the beasts of tarzan-第29章
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was enabled to steel himself to the frightful chances which
lay before him。
No sound or sign of watch appeared upon the ship's deck。
Paulvitch crept stealthily toward the forecastle。
All was silence。 The hatch was raised； and as the man
peered downward he saw one of the Kincaid's crew reading
by the light of the smoky lantern depending from the ceiling
of the crew's quarters。
Paulvitch knew the man well； a surly cut…throat upon whom
he figured strongly in the carrying out of the plan which he
had conceived。 Gently the Russ lowered himself through the
aperture to the rounds of the ladder which led into the forecastle。
He kept his eyes turned upon the reading man； ready to
warn him to silence the moment that the fellow discovered
him； but so deeply immersed was the sailor in the magazine
that the Russian came； unobserved； to the forecastle floor。
There he turned and whispered the reader's name。 The man
raised his eyes from the magazineeyes that went wide
for a moment as they fell upon the familiar countenance of
Rokoff's lieutenant； only to narrow instantly in a scowl
of disapproval。
〃The devil！〃 he ejaculated。 〃Where did you come from？
We all thought you were done for and gone where you ought
to have gone a long time ago。 His lordship will be mighty
pleased to see you。〃
Paulvitch crossed to the sailor's side。 A friendly smile lay
on the Russian's lips； and his right hand was extended in
greeting； as though the other might have been a dear and
long lost friend。 The sailor ignored the proffered hand；
nor did he return the other's smile。
〃I've come to help you；〃 explained Paulvitch。 〃I'm going to
help you get rid of the Englishman and his beaststhen there
will be no danger from the law when we get back to civilization。
We can sneak in on them while they sleepthat is Greystoke；
his wife； and that black scoundrel； Mugambi。 Afterward it will
be a simple matter to clean up the beasts。 Where are they？〃
〃They're below；〃 replied the sailor； 〃but just let me tell
you something； Paulvitch。 You haven't got no more show to
turn us men against the Englishman than nothing。 We had
all we wanted of you and that other beast。 He's dead； an' if
I don't miss my guess a whole lot you'll be dead too before long。
You two treated us like dogs； and if you think we got any love
for you you better forget it。〃
〃You mean to say that you're going to turn against me？〃
demanded Paulvitch。
The other nodded； and then after a momentary pause；
during which an idea seemed to have occurred to him；
he spoke again。
〃Unless；〃 he said； 〃you can make it worth my while to
let you go before the Englishman finds you here。〃
〃You wouldn't turn me away in the jungle； would you？〃
asked Paulvitch。 〃Why； I'd die there in a week。〃
〃You'd have a chance there；〃 replied the sailor。 〃Here；
you wouldn't have no chance。 Why； if I woke up my maties here
they'd probably cut your heart out of you before the Englishman
got a chance at you at all。 It's mighty lucky for you that
I'm the one to be awake now and not none of the others。〃
〃You're crazy；〃 cried Paulvitch。 〃Don't you know that
the Englishman will have you all hanged when he gets you
back where the law can get hold of you？〃
〃No； he won't do nothing of the kind；〃 replied the sailor。
〃He's told us as much； for he says that there wasn't nobody to
blame but you and Rokoffthe rest of us was just tools。 See？〃
For half an hour the Russian pleaded or threatened as the
mood seized him。 Sometimes he was upon the verge of tears；
and again he was promising his listener either fabulous
rewards or condign punishment； but the other was obdurate。
＇condign： of equal value＇
He made it plain to the Russian that there were but two plans
open to himeither he must consent to being turned over
immediately to Lord Greystoke； or he must pay to the sailor；
as a price for permission to quit the Kincaid unmolested；
every cent of money and article of value upon his person
and in his cabin。
〃And you'll have to make up your mind mighty quick；〃
growled the man； 〃for I want to turn in。 Come now； choose
his lordship or the jungle？〃
〃You'll be sorry for this；〃 grumbled the Russian。
〃Shut up；〃 admonished the sailor。 〃If you get funny I
may change my mind； and keep you here after all。〃
Now Paulvitch had no intention of permitting himself to
fall into the hands of Tarzan of the Apes if he could possibly
avoid it； and while the terrors of the jungle appalled him they
were； to his mind； infinitely preferable to the certain death
which he knew he merited and for which he might look at
the hands of the ape…man。
〃Is anyone sleeping in my cabin？〃 he asked。
The sailor shook his head。 〃No；〃 he said； 〃Lord and Lady
Greystoke have the captain's cabin。 The mate is in his own；
and there ain't no one in yours。〃
〃I'll go and get my valuables for you；〃 said Paulvitch。
〃I'll go with you to see that you don't try any funny business；〃
said the sailor； and he followed the Russian up the ladder to the deck。
At the cabin entrance the sailor halted to watch； permitting
Paulvitch to go alone to his cabin。 Here he gathered together
his few belongings that were to buy him the uncertain safety
of escape； and as he stood for a moment beside the little
table on which he had piled them he searched his brain for
some feasible plan either to ensure his safety or to bring
revenge upon his enemies。
And presently as he thought there recurred to his memory
the little black box which lay hidden in a secret receptacle
beneath a false top upon the table where his hand rested。
The Russian's face lighted to a sinister gleam of malevolent
satisfaction as he stooped and felt beneath the table top。
A moment later he withdrew from its hiding…place the thing
he sought。 He had lighted the lantern swinging from the
beams overhead that he might see to collect his belongings；
and now he held the black box well in the rays of the lamplight；
while he fingered at the clasp that fastened its lid。
The lifted cover revealed two compartments within the box。
In one was a mechanism which resembled the works of a
small clock。 There also was a little battery of two dry cells。
A wire ran from the clockwork to one of the poles of the
battery； and from the other pole through the partition into
the other compartment； a second wire returning directly to
the clockwork。
Whatever lay within the second compartment was not visible；
for a cover lay over it and appeared to be sealed in place
by asphaltum。 In the bottom of the box； beside the clockwork；
lay a key； and this Paulvitch now withdrew and fitted
to the winding stem。
Gently he turned the key； muffling the noise of the winding
operation by throwing a couple of articles of clothing over
the box。 All the time he listened intently for any sound which
might indicate that the sailor or another were approaching
his cabin； but none came to interrupt his work。
When the winding was completed the Russian set a pointer
upon a small dial at the side of the clockwork； then he
replaced the cover upon the black box； and returned the
entire machine to its hiding…place in the table。
A sinister smile curled the man's bearded lips as he gathered
up his valuables； blew out the lamp； and stepped from his cabin
to the side of the waiting sailor。
〃Here are my things；〃 said the Russian； 〃now let me go。〃
〃I'll first take a look in your pockets；〃 replied the sailor。
〃You might have overlooked some trifling thing that won't
be of no use to you in the jungle； but that'll come in mighty
handy to a poor sailorman in London。 Ah！ just as I feared；〃
he ejaculated an instant later as he withdrew a roll of bank…
notes from Paulvitch's inside coat pocket。
The Russian scowled； muttering an imprecation； but nothing
could be gained by argument； and so he did his best to
reconcile himself to his loss in the knowledge that the sailor
would never reach London to enjoy the fruits of his thievery。
It was with difficulty that Paulvitch restrained a consuming
desire to taunt the man with a suggestion of the fate that
would presently overtake him and the other members of the
Kincaid's company； but fearing to arouse the fellow's
suspicions； he crossed the deck and lowered himself in silence
into his canoe。
A minute or two later he was paddling toward the shore to
be swallowed up in the darkness of the jungle night； and the
terrors of a hideous existence from which； could he have had
even a slight foreknowledge of what awaited him in the long
years to come； he would have fled to the certain death of the
open sea rather than endure it。
The sailor； having made sure that Paulvitch had departed；
returned to the forecastle； where he hid away his booty and
turned into his bunk； while in the cabin that had belonged to
the Russian there ticked on and on through the silences of
the night the little mechanism in the small black box which
held for the unconscious sleepers upon the ill…starred Kincaid
the coming vengeance of the thwarted Russian。
Chapter 19
The Last of the 〃Kincaid〃
Shortly after the break of day Tarzan was on deck noting
the condition of the weather。 The wind had abated。
The sky was cloudless。 Every condition seemed ideal for
the commencement of the return voyage to Jungle Island；
where the beasts were to be left。 And thenhome！
The ape…man aroused the mate and gave instructions that
the Kincaid sail at the earliest possible moment。
The remaining members of the crew； safe in Lord Greystoke's
assurance that they would not be prosecuted for their share in
the villainies of the two Russians； hastened with cheerful
alacrity to their several duties。
The beasts； liberated from the confinement of the hold；
wandered about the deck； not a little to the discomfiture of
the crew in whose minds there remained a still vivid picture
of the savagery of the beasts in conflict with those who had
gone to their deaths beneath the fangs and talons which even
now seemed itching for the soft flesh of further prey。
Beneath the watchful eyes of Tarzan and Mugambi； however；
Sheeta and the apes of Akut curbed their desires； so that
the men worked about the deck amongst them in far greater
security than they imagined。
At last the Kincaid slipped down the Ugambi and ran out
upon the shimmering waters of the Atlantic。 Tarzan and Jane
Clayton watched the verdure…clad shore…line receding in the
ship's wake； and for once the ape…man left his native soil
without one single pang of regret。
No ship that sailed the seven seas could have borne him
away from Africa to resume his search for his lost boy with
half the speed that the Englishman would have de
