the beasts of tarzan-第13节

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Kaviri　was　only　too　glad　to　comply　with　any　demands　that

the　ape…man　might　make　if　only　such　compliance　would　hasten

the　departure　of　the　horrid　pack；　but　it　was　easier；　he

discovered；　to　promise　men　than　to　furnish　them；　for　when

his　people　learned　his　intentions　those　that　had　not　already

fled　into　the　jungle　proceeded　to　do　so　without　loss　of　time；

so　that　when　Kaviri　turned　to　point　out　those　who　were　to

accompany　Tarzan；　he　discovered　that　he　was　the　only　member

of　his　tribe　left　within　the　village。



Tarzan　could　not　repress　a　smile。



〃They　do　not　seem　anxious　to　accompany　us；〃　he　said；

〃but　just　remain　quietly　here；　Kaviri；　and　presently　you

shall　see　your　people　flocking　to　your　side。〃



Then　the　ape…man　rose；　and；　calling　his　pack　about　him；

commanded　that　Mugambi　remain　with　Kaviri；　and　disappeared

in　the　jungle　with　Sheeta　and　the　apes　at　his　heels。



For　half　an　hour　the　silence　of　the　grim　forest　was　broken

only　by　the　ordinary　sounds　of　the　teeming　life　that　but　adds

to　its　lowering　loneliness。　　Kaviri　and　Mugambi　sat　alone　in

the　palisaded　village；　waiting。



Presently　from　a　great　distance　came　a　hideous　sound。　　

Mugambi　recognized　the　weird　challenge　of　the　ape…man。　　

Immediately　from　different　points　of　the　compass　rose　a

horrid　semicircle　of　similar　shrieks　and　screams；　punctuated

now　and　again　by　the　blood…curdling　cry　of　a　hungry　panther。









Chapter　7





Betrayed





The　two　savages；　Kaviri　and　Mugambi；　squatting　before

the　entrance　to　Kaviri's　hut；　looked　at　one　another

Kaviri　with　ill…concealed　alarm。



〃What　is　it？〃　he　whispered。



〃It　is　Bwana　Tarzan　and　his　people；〃　replied　Mugambi。　　

〃But　what　they　are　doing　I　know　not；　unless　it　be　that　they

are　devouring　your　people　who　ran　away。〃



Kaviri　shuddered　and　rolled　his　eyes　fearfully　toward　the　jungle。　　

In　all　his　long　life　in　the　savage　forest　he　had　never

heard　such　an　awful；　fearsome　din。



Closer　and　closer　came　the　sounds；　and　now　with　them　were

mingled　the　terrified　shrieks　of　women　and　children　and

of　men。　　For　twenty　long　minutes　the　blood…curdling　cries

continued；　until　they　seemed　but　a　stone's　throw　from

the　palisade。　　Kaviri　rose　to　flee；　but　Mugambi　seized　and

held　him；　for　such　had　been　the　command　of　Tarzan。



A　moment　later　a　horde　of　terrified　natives　burst　from　the　jungle；

racing　toward　the　shelter　of　their　huts。　　Like　frightened　sheep

they　ran；　and　behind　them；　driving　them　as　sheep　might　be　driven；

came　Tarzan　and　Sheeta　and　the　hideous　apes　of　Akut。



Presently　Tarzan　stood　before　Kaviri；　the　old　quiet　smile　upon　his　lips。



〃Your　people　have　returned；　my　brother；〃　he　said；　〃and

now　you　may　select　those　who　are　to　accompany　me　and

paddle　my　canoe。〃



Tremblingly　Kaviri　tottered　to　his　feet；　calling　to　his　people

to　come　from　their　huts；　but　none　responded　to　his　summons。



〃Tell　them；〃　suggested　Tarzan；　〃that　if　they　do　not　come

I　shall　send　my　people　in　after　them。〃



Kaviri　did　as　he　was　bid；　and　in　an　instant　the　entire

population　of　the　village　came　forth；　their　wide　and　frightened

eyes　rolling　from　one　to　another　of　the　savage　creatures　that

wandered　about　the　village　street。



Quickly　Kaviri　designated　a　dozen　warriors　to　accompany　Tarzan。　　

The　poor　fellows　went　almost　white　with　terror　at　the

prospect　of　close　contact　with　the　panther　and　the　apes　in

the　narrow　confines　of　the　canoes；　but　when　Kaviri　explained

to　them　that　there　was　no　escapethat　Bwana　Tarzan

would　pursue　them　with　his　grim　horde　should　they　attempt

to　run　away　from　the　dutythey　finally　went　gloomily　down

to　the　river　and　took　their　places　in　the　canoe。



It　was　with　a　sigh　of　relief　that　their　chieftain　saw　the　party

disappear　about　a　headland　a　short　distance　up…river。



For　three　days　the　strange　company　continued　farther　and

farther　into　the　heart　of　the　savage　country　that　lies　on　either

side　of　the　almost　unexplored　Ugambi。　　Three　of　the　twelve

warriors　deserted　during　that　time；　but　as　several　of　the　apes

had　finally　learned　the　secret　of　the　paddles；　Tarzan　felt　no

dismay　because　of　the　loss。



As　a　matter　of　fact；　he　could　have　travelled　much　more

rapidly　on　shore；　but　he　believed　that　he　could　hold　his　own

wild　crew　together　to　better　advantage　by　keeping　them　to

the　boat　as　much　as　possible。　　Twice　a　day　they　landed　to　hunt

and　feed；　and　at　night　they　slept　upon　the　bank　of　the　mainland

or　on　one　of　the　numerous　little　islands　that　dotted　the　river。



Before　them　the　natives　fled　in　alarm；　so　that　they　found

only　deserted　villages　in　their　path　as　they　proceeded。　　

Tarzan　was　anxious　to　get　in　touch　with　some　of　the　savages

who　dwelt　upon　the　river's　banks；　but　so　far　he　had　been　unable

to　do　so。



Finally　he　decided　to　take　to　the　land　himself；　leaving　his

company　to　follow　after　him　by　boat。　　He　explained　to　Mugambi

the　thing　that　he　had　in　mind；　and　told　Akut　to　follow

the　directions　of　the　black。



〃I　will　join　you　again　in　a　few　days；〃　he　said。　　〃Now　I　go

ahead　to　learn　what　has　become　of　the　very　bad　white　man

whom　I　seek。〃



At　the　next　halt　Tarzan　took　to　the　shore；　and　was　soon

lost　to　the　view　of　his　people。



The　first　few　villages　he　came　to　were　deserted；　showing

that　news　of　the　coming　of　his　pack　had　travelled　rapidly；

but　toward　evening　he　came　upon　a　distant　cluster　of　thatched

huts　surrounded　by　a　rude　palisade；　within　which　were　a

couple　of　hundred　natives。



The　women　were　preparing　the　evening　meal　as　Tarzan　of

the　Apes　poised　above　them　in　the　branches　of　a　giant　tree

which　overhung　the　palisade　at　one　point。



The　ape…man　was　at　a　loss　as　to　how　he　might　enter　into

communication　with　these　people　without　either　frightening

them　or　arousing　their　savage　love　of　battle。　　He　had　no　desire

to　fight　now；　for　he　was　upon　a　much　more　important　mission

than　that　of　battling　with　every　chance　tribe　that　he

should　happen　to　meet　with。



At　last　he　hit　upon　a　plan；　and　after　seeing　that　he　was

concealed　from　the　view　of　those　below；　he　gave　a　few　hoarse

grunts　in　imitation　of　a　panther。　　All　eyes　immediately　turned

upward　toward　the　foliage　above。



It　was　growing　dark；　and　they　could　not　penetrate　the　leafy

screen　which　shielded　the　ape…man　from　their　view。　　The　moment

that　he　had　won　their　attention　he　raised　his　voice　to

the　shriller　and　more　hideous　scream　of　the　beast　he　personated；

and　then；　scarce　stirring　a　leaf　in　his　descent；　dropped

to　the　ground　once　again　outside　the　palisade；　and；　with　the

speed　of　a　deer；　ran　quickly　round　to　the　village　gate。



Here　he　beat　upon　the　fibre…bound　saplings　of　which　the

barrier　was　constructed；　shouting　to　the　natives　in　their　own

tongue　that　he　was　a　friend　who　wished　food　and　shelter　for

the　night。



Tarzan　knew　well　the　nature　of　the　black　man。　　He　was

aware　that　the　grunting　and　screaming　of　Sheeta　in　the　tree

above　them　would　set　their　nerves　on　edge；　and　that　his

pounding　upon　their　gate　after　dark　would　still　further　add

to　their　terror。



That　they　did　not　reply　to　his　hail　was　no　surprise；　for

natives　are　fearful　of　any　voice　that　comes　out　of　the　night

from　beyond　their　palisades；　attributing　it　always　to　some

demon　or　other　ghostly　visitor；　but　still　he　continued　to　call。



〃Let　me　in；　my　friends！〃　he　cried。　　〃I　am　a　white　man

pursuing　the　very　bad　white　man　who　passed　this　way　a　few

days　ago。　　I　follow　to　punish　him　for　the　sins　he　has　committed

against　you　and　me。



〃If　you　doubt　my　friendship；　I　will　prove　it　to　you　by　going

into　the　tree　above　your　village　and　driving　Sheeta　back　into

the　jungle　before　he　leaps　among　you。　　If　you　will　not　promise

to　take　me　in　and　treat　me　as　a　friend　I　shall　let　Sheeta　stay

and　devour　you。〃



For　a　moment　there　was　silence。　　Then　the　voice　of　an　old

man　came　out　of　the　quiet　of　the　village　street。



〃If　you　are　indeed　a　white　man　and　a　friend；　we　will　let

you　come　in；　but　first　you　must　drive　Sheeta　away。〃



〃Very　well；〃　replied　Tarzan。　　〃Listen；　and　you　shall　hear

Sheeta　fleeing　before　me。〃



The　ape…man　returned　quickly　to　the　tree；　and　this　time　he

made　a　great　noise　as　he　entered　the　branches；　at　the　same

time　growling　ominously　after　the　manner　of　the　panther；　so　that

those　below　would　believe　that　the　great　beast　was　still　there。



When　he　reached　a　point　well　above　the　village　street　he

made　a　great　commotion；　shaking　the　tree　violently；　crying

aloud　to　the　panther　to　flee　or　be　killed；　and　punctuating　his

own　voice　with　the　screams　and　mouthings　of　an　angry　beast。



Presently　he　raced　toward　the　opposite　side　of　the　tree　and

off　into　the　jungle；　pounding　loudly　against　the　boles　of　trees

as　he　went；　and　voicing　the　panther's　diminishing　growls　as

he　drew　farther　and　farther　away　from　the　village。



A　few　minutes　later　he　returned　to　the　village　gate；　calling

to　th