the　great　eyes　of　my　beast　bulging　completely　from　their
  sockets　and　blood　flowing　from　its　nostrils。　　That　he　was
  weakening　perceptibly　was　evident；　but　so　also　was　the　ape；
  whose　struggles　were　growing　momentarily　less。
  Suddenly　I　came　to　myself　and；　with　that　strange　instinct
  which　seems　ever　to　prompt　me　to　my　duty；　I　seized　the
  cudgel；　which　had　fallen　to　the　floor　at　the　commencement　of
  the　battle；　and　swinging　it　with　all　the　power　of　my　earthly
  arms　I　crashed　it　full　upon　the　head　of　the　ape；　crushing　his
  skull　as　though　it　had　been　an　eggshell。
  Scarcely　had　the　blow　descended　when　I　was　confronted
  with　a　new　danger。　　The　ape's　mate；　recovered　from　its　first
  shock　of　terror；　had　returned　to　the　scene　of　the　encounter
  by　way　of　the　interior　of　the　building。　　I　glimpsed　him　just
  before　he　reached　the　doorway　and　the　sight　of　him；　now
  roaring　as　he　perceived　his　lifeless　fellow　stretched　upon　the
  floor；　and　frothing　at　the　mouth；　in　the　extremity　of　his　rage；
  filled　me；　I　must　confess；　with　dire　forebodings。
  I　am　ever　willing　to　stand　and　fight　when　the　odds　are　not
  too　overwhelmingly　against　me；　but　in　this　instance　I　perceived
  neither　glory　nor　profit　in　pitting　my　relatively　puny　strength
  against　the　iron　muscles　and　brutal　ferocity　of　this　enraged
  denizen　of　an　unknown　world；　in　fact；　the　only　outcome
  of　such　an　encounter；　so　far　as　I　might　be　concerned；
  seemed　sudden　death。
  I　was　standing　near　the　window　and　I　knew　that　once　in
  the　street　I　might　gain　the　plaza　and　safety　before　the　creature
  could　overtake　me；　at　least　there　was　a　chance　for　safety　in
  flight；　against　almost　certain　death　should　I　remain　and　fight
  however　desperately。
  It　is　true　I　held　the　cudgel；　but　what　could　I　do　with　it
  against　his　four　great　arms？　　Even　should　I　break　one　of　them
  with　my　first　blow；　for　I　figured　that　he　would　attempt　to　ward
  off　the　cudgel；　he　could　reach　out　and　annihilate　me　with　the
  others　before　I　could　recover　for　a　second　attack。
  In　the　instant　that　these　thoughts　passed　through　my　mind
  I　had　turned　to　make　for　the　window；　but　my　eyes　alighting　on
  the　form　of　my　erstwhile　guardian　threw　all　thoughts　of　flight
  to　the　four　winds。　　He　lay　gasping　upon　the　floor　of　the
  chamber；　his　great　eyes　fastened　upon　me　in　what　seemed　a
  pitiful　appeal　for　protection。　　I　could　not　withstand　that　look；
  nor　could　I；　on　second　thought；　have　deserted　my　rescuer
  without　giving　as　good　an　account　of　myself　in　his　behalf
  as　he　had　in　mine。
  Without　more　ado；　therefore；　I　turned　to　meet　the　charge
  of　the　infuriated　bull　ape。　　He　was　now　too　close　upon　me　for
  the　cudgel　to　prove　of　any　effective　assistance；　so　I　merely
  threw　it　as　heavily　as　I　could　at　his　advancing　bulk。　　It　struck
  him　just　below　the　knees；　eliciting　a　howl　of　pain　and　rage；
  and　so　throwing　him　off　his　balance　that　he　lunged　full　upon
  me　with　arms　wide　stretched　to　ease　his　fall。
  Again；　as　on　the　preceding　day；　I　had　recourse　to　earthly
  tactics；　and　swinging　my　right　fist　full　upon　the　point　of　his
  chin　I　followed　it　with　a　smashing　left　to　the　pit　of　his
  stomach。　　The　effect　was　marvelous；　for；　as　I　lightly
  sidestepped；　after　delivering　the　second　blow；　he　reeled
  and　fell　upon　the　floor　doubled　up　with　pain　and　gasping
  for　wind。　Leaping　over　his　prostrate　body；　I　seized　the　cudgel
  and　finished　the　monster　before　he　could　regain　his　feet。
  As　I　delivered　the　blow　a　low　laugh　rang　out　behind　me；
  and；　turning；　I　beheld　Tars　Tarkas；　Sola；　and　three　or　four
  warriors　standing　in　the　doorway　of　the　chamber。　　As　my　eyes
  met　theirs　I　was；　for　the　second　time；　the　recipient　of　their
  zealously　guarded　applause。
  My　absence　had　been　noted　by　Sola　on　her　awakening；　and
  she　had　quickly　informed　Tars　Tarkas；　who　had　set　out
  immediately　with　a　handful　of　warriors　to　search　for　me。
  As　they　had　approached　the　limits　of　the　city　they　had　witnessed
  the　actions　of　the　bull　ape　as　he　bolted　into　the　building；
  frothing　with　rage。
  They　had　followed　immediately　behind　him；　thinking　it
  barely　possible　that　his　actions　might　prove　a　clew　to　my
  whereabouts　and　had　witnessed　my　short　but　decisive　battle
  with　him。　　This　encounter；　together　with　my　set…to　with　the
  Martian　warrior　on　the　previous　day　and　my　feats　of　jumping
  placed　me　upon　a　high　pinnacle　in　their　regard。　　Evidently
  devoid　of　all　the　finer　sentiments　of　friendship；　love；　or
  affection；　these　people　fairly　worship　physical　prowess　and
  bravery；　and　nothing　is　too　good　for　the　object　of　their
  adoration　as　long　as　he　maintains　his　position　by　repeated
  examples　of　his　skill；　strength；　and　courage。
  Sola；　who　had　accompanied　the　searching　party　of　her　own
  volition；　was　the　only　one　of　the　Martians　whose　face　had　not
  been　twisted　in　laughter　as　I　battled　for　my　life。　　She；　on　the
  contrary；　was　sober　with　apparent　solicitude　and；　as　soon　as　I
  had　finished　the　monster；　rushed　to　me　and　carefully　examined
  my　body　for　possible　wounds　or　injuries。　　Satisfying　herself
  that　I　had　come　off　unscathed　she　smiled　quietly；　and；
  taking　my　hand；　started　toward　the　door　of　the　chamber。
  Tars　Tarkas　and　the　other　warriors　had　entered　and　were
  standing　over　the　now　rapidly　reviving　brute　which　had　saved
  my　life；　and　whose　life　I；　in　turn；　had　rescued。　　They　seemed
  to　be　deep　in　argument；　and　finally　one　of　them　addressed　me；
  but　remembering　my　ignorance　of　his　language　turned　back　to
  Tars　Tarkas；　who；　with　a　word　and　gesture；　gave　some　command
  to　the　fellow　and　turned　to　follow　us　from　the　room。
  There　seemed　something　menacing　in　their　attitude　toward
  my　beast；　and　I　hesitated　to　leave　until　I　had　learned　the
  outcome。　　It　was　well　I　did　so；　for　the　warrior　drew　an
  evil　looking　pistol　from　its　holster　and　was　on　the　point　of
  putting　an　end　to　the　creature　when　I　sprang　forward　and
  struck　up　his　arm。　　The　bullet　striking　the　wooden　casing　of
  the　window　exploded；　blowing　a　hole　completely　through　the
  wood　and　masonry。
  I　then　knelt　down　beside　the　fearsome…looking　thing；　and
  raising　it　to　its　feet　motioned　for　it　to　follow　me。　　The　looks
  of　surprise　which　my　actions　elicited　from　the　Martians　were
  ludicrous；　they　could　not　understand；　except　in　a　feeble　and
  childish　way；　such　attributes　as　gratitude　and　compassion。
  The　warrior　whose　gun　I　had　struck　up　looked　enquiringly　at
  Tars　Tarkas；　but　the　latter　signed　that　I　be　left　to　my　own
  devices；　and　so　we　returned　to　the　plaza　with　my　great　beast
  following　close　at　heel；　and　Sola　grasping　me　tightly　by　the
  arm。
  I　had　at　least　two　friends　on　Mars；　a　young　woman　who
  watched　over　me　with　motherly　solicitude；　and　a　dumb　brute
  which；　as　I　later　came　to　know；　held　in　its　poor　ugly　carcass
  more　love；　more　loyalty；　more　gratitude　than　could　have　been
  found　in　the　entire　five　million　green　Martians　who　rove　the
  deserted　cities　and　dead　sea　bottoms　of　Mars。
  CHAPTER　VII
  CHILD…RAISING　ON　MARS
  After　a　breakfast；　which　was　an　exact　replica　of　the　meal　of
  the　preceding　day　and　an　index　of　practically　every　meal
  which　followed　while　I　was　with　the　green　men　of　Mars；　Sola
  escorted　me　to　the　plaza；　where　I　found　the　entire　community
  engaged　in　watching　or　helping　at　the　harnessing　of　huge
  mastodonian　animals　to　great　three…wheeled　chariots。　　There
  were　about　two　hundred　and　fifty　of　these　vehicles；　each
  drawn　by　a　single　animal；　any　one　of　which；　from　their
  appearance；　might　easily　have　drawn　the　entire　wagon　train
  when　fully　loaded。
  The　chariots　themselves　were　large；　commodious；　and
  gorgeously　decorated。　　In　each　was　seated　a　female　Martian
  loaded　with　ornaments　of　metal；　with　jewels　and　silks　and　furs；
  and　upon　the　back　of　each　of　the　beasts　which　drew　the　chariots
  was　perched　a　young　Martian　driver。　　Like　the　animals　upon　which
  the　warriors　were　mounted；　the　heavier　draft　animals　wore　neither
  bit　nor　bridle；　but　were　guided　entirely　by　telepathic　means。
  This　power　is　wonderfully　developed　in　all　Martians；　and
  accounts　largely　for　the　simplicity　of　their　language　and　the
  relatively　few　spoken　words　exchanged　even　in　long　conversations。
  It　is　the　universal　language　of　Mars；　through　the　medium
  of　which　the　higher　and　lower　animals　of　this　world　of
  paradoxes　are　able　to　communicate　to　a　greater　or　less　extent；
  depending　upon　the　intellectual　sphere　of　the　species　and　the
  development　of　the　individual。
  As　the　cavalcade　took　up　the　line　of　march　in　single　file；
  Sola　dragged　me　into　an　empty　chariot　and　we　proceeded
  with　the　procession　toward　the　point　by　which　I　had　entered
  the　city　the　day　before。　　At　the　head　of　the　caravan　rode　some
  two　hundred　warriors；　five　abreast；　and　a　like　number
  brought　up　the　rear；　while　twenty…five　or　thirty　outriders
  flanked　us　on　either　side。
  Every　one　but　myselfmen；　women；　and　childrenwere
  heavily　armed；　and　at　the　tail　of　each　chariot　trotted　a
  Martian　hound；