-den and Om-at had told him.
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 matter itself held little or no interest for Tarzan, but he was impressed by the appearance of the speaker and when Ko-tan addressed him as Ja-don the ape-man's interest was permanently crystallized, for Ja-don was the father of Ta-den.
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