the beasts of tarzan-第6节

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great　as　Akut。　　Had　you　not　killed　Molak；　Akut　would　have

done　so；　for　Akut　was　ready　to　be　king。〃



For　answer　the　ape…man　hurled　himself　upon　the　great　brute

who　during　the　conversation　had　slightly　relaxed　his　vigilance。



In　the　twinkling　of　an　eye　the　man　had　seized　the　wrist　of

the　great　ape；　and　before　the　other　could　grapple　with　him

had　whirled　him　about　and　leaped　upon　his　broad　back。



Down　they　went　together；　but　so　well　had　Tarzan's　plan

worked　out　that　before　ever　they　touched　the　ground　he　had

gained　the　same　hold　upon　Akut　that　had　broken　Molak's　neck。



Slowly　he　brought　the　pressure　to　bear；　and　then　as　in　days

gone　by　he　had　given　Kerchak　the　chance　to　surrender　and

live；　so　now　he　gave　to　Akutin　whom　he　saw　a　possible

ally　of　great　strength　and　resourcethe　option　of　living　in

amity　with　him　or　dying　as　he　had　just　seen　his　savage　and

heretofore　invincible　king　die。



〃Ka…Goda？〃　whispered　Tarzan　to　the　ape　beneath　him。



It　was　the　same　question　that　he　had　whispered　to　Kerchak；

and　in　the　language　of　the　apes　it　means；　broadly；

〃Do　you　surrender？〃



Akut　thought　of　the　creaking　sound　he　had　heard　just

before　Molak's　thick　neck　had　snapped；　and　he　shuddered。



He　hated　to　give　up　the　kingship；　though；　so　again　he　struggled

to　free　himself；　but　a　sudden　torturing　pressure　upon　his

vertebra　brought　an　agonized　〃ka…goda！〃　from　his　lips。



Tarzan　relaxed　his　grip　a　trifle。



〃You　may　still　be　king；　Akut；〃　he　said。　　〃Tarzan　told　you

that　he　did　not　wish　to　be　king。　　If　any　question　your　right；

Tarzan　of　the　Apes　will　help　you　in　your　battles。〃



The　ape…man　rose；　and　Akut　came　slowly　to　his　feet。　　

Shaking　his　bullet　head　and　growling　angrily；　he　waddled　toward

his　tribe；　looking　first　at　one　and　then　at　another　of　the

larger　bulls　who　might　be　expected　to　challenge　his　leadership。



But　none　did　so；　instead；　they　drew　away　as　he　approached；

and　presently　the　whole　pack　moved　off　into　the　jungle；

and　Tarzan　was　left　alone　once　more　upon　the　beach。



The　ape…man　was　sore　from　the　wounds　that　Molak　had

inflicted　upon　him；　but　he　was　inured　to　physical　suffering

and　endured　it　with　the　calm　and　fortitude　of　the　wild　beasts

that　had　taught　him　to　lead　the　jungle　life　after　the　manner

of　all　those　that　are　born　to　it。



His　first　need；　he　realized；　was　for　weapons　of　offence　and　defence；

for　his　encounter　with　the　apes；　and　the　distant　notes　of　the　savage

voices　of　Numa　the　lion；　and　Sheeta；　the　panther；　warned　him　that

his　was　to　be　no　life　of　indolent　ease　and　security。



It　was　but　a　return　to　the　old　existence　of　constant　bloodshed

and　dangerto　the　hunting　and　the　being　hunted。　　Grim　beasts

would　stalk　him；　as　they　had　stalked　him　in　the　past；

and　never　would　there　be　a　moment；　by　savage　day　or　by

cruel　night；　that　he　might　not　have　instant　need　of　such　crude

weapons　as　he　could　fashion　from　the　materials　at　hand。



Upon　the　shore　he　found　an　out…cropping　of　brittle；　igneous　rock。　　

By　dint　of　much　labour　he　managed　to　chip　off　a　narrow　sliver　some

twelve　inches　long　by　a　quarter　of　an　inch　thick。　　One　edge　was　quite

thin　for　a　few　inches　near　the　tip。　　It　was　the　rudiment　of　a　knife。



With　it　he　went　into　the　jungle；　searching　until　he　found　a

fallen　tree　of　a　certain　species　of　hardwood　with　which　he

was　familiar。　　From　this　he　cut　a　small　straight　branch；

which　he　pointed　at　one　end。



Then　he　scooped　a　small；　round　hole　in　the　surface　of　the

prostrate　trunk。　　Into　this　he　crumbled　a　few　bits　of　dry　bark；

minutely　shredded；　after　which　he　inserted　the　tip　of　his

pointed　stick；　and；　sitting　astride　the　bole　of　the　tree；　spun

the　slender　rod　rapidly　between　his　palms。



After　a　time　a　thin　smoke　rose　from　the　little　mass　of

tinder；　and　a　moment　later　the　whole　broke　into　flame。　　

Heaping　some　larger　twigs　and　sticks　upon　the　tiny　fire；

Tarzan　soon　had　quite　a　respectable　blaze　roaring　in　the

enlarging　cavity　of　the　dead　tree。



Into　this　he　thrust　the　blade　of　his　stone　knife；　and　as　it

became　superheated　he　would　withdraw　it；　touching　a　spot

near　the　thin　edge　with　a　drop　of　moisture。　　Beneath　the

wetted　area　a　little　flake　of　the　glassy　material　would

crack　and　scale　away。



Thus；　very　slowly；　the　ape…man　commenced　the　tedious

operation　of　putting　a　thin　edge　upon　his　primitive　hunting…knife。



He　did　not　attempt　to　accomplish　the　feat　all　in　one　sitting。　　

At　first　he　was　content　to　achieve　a　cutting　edge　of　a　couple

of　inches；　with　which　he　cut　a　long；　pliable　bow；　a　handle

for　his　knife；　a　stout　cudgel；　and　a　goodly　supply　of　arrows。



These　he　cached　in　a　tall　tree　beside　a　little　stream；

and　here　also　he　constructed　a　platform　with　a　roof　of

palm…leaves　above　it。



When　all　these　things　had　been　finished　it　was　growing　dusk；

and　Tarzan　felt　a　strong　desire　to　eat。



He　had　noted　during　the　brief　incursion　he　had　made　into

the　forest　that　a　short　distance　up…stream　from　his　tree　there

was　a　much…used　watering　place；　where；　from　the　trampled

mud　of　either　bank；　it　was　evident　beasts　of　all　sorts　and　in

great　numbers　came　to　drink。　　To　this　spot　the　hungry　ape…man

made　his　silent　way。



Through　the　upper　terrace　of　the　tree…tops　he　swung　with

the　grace　and　ease　of　a　monkey。　　But　for　the　heavy　burden

upon　his　heart　he　would　have　been　happy　in　this　return　to　the

old　free　life　of　his　boyhood。



Yet　even　with　that　burden　he　fell　into　the　little　habits　and

manners　of　his　early　life　that　were　in　reality　more　a　part　of

him　than　the　thin　veneer　of　civilization　that　the　past　three

years　of　his　association　with　the　white　men　of　the　outer　world

had　spread　lightly　over　hima　veneer　that　only　hid　the

crudities　of　the　beast　that　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　had　been。



Could　his　fellow…peers　of　the　House　of　Lords　have　seen　him

then　they　would　have　held　up　their　noble　hands　in　holy　horror。



Silently　he　crouched　in　the　lower　branches　of　a　great　forest

giant　that　overhung　the　trail；　his　keen　eyes　and　sensitive　ears

strained　into　the　distant　jungle；　from　which　he　knew　his　dinner

would　presently　emerge。



Nor　had　he　long　to　wait。



Scarce　had　he　settled　himself　to　a　comfortable　position；

his　lithe；　muscular　legs　drawn　well　up　beneath　him　as　the

panther　draws　his　hindquarters　in　preparation　for　the　spring；

than　Bara；　the　deer；　came　daintily　down　to　drink。



But　more　than　Bara　was　coming。　　Behind　the　graceful　buck

came　another　which　the　deer　could　neither　see　nor　scent；　but

whose　movements　were　apparent　to　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　because

of　the　elevated　position　of　the　ape…man's　ambush。



He　knew　not　yet　exactly　the　nature　of　the　thing　that　moved

so　stealthily　through　the　jungle　a　few　hundred　yards　behind

the　deer；　but　he　was　convinced　that　it　was　some　great　beast

of　prey　stalking　Bara　for　the　selfsame　purpose　as　that　which

prompted　him　to　await　the　fleet　animal。　　Numa；　perhaps；　or

Sheeta；　the　panther。



In　any　event；　Tarzan　could　see　his　repast　slipping　from　his

grasp　unless　Bara　moved　more　rapidly　toward　the　ford　than

at　present。



Even　as　these　thoughts　passed　through　his　mind　some　noise

of　the　stalker　in　his　rear　must　have　come　to　the　buck；　for

with　a　sudden　start　he　paused　for　an　instant；　trembling；　in

his　tracks；　and　then　with　a　swift　bound　dashed　straight　for

the　river　and　Tarzan。　　It　was　his　intention　to　flee　through　the

shallow　ford　and　escape　upon　the　opposite　side　of　the　river。



Not　a　hundred　yards　behind　him　came　Numa。



Tarzan　could　see　him　quite　plainly　now。　　Below　the　ape…man

Bara　was　about　to　pass。　　Could　he　do　it？　　But　even　as　he

asked　himself　the　question　the　hungry　man　launched　himself

from　his　perch　full　upon　the　back　of　the　startled　buck。



In　another　instant　Numa　would　be　upon　them　both；　so　if

the　ape…man　were　to　dine　that　night；　or　ever　again；

he　must　act　quickly。



Scarcely　had　he　touched　the　sleek　hide　of　the　deer　with　a

momentum　that　sent　the　animal　to　its　knees　than　he　had

grasped　a　horn　in　either　hand；　and　with　a　single　quick　wrench

twisted　the　animal's　neck　completely　round；　until　he　felt　the

vertebrae　snap　beneath　his　grip。



The　lion　was　roaring　in　rage　close　behind　him　as　he　swung

the　deer　across　his　shoulder；　and；　grasping　a　foreleg　between

his　strong　teeth；　leaped　for　the　nearest　of　the　lower　branches

that　swung　above　his　head。



With　both　hands　he　grasped　the　limb；　and；　at　the　instant

that　Numa　sprang；　drew　himself　and　his　prey　out　of　reach　of

the　animal's　cruel　talons。



There　was　a　thud　below　him　as　the　baffled　cat　fell　back　to

earth；　and　then　Tarzan　of　the　Apes；　drawing　his　dinner

farther　up　to　the　safety　of　a　higher　limb；　looked　down　with

grinning　face　into　the　gleaming　yellow　eyes　of　the　other　wild

beast　that　glared　up　at　him　from　beneath；　and　with　taunting

insults　flaunted　the　tender　carcass　of　his　kill　in　the　face　of

him　whom　he　had　cheated　of　it。



With　his　cru