The Apes

           Intheforestofthetable-landamilebackfromtheoceanoldKerchaktheApewasonarampageofrageamonghispeople.

           Theyoungerandlightermembersofhistribescamperedtothehigherbranchesofthegreattreestoescapehiswrath;riskingtheirlivesuponbranchesthatscarcesupportedtheirweightratherthanfaceoldKerchakinoneofhisfitsofuncontrolledanger.

           Theothermalesscatteredinalldirections,butnotbeforetheinfuriatedbrutehadfeltthevertebraofonesnapbetweenhisgreat,foamingjaws.

           AlucklessyoungfemaleslippedfromaninsecureholduponahighbranchandcamecrashingtothegroundalmostatKerchak’sfeet.

           Withawildscreamhewasuponher,tearingagreatpiecefromhersidewithhismightyteeth,andstrikingherviciouslyuponherheadandshoulderswithabrokentreelimbuntilherskullwascrushedtoajelly.

           AndthenhespiedKala,who,returningfromasearchforfoodwithheryoungbabe,wasignorantofthestateofthemightymale’stemperuntilsuddenlytheshrillwarningsofherfellowscausedhertoscampermadlyforsafety.

           ButKerchakwascloseuponher,soclosethathehadalmostgraspedheranklehadshenotmadeafuriousleapfarintospacefromonetreetoanother—aperilouschancewhichapesseldomifevertake,unlesssocloselypursuedbydangerthatthereisnoalternative.