the beasts of tarzan-第15章

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you　see　it。　　It　ban　you　kid。〃



Quick　hands　snatched　the　bundle　from　the　cook；　and　hungry

mother　arms　folded　the　sleeping　infant　to　her　breast；

while　hot　tears　of　joy　ran　down　her　cheeks　and　her　whole

frame　shook　with　the　emotion　of　the　moment。



〃Come！〃　said　Anderssen。　　〃We　got　no　time　to　vaste。〃



He　snatched　up　her　bundle　of　blankets；　and　outside　the

cabin　door　his　own　as　well。　　Then　he　led　her　to　the　ship's　side；

steadied　her　descent　of　the　monkey…ladder；　holding　the　child

for　her　as　she　climbed　to　the　waiting　boat　below。　　A　moment

later　he　had　cut　the　rope　that　held　the　small　boat　to　the

steamer's　side；　and；　bending　silently　to　the　muffled　oars；

was　pulling　toward　the　black　shadows　up　the　Ugambi　River。



Anderssen　rowed　on　as　though　quite　sure　of　his　ground；

and　when　after　half　an　hour　the　moon　broke　through　the

clouds　there　was　revealed　upon　their　left　the　mouth　of　a

tributary　running　into　the　Ugambi。　　Up　this　narrow　channel

the　Swede　turned　the　prow　of　the　small　boat。



Jane　Clayton　wondered　if　the　man　knew　where　he　was　bound。　　

She　did　not　know　that　in　his　capacity　as　cook　he　had

that　day　been　rowed　up　this　very　stream　to　a　little　village

where　he　had　bartered　with　the　natives　for　such　provisions

as　they　had　for　sale；　and　that　he　had　there　arranged　the　details

of　his　plan　for　the　adventure　upon　which　they　were　now

setting　forth。



Even　though　the　moon　was　full；　the　surface　of　the　small

river　was　quite　dark。　　The　giant　trees　overhung　its　narrow

banks；　meeting　in　a　great　arch　above　the　centre　of　the　river。　　

Spanish　moss　dropped　from　the　gracefully　bending　limbs；

and　enormous　creepers　clambered　in　riotous　profusion　from

the　ground　to　the　loftiest　branch；　falling　in　curving　loops

almost　to　the　water's　placid　breast。



Now　and　then　the　river's　surface　would　be　suddenly　broken

ahead　of　them　by　a　huge　crocodile；　startled　by　the　splashing

of　the　oars；　or；　snorting　and　blowing；　a　family　of　hippos　would

dive　from　a　sandy　bar　to　the　cool；　safe　depths　of　the　bottom。



From　the　dense　jungles　upon　either　side　came　the　weird

night　cries　of　the　carnivorathe　maniacal　voice　of　the　hyena；

the　coughing　grunt　of　the　panther；　the　deep　and　awful　roar

of　the　lion。　　And　with　them　strange；　uncanny　notes　that　the

girl　could　not　ascribe　to　any　particular　night　prowlermore

terrible　because　of　their　mystery。



Huddled　in　the　stern　of　the　boat　she　sat　with　her　baby

strained　close　to　her　bosom；　and　because　of　that　little　tender；

helpless　thing　she　was　happier　tonight　than　she　had　been　for

many　a　sorrow…ridden　day。



Even　though　she　knew　not　to　what　fate　she　was　going；　or

how　soon　that　fate　might　overtake　her；　still　was　she　happy

and　thankful　for　the　moment；　however　brief；　that　she　might

press　her　baby　tightly　in　her　arms。　　She　could　scarce　wait

for　the　coming　of　the　day　that　she　might　look　again　upon　the

bright　face　of　her　little；　black…eyed　Jack。



Again　and　again　she　tried　to　strain　her　eyes　through　the

blackness　of　the　jungle　night　to　have　but　a　tiny　peep　at　those

beloved　features；　but　only　the　dim　outline　of　the　baby　face

rewarded　her　efforts。　　Then　once　more　she　would　cuddle　the

warm；　little　bundle　close　to　her　throbbing　heart。



It　must　have　been　close　to　three　o'clock　in　the　morning

that　Anderssen　brought　the　boat's　nose　to　the　shore　before　a

clearing　where　could　be　dimly　seen　in　the　waning　moonlight

a　cluster　of　native　huts　encircled　by　a　thorn　boma。



At　the　village　gate　they　were　admitted　by　a　native　woman；

the　wife　of　the　chief　whom　Anderssen　had　paid　to　assist　him。　　

She　took　them　to　the　chief's　hut；　but　Anderssen　said　that　they

would　sleep　without　upon　the　ground；　and　so；　her　duty　having

been　completed；　she　left　them　to　their　own　devices。



The　Swede；　after　explaining　in　his　gruff　way　that　the　huts

were　doubtless　filthy　and　vermin…ridden；　spread　Jane's

blankets　on　the　ground　for　her；　and　at　a　little　distance

unrolled　his　own　and　lay　down　to　sleep。



It　was　some　time　before　the　girl　could　find　a　comfortable

position　upon　the　hard　ground；　but　at　last；　the　baby　in　the

hollow　of　her　arm；　she　dropped　asleep　from　utter　exhaustion。　　

When　she　awoke　it　was　broad　daylight。



About　her　were　clustered　a　score　of　curious　natives

mostly　men；　for　among　the　aborigines　it　is　the　male　who

owns　this　characteristic　in　its　most　exaggerated　form。　　

Instinctively　Jane　Clayton　drew　the　baby　more　closely　to　her；

though　she　soon　saw　that　the　blacks　were　far　from　intending

her　or　the　child　any　harm。



In　fact；　one　of　them　offered　her　a　gourd　of　milka　filthy；

smoke…begrimed　gourd；　with　the　ancient　rind　of　long…curdled

milk　caked　in　layers　within　its　neck；　but　the　spirit　of　the　giver

touched　her　deeply；　and　her　face　lightened　for　a　moment　with

one　of　those　almost　forgotten　smiles　of　radiance　that　had

helped　to　make　her　beauty　famous　both　in　Baltimore　and　London。



She　took　the　gourd　in　one　hand；　and　rather　than　cause　the

giver　pain　raised　it　to　her　lips；　though　for　the　life　of　her　she

could　scarce　restrain　the　qualm　of　nausea　that　surged　through

her　as　the　malodorous　thing　approached　her　nostrils。



It　was　Anderssen　who　came　to　her　rescue；　and　taking　the

gourd　from　her；　drank　a　portion　himself；　and　then　returned

it　to　the　native　with　a　gift　of　blue　beads。



The　sun　was　shining　brightly　now；　and　though　the　baby

still　slept；　Jane　could　scarce　restrain　her　impatient　desire　to

have　at　least　a　brief　glance　at　the　beloved　face。　　The　natives

had　withdrawn　at　a　command　from　their　chief；　who　now

stood　talking　with　Anderssen；　a　little　apart　from　her。



As　she　debated　the　wisdom　of　risking　disturbing　the　child's

slumber　by　lifting　the　blanket　that　now　protected　its　face

from　the　sun；　she　noted　that　the　cook　conversed　with　the

chief　in　the　language　of　the　Negro。



What　a　remarkable　man　the　fellow　was；　indeed！　　She　had

thought　him　ignorant　and　stupid　but　a　short　day　before；　and

now；　within　the　past　twenty…four　hours；　she　had　learned　that

he　spoke　not　only　English　but　French　as　well；　and　the　primitive

dialect　of　the　West　Coast。



She　had　thought　him　shifty；　cruel；　and　untrustworthy；　yet

in　so　far　as　she　had　reason　to　believe　he　had　proved　himself

in　every　way　the　contrary　since　the　day　before。　　It　scarce

seemed　credible　that　he　could　be　serving　her　from　motives

purely　chivalrous。　　There　must　be　something　deeper　in　his

intentions　and　plans　than　he　had　yet　disclosed。



She　wondered；　and　when　she　looked　at　himat　his　close…set；

shifty　eyes　and　repulsive　features；　she　shuddered；　for　she

was　convinced　that　no　lofty　characteristics　could　be　hid

behind　so　foul　an　exterior。



As　she　was　thinking　of　these　things　the　while　she　debated

the　wisdom　of　uncovering　the　baby's　face；　there　came　a　little

grunt　from　the　wee　bundle　in　her　lap；　and　then　a　gurgling

coo　that　set　her　heart　in　raptures。



The　baby　was　awake！　　Now　she　might　feast　her　eyes　upon　him。



Quickly　she　snatched　the　blanket　from　before　the　infant's

face；　Anderssen　was　looking　at　her　as　she　did　so。



He　saw　her　stagger　to　her　feet；　holding　the　baby　at　arm's

length　from　her；　her　eyes　glued　in　horror　upon　the　little

chubby　face　and　twinkling　eyes。



Then　he　heard　her　piteous　cry　as　her　knees　gave　beneath

her；　and　she　sank　to　the　ground　in　a　swoon。









Chapter　10





The　Swede





As　the　warriors；　clustered　thick　about　Tarzan　and　Sheeta；

realized　that　it　was　a　flesh…and…blood　panther　that　had

interrupted　their　dance　of　death；　they　took　heart　a　trifle；

for　in　the　face　of　all　those　circling　spears　even　the

mighty　Sheeta　would　be　doomed。



Rokoff　was　urging　the　chief　to　have　his　spearmen　launch

their　missiles；　and　the　black　was　upon　the　instant　of　issuing

the　command；　when　his　eyes　strayed　beyond　Tarzan；

following　the　gaze　of　the　ape…man。



With　a　yell　of　terror　the　chief　turned　and　fled　toward　the

village　gate；　and　as　his　people　looked　to　see　the　cause　of　his

fright；　they　too　took　to　their　heelsfor　there；　lumbering　down

upon　them；　their　huge　forms　exaggerated　by　the　play　of

moonlight　and　camp　fire；　came　the　hideous　apes　of　Akut。



The　instant　the　natives　turned　to　flee　the　ape…man's　savage

cry　rang　out　above　the　shrieks　of　the　blacks；　and　in　answer

to　it　Sheeta　and　the　apes　leaped　growling　after　the　fugitives。　　

Some　of　the　warriors　turned　to　battle　with　their　enraged

antagonists；　but　before　the　fiendish　ferocity　of　the　fierce　beasts

they　went　down　to　bloody　death。



Others　were　dragged　down　in　their　flight；　and　it　was　not

until　the　village　was　empty　and　the　last　of　the　blacks　had

disappeared　into　the　bush　that　Tarzan　was　able　to　recall　his

savage　pack　to　his　side。　　Then　it　was　that　he　discovered　to　his

chagrin　that　he　could　not　make　one　of　them；　not　even　the

comparatively　intelligent　Akut；　understand　that　he　wished　to

be　freed　from　the　bonds　that　held　him　to　the　stake。



In　time；　of　course；　the　idea　would　filter　through　their　thick

skulls；　but　in　the　meanwhile　many　things　might　happenthe

blacks　might　return　in　force　to　regain　their　village；　the　whites

might　readily　pick　them　all　off　with　their　rifles　from　the

surrounding　trees；　he　might　even　starve　to　death　before　the　dull…

witted　apes　realized　that　he　wished　them　to　gnaw　through　his　bonds。



As　for　Sheetathe　great　cat　understood　even　less　than　the

apes；　but　yet　Tarzan　could　not　but　marvel　at　the　remarkable

characteristics　this　beast　had　evidenced。　　That　it　felt　real

affection　for　him　there　seemed　little　doubt；　for　now　that　the

blacks　were　disposed　of　it　walked　slowly　back　and　forth

about　the　stake；　rubbing　its　sides　against　the　ape…man's　legs

and　purring　like　a　contented　tabby。　　That　it　had　gone　of　its

own　volition　to　bring　the　balance　of　the　pack　to　his　rescue；

Tarzan　could　not　doubt。　　His　Sheeta　was　indeed　a　jewel　among　beasts。



Mugambi's　absence　worried　the　ape…man　not　a　little。　　

He　attempted　to　learn　from　Akut　what　had　become　of　the　black；

fearing　that　the　beasts；　freed　from　the　restraint　of　Tarzan's

presence；　might　have　fallen　upon　the　man　and　devoured　him；

but　to　all　his　questions　the　great　ape　but　pointed　back　in　the

direction　from　which　they　had　come　out　of　the　jungle。



The　night　passed　with　Tarzan　still　fast　bound　to　the　stake；

and　shortly　after　dawn　his　fears　were　realized　in　the　discovery

of　naked　black　figures　moving　stealthily　just　within　the　edge　of

the　jungle　about　the　village。　　The　blacks　were　returning。



With　daylight　their　courage　would　be　equal　to　the　demands

of　a　charge　upon　the　handful　of　beasts　that　had　routed　them

from　their　rightful　abodes。　　The　result　of　the　encounter　seemed

foregone　if　the　savages　could　curb　their　superstitious　terror；

for　against　their　overwhelming　numbers；　their　long　spears

and　poisoned　arrows；　the　panther　and　the　apes　could　not　be

expected　to　survive　a　really　determined　attack。




That　the　blacks