adventure-第37节

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it　was　a　silent　forest；　lush　and　dank；　where　only　occasionally　a　wood…pigeon　cooed　or　snow…　white　cockatoos　laughed　harshly　in　laborious　flight。

Here；　in　the　mid…morning；　the　first　casualty　occurred。　　Binu　Charley　had　dropped　behind　for　a　time；　and　Koogoo；　the　Poonga…　Poonga　man　who　had　boasted　that　he　would　eat　the　bushmen；　was　in　the　lead。　　Joan　and　Sheldon　heard　the　twanging　thrum　and　saw　Koogoo　throw　out　his　arms；　at　the　same　time　dropping　his　rifle；　stumble　forward；　and　sink　down　on　his　hands　and　knees。　　Between　his　naked　shoulders；　low　down　and　to　the　left；　appeared　the　bone…barbed　head　of　an　arrow。　　He　had　been　shot　through　and　through。　　Cocked　rifles　swept　the　bush　with　nervous　apprehension。　　But　there　was　no　rustle；　no　movement；　nothing　but　the　humid　oppressive　silence。

〃Bushmen　he　no　stop；〃　Binu　Charley　called　out；　the　sound　of　his　voice　startling　more　than　one　of　them。　　〃Allee　same　damn　funny　business。　　That　fella　Koogoo　no　look　'm　eye　belong　him。　　He　no　savvee　little　bit。〃

Koogoo's　arms　had　crumpled　under　him；　and　he　lay　quivering　where　he　had　fallen。　　Even　as　Binu　Charley　came　to　the　front　the　stricken　black's　breath　passed　from　him；　and　with　a　final　convulsive　stir　he　lay　still。

〃Right　through　the　heart；〃　Sheldon　said；　straightening　up　from　the　stooping　examination。　　〃It　must　have　been　a　trap　of　some　sort。〃

He　noticed　Joan's　white；　tense　face；　and　the　wide　eyes　with　which　she　stared　at　the　wreck　of　what　had　been　a　man　the　minute　before。

〃I　recruited　that　boy　myself；〃　she　said　in　a　whisper。　　〃He　came　down　out　of　the　bush　at　Poonga…Poonga　and　right　on　board　the　Martha　and　offered　himself。　　And　I　was　proud。　　He　was　my　very　first　recruit〃

〃My　word！　　Look　'm　that　fella；〃　Binu　Charley　interrupted；　brushing　aside　the　leafy　wall　of　the　run…way　and　exposing　a　bow　so　massive　that　no　one　bushman　could　have　bent　it。

The　Binu　man　traced　out　the　mechanics　of　the　trap；　and　exposed　the　hidden　fibre　in　the　tangled　undergrowth　that　at　contact　with　Koogoo's　foot　had　released　the　taut　bow。

They　were　deep　in　the　primeval　forest。　　A　dim　twilight　prevailed；　for　no　random　shaft　of　sunlight　broke　through　the　thick　roof　of　leaves　and　creepers　overhead。　　The　Tahitians　were　plainly　awed　by　the　silence　and　gloom　and　mystery　of　the　place　and　happening；　but　they　showed　themselves　doggedly　unafraid；　and　were　for　pushing　on。　The　Poonga…Poonga　men；　on　the　contrary；　were　not　awed。　　They　were　bushmen　themselves；　and　they　were　used　to　this　silent　warfare；　though　the　devices　were　different　from　those　employed　by　them　in　their　own　bush。　　Most　awed　of　all　were　Joan　and　Sheldon；　but；　being　whites；　they　were　not　supposed　to　be　subject　to　such　commonplace　emotions；　and　their　task　was　to　carry　the　situation　off　with　careless　bravado　as　befitted　〃big　fella　marsters〃　of　the　dominant　breed。

Binu　Charley　took　the　lead　as　they　pushed　on；　and　trap　after　trap　yielded　its　secret　lurking…place　to　his　keen　scrutiny。　　The　way　was　beset　with　a　thousand　annoyances；　chiefest　among　which　were　thorns；　cunningly　concealed；　that　penetrated　the　bare　feet　of　the　invaders。　Once；　during　the　afternoon；　Binu　Charley　barely　missed　being　impaled　in　a　staked　pit　that　undermined　the　trail。　　There　were　times　when　all　stood　still　and　waited　for　half　an　hour　or　more　while　Binu　Charley　prospected　suspicious　parts　of　the　trail。　Sometimes　he　was　compelled　to　leave　the　trail　and　creep　and　climb　through　the　jungle　so　as　to　approach　the　man…traps　from　behind；　and　on　one　occasion；　in　spite　of　his　precaution；　a　spring…bow　was　discharged；　the　flying　arrow　barely　clipping　the　shoulder　of　one　of　the　waiting　Poonga…Poonga　boys。

Where　a　slight　run…way　entered　the　main　one；　Sheldon　paused　and　asked　Binu　Charley　if　he　knew　where　it　led。

〃Plenty　bush　fella　garden　he　stop　along　there　short　way　little　bit；〃　was　the　answer。　　〃All　right　you　like　'm　go　look　'm　along。〃

〃'Walk　'm　easy；〃　he　cautioned；　a　few　minutes　later。　　〃Close　up；　that　fella　garden。　　S'pose　some　bush　fella　he　stop；　we　catch　'm。〃

Creeping　ahead　and　peering　into　the　clearing　for　a　moment；　Binu　Charley　beckoned　Sheldon　to　come　on　cautiously。　　Joan　crouched　beside　him；　and　together　they　peeped　out。　　The　cleared　space　was　fully　half　an　acre　in　extent　and　carefully　fenced　against　the　wild　pigs。　　Paw…paw　and　banana…trees　were　just　ripening　their　fruit；　while　beneath　grew　sweet　potatoes　and　yams。　　On　one　edge　of　the　clearing　was　a　small　grass　house；　open…sided；　a　mere　rain…shelter。　In　front　of　it；　crouched　on　his　hams　before　a　fire；　was　a　gaunt　and　bearded　bushman。　　The　fire　seemed　to　smoke　excessively；　and　in　the　thick　of　the　smoke　a　round　dark　object　hung　suspended。　　The　bushman　seemed　absorbed　in　contemplation　of　this　object。

Warning　them　not　to　shoot　unless　the　man　was　successfully　escaping；　Sheldon　beckoned　the　Poonga…Poonga　men　forward。　　Joan　smiled　appreciatively　to　Sheldon。　　It　was　head…hunters　against　head…　hunters。　　The　blacks　trod　noiselessly　to　their　stations；　which　were　arranged　so　that　they　could　spring　simultaneously　into　the　open。　Their　faces　were　keen　and　serious；　their　eyes　eloquent　with　the　ecstasy　of　living　that　was　upon　themfor　this　was　living；　this　game　of　life　and　death；　and　to　them　it　was　the　only　game　a　man　should　play；　withal　they　played　it　in　low　and　cowardly　ways；　killing　from　behind　in　the　dim　forest　gloom　and　rarely　coming　out　into　the　open。

Sheldon　whispered　the　word；　and　the　ten　runners　leaped　forwardfor　Binu　Charley　ran　with　them。　　The　bushman's　keen　ears　warned　him；　and　he　sprang　to　his　feet；　bow　and　arrow　in　hand；　the　arrow　fixed　in　the　notch　and　the　bow　bending　as　he　sprang。　　The　man　he　let　drive　at　dodged　the　arrow；　and　before　he　could　shoot　another　his　enemies　were　upon　him。　　He　was　rolled　over　and　over　and　dragged　to　his　feet；　disarmed　and　helpless。

〃Why；　he's　an　ancient　Babylonian！〃　Joan　cried；　regarding　him。　〃He's　an　Assyrian；　a　Phoenician！　　Look　at　that　straight　nose；　that　narrow　face；　those　high　cheek…bonesand　that　slanting；　oval　forehead；　and　the　beard；　and　the　eyes；　too。〃

〃And　the　snaky　locks；〃　Sheldon　laughed。

The　bushman　was　in　mortal　fear；　led　by　all　his　training　to　expect　nothing　less　than　death；　yet　he　did　not　cower　away　from　them。　Instead；　he　returned　their　looks　with　lean　self…sufficiency；　and　finally　centred　his　gaze　upon　Joan；　the　first　white　woman　he　had　ever　seen。

〃My　word；　bush　fella　kai…kai　along　that　fella　boy；〃　Binu　Charley　remarked。

So　stolid　was　his　manner　of　utterance　that　Joan　turned　carelessly　to　see　what　had　attracted　his　attention；　and　found　herself　face　to　face　with　Gogoomy。　　At　least；　it　was　the　head　of　Gogoomythe　dark　object　they　had　seen　hanging　in　the　smoke。　　It　was　freshthe　smoke…curing　had　just　begunand；　save　for　the　closed　eyes；　all　the　sullen　handsomeness　and　animal　virility　of　the　boy；　as　Joan　had　known　it；　was　still　to　be　seen　in　the　monstrous　thing　that　twisted　and　dangled　in　the　eddying　smoke。

Nor　was　Joan's　horror　lessened　by　the　conduct　of　the　Poonga…Poonga　boys。　　On　the　instant　they　recognized　the　head；　and　on　the　instant　rose　their　wild　hearty　laughter　as　they　explained　to　one　another　in　shrill　falsetto　voices。　　Gogoomy's　end　was　a　joke。　　He　had　been　foiled　in　his　attempt　to　escape。　　He　had　played　the　game　and　lost。　And　what　greater　joke　could　there　be　than　that　the　bushmen　should　have　eaten　him？　　It　was　the　funniest　incident　that　had　come　under　their　notice　in　many　a　day。　　And　to　them　there　was　certainly　nothing　unusual　nor　bizarre　in　the　event。　　Gogoomy　had　completed　the　life…cycle　of　the　bushman。　　He　had　taken　heads；　and　now　his　own　head　had　been　taken。　　He　had　eaten　men；　and　now　he　had　been　eaten　by　men。

The　Poonga…Poonga　men's　laughter　died　down；　and　they　regarded　the　spectacle　with　glittering　eyes　and　gluttonous　expressions。　　The　Tahitians；　on　the　other　hand；　were　shocked；　and　Adamu　Adam　was　shaking　his　head　slowly　and　grunting　forth　his　disgust。　　Joan　was　angry。　　Her　face　was　white；　but　in　each　cheek　was　a　vivid　spray　of　red。　　Disgust　had　been　displaced　by　wrath；　and　her　mood　was　clearly　vengeful。

Sheldon　laughed。

〃It's　nothing　to　be　angry　over；〃　he　said。　　〃You　mustn't　forget　that　he　hacked　off　Kwaque's　head；　and　that　he　ate　one　of　his　own　comrades　that　ran　away　with　him。　　Besides；　he　was　born　to　it。　　He　has　but　been　eaten　out　of　the　same　trough　from　which　he　himself　has　eaten。〃

Joan　looked　at　him　with　lips　that　trembled　on　the　verge　of　speech。

〃And　don't　forget；〃　Sheldon　added；　〃that　he　is　the　son　of　a　chief；　and　that　as　sure　as　fate　his　Port　Adams　tribesmen　will　take　a　white　man's　head　in　payment。〃

〃It　is　all　so　ghastly　ridiculous；〃　Joan　finally　said。

〃Anderromantic；〃　he　suggested　slyly。

She　did　not　answer；　and　turned　away；　but　Sheldon　knew　that　the　shaft　had　gone　home。

〃That　fella　boy　he　sick；　belly　belong　him　walk　about；〃　Binu　Charley　said；　pointing　to　the　Poonga…Poonga　man　whose　shoulder　had　been　scratched　by　the　arrow　an　hour　before。

The　boy　was　sitting　down　and　groaning；　his　arms　clasping　his　bent　knees；　his　head　drooped　forward　and　rolling　painfully　back　and　forth。　　For　fear　of　poison；　Sheldon　had　immediately　scarified　the　wound　and　injected　permanganate　of　potash；　but　in　spite　of　the　precaution　the　shoulder　was　swelling　rapidly。

〃We'll　take　him　on　to　where　Tudor　is