the beasts of tarzan-第36节

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the　box。　　All　the　time　he　listened　intently　for　any　sound　which

might　indicate　that　the　sailor　or　another　were　approaching

his　cabin；　but　none　came　to　interrupt　his　work。



When　the　winding　was　completed　the　Russian　set　a　pointer

upon　a　small　dial　at　the　side　of　the　clockwork；　then　he

replaced　the　cover　upon　the　black　box；　and　returned　the

entire　machine　to　its　hiding…place　in　the　table。



A　sinister　smile　curled　the　man's　bearded　lips　as　he　gathered

up　his　valuables；　blew　out　the　lamp；　and　stepped　from　his　cabin

to　the　side　of　the　waiting　sailor。



〃Here　are　my　things；〃　said　the　Russian；　〃now　let　me　go。〃



〃I'll　first　take　a　look　in　your　pockets；〃　replied　the　sailor。　　

〃You　might　have　overlooked　some　trifling　thing　that　won't

be　of　no　use　to　you　in　the　jungle；　but　that'll　come　in　mighty

handy　to　a　poor　sailorman　in　London。　　Ah！　just　as　I　feared；〃

he　ejaculated　an　instant　later　as　he　withdrew　a　roll　of　bank…

notes　from　Paulvitch's　inside　coat　pocket。



The　Russian　scowled；　muttering　an　imprecation；　but　nothing

could　be　gained　by　argument；　and　so　he　did　his　best　to

reconcile　himself　to　his　loss　in　the　knowledge　that　the　sailor

would　never　reach　London　to　enjoy　the　fruits　of　his　thievery。



It　was　with　difficulty　that　Paulvitch　restrained　a　consuming

desire　to　taunt　the　man　with　a　suggestion　of　the　fate　that

would　presently　overtake　him　and　the　other　members　of　the

Kincaid's　company；　but　fearing　to　arouse　the　fellow's

suspicions；　he　crossed　the　deck　and　lowered　himself　in　silence

into　his　canoe。



A　minute　or　two　later　he　was　paddling　toward　the　shore　to

be　swallowed　up　in　the　darkness　of　the　jungle　night；　and　the

terrors　of　a　hideous　existence　from　which；　could　he　have　had

even　a　slight　foreknowledge　of　what　awaited　him　in　the　long

years　to　come；　he　would　have　fled　to　the　certain　death　of　the

open　sea　rather　than　endure　it。



The　sailor；　having　made　sure　that　Paulvitch　had　departed；

returned　to　the　forecastle；　where　he　hid　away　his　booty　and

turned　into　his　bunk；　while　in　the　cabin　that　had　belonged　to

the　Russian　there　ticked　on　and　on　through　the　silences　of

the　night　the　little　mechanism　in　the　small　black　box　which

held　for　the　unconscious　sleepers　upon　the　ill…starred　Kincaid

the　coming　vengeance　of　the　thwarted　Russian。









Chapter　19





The　Last　of　the　〃Kincaid〃





Shortly　after　the　break　of　day　Tarzan　was　on　deck　noting

the　condition　of　the　weather。　　The　wind　had　abated。　　

The　sky　was　cloudless。　　Every　condition　seemed　ideal　for

the　commencement　of　the　return　voyage　to　Jungle　Island；

where　the　beasts　were　to　be　left。　　And　thenhome！



The　ape…man　aroused　the　mate　and　gave　instructions　that

the　Kincaid　sail　at　the　earliest　possible　moment。　　

The　remaining　members　of　the　crew；　safe　in　Lord　Greystoke's

assurance　that　they　would　not　be　prosecuted　for　their　share　in

the　villainies　of　the　two　Russians；　hastened　with　cheerful

alacrity　to　their　several　duties。



The　beasts；　liberated　from　the　confinement　of　the　hold；

wandered　about　the　deck；　not　a　little　to　the　discomfiture　of

the　crew　in　whose　minds　there　remained　a　still　vivid　picture

of　the　savagery　of　the　beasts　in　conflict　with　those　who　had

gone　to　their　deaths　beneath　the　fangs　and　talons　which　even

now　seemed　itching　for　the　soft　flesh　of　further　prey。



Beneath　the　watchful　eyes　of　Tarzan　and　Mugambi；　however；

Sheeta　and　the　apes　of　Akut　curbed　their　desires；　so　that

the　men　worked　about　the　deck　amongst　them　in　far　greater

security　than　they　imagined。



At　last　the　Kincaid　slipped　down　the　Ugambi　and　ran　out

upon　the　shimmering　waters　of　the　Atlantic。　　Tarzan　and　Jane

Clayton　watched　the　verdure…clad　shore…line　receding　in　the

ship's　wake；　and　for　once　the　ape…man　left　his　native　soil

without　one　single　pang　of　regret。



No　ship　that　sailed　the　seven　seas　could　have　borne　him

away　from　Africa　to　resume　his　search　for　his　lost　boy　with

half　the　speed　that　the　Englishman　would　have　desired；　and

the　slow…moving　Kincaid　seemed　scarce　to　move　at　all　to　the

impatient　mind　of　the　bereaved　father。



Yet　the　vessel　made　progress　even　when　she　seemed　to　be

standing　still；　and　presently　the　low　hills　of　Jungle　Island

became　distinctly　visible　upon　the　western　horizon　ahead。



In　the　cabin　of　Alexander　Paulvitch　the　thing　within　the

black　box　ticked；　ticked；　ticked；　with　apparently　unending

monotony；　but　yet；　second　by　second；　a　little　arm　which

protruded　from　the　periphery　of　one　of　its　wheels　came　nearer

and　nearer　to　another　little　arm　which　projected　from　the

hand　which　Paulvitch　had　set　at　a　certain　point　upon　the　dial

beside　the　clockwork。　　When　those　two　arms　touched　one

another　the　ticking　of　the　mechanism　would　ceasefor　ever。



Jane　and　Tarzan　stood　upon　the　bridge　looking　out　toward

Jungle　Island。　　The　men　were　forward；　also　watching　the　land

grow　upward　out　of　the　ocean。　　The　beasts　had　sought　the

shade　of　the　galley；　where　they　were　curled　up　in　sleep。　　

All　was　quiet　and　peace　upon　the　ship；　and　upon　the　waters。



Suddenly；　without　warning；　the　cabin　roof　shot　up　into　the　air；

a　cloud　of　dense　smoke　puffed　far　above　the　Kincaid；

there　was　a　terrific　explosion　which　shook　the　vessel

from　stem　to　stern。



Instantly　pandemonium　broke　loose　upon　the　deck。　　The　apes

of　Akut；　terrified　by　the　sound；　ran　hither　and　thither；

snarling　and　growling。　　Sheeta　leaped　here　and　there；

screaming　out　his　startled　terror　in　hideous　cries　that　sent

the　ice　of　fear　straight　to　the　hearts　of　the　Kincaid's　crew。



Mugambi；　too；　was　trembling。　　Only　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　and

his　wife　retained　their　composure。　　Scarce　had　the　debris

settled　than　the　ape…man　was　among　the　beasts；　quieting　their

fears；　talking　to　them　in　low；　pacific　tones；　stroking　their

shaggy　bodies；　and　assuring　them；　as　only　he　could；　that　the

immediate　danger　was　over。



An　examination　of　the　wreckage　showed　that　their　greatest　danger；

now；　lay　in　fire；　for　the　flames　were　licking　hungrily　at　the

splintered　wood　of　the　wrecked　cabin；　and　had　already　found

a　foothold　upon　the　lower　deck　through　a　great　jagged　hole

which　the　explosion　had　opened。



By　a　miracle　no　member　of　the　ship's　company　had　been　injured

by　the　blast；　the　origin　of　which　remained　for　ever　a　total

mystery　to　all　but　onethe　sailor　who　knew　that　Paulvitch　had

been　aboard　the　Kincaid　and　in　his　cabin　the　previous　night。　　

He　guessed　the　truth；　but　discretion　sealed　his　lips。　　It　would；

doubtless；　fare　none　too　well　for　the　man　who　had　permitted

the　arch　enemy　of　them　all　aboard　the　ship　in　the　watches

of　the　night；　where　later　he　might　set　an　infernal　machine

to　blow　them　all　to　kingdom　come。　　No；　the　man　decided　that

he　would　keep　this　knowledge　to　himself。



As　the　flames　gained　headway　it　became　apparent　to　Tarzan

that　whatever　had　caused　the　explosion　had　scattered

some　highly　inflammable　substance　upon　the　surrounding

woodwork；　for　the　water　which　they　poured　in　from　the　pump

seemed　rather　to　spread　than　to　extinguish　the　blaze。



Fifteen　minutes　after　the　explosion　great；　black　clouds　of

smoke　were　rising　from　the　hold　of　the　doomed　vessel。　　

The　flames　had　reached　the　engine…room；　and　the　ship　no　longer

moved　toward　the　shore。　　Her　fate　was　as　certain　as　though　the

waters　had　already　closed　above　her　charred　and　smoking　remains。



〃It　is　useless　to　remain　aboard　her　longer；〃　remarked　the

ape…man　to　the　mate。　　〃There　is　no　telling　but　there　may　be

other　explosions；　and　as　we　cannot　hope　to　save　her；　the

safest　thing　which　we　can　do　is　to　take　to　the　boats　without

further　loss　of　time　and　make　land。〃



Nor　was　there　other　alternative。　　Only　the　sailors　could

bring　away　any　belongings；　for　the　fire；　which　had　not　yet

reached　the　forecastle；　had　consumed　all　in　the　vicinity　of

the　cabin　which　the　explosion　had　not　destroyed。



Two　boats　were　lowered；　and　as　there　was　no　sea　the　landing

was　made　with　infinite　ease。　　Eager　and　anxious；　the　beasts

of　Tarzan　sniffed　the　familiar　air　of　their　native　island　as

the　small　boats　drew　in　toward　the　beach；　and　scarce　had　their

keels　grated　upon　the　sand　than　Sheeta　and　the　apes　of　Akut

were　over　the　bows　and　racing　swiftly　toward　the　jungle。　　

A　half…sad　smile　curved　the　lips　of　the　ape…man　as　he

watched　them　go。



〃Good…bye；　my　friends；〃　he　murmured。　　〃You　have　been

good　and　faithful　allies；　and　I　shall　miss　you。〃



〃They　will　return；　will　they　not；　dear？〃　asked　Jane　Clayton；　at　his　side。



〃They　may　and　they　may　not；〃　replied　the　ape…man。

〃They　have　been　ill　at　ease　since　they　were　forced　to　accept

so　many　human　beings　into　their　confidence。　　Mugambi　and

I　alone　affected　them　less；　for　he　and　I　are；　at　best；

but　half　human。　　You；　however；　and　the　members　of　the　crew　are

far　too　civilized　for　my　beastsit　is　you　whom　they　are　fleeing。　　

Doubtless　they　feel　that　they　cannot　trust　themselves　i