the beasts of tarzan-第35节

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those　which　related　to　his　future　should　it　chance　that　the

Kincaid　had　already　steamed　away；　leaving　him　to　the

merciless　horrors　of　the　savage　wilderness。



In　the　darkness　it　seemed　to　the　paddler　that　he　was　fairly

flying　over　the　water；　and　he　had　become　convinced　that　the

ship　had　left　her　moorings　and　that　he　had　already　passed　the

spot　at　which　she　had　lain　earlier　in　the　day；　when　there

appeared　before　him　beyond　a　projecting　point　which　he　had

but　just　rounded　the　flickering　light　from　a　ship's　lantern。



Alexander　Paulvitch　could　scarce　restrain　an　exclamation　of　triumph。

The　Kincaid　had　not　departed！　　Life　and　vengeance　were　not　to　elude

him　after　all。



He　stopped　paddling　the　moment　that　he　descried　the　gleaming　beacon

of　hope　ahead　of　him。　　Silently　he　drifted　down　the　muddy　waters

of　the　Ugambi；　occasionally　dipping　his　paddle's　blade　gently

into　the　current　that　he　might　guide　his　primitive　craft

to　the　vessel's　side。



As　he　approached　more　closely　the　dark　bulk　of　a　ship

loomed　before　him　out　of　the　blackness　of　the　night。　　

No　sound　came　from　the　vessel's　deck。　　Paulvitch　drifted；

unseen；　close　to　the　Kincaid's　side。　　Only　the　momentary

scraping　of　his　canoe's　nose　against　the　ship's　planking　broke

the　silence　of　the　night。



Trembling　with　nervous　excitement；　the　Russian　remained

motionless　for　several　minutes；　but　there　was　no　sound　from　the

great　bulk　above　him　to　indicate　that　his　coming　had　been　noted。



Stealthily　he　worked　his　craft　forward　until　the　stays　of　the

bowsprit　were　directly　above　him。　　He　could　just　reach　them。　　

To　make　his　canoe　fast　there　was　the　work　of　but　a　minute

or　two；　and　then　the　man　raised　himself　quietly　aloft。



A　moment　later　he　dropped　softly　to　the　deck。　　Thoughts　of

the　hideous　pack　which　tenanted　the　ship　induced　cold

tremors　along　the　spine　of　the　cowardly　prowler；　but　life

itself　depended　upon　the　success　of　his　venture；　and　so　he

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　t