the son of tarzan-第12节

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from　us；　but　now　is　an　excellent　time　to　learn　to　know　Numa；　for　you　must　learn　to　know　him　well　if　you　would　live　long　in　the　jungle。　　Where　the　great　apes　are　many　Numa　leaves　us　alone。　　Our　fangs　are　long　and　strong；　and　we　can　fight；　but　when　we　are　alone　and　he　is　hungry　we　are　no　match　for　him。　　Come；　we　will　circle　him　and　catch　his　scent。　　The　sooner　you　learn　to　know　it　the　better；　but　keep　close　to　the　trees；　as　we　go　around　him；　for　Numa　often　does　that　which　he　is　least　expected　to　do。　　And　keep　your　ears　and　your　eyes　and　your　nose　open。　　Remember　always　that　there　may　be　an　enemy　behind　every　bush；　in　every　tree　and　amongst　every　clump　of　jungle　grass。　　While　you　are　avoiding　Numa　do　not　run　into　the　jaws　of　Sabor；　his　mate。　　Follow　me；〃　and　Akut　set　off　in　a　wide　circle　about　the　water　hole　and　the　crouching　lion。

The　boy　followed　close　upon　his　heels；　his　every　sense　upon　the　alert；　his　nerves　keyed　to　the　highest　pitch　of　excitement。　This　was　life！　　For　the　instant　he　forgot　his　resolutions　of　a　few　minutes　past　to　hasten　to　the　coast　at　some　other　point　than　that　at　which　he　had　landed　and　make　his　way　immediately　back　to　London。　　He　thought　now　only　of　the　savage　joy　of　living；　and　of　pitting　one's　wits　and　prowess　against　the　wiles　and　might　of　the　savage　jungle　brood　which　haunted　the　broad　plains　and　the　gloomy　forest　aisles　of　the　great；　untamed　continent。　　He　knew　no　fear。　　His　father　had　had　none　to　transmit　to　him；　but　honor　and　conscience　he　did　have　and　these　were　to　trouble　him　many　times　as　they　battled　with　his　inherent　love　of　freedom　for　possession　of　his　soul。

They　had　passed　but　a　short　distance　to　the　rear　of　Numa　when　the　boy　caught　the　unpleasant　odor　of　the　carnivore。　　His　face　lighted　with　a　smile。　　Something　told　him　that　he　would　have　known　that　scent　among　a　myriad　of　others　even　if　Akut　had　not　told　him　that　a　lion　lay　near。　　There　was　a　strange　familiarity　a　weird　familiarity　in　it　that　made　the　short　hairs　rise　at　the　nape　of　his　neck；　and　brought　his　upper　lip　into　an　involuntary　snarl　that　bared　his　fighting　fangs。　　There　was　a　sense　of　stretching　of　the　skin　about　his　ears；　for　all　the　world　as　though　those　members　were　flattening　back　against　his　skull　in　preparation　for　deadly　combat。　　His　skin　tingled。　　He　was　aglow　with　a　pleasurable　sensation　that　he　never　before　had　known。　　He　was；　upon　the　instant；　another　creaturewary；　alert；　ready。　　Thus　did　the　scent　of　Numa；　the　lion；　transform　the　boy　into　a　beast。

He　had　never　seen　a　lionhis　mother　had　gone　to　great　pains　to　prevent　it。　　But　he　had　devoured　countless　pictures　of　them；　and　now　he　was　ravenous　to　feast　his　eyes　upon　the　king　of　beasts　in　the　flesh。　　As　he　trailed　Akut　he　kept　an　eye　cocked　over　one　shoulder；　rearward；　in　the　hope　that　Numa　might　rise　from　his　kill　and　reveal　himself。　　Thus　it　happened　that　he　dropped　some　little　way　behind　Akut；　and　the　next　he　knew　he　was　recalled　suddenly　to　a　contemplation　of　other　matters　than　the　hidden　Numa　by　a　shrill　scream　of　warning　from　the　Ape。　Turning　his　eyes　quickly　in　the　direction　of　his　companion；　the　boy　saw　that；　standing　in　the　path　directly　before　him；　which　sent　tremors　of　excitement　racing　along　every　nerve　of　his　body。　With　body　half…merging　from　a　clump　of　bushes　in　which　she　must　have　lain　hidden　stood　a　sleek　and　beautiful　lioness。　　Her　yellow…green　eyes　were　round　and　staring；　boring　straight　into　the　eyes　of　the　boy。　　Not　ten　paces　separated　them。　　Twenty　paces　behind　the　lioness　stood　the　great　ape；　bellowing　instructions　to　the　boy　and　hurling　taunts　at　the　lioness　in　an　evident　effort　to　attract　her　attention　from　the　lad　while　he　gained　the　shelter　of　a　near…by　tree。

But　Sabor　was　not　to　be　diverted。　　She　had　her　eyes　upon　the　lad。　　He　stood　between　her　and　her　mate；　between　her　and　the　kill。　　It　was　suspicious。　　Probably　he　had　ulterior　designs　upon　her　lord　and　master　or　upon　the　fruits　of　their　hunting。　　A　lioness　is　short　tempered。　　Akut's　bellowing　annoyed　her。　　She　uttered　a　little　rumbling　growl；　taking　a　step　toward　the　boy。

〃The　tree！〃　screamed　Akut。

The　boy　turned　and　fled；　and　at　the　same　instant　the　lioness　charged。　　The　tree　was　but　a　few　paces　away。　　A　limb　hung　ten　feet　from　the　ground；　and　as　the　boy　leaped　for　it　the　lioness　leaped　for　him。　　Like　a　monkey　he　pulled　himself　up　and　to　one　side。　　A　great　forepaw　caught　him　a　glancing　blow　at　the　hipsjust　grazing　him。　　One　curved　talon　hooked　itself　into　the　waist　band　of　his　pajama　trousers；　ripping　them　from　him　as　the　lioness　sped　by。　　Half…naked　the　lad　drew　himself　to　safety　as　the　beast　turned　and　leaped　for　him　once　more。

Akut；　from　a　near…by　tree；　jabbered　and　scolded；　calling　the　lioness　all　manner　of　foul　names。　　The　boy；　patterning　his　conduct　after　that　of　his　preceptor；　unstoppered　the　vials　of　his　invective　upon　the　head　of　the　enemy；　until　in　realization　of　the　futility　of　words　as　weapons　he　bethought　himself　of　something　heavier　to　hurl。　　There　was　nothing　but　dead　twigs　and　branches　at　hand；　but　these　he　flung　at　the　upturned；　snarling　face　of　Sabor　just　as　his　father　had　before　him　twenty　years　ago；　when　as　a　boy　he　too　had　taunted　and　tantalized　the　great　cats　of　the　jungle。

The　lioness　fretted　about　the　bole　of　the　tree　for　a　short　time；　but　finally；　either　realizing　the　uselessness　of　her　vigil；　or　prompted　by　the　pangs　of　hunger；　she　stalked　majestically　away　and　disappeared　in　the　brush　that　hid　her　lord；　who　had　not　once　shown　himself　during　the　altercation。

Freed　from　their　retreats　Akut　and　the　boy　came　to　the　ground；　to　take　up　their　interrupted　journey　once　more。　　The　old　ape　scolded　the　lad　for　his　carelessness。

〃Had　you　not　been　so　intent　upon　the　lion　behind　you　you　might　have　discovered　the　lioness　much　sooner　than　you　did；〃

〃But　you　passed　right　by　her　without　seeing　her；〃　retorted　the　boy。

Akut　was　chagrined。

〃It　is　thus；〃　he　said；　〃that　jungle　folk　die。　　We　go　cautiously　for　a　lifetime；　and　then；　just　for　an　instant；　we　forget；　and〃　he　ground　his　teeth　in　mimicry　of　the　crunching　of　great　jaws　in　flesh。　　〃It　is　a　lesson；〃　he　resumed。　　〃You　have　learned　that　you　may　not　for　too　long　keep　your　eyes　and　your　ears　and　your　nose　all　bent　in　the　same　direction。〃

That　night　the　son　of　Tarzan　was　colder　than　he　ever　had　been　in　all　his　life。　　The　pajama　trousers　had　not　been　heavy；　but　they　had　been　much　heavier　than　nothing。　　And　the　next　day　he　roasted　in　the　hot　sun；　for　again　their　way　led　much　across　wide　and　treeless　plains。

It　was　still　in　the　boy's　mind　to　travel　to　the　south；　and　circle　back　to　the　coast　in　search　of　another　outpost　of　civilization。　　He　had　said　nothing　of　this　plan　to　Akut；　for　he　knew　that　the　old　ape　would　look　with　displeasure　upon　any　suggestion　that　savored　of　separation。

For　a　month　the　two　wandered　on；　the　boy　learning　rapidly　the　laws　of　the　jungle；　his　muscles　adapting　themselves　to　the　new　mode　of　life　that　had　been　thrust　upon　them。　　The　thews　of　the　sire　had　been　transmitted　to　the　sonit　needed　only　the　hardening　of　use　to　develop　them。　　The　lad　found　that　it　came　quite　naturally　to　him　to　swing　through　the　trees。　　Even　at　great　heights　he　never　felt　the　slightest　dizziness；　and　when　he　had　caught　the　knack　of　the　swing　and　the　release；　he　could　hurl　himself　through　space　from　branch　to　branch　with　even　greater　agility　than　the　heavier　Akut。

And　with　exposure　came　a　toughening　and　hardening　of　his　smooth；　white　skin；　browning　now　beneath　the　sun　and　wind。　He　had　removed　his　pajama　jacket　one　day　to　bathe　in　a　little　stream　that　was　too　small　to　harbor　crocodiles；　and　while　he　and　Akut　had　been　disporting　themselves　in　the　cool　waters　a　monkey　had　dropped　down　from　the　over　hanging　trees；　snatched　up　the　boy's　single　remaining　article　of　civilized　garmenture；　and　scampered　away　with　it。

For　a　time　Jack　was　angry；　but　when　he　had　been　without　the　jacket　for　a　short　while　he　began　to　realize　that　being　half…　clothed　is　infinitely　more　uncomfortable　than　being　entirely　naked。　　Soon　he　did　not　miss　his　clothing　in　the　least；　and　from　that　he　came　to　revel　in　the　freedom　of　his　unhampered　state。　　Occasionally　a　smile　would　cross　his　face　as　he　tried　to　imagine　the　surprise　of　his　schoolmates　could　they　but　see　him　now。　　They　would　envy　him。　　Yes；　how　they　would　envy　him。　　He　felt　sorry　for　them　at　such　times；　and　again　as　he　thought　of　them　amid　luxuries　and　comforts　of　their　English　homes；　happy　with　their　fathers　and　mothers；　a　most　uncomfortable　lump　would　arise　into　the　boy's　throat；　and　he　would　see　a　vision　of　his　mother's　face　through　a　blur　of　mist　that　came　unbidden　to　his　eyes。　　Then　it　was　that　he　urged　Akut　onward；　for　now　they　were　headed　westward　toward　the　coast。　　The　old　ape　thought　that　they　were　searching　for　a　tribe　of　his　own　kind；　nor　did　the　boy　disabuse　his　mind　of　this　belief。　　It　would　do　to　tell　Akut　of　his　real　plans　when　they　had　come　within　sight　of　civilization。

One　day　as　they　were　moving　slowly　along　beside　a　river　they　came　unexpectedly　upon　a　native　village。　　Some　children　were　playing　beside　the　water。　　The　boy's　heart　leaped　within　his　breast　at　sight　of　themfor　over　a　month　he　had　seen　no　human　being。　What　if　these　were　naked　savages？　　What　if　thei