the beasts of tarzan-第25章

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Staggering　to　his　feet；　the　ape…man　groped　about　the　reeking；

oozy　den。　　He　found　that　he　was　imprisoned　in　a　subterranean

chamber　amply　large　enough　to　have　accommodated　a　dozen　or

more　of　the　huge　animals　such　as　the　one　that　had

dragged　him　thither。



He　realized　that　he　was　in　the　creature's　hidden　nest　far

under　the　bank　of　the　stream；　and　that　doubtless　the　only

means　of　ingress　or　egress　lay　through　the　submerged　opening

through　which　the　crocodile　had　brought　him。



His　first　thought；　of　course；　was　of　escape；　but　that　he

could　make　his　way　to　the　surface　of　the　river　beyond　and

then　to　the　shore　seemed　highly　improbable。　　There　might　be

turns　and　windings　in　the　neck　of　the　passage；　or；　most　to

be　feared；　he　might　meet　another　of　the　slimy　inhabitants　of

the　retreat　upon　his　journey　outward。



Even　should　he　reach　the　river　in　safety；　there　was　still　the

danger　of　his　being　again　attacked　before　he　could　effect　a

safe　landing。　　Still　there　was　no　alternative；　and；　filling　his

lungs　with　the　close　and　reeking　air　of　the　chamber；　Tarzan

of　the　Apes　dived　into　the　dark　and　watery　hole　which　he

could　not　see　but　had　felt　out　and　found　with　his　feet　and　legs。



The　leg　which　had　been　held　within　the　jaws　of　the　crocodile

was　badly　lacerated；　but　the　bone　had　not　been　broken；

nor　were　the　muscles　or　tendons　sufficiently　injured　to　render

it　useless。　　It　gave　him　excruciating　pain；　that　was　all。



But　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　was　accustomed　to　pain；　and　gave

it　no　further　thought　when　he　found　that　the　use　of　his　legs

was　not　greatly　impaired　by　the　sharp　teeth　of　the　monster。



Rapidly　he　crawled　and　swam　through　the　passage　which

inclined　downward　and　finally　upward　to　open　at　last　into

the　river　bottom　but　a　few　feet　from　the　shore　line。　　As　the

ape…man　reached　the　surface　he　saw　the　heads　of　two　great

crocodiles　but　a　short　distance　from　him。　　They　were　making

rapidly　in　his　direction；　and　with　a　superhuman　effort　the

man　struck　out　for　the　overhanging　branches　of　a　near…by　tree。



Nor　was　he　a　moment　too　soon；　for　scarcely　had　he　drawn

himself　to　the　safety　of　the　limb　than　two　gaping　mouths

snapped　venomously　below　him。　　For　a　few　minutes　Tarzan

rested　in　the　tree　that　had　proved　the　means　of　his　salvation。　　

His　eyes　scanned　the　river　as　far　down…stream　as　the　tortuous

channel　would　permit；　but　there　was　no　sign　of　the　Russian

or　his　dugout。



When　he　had　rested　and　bound　up　his　wounded　leg　he　started

on　in　pursuit　of　the　drifting　canoe。　　He　found　himself

upon　the　opposite　of　the　river　to　that　at　which　he　had

entered　the　stream；　but　as　his　quarry　was　upon　the　bosom

of　the　water　it　made　little　difference　to　the　ape…man

upon　which　side　he　took　up　the　pursuit。



To　his　intense　chagrin　he　soon　found　that　his　leg　was　more

badly　injured　than　he　had　thought；　and　that　its　condition

seriously　impeded　his　progress。　　It　was　only　with　the　greatest

difficulty　that　he　could　proceed　faster　than　a　walk　upon　the

ground；　and　in　the　trees　he　discovered　that　it　not　only　impeded

his　progress；　but　rendered　travelling　distinctly　dangerous。



From　the　old　negress；　Tambudza；　Tarzan　had　gathered　a　suggestion

that　now　filled　his　mind　with　doubts　and　misgivings。　　When　the

old　woman　had　told　him　of　the　child's　death　she　had　also　added

that　the　white　woman；　though　grief…stricken；　had　confided　to　her

that　the　baby　was　not　hers。



Tarzan　could　see　no　reason　for　believing　that　Jane　could

have　found　it　advisable　to　deny　her　identity　or　that　of　the

child；　the　only　explanation　that　he　could　put　upon　the　matter

was　that；　after　all；　the　white　woman　who　had　accompanied

his　son　and　the　Swede　into　the　jungle　fastness　of　the　interior

had　not　been　Jane　at　all。



The　more　he　gave　thought　to　the　problem；　the　more　firmly

convinced　he　became　that　his　son　was　dead　and　his　wife　still

safe　in　London；　and　in　ignorance　of　the　terrible　fate　that　had

overtaken　her　first…born。



After　all；　then；　his　interpretation　of　Rokoff's　sinister　taunt

had　been　erroneous；　and　he　had　been　bearing　the　burden　of　a

double　apprehension　needlesslyat　least　so　thought　the　ape…man。　　

From　this　belief　he　garnered　some　slight　surcease　from　the

numbing　grief　that　the　death　of　his　little　son　had　thrust　upon　him。



And　such　a　death！　　Even　the　savage　beast　that　was　the　real

Tarzan；　inured　to　the　sufferings　and　horrors　of　the　grim　jungle；

shuddered　as　he　contemplated　the　hideous　fate　that　had

overtaken　the　innocent　child。



As　he　made　his　way　painfully　towards　the　coast；　he　let　his

mind　dwell　so　constantly　upon　the　frightful　crimes　which　the

Russian　had　perpetrated　against　his　loved　ones　that　the　great

scar　upon　his　forehead　stood　out　almost　continuously　in　the

vivid　scarlet　that　marked　the　man's　most　relentless　and　bestial

moods　of　rage。　　At　times　he　startled　even　himself　and　sent　the

lesser　creatures　of　the　wild　jungle　scampering　to　their　hiding

places　as　involuntary　roars　and　growls　rumbled　from　his　throat。



Could　he　but　lay　his　hand　upon　the　Russian！



Twice　upon　the　way　to　the　coast　bellicose　natives　ran

threateningly　from　their　villages　to　bar　his　further　progress；

but　when　the　awful　cry　of　the　bull…ape　thundered　upon　their

affrighted　ears；　and　the　great　white　giant　charged　bellowing

upon　them；　they　had　turned　and　fled　into　the　bush；　nor　ventured

thence　until　he　had　safely　passed。



Though　his　progress　seemed　tantalizingly　slow　to　the　ape…man

whose　idea　of　speed　had　been　gained　by　such　standards　as　the

lesser　apes　attain；　he　made；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　almost　as

rapid　progress　as　the　drifting　canoe　that　bore　Rokoff　on

ahead　of　him；　so　that　he　came　to　the　bay　and　within　sight　of

the　ocean　just　after　darkness　had　fallen　upon　the　same　day　that

Jane　Clayton　and　the　Russian　ended　their　flights　from　the　interior。



The　darkness　lowered　so　heavily　upon　the　black　river　and

the　encircling　jungle　that　Tarzan；　even　with　eyes　accustomed

to　much　use　after　dark；　could　make　out　nothing　a　few　yards

from　him。　　His　idea　was　to　search　the　shore　that　night　for

signs　of　the　Russian　and　the　woman　who　he　was　certain　must

have　preceded　Rokoff　down　the　Ugambi。　　That　the　Kincaid

or　other　ship　lay　at　anchor　but　a　hundred　yards　from　him　he

did　not　dream；　for　no　light　showed　on　board　the　steamer。



Even　as　he　commenced　his　search　his　attention　was　suddenly

attracted　by　a　noise　that　he　had　not　at　first　perceived

the　stealthy　dip　of　paddles　in　the　water　some　distance　from

the　shore；　and　about　opposite　the　point　at　which　he　stood。　　

Motionless　as　a　statue　he　stood　listening　to　the　faint　sound。



Presently　it　ceased；　to　be　followed　by　a　shuffling　noise　that

the　ape…man's　trained　ears　could　interpret　as　resulting　from

but　a　single　causethe　scraping　of　leather…shod　feet　upon　the

rounds　of　a　ship's　monkey…ladder。　　And　yet；　as　far　as　he　could

see；　there　was　no　ship　therenor　might　there　be　one　within

a　thousand　miles。



As　he　stood　thus；　peering　out　into　the　darkness　of　the

cloud…enshrouded　night；　there　came　to　him　from　across　the

water；　like　a　slap　in　the　face；　so　sudden　and　unexpected　was

it；　the　sharp　staccato　of　an　exchange　of　shots　and　then　the

scream　of　a　woman。



Wounded　though　he　was；　and　with　the　memory　of　his　recent

horrible　experience　still　strong　upon　him；　Tarzan　of　the　Apes

did　not　hesitate　as　the　notes　of　that　frightened　cry　rose　shrill

and　piercing　upon　the　still　night　air。　　With　a　bound　he　cleared

the　intervening　bushthere　was　a　splash　as　the　water　closed

about　himand　then；　with　powerful　strokes；　he　swam　out

into　the　impenetrable　night　with　no　guide　save　the　memory

of　an　illusive　cry；　and　for　company　the　hideous　denizens

of　an　equatorial　river。





The　boat　that　had　attracted　Jane's　attention　as　she　stood

guard　upon　the　deck　of　the　Kincaid　had　been　perceived　by

Rokoff　upon　one　bank　and　Mugambi　and　the　horde　upon　the　other。　　

The　cries　of　the　Russian　had　brought　the　dugout　first　to　him；

and　then；　after　a　conference；　it　had　been　turned　toward　the

Kincaid；　but　before　ever　it　covered　half　the　distance　between

the　shore　and　the　steamer　a　rifle　had　spoken　from　the　latter's

deck　and　one　of　the　sailors　in　the　bow　of　the　canoe　had　crumpled

and　fallen　into　the　water。



After　that　they　went　more　slowly；　and　presently；　when　Jane's　rifle

had　found　another　member　of　the　party；　the　canoe　withdrew　to　the　shore；

where　it　lay　as　long　as　daylight　lasted。



The　savage；　snarling　pack　upon　the　opposite　shore　had　been

directed　in　their　pursuit　by　the　black　warrior；　Mugambi；

chief　of　the　Wagambi。　　Only　he　knew　which　might　be　foe　and

which　friend　of　their　lost　master。



Could　they　have　reached　either　the　canoe　or　the　Kincaid

they　would　have　made　short　work　of　any　whom　they　found

there；　but　the　gulf　of　black　water　intervening　shut　them　off

from　farther　advance　as　effectually　as　though　it　had　been　the

broad　ocean　that　separated　them　from　their　prey。



Mugambi　knew　something　of　the　occurrences　which　had　led　up　to

the　landing　of　Tarzan　upon　Jungle　Island　and　the　pursuit　of

the　whites　up　the　Ugambi。　　He　knew　that　his　savage　master

sought　his　wife　and　child　who　had　been　stolen　by　the　wicked

white　man　whom　they　had　followed　far　into　the　interior　and

now　back　to　the　sea。



He　believed　also　that　this　same　man　had　killed　the　great

white　giant　whom　he　had　come　to　respect　and　love　as　he　had

never　loved　the　greatest　chiefs　of　his　own　people。　　And　so　in

the　wild　breast　of　Mugambi　burned　an　iron　resolve　to　win　to

the　side　of　the　wicked　one　and　wreak　vengeance　upon　him

for　the　murder　of　the　ape…man。



But　when　he　saw　the　canoe　come　down　the　river　and　take　in　Rokoff；

when　he　saw　it　make　for　the　Kincaid；　he　realized　that　only　by

possessing　himself　of　a　canoe　could　he　hope　to　transport　the　beasts

of　the　pack　within　striking　distance　of　the　enemy。



So　it　happened　that　even　before　Jane　Clayton　fired　the　first　shot　into

Rokoff's　canoe　the　beasts　of　Tarzan　had　disappeared　into　the　jungle。



After　the　Russian　and　his　party；　which　consisted　of　Paulvitch

and　the　several　men　he　had　left　upon　the　Kincaid　to　attend

to　the　matter　of　coaling；　had　retreated　before　her　fire；

Jane　realized　that　it　would　be　but　a　temporary　respite　from

their　attentions　which　she　had　gained；　and　with　the　conviction

came　a　determination　to　make　a　bold　and　final　stroke　for

freedom　from　the　menacing　threat　of　Rokoff's　evil　purpose。



With　this　idea　in　view　she　opened　negotiations　with　the　two

sailors　she　had　imprisoned　in　the　forecastle；　and　having

forced　their　consent　to　her　plans；　upon　pain　of　death　should

they　attempt　disloyalty；　she　released　them　just　as　darkness

closed　about　the　ship。



With　ready　revolver　to　compel　obedience；　she　let　them　up

one　by　one；　searching　them　carefully　for　concealed　weapons

as　they　stood　with　hands　elevated　above　their　heads。　　Once

satisfied　that　they　were　unarme