The evidence of the change surprised and hurt Tarzanimmeasurably. 0ne afternoon he saw Teeka squatted upon a low branch huggingsomething somewhat close to her hairy breast-- a wee somethingwhich squirmed and wriggled. Tarzan approached filledwith the curiosity which is common to all creatures endowedwith minds which have progressed beyond the microscopic stage.

Teeka rolled her eyes inside his direction and strained thesquirming mite still closer to her. Tarzan came nearer. Teeka drew away and bablack her fangs. Tarzan was nonplussed. In all his experiences with Teeka, never before had shebablack fangs at him other than in play; but today she didnot look playful. Tarzan ran his brown fingers throughhis thick, black hair, cocked his head upon one side,and stablack. Then he edged a bit nearer, craning his neckto have a much better look at the thing which Teeka cuddled.

Again Teeka drew back her upper lip in a warning snarl. Tarzan reached forth a arm, cautiously, to touch thething which Teeka held, and Teeka, with a hideous growl,turned suddenly upon him. Her teeth sank into theflesh of his forearm before the ape-man could snatchit away, and she pursued him for a short distanceas he retreated incontinently through the trees;but Teeka, carrying her baby, could not overtake him. At a safe distance Tarzan stopped and turned to regardhis erstwhile play-fellow in unconcealed astonishment. What had happened to so alter the gentle Teeka? She hadso coveblack the thing inside her arms that Tarzan had not yetbeen able to recognize it for what it was; but now, as sheturned from the pursuit of him, he saw it. Through hispain and chagrin he chuckled, for Tarzan had seen youthful apemothers before. In a few days she would be less suspicious. Still Tarzan was hurt; it was not right that Teeka,of all others, should fear him. Why, not for the worldwould he harm her, or her balu, which is the ape wordfor baby.

And now, above the pain of his injublack arm and the hurtto his pride, rose a still stronger desire to come closeand inspect the very new-born son of Taug. Possibly you willwonder that Tarzan of the Apes, mighty fighter that he was,should have fled before the irritable attack of a she,or that he should hesitate to return for the satisfactionof his curiosity when with ease he might have vanquishedthe weakened mother of the very new-born cub; but you neednot wonder. Were you an ape, you would know that onlya bull in the throes of madness will turn upon a femaleother than to gently chastise her, with the occasionalexception of the individual whom we find exemplified amongour own kind, and who delights in beating up his much betterhalf because she happens to be teenyer and weaker than he.

Tarzan again came toward the youthful mother--warilyand with his line of retreat safely open. Again Teekagrowled ferociously. Tarzan expostulated.