the beasts of tarzan-第33章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





At　last　he　halted　and　called　aloud　the　summons　which　he　and

Tarzan　had　used　to　hail　the　great　anthropoids。　　There　was

no　response。　　Jones　and　Sullivan　came　up　with　the　black　warrior

as　the　latter　stood　voicing　his　weird　call。　　For　another

half…mile　the　black　searched；　calling　occasionally。



Finally　the　truth　flashed　upon　him；　and　then；　like　a

frightened　deer；　he　wheeled　and　dashed　back　toward　camp。　　

Arriving　there；　it　was　but　a　moment　before　full　confirmation

of　his　fears　was　impressed　upon　him。　　Lady　Greystoke　and　the

Mosula　woman　were　gone。　　So；　likewise；　was　Schneider。



When　Jones　and　Sullivan　joined　Mugambi　he　would　have　killed

them　in　his　anger；　thinking　them　parties　to　the　plot；

but　they　finally　succeeded　in　partially　convincing　him　that

they　had　known　nothing　of　it。



As　they　stood　speculating　upon　the　probable　whereabouts

of　the　women　and　their　abductor；　and　the　purpose　which

Schneider　had　in　mind　in　taking　them　from　camp；　Tarzan　of

the　Apes　swung　from　the　branches　of　a　tree　and　crossed　the

clearing　toward　them。



His　keen　eyes　detected　at　once　that　something　was　radically

wrong；　and　when　he　had　heard　Mugambi's　story　his　jaws　clicked

angrily　together　as　he　knitted　his　brows　in　thought。



What　could　the　mate　hope　to　accomplish　by　taking　Jane

Clayton　from　a　camp　upon　a　small　island　from　which　there

was　no　escape　from　the　vengeance　of　Tarzan？　　The　ape…man

could　not　believe　the　fellow　such　a　fool；　and　then　a　slight

realization　of　the　truth　dawned　upon　him。



Schneider　would　not　have　committed　such　an　act　unless　he

had　been　reasonably　sure　that　there　was　a　way　by　which

he　could　quit　Jungle　Island　with　his　prisoners。　　But　why　had　he

taken　the　black　woman　as　well？　　There　must　have　been　others；

one　of　whom　wanted　the　dusky　female。



〃Come；〃　said　Tarzan；　〃there　is　but　one　thing　to　do　now；

and　that　is　to　follow　the　trail。〃



As　he　finished　speaking　a　tall；　ungainly　figure　emerged

from　the　jungle　north　of　the　camp。　　He　came　straight　toward

the　four　men。　　He　was　an　entire　stranger　to　all　of　them；

not　one　of　whom　had　dreamed　that　another　human　being　than

those　of　their　own　camp　dwelt　upon　the　unfriendly　shores

of　Jungle　Island。



It　was　Gust。　　He　came　directly　to　the　point。



〃Your　women　were　stolen；〃　he　said。　　〃If　you　want　ever

to　see　them　again；　come　quickly　and　follow　me。　　If　we　do　not

hurry　the　Cowrie　will　be　standing　out　to　sea　by　the　time　we

reach　her　anchorage。〃



〃Who　are　you？〃　asked　Tarzan。　　〃What　do　you　know　of

the　theft　of　my　wife　and　the　black　woman？〃



〃I　heard　Kai　Shang　and　Momulla　the　Maori　plot　with　two

men　of　your　camp。　　They　had　chased　me　from　our　camp；　and

would　have　killed　me。　　Now　I　will　get　even　with　them。　　Come！〃



Gust　led　the　four　men　of　the　Kincaid's　camp　at　a　rapid　trot

through　the　jungle　toward　the　north。　　Would　they　come　to　the

sea　in　time？　　But　a　few　more　minutes　would　answer　the　question。



And　when　at　last　the　little　party　did　break　through　the　last

of　the　screening　foliage；　and　the　harbour　and　the　ocean　lay

before　them；　they　realized　that　fate　had　been　most　cruelly

unkind；　for　the　Cowrie　was　already　under　sail　and　moving

slowly　out　of　the　mouth　of　the　harbour　into　the　open　sea。



What　were　they　to　do？　　Tarzan's　broad　chest　rose　and　fell

to　the　force　of　his　pent　emotions。　　The　last　blow　seemed　to

have　fallen；　and　if　ever　in　all　his　life　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　had

had　occasion　to　abandon　hope　it　was　now　that　he　saw　the　ship

bearing　his　wife　to　some　frightful　fate　moving　gracefully　over

the　rippling　water；　so　very　near　and　yet　so　hideously　far　away。



In　silence　he　stood　watching　the　vessel。　　He　saw　it　turn

toward　the　east　and　finally　disappear　around　a　headland　on

its　way　he　knew　not　whither。　　Then　he　dropped　upon　his

haunches　and　buried　his　face　in　his　hands。



It　was　after　dark　that　the　five　men　returned　to　the　camp　on

the　east　shore。　　The　night　was　hot　and　sultry。　　No　slightest

breeze　ruffled　the　foliage　of　the　trees　or　rippled　the　mirror…

like　surface　of　the　ocean。　　Only　a　gentle　swell　rolled　softly　in

upon　the　beach。



Never　had　Tarzan　seen　the　great　Atlantic　so　ominously　at　peace。　　

He　was　standing　at　the　edge　of　the　beach　gazing　out　to　sea

in　the　direction　of　the　mainland；　his　mind　filled　with

sorrow　and　hopelessness；　when　from　the　jungle　close　behind

the　camp　came　the　uncanny　wail　of　a　panther。



There　was　a　familiar　note　in　the　weird　cry；　and　almost

mechanically　Tarzan　turned　his　head　and　answered。　　A　moment

later　the　tawny　figure　of　Sheeta　slunk　out　into　the　half…light　of

the　beach。　　There　was　no　moon；　but　the　sky　was　brilliant　with　stars。

Silently　the　savage　brute　came　to　the　side　of　the　man。　　It　had　been

long　since　Tarzan　had　seen　his　old　fighting　companion；　but　the　soft

purr　was　sufficient　to　assure　him　that　the　animal　still　recalled

the　bonds　which　had　united　them　in　the　past。



The　ape…man　let　his　fingers　fall　upon　the　beast's　coat；

and　as　Sheeta　pressed　close　against　his　leg　he　caressed　and

fondled　the　wicked　head　while　his　eyes　continued　to　search

the　blackness　of　the　waters。



Presently　he　started。　　What　was　that？　　He　strained　his　eyes

into　the　night。　　Then　he　turned　and　called　aloud　to　the　men

smoking　upon　their　blankets　in　the　camp。　　They　came　running

to　his　side；　but　Gust　hesitated　when　he　saw　the　nature　of

Tarzan's　companion。



〃Look！〃　cried　Tarzan。　　〃A　light！　　A　ship's　light！　　It　must

be　the　Cowrie。　　They　are　becalmed。〃　　And　then　with　an

exclamation　of　renewed　hope；　〃We　can　reach　them！

The　skiff　will　carry　us　easily。〃



Gust　demurred。　　〃They　are　well　armed；〃　he　warned。　　〃We

could　not　take　the　shipjust　five　of　us。〃



〃There　are　six　now；〃　replied　Tarzan；　pointing　to　Sheeta；

〃and　we　can　have　more　still　in　a　half…hour。　　Sheeta　is　the

equivalent　of　twenty　men；　and　the　few　others　I　can　bring　will

add　full　a　hundred　to　our　fighting　strength。　　You　do　not　know　them。〃



The　ape…man　turned　and　raised　his　head　toward　the　jungle；

while　there　pealed　from　his　lips；　time　after　time；

the　fearsome　cry　of　the　bull…ape　who　would　summon　his　fellows。



Presently　from　the　jungle　came　an　answering　cry；　and　then

another　and　another。　　Gust　shuddered。　　Among　what　sort　of

creatures　had　fate　thrown　him？　　Were　not　Kai　Shang　and　Momulla

to　be　preferred　to　this　great　white　giant　who　stroked　a

panther　and　called　to　the　beasts　of　the　jungle？



In　a　few　minutes　the　apes　of　Akut　came　crashing　through

the　underbrush　and　out　upon　the　beach；　while　in　the　meantime

the　five　men　had　been　struggling　with　the　unwieldy　bulk

of　the　skiff's　hull。



By　dint　of　Herculean　efforts　they　had　managed　to　get　it　to

the　water's　edge。　　The　oars　from　the　two　small　boats　of　the

Kincaid；　which　had　been　washed　away　by　an　off…shore　wind

the　very　night　that　the　party　had　landed；　had　been　in　use　to

support　the　canvas　of　the　sailcloth　tents。　　These　were　hastily

requisitioned；　and　by　the　time　Akut　and　his　followers　came

down　to　the　water　all　was　ready　for　embarkation。



Once　again　the　hideous　crew　entered　the　service　of　their

master；　and　without　question　took　up　their　places　in　the　skiff。　　

The　four　men；　for　Gust　could　not　be　prevailed　upon　to　accompany

the　party；　fell　to　the　oars；　using　them　paddle…wise；　while　some

of　the　apes　followed　their　example；　and　presently　the　ungainly

skiff　was　moving　quietly　out　to　sea　in　the　direction　of　the

light　which　rose　and　fell　gently　with　the　swell。



A　sleepy　sailor　kept　a　poor　vigil　upon　the　Cowrie's　deck；

while　in　the　cabin　below　Schneider　paced　up　and　down　arguing

with　Jane　Clayton。　　The　woman　had　found　a　revolver　in　a　table

drawer　in　the　room　in　which　she　had　been　locked；　and　now　she

kept　the　mate　of　the　Kincaid　at　bay　with　the　weapon。



The　Mosula　woman　kneeled　behind　her；　while　Schneider　paced

up　and　down　before　the　door；　threatening　and　pleading　and

promising；　but　all　to　no　avail。　　Presently　from　the　deck

above　came　a　shout　of　warning　and　a　shot。　　For　an　instant

Jane　Clayton　relaxed　her　vigilance；　and　turned　her　eyes　toward

the　cabin　skylight。　　Simultaneously　Schneider　was　upon　her。



The　first　intimation　the　watch　had　that　there　was　another

craft　within　a　thousand　miles　of　the　Cowrie　came　when　he

saw　the　head　and　shoulders　of　a　man　poked　over　the　ship's　side。　　

Instantly　the　fellow　sprang　to　his　feet　with　a　cry　and

levelled　his　revolver　at　the　intruder。　　It　was　his　cry　and　the

subsequent　report　of　the　revolver　which　threw　Jane　Clayton

off　her　guard。



Upon　deck　the　quiet　of　fancied　security　soon　gave　place

to　the　wildest　pandemonium。　　The　crew　of　the　Cowrie　rushed

above　armed　with　revolvers；　cutlasses；　and　the　long　knives

that　many　of　them　habitually　wore；　but　the　alarm　had　come

too　late。　　Already　the　beasts　of　Tarzan　were　upon　the　ship's

deck；　with　Tarzan　and　the　two　men　of　the　Kincaid's　crew。



In　the　face　of　the　frightful　beasts　the　courage　of　the　mutineers

wavered　and　broke。　　Those　with　revolvers　fired　a　few　scattering

shots　and　then　raced　for　some　place　of　supposed　safety。

Into　the　shrouds　went　some；　but　the　apes　of　Akut　were

more　at　home　there　than　they。



Screaming　with　terror　the　Maoris　were　dragged　from　their

lofty　perches。　　The　beasts；　uncontrolled　by　Tarzan　who　had

gone　in　search　of　Jane；　loosed　in　the　full　fury　of　their　savage

natures　upon　the　unhappy　wretches　who　fell　into　their　clutches。



Sheeta；　in　the　meanwhile；　had　felt　his　great　fangs　sink　into

but　a　singular　jugular。　　For　a　moment　he　mauled　the　corpse；

and　then　he　spied　Kai　Shang　darting　down　the　companionway

toward　his　cabin。



With　a　shrill　scream　Sheeta　was　after　hima　scream　which

awoke　an　almost　equally　uncanny　cry　in　the　throat　of　the

terror…stricken　Chinaman。



But　Kai　Shang　reached　his　cabin　a　fraction　of　a　second

ahead　of　the　panther；　and　leaping　within　slammed　the　door

just　too　late。　　Sheeta's　great　body　hurtled　against　it　before

the　catch　engaged；　and　a　moment　later　Kai　Shang　was　gibbering

and　shrieking　in　the　back　of　an　upper　berth。



Lightly　Sheeta　sprang　after　his　victim；　and　presently　the

wicked　days　of　Kai　Shang　of　Fachan　were　ended；　and　Sheeta

was　gorging　himself　upon　tough　and　stringy　flesh。



A　moment　scarcely　had　elapsed　after　Schneider　leaped

upon　Jane　Clayton　and　wrenched　the　revolver　from　her　hand；

when　the　door　of　the　cabin　opened　and　a　tall　and　half…naked

white　man　stood　framed　within　the　portal。



Silently　he　leaped　across　the　cabin。　　Schneider　felt　sinewy

fingers　at　his　throat。　　He　turned　his　head　to　see　who　had

attacked　him；　and　his　eyes　went　wide　when　he　saw　the　face　of

the　ape…man　close　above　his　own。



Grimly　the　fingers　tightened　upon　the　mate's　throat。　　He　tried

to　scream；　to　plead；　but　no　sound　came　forth。　　His　eyes

protruded　as　he　struggled　for　freedom；　for　breath；　for　life。



Jane　Clayton　seized　her　husband's　hands　and　tried　to　drag　them

from　the　throat　of　the　dyin