the beasts of tarzan-第41节
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promising； but all to no avail。 Presently from the deck
above came a shout of warning and a shot。 For an instant
Jane Clayton relaxed her vigilance； and turned her eyes toward
the cabin skylight。 Simultaneously Schneider was upon her。
The first intimation the watch had that there was another
craft within a thousand miles of the Cowrie came when he
saw the head and shoulders of a man poked over the ship's side。
Instantly the fellow sprang to his feet with a cry and
levelled his revolver at the intruder。 It was his cry and the
subsequent report of the revolver which threw Jane Clayton
off her guard。
Upon deck the quiet of fancied security soon gave place
to the wildest pandemonium。 The crew of the Cowrie rushed
above armed with revolvers； cutlasses； and the long knives
that many of them habitually wore； but the alarm had come
too late。 Already the beasts of Tarzan were upon the ship's
deck； with Tarzan and the two men of the Kincaid's crew。
In the face of the frightful beasts the courage of the mutineers
wavered and broke。 Those with revolvers fired a few scattering
shots and then raced for some place of supposed safety。
Into the shrouds went some； but the apes of Akut were
more at home there than they。
Screaming with terror the Maoris were dragged from their
lofty perches。 The beasts； uncontrolled by Tarzan who had
gone in search of Jane； loosed in the full fury of their savage
natures upon the unhappy wretches who fell into their clutches。
Sheeta； in the meanwhile； had felt his great fangs sink into
but a singular jugular。 For a moment he mauled the corpse；
and then he spied Kai Shang darting down the companionway
toward his cabin。
With a shrill scream Sheeta was after hima scream which
awoke an almost equally uncanny cry in the throat of the
terror…stricken Chinaman。
But Kai Shang reached his cabin a fraction of a second
ahead of the panther； and leaping within slammed the door
just too late。 Sheeta's great body hurtled against it before
the catch engaged； and a moment later Kai Shang was gibbering
and shrieking in the back of an upper berth。
Lightly Sheeta sprang after his victim； and presently the
wicked days of Kai Shang of Fachan were ended； and Sheeta
was gorging himself upon tough and stringy flesh。
A moment scarcely had elapsed after Schneider leaped
upon Jane Clayton and wrenched the revolver from her hand；
when the door of the cabin opened and a tall and half…naked
white man stood framed within the portal。
Silently he leaped across the cabin。 Schneider felt sinewy
fingers at his throat。 He turned his head to see who had
attacked him； and his eyes went wide when he saw the face of
the ape…man close above his own。
Grimly the fingers tightened upon the mate's throat。 He tried
to scream； to plead； but no sound came forth。 His eyes
protruded as he struggled for freedom； for breath； for life。
Jane Clayton seized her husband's hands and tried to drag them
from the throat of the dying man； but Tarzan only shook his head。
〃Not again；〃 he said quietly。 〃Before have I permitted
scoundrels to live； only to suffer and to have you suffer for
my mercy。 This time we shall make sure of one scoundrel
sure that he will never again harm us or another；〃 and with
a sudden wrench he twisted the neck of the perfidious mate
until there was a sharp crack； and the man's body lay limp
and motionless in the ape…man's grasp。 With a gesture of
disgust Tarzan tossed the corpse aside。 Then he returned to
the deck； followed by Jane and the Mosula woman。
The battle there was over。 Schmidt and Momulla and two
others alone remained alive of all the company of the Cowrie；
for they had found sanctuary in the forecastle。 The others
had died； horribly； and as they deserved； beneath the fangs
and talons of the beasts of Tarzan； and in the morning the
sun rose on a grisly sight upon the deck of the unhappy
Cowrie； but this time the blood which stained her white
planking was the blood of the guilty and not of the innocent。
Tarzan brought forth the men who had hidden in the forecastle；
and without promises of immunity from punishment forced them
to help work the vesselthe only alternative was immediate death。
A stiff breeze had risen with the sun； and with canvas
spread the Cowrie set in toward Jungle Island； where a few
hours later； Tarzan picked up Gust and bid farewell to Sheeta
and the apes of Akut； for here he set the beasts ashore to
pursue the wild and natural life they loved so well； nor did
they lose a moment's time in disappearing into the cool depths
of their beloved jungle。
That they knew that Tarzan was to leave them may be doubted
except possibly in the case of the more intelligent Akut；
who alone of all the others remained upon the beach as the
small boat drew away toward the schooner； carrying his savage
lord and master from him。
And as long as their eyes could span the distance； Jane and
Tarzan； standing upon the deck； saw the lonely figure of
the shaggy anthropoid motionless upon the surf…beaten sands
of Jungle Island。
It was three days later that the Cowrie fell in with H。M。
sloop…of…war Shorewater； through whose wireless Lord Greystoke
soon got in communication with London。 Thus he learned that
which filled his and his wife's heart with joy and thanksgiving
little Jack was safe at Lord Greystoke's town house。
It was not until they reached London that they learned the
details of the remarkable chain of circumstances that had
preserved the infant unharmed。
It developed that Rokoff； fearing to take the child aboard the
Kincaid by day； had hidden it in a low den where nameless infants
were harboured； intending to carry it to the steamer after dark。
His confederate and chief lieutenant； Paulvitch； true to the
long years of teaching of his wily master； had at last
succumbed to the treachery and greed that had always marked
his superior； and； lured by the thoughts of the immense ransom
that he might win by returning the child unharmed； had
divulged the secret of its parentage to the woman who
maintained the foundling asylum。 Through her he had arranged
for the substitution of another infant； knowing full well that
never until it was too late would Rokoff suspect the trick that
had been played upon him。
The woman had promised to keep the child until Paulvitch
returned to England； but she； in turn； had been tempted to
betray her trust by the lure of gold； and so had opened
negotiations with Lord Greystoke's solicitors for the return
of the child。
Esmeralda； the old Negro nurse whose absence on a vacation
in America at the time of the abduction of little Jack
had been attributed by her as the cause of the calamity；
had returned and positively identified the infant。
The ransom had been paid； and within ten days of the date
of his kidnapping the future Lord Greystoke； none the worse
for his experience； had been returned to his father's home。
And so that last and greatest of Nikolas Rokoff's many
rascalities had not only miserably miscarried through the
treachery he had taught his only friend； but it had resulted
in the arch…villain's death； and given to Lord and Lady Greystoke
a peace of mind that neither could ever have felt so long as
the vital spark remained in the body of the Russian and his
malign mind was free to formulate new atrocities against them。
Rokoff was dead； and while the fate of Paulvitch was unknown；
they had every reason to believe that he had succumbed to the
dangers of the jungle where last they had seen himthe
malicious tool of his master。
And thus； in so far as they might know； they were to be
freed for ever from the menace of these two menthe only
enemies which Tarzan of the Apes ever had had occasion to
fear； because they struck at him cowardly blows； through
those he loved。
It was a happy family party that were reunited in Greystoke
House the day that Lord Greystoke and his lady landed upon
English soil from the deck of the Shorewater。
Accompanying them were Mugambi and the Mosula
woman whom he had found in the bottom of the canoe that
night upon the bank of the little tributary of the Ugambi。
The woman had preferred to cling to her new lord and master
rather than return to the marriage she had tried to escape。
Tarzan had proposed to them that they might find a home
upon his vast African estates in the land of the Waziri； where
they were to be sent as soon as opportunity presented itself。
Possibly we shall see them all there amid the savage romance
of the grim jungle and the great plains where Tarzan
of the Apes loves best to be。
Who knows？
End
