the beasts of tarzan-第22章

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The　terror…stricken　Muscovite　scurried　like　a　hunted　rabbit

through　the　hole　that　still　gaped　in　the　boma's　wall　at　the

point　where　his　own　prey　had　escaped；　and　as　Tarzan　approached

the　camp　upon　the　opposite　side　Rokoff　disappeared　into　the

jungle　in　the　wake　of　Jane　Clayton。



As　the　ape…man　entered　the　boma　with　old　Tambudza　at　his　elbow

the　seven　sailors；　recognizing　him；　turned　and　fled　in　the

opposite　direction。　　Tarzan　saw　that　Rokoff　was　not　among　them；

and　so　he　let　them　go　their　wayhis　business　was　with　the　Russian；

whom　he　expected　to　find　in　his　tent。　　As　to　the　sailors；　he　was

sure　that　the　jungle　would　exact　from　them　expiation　for　their

villainies；　nor；　doubtless；　was　he　wrong；　for　his　were　the　last

white　man's　eyes　to　rest　upon　any　of　them。



Finding　Rokoff's　tent　empty；　Tarzan　was　about　to　set　out

in　search　of　the　Russian　when　Tambudza　suggested　to　him

that　the　departure　of　the　white　man　could　only　have　resulted

from　word　reaching　him　from　M'ganwazam　that　Tarzan　was

in　his　village。



〃He　has　doubtless　hastened　there；〃　argued　the　old　woman。

〃If　you　would　find　him　let　us　return　at　once。〃



Tarzan　himself　thought　that　this　would　probably　prove　to

be　the　fact；　so　he　did　not　waste　time　in　an　endeavour　to　locate

the　Russian's　trail；　but；　instead；　set　out　briskly　for　the　village

of　M'ganwazam；　leaving　Tambudza　to　plod　slowly　in　his　wake。



His　one　hope　was　that　Jane　was　still　safe　and　with　Rokoff。　　

If　this　was　the　case；　it　would　be　but　a　matter　of　an　hour　or

more　before　he　should　be　able　to　wrest　her　from　the　Russian。



He　knew　now　that　M'ganwazam　was　treacherous　and　that

he　might　have　to　fight　to　regain　possession　of　his　wife。　　

He　wished　that　Mugambi；　Sheeta；　Akut；　and　the　balance　of　the

pack　were　with　him；　for　he　realized　that　single…handed　it

would　be　no　child's　play　to　bring　Jane　safely　from　the　clutches

of　two　such　scoundrels　as　Rokoff　and　the　wily　M'ganwazam。



To　his　surprise　he　found　no　sign　of　either　Rokoff　or　Jane

in　the　village；　and　as　he　could　not　trust　the　word　of　the　chief；

he　wasted　no　time　in　futile　inquiry。　　So　sudden　and　unexpected

had　been　his　return；　and　so　quickly　had　he　vanished　into　the　jungle

after　learning　that　those　he　sought　were　not　among　the　Waganwazam；

that　old　M'ganwazam　had　no　time　to　prevent　his　going。



Swinging　through　the　trees；　he　hastened　back　to　the　deserted　camp

he　had　so　recently　left；　for　here；　he　knew；　was　the　logical　place

to　take　up　the　trail　of　Rokoff　and　Jane。



Arrived　at　the　boma；　he　circled　carefully　about　the　outside

of　the　enclosure　until；　opposite　a　break　in　the　thorny　wall；

he　came　to　indications　that　something　had　recently　passed

into　the　jungle。　　His　acute　sense　of　smell　told　him　that　both

of　those　he　sought　had　fled　from　the　camp　in　this　direction；

and　a　moment　later　he　had　taken　up　the　trail　and　was　following

the　faint　spoor。



Far　ahead　of　him　a　terror…stricken　young　woman　was　slinking

along　a　narrow　game…trail；　fearful　that　the　next　moment

would　bring　her　face　to　face　with　some　savage　beast　or　equally

savage　man。　　As　she　ran　on；　hoping　against　hope　that　she　had

hit　upon　the　direction　that　would　lead　her　eventually　to　the

great　river；　she　came　suddenly　upon　a　familiar　spot。



At　one　side　of　the　trail；　beneath　a　giant　tree；　lay　a　little

heap　of　loosely　piled　brushto　her　dying　day　that　little　spot

of　jungle　would　be　indelibly　impressed　upon　her　memory。　　

It　was　where　Anderssen　had　hidden　herwhere　he　had　given

up　his　life　in　the　vain　effort　to　save　her　from　Rokoff。



At　sight　of　it　she　recalled　the　rifle　and　ammunition　that

the　man　had　thrust　upon　her　at　the　last　moment。　　Until　now

she　had　forgotten　them　entirely。　　Still　clutched　in　her　hand

was　the　revolver　she　had　snatched　from　Rokoff's　belt；　but

that　could　contain　at　most　not　over　six　cartridgesnot　enough

to　furnish　her　with　food　and　protection　both　on　the　long

journey　to　the　sea。



With　bated　breath　she　groped　beneath　the　little　mound；

scarce　daring　to　hope　that　the　treasure　remained　where　she

had　left　it；　but；　to　her　infinite　relief　and　joy；　her　hand　came

at　once　upon　the　barrel　of　the　heavy　weapon　and　then　upon

the　bandoleer　of　cartridges。



As　she　threw　the　latter　about　her　shoulder　and　felt　the　weight

of　the　big　game…gun　in　her　hand　a　sudden　sense　of　security

suffused　her。　　It　was　with　new　hope　and　a　feeling　almost　of

assured　success　that　she　again　set　forward　upon　her　journey。



That　night　she　slept　in　the　crotch　of　a　tree；　as　Tarzan　had

so　often　told　her　that　he　was　accustomed　to　doing；　and　early

the　next　morning　was　upon　her　way　again。　　Late　in　the　afternoon；

as　she　was　about　to　cross　a　little　clearing；　she　was　startled

at　the　sight　of　a　huge　ape　coming　from　the　jungle　upon　the

opposite　side。



The　wind　was　blowing　directly　across　the　clearing　between

them；　and　Jane　lost　no　time　in　putting　herself　downwind

from　the　huge　creature。　　Then　she　hid　in　a　clump　of　heavy

bush　and　watched；　holding　the　rifle　ready　for　instant　use。



To　her　consternation　she　saw　that　the　apes　were　pausing　in　the

centre　of　the　clearing。　　They　came　together　in　a　little　knot；

where　they　stood　looking　backward；　as　though　in　expectation

of　the　coming　of　others　of　their　tribe。　　

Jane　wished　that　they　would　go　on；　for　she　knew　that　at

any　moment　some　little；　eddying　gust　of　wind　might　carry

her　scent　down　to　their　nostrils；　and　then　what　would　the

protection　of　her　rifle　amount　to　in　the　face　of　those　gigantic

muscles　and　mighty　fangs？



Her　eyes　moved　back　and　forth　between　the　apes　and　the　edge

of　the　jungle　toward　which　they　were　gazing　until　at　last

she　perceived　the　object　of　their　halt　and　the　thing　that

they　awaited。　　They　were　being　stalked。



Of　this　she　was　positive；　as　she　saw　the　lithe；　sinewy　form

of　a　panther　glide　noiselessly　from　the　jungle　at　the　point　at

which　the　apes　had　emerged　but　a　moment　before。



Quickly　the　beast　trotted　across　the　clearing　toward

the　anthropoids。　　Jane　wondered　at　their　apparent　apathy；

and　a　moment　later　her　wonder　turned　to　amazement　as　she　saw

the　great　cat　come　quite　close　to　the　apes；　who　appeared

entirely　unconcerned　by　its　presence；　and；　squatting　down

in　their　midst；　fell　assiduously　to　the　business　of　preening；

which　occupies　most　of　the　waking　hours　of　the　cat　family。



If　the　young　woman　was　surprised　by　the　sight　of　these　natural

enemies　fraternizing；　it　was　with　emotions　little　short　of　fear

for　her　own　sanity　that　she　presently　saw　a　tall；　muscular　warrior

enter　the　clearing　and　join　the　group　of　savage　beasts　assembled　there。



At　first　sight　of　the　man　she　had　been　positive　that　he　would

be　torn　to　pieces；　and　she　had　half　risen　from　her　shelter；

raising　her　rifle　to　her　shoulder　to　do　what　she　could　to

avert　the　man's　terrible　fate。



Now　she　saw　that　he　seemed　actually　conversing　with　the　beasts

issuing　orders　to　them。



Presently　the　entire　company　filed　on　across　the　clearing

and　disappeared　in　the　jungle　upon　the　opposite　side。



With　a　gasp　of　mingled　incredulity　and　relief　Jane　Clayton

staggered　to　her　feet　and　fled　on　away　from　the　terrible　horde

that　had　just　passed　her；　while　a　half…mile　behind　her　another

individual；　following　the　same　trail　as　she；　lay　frozen　with

terror　behind　an　ant…hill　as　the　hideous　band　passed　quite

close　to　him。



This　one　was　Rokoff；　but　he　had　recognized　the　members

of　the　awful　aggregation　as　allies　of　Tarzan　of　the　Apes。　　

No　sooner；　therefore；　had　the　beasts　passed　him　than　he　rose　and

raced　through　the　jungle　as　fast　as　he　could　go；　in　order　that

he　might　put　as　much　distance　as　possible　between　himself

and　these　frightful　beasts。



So　it　happened　that　as　Jane　Clayton　came　to　the　bank　of　the　river；

down　which　she　hoped　to　float　to　the　ocean　and　eventual　rescue；

Nikolas　Rokoff　was　but　a　short　distance　in　her　rear。



Upon　the　bank　the　girl　saw　a　great　dugout　drawn　half…way

from　the　water　and　tied　securely　to　a　near…by　tree。



This；　she　felt；　would　solve　the　question　of　transportation

to　the　sea　could　she　but　launch　the　huge；　unwieldy　craft。　　

Unfastening　the　rope　that　had　moored　it　to　the　tree；　Jane

pushed　frantically　upon　the　bow　of　the　heavy　canoe；　but　for

all　the　results　that　were　apparent　she　might　as　well　have　been

attempting　to　shove　the　earth　out　of　its　orbit。



She　was　about　winded　when　it　occurred　to　her　to　try　working

the　dugout　into　the　stream　by　loading　the　stern　with　ballast

and　then　rocking　the　bow　back　and　forth　along　the　bank

until　the　craft　eventually　worked　itself　into　the　river。



There　were　no　stones　or　rocks　available；　but　along　the

shore　she　found　quantities　of　driftwood　deposited　by　the　river

at　a　slightly　higher　stage。　　These　she　gathered　and　piled　far

in　the　stern　of　the　boat；　until　at　last；　to　her　immense　relief；

she　saw　the　bow　rise　gently　from　the　mud　of　the　bank　and

the　stern　drift　slowly　with　the　current　until　it　again　lodged　a

few　feet　farther　down…stream。



Jane　found　that　by　running　back　and　forth　between　the

bow　and　stern　she　could　alternately　raise　and　lower　each　end

of　the　boat　as　she　shifted　her　weight　from　one　end　to　the

other；　with　the　result　that　each　time　she　leaped　to　the　stern

the　canoe　moved　a　few　inches　farther　into　the　river。



As　the　success　of　her　plan　approached　more　closely　to

fruition　she　became　so　wrapped　in　her　efforts　that　she　failed

to　note　the　figure　of　a　man　standing　beneath　a　huge　tree　at

the　edge　of　the　jungle　from　which　he　had　just　emerged。



He　watched　her　and　her　labours　with　a　cruel　and　malicious

grin　upon　his　swarthy　countenance。



The　boat　at　last　became　so　nearly　free　of　the　retarding

mud　and　of　the　bank　that　Jane　felt　positive　that　she　could

pole　it　off　into　deeper　water　with　one　of　the　paddles　which

lay　in　the　bottom　of　the　rude　craft。　　With　this　end　in　view　she

seized　upon　one　of　these　implements　and　had　just　plunged　it

into　the　river　bottom　close　to　the　shore　when　her　eyes

happened　to　rise　to　the　edge　of　the　jungle。



As　her　gaze　fell　upon　the　figure　of　the　man　a　little　cry　of

terror　rose　to　her　lips。　　It　was　Rokoff。



He　was　running　toward　her　now　and　shouting　to　her　to

wait　or　he　would　shootthough　he　was　entirely　unarmed　it

was　difficult　to　discover　just　how　he　intended　making　good

his　threat。



Jane　Clayton　knew　nothing　of　the　various　misfortunes　that

had　befallen　the　Russian　since　she　had　escaped　from　his　tent；

so　she　believed　that　his　followers　must　be　close　at　hand。



However；　she　had　no　intention　of　falling　again　into　the

man's　clutches。　　She　would　rather　die　at　once　than　that　that

should　happen　to　her。　　Another　minute　and　the　boat　would　be　free。



Once　in　the　current　of　the　river　she　would　be　beyond　Rokoff's

power　to　stop　her；　for　there　was　no　other　boat　upon

the　shore；　and　no　man；　and　certainly　not　the　cowardly　Rokoff；

would　dare　to　attemp