the return of tarzan-第25章

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so　easily　bested　by　Rokoff。



He　lay　thus　for　some　time；　watching　the　receding　and

rapidly　diminishing　lights　of　the　steamer　without　it　ever　once

occurring　to　him　to　call　for　help。　　He　never　had　called　for

help　in　his　life；　and　so　it　is　not　strange　that　he　did　not　think

of　it　now。　　Always　had　he　depended　upon　his　own　prowess

and　resourcefulness；　nor　had　there　ever　been　since　the　days

of　Kala　any　to　answer　an　appeal　for　succor。　　When　it　did

occur　to　him　it　was　too　late。



There　was；　thought　Tarzan；　a　possible　one　chance　in　a

hundred　thousand　that　he　might　be　picked　up；　and　an　even

smaller　chance　that　he　would　reach　land；　so　he　determined

that　to　combine　what　slight　chances　there　were；　he　would

swim　slowly　in　the　direction　of　the　coastthe　ship　might

have　been　closer　in　than　he　had　known。



His　strokes　were　long　and　easyit　would　be　many　hours

before　those　giant　muscles　would　commence　to　feel　fatigue。

As　he　swam；　guided　toward　the　east　by　the　stars；　he　noticed

that　he　felt　the　weight　of　his　shoes；　and　so　he　removed　them。

His　trousers　went　next；　and　he　would　have　removed　his　coat

at　the　same　time　but　for　the　precious　papers　in　its　pocket。

To　assure　himself　that　he　still　had　them　he　slipped　his

hand　in　to　feel；　but　to　his　consternation　they　were　gone。



Now　he　knew　that　something　more　than　revenge　had

prompted　Rokoff　to　pitch　him　overboardthe　Russian　had

managed　to　obtain　possession　of　the　papers　Tarzan　had

wrested　from　him　at　Bou　Saada。　　The　ape…man　swore　softly；

and　let　his　coat　and　shirt　sink　into　the　Atlantic。　　Before　many

hours　he　had　divested　himself　of　his　remaining　garments；

and　was　swimming　easily　and　unencumbered　toward　the　east。



The　first　faint　evidence　of　dawn　was　paling　the　stars　ahead

of　him　when　the　dim　outlines　of　a　low…lying　black　mass

loomed　up　directly　in　his　track。　　A　few　strong　strokes　brought

him　to　its　sideit　was　the　bottom　of　a　wave…washed　derelict。

Tarzan　clambered　upon　ithe　would　rest　there　until　daylight

at　least。　　He　had　no　intention　to　remain　there　inactivea　prey

to　hunger　and　thirst。　　If　he　must　die　he　preferred　dying　in

action　while　making　some　semblance　of　an　attempt　to　save　himself。



The　sea　was　quiet；　so　that　the　wreck　had　only　a　gently

undulating　motion；　that　was　nothing　to　the　swimmer　who

had　had　no　sleep　for　twenty　hours。　　Tarzan　of　the　Apes

curled　up　upon　the　slimy　timbers；　and　was　soon　asleep。



The　heat　of　the　sun　awoke　him　early　in　the　forenoon。

His　first　conscious　sensation　was　of　thirst；　which　grew

almost　to　the　proportions　of　suffering　with　full　returning

consciousness；　but　a　moment　later　it　was　forgotten　in　the

joy　of　two　almost　simultaneous　discoveries。　　The　first　was

a　mass　of　wreckage　floating　beside　the　derelict　in　the　midst

of　which；　bottom　up；　rose　and　fell　an　overturned　lifeboat；

the　other　was　the　faint；　dim　line　of　a　far…distant　shore

showing　on　the　horizon　in　the　east。



Tarzan　dove　into　the　water；　and　swam　around　the　wreck

to　the　lifeboat。　　The　cool　ocean　refreshed　him　almost　as

much　as　would　a　draft　of　water；　so　that　it　was　with　renewed

vigor　that　he　brought　the　smaller　boat　alongside　the　derelict；

and；　after　many　herculean　efforts；　succeeded　in　dragging　it

onto　the　slimy　ship's　bottom。　　There　he　righted　and　examined

itthe　boat　was　quite　sound；　and　a　moment　later　floated　upright

alongside　the　wreck。　　Then　Tarzan　selected　several　pieces

of　wreckage　that　might　answer　him　as　paddles；　and　presently

was　making　good　headway　toward　the　far…off　shore。



It　was　late　in　the　afternoon　by　the　time　he　came　close

enough　to　distinguish　objects　on　land；　or　to　make　out　the

contour　of　the　shore　line。　　Before　him　lay　what　appeared　to

be　the　entrance　to　a　little；　landlocked　harbor。　　The　wooded

point　to　the　north　was　strangely　familiar。　　Could　it　be

possible　that　fate　had　thrown　him　up　at　the　very　threshold

of　his　own　beloved　jungle！　　But　as　the　bow　of　his　boat

entered　the　mouth　of　the　harbor　the　last　shred　of　doubt　was

cleared　away；　for　there　before　him　upon　the　farther　shore；

under　the　shadows　of　his　primeval　forest；　stood　his　own

cabinbuilt　before　his　birth　by　the　hand　of　his　long…dead

father；　John　Clayton；　Lord　Greystoke。



With　long　sweeps　of　his　giant　muscles　Tarzan　sent　the　little

craft　speeding　toward　the　beach。　　Its　prow　had　scarcely

touched　when　the　ape…man　leaped　to　shorehis　heart　beat

fast　in　joy　and　exultation　as　each　long…familiar　object　came

beneath　his　roving　eyesthe　cabin；　the　beach；　the　little

brook；　the　dense　jungle；　the　black；　impenetrable　forest。

The　myriad　birds　in　their　brilliant　plumagethe　gorgeous

tropical　blooms　upon　the　festooned　creepers　falling　in　great

loops　from　the　giant　trees。



Tarzan　of　the　Apes　had　come　into　his　own　again；　and　that

all　the　world　might　know　it　he　threw　back　his　young　head；

and　gave　voice　to　the　fierce；　wild　challenge　of　his　tribe。

For　a　moment　silence　reigned　upon　the　jungle；　and　then；

low　and　weird；　came　an　answering　challengeit　was　the

deep　roar　of　Numa；　the　lion；　and　from　a　great　distance；

faintly；　the　fearsome　answering　bellow　of　a　bull　ape。



Tarzan　went　to　the　brook　first；　and　slaked　his　thirst。

Then　he　approached　his　cabin。　　The　door　was　still　closed

and　latched　as　he　and　D'Arnot　had　left　it。　　He　raised　the

latch　and　entered。　　Nothing　had　been　disturbed；　there　were

the　table；　the　bed；　and　the　little　crib　built　by　his

fatherthe　shelves　and　cupboards　just　as　they　had　stood

for　ever　twenty…three　yearsjust　as　he　had　left　them

nearly　two　years　before。



His　eyes　satisfied；　Tarzan's　stomach　began　to　call　aloud　for

attentionthe　pangs　of　hunger　suggested　a　search　for　food。

There　was　nothing　in　the　cabin；　nor　had　he　any　weapons；

but　upon　a　wall　hung　one　of　his　old　grass　ropes。　　It　had

been　many　times　broken　and　spliced；　so　that　he　had　discarded

it　for　a　better　one　long　before。　　Tarzan　wished　that　he　had　a　knife。

Well；　unless　he　was　mistaken　he　should　have　that　and　a　spear　and

bows　and　arrows　before　another　sun　had　setthe　rope　would　take

care　of　that；　and　in　the　meantime　it　must　be　made　to　procure

food　for　him。　　He　coiled　it　carefully；　and；　throwing　it　about

his　shoulder；　went　out；　closing　the　door　behind　him。



Close　to　the　cabin　the　jungle　commenced；　and　into　it

Tarzan　of　the　Apes　plunged；　wary　and　noiselessonce　more

a　savage　beast　hunting　its　food。　　For　a　time　he　kept　to　the

ground；　but　finally；　discovering　no　spoor　indicative　of

nearby　meat；　he　took　to　the　trees。　　With　the　first　dizzy　swing

from　tree　to　tree　all　the　old　joy　of　living　swept　over　him。

Vain　regrets　and　dull　heartache　were　forgotten。　　Now　was　he　living。

Now；　indeed；　was　the　true　happiness　of　perfect　freedom　his。

Who　would　go　back　to　the　stifling；　wicked　cities　of　civilized

man　when　the　mighty　reaches　of　the　great　jungle　offered　peace

and　liberty？　　Not　he。



While　it　was　yet　light　Tarzan　came　to　a　drinking　place　by

the　side　of　a　jungle　river。　　There　was　a　ford　there；　and　for

countless　ages　the　beasts　of　the　forest　had　come　down　to

drink　at　this　spot。　　Here　of　a　night　might　always　be　found

either　Sabor　or　Numa　crouching　in　the　dense　foliage　of　the

surrounding　jungle　awaiting　an　antelope　or　a　water　buck　for

their　meal。　　Here　came　Horta；　the　boar；　to　water；　and　here

came　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　to　make　a　kill；　for　he　was　very　empty。



On　a　low　branch　he　squatted　above　the　trail。　　For　an　hour

he　waited。　　It　was　growing　dark。　　A　little　to　one　side　of　the

ford　in　the　densest　thicket　he　heard　the　faint　sound　of　padded

feet；　and　the　brushing　of　a　huge　body　against　tall　grasses

and　tangled　creepers。　　None　other　than　Tarzan　might　have

heard　it；　but　the　ape…man　heard　and　translatedit　was　Numa；

the　lion；　on　the　same　errand　as　himself。　　Tarzan　smiled。



Presently　he　heard　an　animal　approaching　warily　along

the　trail　toward　the　drinking　place。　　A　moment　more　and　it

came　in　viewit　was　Horta；　the　boar。　　Here　was　delicious

meatand　Tarzan's　mouth　watered。　　The　grasses　where　Numa

lay　were　very　still　nowominously　still。　　Horta　passed

beneath　Tarzana　few　more　steps　and　he　would　be　within　the

radius　of　Numa's　spring。　　Tarzan　could　imagine　how　old

Numa's　eyes　were　shininghow　he　was　already　sucking

in　his　breath　for　the　awful　roar　which　would　freeze　his　prey

for　the　brief　instant　between　the　moment　of　the　spring　and

the　sinking　of　terrible　fangs　into　splintering　bones。



But　as　Numa　gathered　himself；　a　slender　rope　flew　through

the　air　from　the　low　branches　of　a　near…by　tree。　　A　noose

settled　about　Horta's　neck。　　There　was　a　frightened　grunt；

a　squeal；　and　then　Numa　saw　his　quarry　dragged　backward

up　the　trail；　and；　as　he　sprang；　Horta；　the　boar；　soared

upward　beyond　his　clutches　into　the　tree　above；　and　a　mocking

face　looked　down　and　laughed　into　his　own。



Then　indeed　did　Numa　roar。　　Angry；　threatening；　hungry；

he　paced　back　and　forth　beneath　the　taunting　ape…man。

Now　he　stopped；　and；　rising　on　his　hind　legs　against　the　stem

of　the　tree　that　held　his　enemy；　sharpened　his　huge　claws　upon

the　bark；　tearing　out　great　pieces　that　laid　bare　the　white

wood　beneath。



And　in　the　meantime　Tarzan　had　dragged　the　struggling

Horta　to　the　limb　beside　him。　　Sinewy　fingers　completed　the

work　the　choking　noose　had　commenced。　　The　ape…man　had

no　knife；　but　nature　had　equipped　him　with　the　means　of

tearing　his　food　from　the　quivering　flank　of　his　prey；　and

gleaming　teeth　sank　into　the　succulent　flesh　while　the　raging

lion　looked　on　from　below　as　another　enjoyed　the　dinner

that　he　had　thought　already　his。



It　was　quite　dark　by　the　time　Tarzan　had　gorged　himself。

Ah；　but　it　had　been　delicious！　　Never　had　he　quite　accustomed

himself　to　the　ruined　flesh　that　civilized　men　had　served

him；　and　in　the　bottom　of　his　savage　heart　there　had

constantly　been　the　craving　for　the　warm　meat　of　the

fresh　kill；　and　the　rich；　red　blood。



He　wiped　his　bloody　hands　upon　a　bunch　of　leaves；

slung　the　remains　of　his　kill　across　his　shoulder；　and　swung

off　through　the　middle　terrace　of　the　forest　toward　his　cabin；

and　at　the　same　instant　Jane　Porter　and　William　Cecil

Clayton　arose　from　a　sumptuous　dinner　upon　the　LADY

ALICE；　thousands　of　miles　to　the　east；　in　the　Indian　Ocean。



Beneath　Tarzan　walked　Numa；　the　lion；　and　when　the　ape…man

deigned　to　glance　downward　he　caught　occasional　glimpses

of　the　baleful　green　eyes　following　through　the　darkness。

Numa　did　not　roar　nowinstead；　he　moved　stealthily；

like　the　shadow　of　a　great　cat；　but　yet　he　took　no　step

that　did　not　reach　the　sensitive　ears　of　the　ape…man。



Tarzan　wondered　if　he　would　stalk　him　to　his　cabin　door。

He　hoped　not；　for　that　would　mean　a　night's　sleep　curled　in

the　crotch　of　a　tree；　and　he　much　preferred　the　bed　of

grasses　within　his　own　abode。　　But　he　knew　just　the　tree

and　the　most　comfortable　crotch；　if　necessity　demanded　that

he　sleep　out。　　A　hundred　times　in　the　past　some　great　jungle

cat　h