the son of tarzan-第11节

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With　a　final　vicious　cuff　he　knocked　the　child　into　a　far　corner　of　the　tent；　where　she　lay　stifling　her　moans；　while　The　Sheik　paced　to　and　fro　muttering　to　himself。　　At　the　entrance　sat　Mabunu；　muttering　and　chuckling。

In　the　camp　of　the　strangers　one　was　speaking　rapidly　to　the　other。

〃There　is　no　doubt　of　it；　Malbihn；〃　he　was　saying。　　〃Not　the　slightest；　but　why　the　old　scoundrel　hasn't　claimed　the　reward　long　since　is　what　puzzles　me。〃

〃There　are　some　things　dearer　to　an　Arab；　Jenssen；　than　money；〃　returned　the　first　speaker〃revenge　is　one　of　them。〃

〃Anyhow　it　will　not　harm　to　try　the　power　of　gold；〃　replied　Jenssen。

Malbihn　shrugged。

〃Not　on　The　Sheik；〃　he　said。　　〃We　might　try　it　on　one　of　his　people；　but　The　Sheik　will　not　part　with　his　revenge　for　gold。　　To　offer　it　to　him　would　only　confirm　his　suspicions　that　we　must　have　awakened　when　we　were　talking　to　him　before　his　tent。　　If　we　got　away　with　our　lives；　then；　we　should　be　fortunate。〃

〃Well；　try　bribery；　then；〃　assented　Jenssen。

But　bribery　failedgrewsomely。　　The　tool　they　selected　after　a　stay　of　several　days　in　their　camp　outside　the　village　was　a　tall；　old　headman　of　The　Sheik's　native　contingent。　　He　fell　to　the　lure　of　the　shining　metal；　for　he　had　lived　upon　the　coast　and　knew　the　power　of　gold。　　He　promised　to　bring　them　what　they　craved；　late　that　night。

Immediately　after　dark　the　two　white　men　commenced　to　make　arrangements　to　break　camp。　　By　midnight　all　was　prepared。　　The　porters　lay　beside　their　loads；　ready　to　swing　them　aloft　at　a　moment's　notice。　　The　armed　askaris　loitered　between　the　balance　of　the　safari　and　the　Arab　village；　ready　to　form　a　rear　guard　for　the　retreat　that　was　to　begin　the　moment　that　the　head　man　brought　that　which　the　white　masters　awaited。

Presently　there　came　the　sound　of　footsteps　along　the　path　from　the　village。　　Instantly　the　askaris　and　the　whites　were　on　the　alert。　　More　than　a　single　man　was　approaching。　　Jenssen　stepped　forward　and　challenged　the　newcomers　in　a　low　whisper。

〃Who　comes？〃　he　queried。

〃Mbeeda；〃　came　the　reply。

Mbeeda　was　the　name　of　the　traitorous　head　man。　　Jenssen　was　satisfied；　though　he　wondered　why　Mbeeda　had　brought　others　with　him。　　Presently　he　understood。　　The　thing　they　fetched　lay　upon　a　litter　borne　by　two　men。　　Jenssen　cursed　beneath　his　breath。　　Could　the　fool　be　bringing　them　a　corpse？　　They　had　paid　for　a　living　prize！

The　bearers　came　to　a　halt　before　the　white　men。

〃This　has　your　gold　purchased；〃　said　one　of　the　two。　　They　set　the　litter　down；　turned　and　vanished　into　the　darkness　toward　the　village。　　Malbihn　looked　at　Jenssen；　a　crooked　smile　twisting　his　lips。　　The　thing　upon　the　litter　was　covered　with　a　piece　of　cloth。

〃Well？〃　queried　the　latter。　　〃Raise　the　covering　and　see　what　you　have　bought。　　Much　money　shall　we　realize　on　a　corpse　especially　after　the　six　months　beneath　the　burning　sun　that　will　be　consumed　in　carrying　it　to　its　destination！〃

〃The　fool　should　have　known　that　we　desired　her　alive；〃　grumbled　Malbihn；　grasping　a　corner　of　the　cloth　and　jerking　the　cover　from　the　thing　that　lay　upon　the　litter。

At　sight　of　what　lay　beneath　both　men　stepped　back　involuntary　oaths　upon　their　lipsfor　there　before　them　lay　the　dead　body　of　Mbeeda；　the　faithless　head　man。

Five　minutes　later　the　safari　of　Jenssen　and　Malbihn　was　forcing　its　way　rapidly　toward　the　west；　nervous　askaris　guarding　the　rear　from　the　attack　they　momentarily　expected。



Chapter　6

His　first　night　in　the　jungle　was　one　which　the　son　of　Tarzan　held　longest　in　his　memory。　　No　savage　carnivora　menaced　him。　　There　was　never　a　sign　of　hideous　barbarian。　　Or；　if　there　were；　the　boy's　troubled　mind　took　no　cognizance　of　them。　　His　conscience　was　harassed　by　the　thought　of　his　mother's　suffering。　　Self…blame　plunged　him　into　the　depths　of　misery。　　The　killing　of　the　American　caused　him　little　or　no　remorse。　　The　fellow　had　earned　his　fate。　　Jack's　regret　on　this　score　was　due　mainly　to　the　effect　which　the　death　of　Condon　had　had　upon　his　own　plans。　　Now　he　could　not　return　directly　to　his　parents　as　he　had　planned。　　Fear　of　the　primitive；　borderland　law；　of　which　he　had　read　highly　colored；　imaginary　tales；　had　thrust　him　into　the　jungle　a　fugitive。　　He　dared　not　return　to　the　coast　at　this　pointnot　that　he　was　so　greatly　influenced　through　personal　fear　as　from　a　desire　to　shield　his　father　and　mother　from　further　sorrow　and　from　the　shame　of　having　their　honored　name　dragged　through　the　sordid　degradation　of　a　murder　trial。

With　returning　day　the　boy's　spirits　rose。　　With　the　rising　sun　rose　new　hope　within　his　breast。　　He　would　return　to　civilization　by　another　way。　　None　would　guess　that　he　had　been　connected　with　the　killing　of　the　stranger　in　the　little　out…of…the…way　trading　post　upon　a　remote　shore。

Crouched　close　to　the　great　ape　in　the　crotch　of　a　tree　the　boy　had　shivered　through　an　almost　sleepless　night。　　His　light　pajamas　had　been　but　little　protection　from　the　chill　dampness　of　the　jungle；　and　only　that　side　of　him　which　was　pressed　against　the　warm　body　of　his　shaggy　companion　approximated　to　comfort。　　And　so　he　welcomed　the　rising　sun　with　its　promise　of　warmth　as　well　as　lightthe　blessed　sun；　dispeller　of　physical　and　mental　ills。

He　shook　Akut　into　wakefulness。

〃Come；〃　he　said。　　〃I　am　cold　and　hungry。　　We　will　search　for　food；　out　there　in　the　sunlight；〃　and　he　pointed　to　an　open　plain；　dotted　with　stunted　trees　and　strewn　with　jagged　rock。

The　boy　slid　to　the　ground　as　he　spoke；　but　the　ape　first　looked　carefully　about；　sniffing　the　morning　air。　　Then；　satisfied　that　no　danger　lurked　near；　he　descended　slowly　to　the　ground　beside　the　boy。〃

〃Numa；　and　Sabor　his　mate；　feast　upon　those　who　descend　first　and　look　afterward；　while　those　who　look　first　and　descend　afterward　live　to　feast　themselves。〃　　Thus　the　old　ape　imparted　to　the　son　of　Tarzan　the　boy's　first　lesson　in　jungle　lore。　　Side　by　side　they　set　off　across　the　rough　plain；　for　the　boy　wished　first　to　be　warm。　　The　ape　showed　him　the　best　places　to　dig　for　rodents　and　worms；　but　the　lad　only　gagged　at　the　thought　of　devouring　the　repulsive　things。　　Some　eggs　they　found；　and　these　he　sucked　raw；　as　also　he　ate　roots　and　tubers　which　Akut　unearthed。　　Beyond　the　plain　and　across　a　low　bluff　they　came　upon　water　brackish；　ill…smelling　stuff　in　a　shallow　water　hole；　the　sides　and　bottom　of　which　were　trampled　by　the　feet　of　many　beasts。　　A　herd　of　zebra　galloped　away　as　they　approached。

The　lad　was　too　thirsty　by　now　to　cavil　at　anything　even　remotely　resembling　water；　so　he　drank　his　fill　while　Akut　stood　with　raised　head；　alert　for　any　danger。　　Before　the　ape　drank　he　cautioned　the　boy　to　be　watchful；　but　as　he　drank　he　raised　his　head　from　time　to　time　to　cast　a　quick　glance　toward　a　clump　of　bushes　a　hundred　yards　away　upon　the　opposite　side　of　the　water　hole。　　When　he　had　done　he　rose　and　spoke　to　the　boy；　in　the　language　that　was　their　common　heritagethe　tongue　of　the　great　apes。

〃There　is　no　danger　near？〃　he　asked。

〃None；〃　replied　the　boy。　　〃I　saw　nothing　move　while　you　drank。〃

〃Your　eyes　will　help　you　but　little　in　the　jungle；〃　said　the　ape。

〃Here；　if　you　would　live；　you　must　depend　upon　your　ears　and　your　nose　but　most　upon　your　nose。　　When　we　came　down　to　drink　I　knew　that　no　danger　lurked　near　upon　this　side　of　the　water　hole；　for　else　the　zebras　would　have　discovered　it　and　fled　before　we　came；　but　upon　the　other　side　toward　which　the　wind　blows　danger　might　lie　concealed。　　We　could　not　smell　it　for　its　scent　is　being　blown　in　the　other　direction；　and　so　I　bent　my　ears　and　eyes　down　wind　where　my　nose　cannot　travel。〃

〃And　you　foundnothing？〃　asked　the　lad；　with　a　laugh。

〃I　found　Numa　crouching　in　that　clump　of　bushes　where　the　tall　grasses　grow；〃　and　Akut　pointed。

〃A　lion？〃　exclaimed　the　boy。　　〃How　do　you　know？　　I　can　see　nothing。〃

〃Numa　is　there；　though；〃　replied　the　great　ape。　　〃First　I　heard　him　sigh。　　To　you　the　sigh　of　Numa　may　sound　no　different　from　the　other　noises　which　the　wind　makes　among　the　grasses　and　the　trees；　but　later　you　must　learn　to　know　the　sigh　of　Numa。　Then　I　watched　and　at　last　I　saw　the　tall　grasses　moving　at　one　point　to　a　force　other　than　the　force　of　the　wind。　　See；　they　are　spread　there　upon　either　side　of　Numa's　great　body；　and　as　he　breathesyou　see？　　You　see　the　little　motion　at　either　side　that　is　not　caused　by　the　windthe　motion　that　none　of　the　other　grasses　have？〃

The　boy　strained　his　eyesbetter　eyes　than　the　ordinary　boy　inheritsand　at　last　he　gave　a　little　exclamation　of　discovery。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃I　see。　　He　lies　there；〃　and　he　pointed。　　〃His　head　is　toward　us。　　Is　he　watching　us？〃

〃Numa　is　watching　us；〃　replied　Akut；　〃but　we　are　in　little　danger；　unless　we　approach　too　close；　for　he　is　lying　upon　his　kill。　　His　belly　is　almost　full；　or　we　should　hear　him　crunching　the　bones。　　He　is　watching　us　in　silence　merely　from　curiosity。　　Presently　he　will　resume　his　feeding　or　he　will　rise　and　come　down　to　the　water　for　a　drink。　　As　he　neither　fears　or　desires　us　he　will　not　try　to　hide　his　presence　from　us；　but　now　is　an　excellent　time　to　learn　to　know　Numa；　for　you　must　learn　to　know　him　well　if