the beasts of tarzan-第26章
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as they stood with hands elevated above their heads。 Once
satisfied that they were unarmed； she set them to work cutting
the cable which held the Kincaid to her anchorage； for her bold
plan was nothing less than to set the steamer adrift and float
with her out into the open sea； there to trust to the mercy
of the elements； which she was confident would be no more
merciless than Nikolas Rokoff should he again capture her。
There was； too； the chance that the Kincaid might be sighted
by some passing ship； and as she was well stocked with
provisions and waterthe men had assured her of this fact
and as the season of storm was well over； she had every
reason to hope for the eventual success of her plan。
The night was deeply overcast； heavy clouds riding
low above the jungle and the wateronly to the west；
where the broad ocean spread beyond the river's mouth；
was there a suggestion of lessening gloom。
It was a perfect night for the purposes of the work in hand。
Her enemies could not see the activity aboard the ship nor
mark her course as the swift current bore her outward into
the ocean。 Before daylight broke the ebb…tide would have
carried the Kincaid well into the Benguela current which
flows northward along the coast of Africa； and； as a south
wind was prevailing； Jane hoped to be out of sight of the
mouth of the Ugambi before Rokoff could become aware of
the departure of the steamer。
Standing over the labouring seamen； the young woman
breathed a sigh of relief as the last strand of the cable parted
and she knew that the vessel was on its way out of the maw
of the savage Ugambi。
With her two prisoners still beneath the coercing influence
of her rifle； she ordered them upon deck with the intention
of again imprisoning them in the forecastle； but at length she
permitted herself to be influenced by their promises of loyalty
and the arguments which they put forth that they could be of
service to her； and permitted them to remain above。
For a few minutes the Kincaid drifted rapidly with the current；
and then； with a grinding jar； she stopped in midstream。
The ship had run upon a low…lying bar that splits the channel
about a quarter of a mile from the sea。
For a moment she hung there； and then； swinging round until
her bow pointed toward the shore； she broke adrift once more。
At the same instant； just as Jane Clayton was congratulating
herself that the ship was once more free； there fell upon
her ears from a point up the river about where the Kincaid
had been anchored the rattle of musketry and a woman's
screamshrill； piercing； fear…laden。
The sailors heard the shots with certain conviction that
they announced the coming of their employer； and as they
had no relish for the plan that would consign them to the
deck of a drifting derelict； they whispered together a hurried
plan to overcome the young woman and hail Rokoff and their
companions to their rescue。
It seemed that fate would play into their hands； for with
the reports of the guns Jane Clayton's attention had been
distracted from her unwilling assistants； and instead of
keeping one eye upon them as she had intended doing； she ran
to the bow of the Kincaid to peer through the darkness toward
the source of the disturbance upon the river's bosom。
Seeing that she was off her guard； the two sailors crept
stealthily upon her from behind。
The scraping upon the deck of the shoes of one of them
startled the girl to a sudden appreciation of her danger；
but the warning had come too late。
As she turned； both men leaped upon her and bore her
to the deck； and as she went down beneath them she saw；
outlined against the lesser gloom of the ocean； the figure of
another man clamber over the side of the Kincaid。
After all her pains her heroic struggle for freedom had failed。
With a stifled sob she gave up the unequal battle。
Chapter 17
On the Deck of the 〃Kincaid〃
When Mugambi had turned back into the jungle with the pack
he had a definite purpose in view。 It was to obtain a
dugout wherewith to transport the beasts of Tarzan to the
side of the Kincaid。 Nor was he long in coming upon the
object which he sought。
Just at dusk he found a canoe moored to the bank of a
small tributary of the Ugambi at a point where he had
felt certain that he should find one。
Without loss of time he piled his hideous fellows into the
craft and shoved out into the stream。 So quickly had they
taken possession of the canoe that the warrior had not noticed
that it was already occupied。 The huddled figure sleeping in
the bottom had entirely escaped his observation in the darkness
of the night that had now fallen。
But no sooner were they afloat than a savage growling
from one of the apes directly ahead of him in the dugout
attracted his attention to a shivering and cowering figure
that trembled between him and the great anthropoid。 To Mugambi's
astonishment he saw that it was a native woman。 With difficulty
he kept the ape from her throat； and after a time succeeded
in quelling her fears。
It seemed that she had been fleeing from marriage with an
old man she loathed and had taken refuge for the night in the
canoe she had found upon the river's edge。
Mugambi did not wish her presence； but there she was；
and rather than lose time by returning her to the shore
the black permitted her to remain on board the canoe。
As quickly as his awkward companions could paddle the
dugout down…stream toward the Ugambi and the Kincaid they
moved through the darkness。 It was with difficulty that
Mugambi could make out the shadowy form of the steamer； but
as he had it between himself and the ocean it was much more
apparent than to one upon either shore of the river。
As he approached it he was amazed to note that it seemed
to be receding from him； and finally he was convinced that
the vessel was moving down…stream。 Just as he was about to
urge his creatures to renewed efforts to overtake the steamer
the outline of another canoe burst suddenly into view not
three yards from the bow of his own craft。
At the same instant the occupants of the stranger discovered
the proximity of Mugambi's horde； but they did not at first
recognize the nature of the fearful crew。 A man in the
bow of the oncoming boat challenged them just as the two
dugouts were about to touch。
For answer came the menacing growl of a panther； and the
fellow found himself gazing into the flaming eyes of Sheeta；
who had raised himself with his forepaws upon the bow of the
boat； ready to leap in upon the occupants of the other craft。
Instantly Rokoff realized the peril that confronted him and
his fellows。 He gave a quick command to fire upon the occupants
of the other canoe； and it was this volley and the scream of the
terrified native woman in the canoe with Mugambi that both
Tarzan and Jane had heard。
Before the slower and less skilled paddlers in Mugambi's
canoe could press their advantage and effect a boarding of
the enemy the latter had turned swiftly down…stream and were
paddling for their lives in the direction of the Kincaid；
which was now visible to them。
The vessel after striking upon the bar had swung loose again
into a slow…moving eddy； which returns up…stream close to the
southern shore of the Ugambi only to circle out once more and
join the downward flow a hundred yards or so farther up。
Thus the Kincaid was returning Jane Clayton directly into
the hands of her enemies。
It so happened that as Tarzan sprang into the river the
vessel was not visible to him； and as he swam out into the
night he had no idea that a ship drifted so close at hand。
He was guided by the sounds which he could hear coming from
the two canoes。
As he swam he had vivid recollections of the last occasion
upon which he had swum in the waters of the Ugambi； and
with them a sudden shudder shook the frame of the giant。
But； though he twice felt something brush his legs from
the slimy depths below him； nothing seized him； and of a
sudden he quite forgot about crocodiles in the astonishment
of seeing a dark mass loom suddenly before him where he
had still expected to find the open river。
So close was it that a few strokes brought him up to the
thing； when to his amazement his outstretched hand came in
contact with a ship's side。
As the agile ape…man clambered over the vessel's rail there
came to his sensitive ears the sound of a struggle at the
opposite side of the deck。
Noiselessly he sped across the intervening space。
The moon had risen now； and； though the sky was still
banked with clouds； a lesser darkness enveloped the scene
than that which had blotted out all sight earlier in
the night。 His keen eyes； therefore； saw the figures
of two men grappling with a woman。
That it was the woman who had accompanied Anderssen
toward the interior he did not know； though he suspected as
much； as he was now quite certain that this was the deck of
the Kincaid upon which chance had led him。
But he wasted little time in idle speculation。 There was a
woman in danger of harm from two ruffians； which was enough
excuse for the ape…man to project his giant thews into the
conflict without further investigation。
The first that either of the sailors knew that there was a
new force at work upon the ship was the falling of a mighty
hand upon a shoulder of each。 As if they had been in the grip
of a fly…wheel； they were jerked suddenly from their prey。
〃What means this？〃 asked a low voice in their ears。
They were given no time to reply； however； for at the sound
of that voice the young woman had sprung to her feet and
with a little cry of joy leaped toward their assailant。
〃Tarzan！〃 she cried。
The ape…man hurled the two sailors across the deck； where
they rolled； stunned and terrified； into the scuppers upon the
opposite side； and with an exclamation of incredulity gathered
the girl into his arms。
Brief； however； were the moments for their greeting。
Scarcely had they recognized one another than the clouds
above them parted to show the figures of a half…dozen men
clambering over the side of the Kincaid to the steamer's deck。
Foremost among them was the Russian。 As the brilliant
rays of the equatorial moon lighted the deck； and he realized
that the man before him was Lord Greystoke； he screamed
hysterical commands to his followers to fire upon the two。
Tarzan pushed Jane behind the cabin near which they had
been standing； and with a quick bound started for Rokoff。
The men behind the Russian； at least two of them； raised
their rifles and fired at the charging ape…man； but those
behind them were otherwise engagedfor up the monkey…
ladder in their rear was throng
