the return of tarzan-第29章

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Let　me　go　alone　through　the　trees；　so　that　I　may　look　down

upon　them　from　above；　and　see　just　how　many　there　be；　and

what　chance　we　might　have　were　we　to　charge。　　It　were　foolish

to　lose　a　single　man　needlessly　if　there　be　no　hope　of　success。

I　have　an　idea　that　we　can　accomplish　more　by　cunning　than

by　force。　　Will　you　wait；　Waziri？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　old　chief。　　〃Go！〃



So　Tarzan　sprang　into　the　trees　and　disappeared　in　the

direction　of　the　village。　　He　moved　more　cautiously　than　was

his　wont；　for　he　knew　that　men　with　guns　could　reach　him

quite　as　easily　in　the　treetops　as　on　the　ground。　　And　when

Tarzan　of　the　Apes　elected　to　adopt　stealth；　no　creature　in

all　the　jungle　could　move　so　silently　or　so　completely　efface

himself　from　the　sight　of　an　enemy。



In　five　minutes　he　had　wormed　his　way　to　the　great　tree

that　overhung　the　palisade　at　one　end　of　the　village；　and

from　his　point　of　vantage　looked　down　upon　the　savage

horde　beneath。　　He　counted　fifty　Arabs　and　estimated　that

there　were　five　times　as　many　Manyuema。　　The　latter　were

gorging　themselves　upon　food　and；　under　the　very　noses　of

their　white　masters；　preparing　the　gruesome　feast　which　is　the

PIECE　DE　RESISTANCE　that　follows　a　victory　in　which　the

bodies　of　their　slain　enemies　fall　into　their　horrid　hands。



The　ape…man　saw　that　to　charge　that　wild　horde；　armed

as　they　were　with　guns；　and　barricaded　behind　the　locked

gates　of　the　village；　would　be　a　futile　task；　and　so　he

returned　to　Waziri　and　advised　him　to　wait；　that　he；　Tarzan；

had　a　better　plan。



But　a　moment　before　one　of　the　fugitives　had　related　to

Waziri　the　story　of　the　atrocious　murder　of　the　old　chief's

wife；　and　so　crazed　with　rage　was　the　old　man　that　he　cast

discretion　to　the　winds。　　Calling　his　warriors　about　him；　he

commanded　them　to　charge；　and；　with　brandishing　spears

and　savage　yells；　the　little　force　of　scarcely　more　than　a

hundred　dashed　madly　toward　the　village　gates。　　Before　the

clearing　had　been　half　crossed　the　Arabs　opened　up　a

withering　fire　from　behind　the　palisade。



With　the　first　volley　Waziri　fell。　　The　speed　of　the

chargers　slackened。　　Another　volley　brought　down　a　half

dozen　more。　　A　few　reached　the　barred　gates；　only　to　be　shot

in　their　tracks；　without　the　ghost　of　a　chance　to　gain　the

inside　of　the　palisade；　and　then　the　whole　attack　crumpled；

and　the　remaining　warriors　scampered　back　into　the　forest。

As　they　ran　the　raiders　opened　the　gates；　rushing　after　them；

to　complete　the　day's　work　with　the　utter　extermination　of

the　tribe。　　Tarzan　had　been　among　the　last　to　turn　back　toward

the　forest；　and　now；　as　he　ran　slowly；　he　turned　from　time　to

time　to　speed　a　well…aimed　arrow　into　the　body　of　a　pursuer。



Once　within　the　jungle；　he　found　a　little　knot　of　determined

blacks　waiting　to　give　battle　to　the　oncoming　horde；

but　Tarzan　cried　to　them　to　scatter；　keeping　out　of

harm's　way　until　they　could　gather　in　force　after　dark。



〃Do　as　I　tell　you；〃　he　urged；　〃and　I　will　lead　you　to

victory　over　these　enemies　of　yours。　　Scatter　through　the

forest；　picking　up　as　many　stragglers　as　you　can　find；　and　at

night；　if　you　think　that　you　have　been　followed；　come　by

roundabout　ways　to　the　spot　where　we　killed　the　elephants　today。

Then　I　will　explain　my　plan；　and　you　will　find　that　it　is　good。

You　cannot　hope　to　pit　your　puny　strength　and　simple　weapons

against　the　numbers　and　the　guns　of　the　Arabs　and　the　Manyuema。〃



They　finally　assented。　　〃When　you　scatter；〃　explained　Tarzan；

in　conclusion；　〃your　foes　will　have　to　scatter　to　follow　you；

and　so　it　may　happen　that　if　you　are　watchful　you　can　drop


many　a　Manyuema　with　your　arrows　from　behind　some　great　trees。〃



They　had　barely　time　to　hasten　away　farther　into　the　forest

before　the　first　of　the　raiders　had　crossed　the　clearing　and

entered　it　in　pursuit　of　them。



Tarzan　ran　a　short　distance　along　the　ground　before　he

took　to　the　trees。　　Then　he　raced　quickly　to　the　upper　terrace；

there　doubling　on　his　tracks　and　making　his　way　rapidly

back　toward　the　village。　　Here　he　found　that　every　Arab　and

Manyuema　had　joined　in　the　pursuit；　leaving　the　village

deserted　except　for　the　chained　prisoners　and　a　single　guard。



The　sentry　stood　at　the　open　gate；　looking　in　the　direction

of　the　forest；　so　that　he　did　not　see　the　agile　giant　that

dropped　to　the　ground　at　the　far　end　of　the　village　street。

With　drawn　bow　the　ape…man　crept　stealthily　toward　his

unsuspecting　victim。　　The　prisoners　had　already　discovered

him；　and　with　wide　eyes　filled　with　wonder　and　with　hope

they　watched　their　would…be　rescuer。　　Now　he　halted　not　ten

paces　from　the　unconscious　Manyuema。　　The　shaft　was

drawn　back　its　full　length　at　the　height　of　the　keen　gray

eye　that　sighted　along　its　polished　surface。　　There　was　a

sudden　twang　as　the　brown　fingers　released　their　hold；　and

without　a　sound　the　raider　sank　forward　upon　his　face；　a

wooden　shaft　transfixing　his　heart　and　protruding　a　foot

from　his　black　chest。



Then　Tarzan　turned　his　attention　to　the　fifty　women　and

youths　chained　neck　to　neck　on　the　long　slave　chain。

There　was　no　releasing　of　the　ancient　padlocks　in　the　time　that

was　left　him；　so　the　ape…man　called　to　them　to　follow　him　as

they　were；　and；　snatching　the　gun　and　cartridge　belt　from　the

dead　sentry；　he　led　the　now　happy　band　out　through　the　village

gate　and　into　the　forest　upon　the　far　side　of　the　clearing。



It　was　a　slow　and　arduous　march；　for　the　slave　chain　was　new

to　these　people；　and　there　were　many　delays　as　one　of　their

number　would　stumble　and　fall；　dragging　others　down　with　her。

Then；　too；　Tarzan　had　been　forced　to　make　a　wide　detour　to

avoid　any　possibility　of　meeting　with　returning　raiders。

He　was　partially　guided　by　occasional　shots　which

indicated　that　the　Arab　horde　was　still　in　touch　with　the

villagers；　but　he　knew　that　if　they　would　but　follow　his

advice　there　would　be　but　few　casualties　other　than　on　the

side　of　the　marauders。



Toward　dusk　the　firing　ceased　entirely；　and　Tarzan　knew

that　the　Arabs　had　all　returned　to　the　village。　　He　could

scarce　repress　a　smile　of　triumph　as　he　thought　of　their　rage

on　discovering　that　their　guard　had　been　killed　and　their

prisoners　taken　away。　　Tarzan　had　wished　that　he　might　have

taken　some　of　the　great　store　of　ivory　the　village　contained；

solely　for　the　purpose　of　still　further　augmenting　the　wrath

of　his　enemies；　but　he　knew　that　that　was　not　necessary　for

its　salvation；　since　he　already　had　a　plan　mapped　out　which

would　effectually　prevent　the　Arabs　leaving　the　country　with

a　single　tusk。　　And　it　would　have　been　cruel　to　have　needlessly

burdened　these　poor；　overwrought　women　with　the　extra

weight　of　the　heavy　ivory。



It　was　after　midnight　when　Tarzan；　with　his　slow…moving

caravan；　approached　the　spot　where　the　elephants　lay。

Long　before　they　reached　it　they　had　been　guided　by　the

huge　fire　the　natives　had　built　in　the　center　of　a　hastily

improvised　BOMA；　partially　for　warmth　and　partially　to

keep　off　chance　lions。



When　they　had　come　close　to　the　encampment　Tarzan

called　aloud　to　let　them　know　that　friends　were　coming。

It　was　a　joyous　reception　the　little　party　received　when　the

blacks　within　the　BOMA　saw　the　long　file　of　fettered　friends

and　relatives　enter　the　firelight。　　These　had　all　been　given　up

as　lost　forever；　as　had　Tarzan　as　well；　so　that　the　happy　blacks

would　have　remained　awake　all　night　to　feast　on　elephant

meat　and　celebrate　the　return　of　their　fellows；　had　not

Tarzan　insisted　that　they　take　what　sleep　they　could；　against

the　work　of　the　coming　day。



At　that；　sleep　was　no　easy　matter；　for　the　women　who

had　lost　their　men　or　their　children　in　the　day's　massacre

and　battle　made　night　hideous　with　their　continued　wailing

and　howling。　　Finally；　however；　Tarzan　succeeded　in　silencing

them；　on　the　plea　that　their　noise　would　attract　the　Arabs　to

their　hiding…place；　when　all　would　be　slaughtered。



When　dawn　came　Tarzan　explained　his　plan　of　battle　to

the　warriors；　and　without　demur　one　and　all　agreed　that　it

was　the　safest　and　surest　way　in　which　to　rid　themselves　of

their　unwelcome　visitors　and　be　revenged　for　the　murder　of

their　fellows。



First　the　women　and　children；　with　a　guard　of　some

twenty　old　warriors　and　youths；　were　started　southward；　to

be　entirely　out　of　the　zone　of　danger。　　They　had　instructions

to　erect　temporary　shelter　and　construct　a　protecting　BOMA

of　thorn　bush；　for　the　plan　of　campaign　which　Tarzan　had

chosen　was　one　which　might　stretch　out　over　many　days；

or　even　weeks；　during　which　time　the　warriors　would　not

return　to　the　new　camp。



Two　hours　after　daylight　a　thin　circle　of　black　warriors

surrounded　the　village。　　At　intervals　one　was　perched　high

in　the　branches　of　a　tree　which　could　overlook　the　palisade。

Presently　a　Manyuema　within　the　village　fell；　pierced　by　a

single　arrow。　　There　had　been　no　sound　of　attacknone　of

the　hideous　war…cries　or　vainglorious　waving　of　menacing

spears　that　ordinarily　marks　the　attack　of　savagesjust　a

silent　messenger　of　death　from　out　of　the　silent　forest。



The　Arabs　and　their　followers　were　thrown　into　a　fine

rage　at　this　unprecedented　occurrence。　　They　ran　for　the

gates；　to　wreak　dire　vengeance　upon　the　foolhardy　perpetrator

of　the　outrage；　but　they　suddenly　realized　that　they　did

not　know　which　way　to　turn　to　find　the　foe。　　As　they　stood

debating　with　many　angry　shouts　and　much　gesticulating；

one　of　the　Arabs　sank　silently　to　the　ground　in　their　very

midsta　thin　arrow　protruding　from　his　heart。



Tarzan　had　placed　the　finest　marksmen　of　the　tribe　in　the

surrounding　trees；　with　directions　never　to　reveal　themselves

while　the　enemy　was　faced　in　their　direction。　　As　a　black

released　his　messenger　of　death　he　would　slink　behind

the　sheltering　stem　of　the　tree　he　had　selected；　nor　would

he　again　aim　until　a　watchful　eye　told　him　that　none　was

looking　toward　his　tree。



Three　times　the　Arabs　started　across　the　clearing　in　the

direction　from　which　they　thought　the　arrows　came；　but

each　time　another　arrow　would　come　from　behind　to　take

its　toll　from　among　their　number。　　Then　they　would　turn　and

charge　in　a　new　direction。　　Finally　they　set　out　upon　a

determined　search　of　the　forest；　but　the　blacks　melted

before　them；　so　that　they　saw　no　sign　of　an　enemy。



But　above　them　lurked　a　grim　figure　in　the　dense　foliage

of　the　mighty　treesit　was　Tarzan　of　the　Apes；　hovering　over

them　as　if　he　had　been　the　shadow　of　death。　　Presently　a

Manyuema　forged　ahead　of　his　companions；　there　was　none

to　see　from　what　direction　death　came；　and　so　it　came

quickly；　and　a　moment　later　those　behind　stumbled　over

the　dead　body　of　their　comradethe　inevitable　arrow　piercing

the　still　heart。



It　does　not　take　a　great　deal　of　this　manner　of　warfare　to

get　upon　the　nerves　of　whit