the son of tarzan-第16节

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In　happy　ignorance　the　little　girl　played　on；　while　from　above　two　steady　eyes　looked　down　upon　herunblinking；　unwavering。　　There　was　none　other　than　the　little　girl　in　this　part　of　the　village；　which　had　been　almost　deserted　since　The　Sheik　had　left　long　months　before　upon　his　journey　toward　the　north。

And　out　in　the　jungle；　an　hour's　march　from　the　village；　The　Sheik　was　leading　his　returning　caravan　homeward。


A　year　had　passed　since　the　white　men　had　fired　upon　the　lad　and　driven　him　back　into　the　jungle　to　take　up　his　search　for　the　only　remaining　creatures　to　whom　he　might　look　for　companionshipthe　great　apes。　　For　months　the　two　had　wandered　eastward；　deeper　and　deeper　into　the　jungle。　　The　year　had　done　much　for　the　boyturning　his　already　mighty　muscles　to　thews　of　steel；　developing　his　woodcraft　to　a　point　where　it　verged　upon　the　uncanny；　perfecting　his　arboreal　instincts；　and　training　him　in　the　use　of　both　natural　and　artificial　weapons。

He　had　become　at　last　a　creature　of　marvelous　physical　powers　and　mental　cunning。　　He　was　still　but　a　boy；　yet　so　great　was　his　strength　that　the　powerful　anthropoid　with　which　he　often　engaged　in　mimic　battle　was　no　match　for　him。　　Akut　had　taught　him　to　fight　as　the　bull　ape　fights；　nor　ever　was　there　a　teacher　better　fitted　to　instruct　in　the　savage　warfare　of　primordial　man；　or　a　pupil　better　equipped　to　profit　by　the　lessons　of　a　master。

As　the　two　searched　for　a　band　of　the　almost　extinct　species　of　ape　to　which　Akut　belonged　they　lived　upon　the　best　the　jungle　afforded。　　Antelope　and　zebra　fell　to　the　boy's　spear；　or　were　dragged　down　by　the　two　powerful　beasts　of　prey　who　leaped　upon　them　from　some　overhanging　limb　or　from　the　ambush　of　the　undergrowth　beside　the　trail　to　the　water　hole　or　the　ford。

The　pelt　of　a　leopard　covered　the　nakedness　of　the　youth；　but　the　wearing　of　it　had　not　been　dictated　by　any　prompting　of　modesty。　　With　the　rifle　shots　of　the　white　men　showering　about　him　he　had　reverted　to　the　savagery　of　the　beast　that　is　inherent　in　each　of　us；　but　that　flamed　more　strongly　in　this　boy　whose　father　had　been　raised　a　beast　of　prey。　　He　wore　his　leopard　skin　at　first　in　response　to　a　desire　to　parade　a　trophy　of　his　prowess；　for　he　had　slain　the　leopard　with　his　knife　in　a　hand…to…hand　combat。　　He　saw　that　the　skin　was　beautiful；　which　appealed　to　his　barbaric　sense　of　ornamentation；　and　when　it　stiffened　and　later　commenced　to　decompose　because　of　his　having　no　knowledge　of　how　to　cure　or　tan　it　was　　with　sorrow　and　regret　that　he　discarded　it。　　Later；　when　he　chanced　upon　a　lone；　black　warrior　wearing　the　counterpart　of　it；　soft　and　clinging　and　beautiful　from　proper　curing；　it　required　but　an　instant　to　leap　from　above　upon　the　shoulders　of　the　unsuspecting　black；　sink　a　keen　blade　into　his　heart　and　possess　the　rightly　preserved　hide。

There　were　no　after…qualms　of　conscience。　　In　the　jungle　might　is　right；　nor　does　it　take　long　to　inculcate　this　axiom　in　the　mind　of　a　jungle　dweller；　regardless　of　what　his　past　training　may　have　been。　　That　the　black　would　have　killed　him　had　he　had　the　chance　the　boy　knew　full　well。　　Neither　he　nor　the　black　were　any　more　sacred　than　the　lion；　or　the　buffalo；　the　zebra　or　the　deer；　or　any　other　of　the　countless　creatures　who　roamed；　or　slunk；　or　flew；　or　wriggled　through　the　dark　mazes　of　the　forest。　Each　had　but　a　single　life；　which　was　sought　by　many。　　The　greater　number　of　enemies　slain　the　better　chance　to　prolong　that　life。　　So　the　boy　smiled　and　donned　the　finery　of　the　vanquished；　and　went　his　way　with　Akut；　searching；　always　searching　for　the　elusive　anthropoids　who　were　to　welcome　them　with　open　arms。　　And　at　last　they　found　them。　　Deep　in　the　jungle；　buried　far　from　sight　of　man；　they　came　upon　such　another　little　natural　arena　as　had　witnessed　the　wild　ceremony　of　the　Dum…Dum　in　which　the　boy's　father　had　taken　part　long　years　before。

First；　at　a　great　distance；　they　heard　the　beating　of　the　drum　of　the　great　apes。　　They　were　sleeping　in　the　safety　of　a　huge　tree　when　the　booming　sound　smote　upon　their　ears。　　Both　awoke　at　once。　　Akut　was　the　first　to　interpret　the　strange　cadence。

〃The　great　apes！〃　he　growled。　　〃They　dance　the　Dum…Dum。　Come；　Korak；　son　of　Tarzan；　let　us　go　to　our　people。〃

Months　before　Akut　had　given　the　boy　a　name　of　his　own　choosing；　since　he　could　not　master　the　man　given　name　of　Jack。　　Korak　is　as　near　as　it　may　be　interpreted　into　human　speech。　　In　the　language　of　the　apes　it　means　Killer。　　Now　the　Killer　rose　upon　the　branch　of　the　great　tree　where　he　had　been　sleeping　with　his　back　braced　against　the　stem。　　He　stretched　his　lithe　young　muscles；　the　moonlight　filtering　through　the　foliage　from　above　dappling　his　brown　skin　with　little　patches　of　light。

The　ape；　too；　stood　up；　half　squatting　after　the　manner　of　his　kind。　　Low　growls　rumbled　from　the　bottom　of　his　deep　chest　growls　of　excited　anticipation。　　The　boy　growled　in　harmony　with　the　ape。　　Then　the　anthropoid　slid　softly　to　the　ground。　Close　by；　in　the　direction　of　the　booming　drum；　lay　a　clearing　which　they　must　cross。　　The　moon　flooded　it　with　silvery　light。　Half…erect；　the　great　ape　shuffled　into　the　full　glare　of　the　moon。　At　his　side；　swinging　gracefully　along　in　marked　contrast　to　the　awkwardness　of　his　companion；　strode　the　boy；　the　dark；　shaggy　coat　of　the　one　brushing　against　the　smooth；　clear　hide　of　the　other。　　The　lad　was　humming　now；　a　music　hall　air　that　had　found　its　way　to　the　forms　of　the　great　English　public　school　that　was　to　see　him　no　more。　　He　was　happy　and　expectant。　　The　moment　he　had　looked　forward　to　for　so　long　was　about　to　be　realized。　　He　was　coming　into　his　own。　　He　was　coming　home。　　As　the　months　had　dragged　or　flown　along；　retarded　or　spurred　on　as　privation　or　adventure　predominated；　thoughts　of　his　own　home；　while　oft　recurring；　had　become　less　vivid。　　The　old　life　had　grown　to　seem　more　like　a　dream　than　a　reality；　and　the　balking　of　his　determination　to　reach　the　coast　and　return　to　London　had　finally　thrown　the　hope　of　realization　so　remotely　into　the　future　that　it　too　now　seemed　little　more　than　a　pleasant　but　hopeless　dream。

Now　all　thoughts　of　London　and　civilization　were　crowded　so　far　into　the　background　of　his　brain　that　they　might　as　well　have　been　non…existent。　　Except　for　form　and　mental　development　he　was　as　much　an　ape　as　the　great；　fierce　creature　at　his　side。

In　the　exuberance　of　his　joy　he　slapped　his　companion　roughly　on　the　side　of　the　head。　　Half　in　anger；　half　in　play　the　anthropoid　turned　upon　him；　his　fangs　bared　and　glistening。　　Long；　hairy　arms　reached　out　to　seize　him；　and；　as　they　had　done　a　thousand　times　before；　the　two　clinched　in　mimic　battle；　rolling　upon　the　sward；　striking；　growling　and　biting；　though　never　closing　their　teeth　in　more　than　a　rough　pinch。　　It　was　wondrous　practice　for　them　both。　　The　boy　brought　into　play　wrestling　tricks　that　he　had　learned　at　school；　and　many　of　these　Akut　learned　to　use　and　to　foil。　　And　from　the　ape　the　boy　learned　the　methods　that　had　been　handed　down　to　Akut　from　some　common　ancestor　of　them　both；　who　had　roamed　the　teeming　earth　when　ferns　were　trees　and　crocodiles　were　birds。

But　there　was　one　art　the　boy　possessed　which　Akut　could　not　master；　though　he　did　achieve　fair　proficiency　in　it　for　an　apeboxing。　　To　have　his　bull…like　charges　stopped　and　crumpled　with　a　suddenly　planted　fist　upon　the　end　of　his　snout；　or　a　painful　jolt　in　the　short　ribs；　always　surprised　Akut。　　It　angered　him　too；　and　at　such　times　his　mighty　jaws　came　nearer　to　closing　in　the　soft　flesh　of　his　friend　than　at　any　other；　for　he　was　still　an　ape；　with　an　ape's　short　temper　and　brutal　instincts；　but　the　difficulty　was　in　catching　his　tormentor　while　his　rage　lasted；　for　when　he　lost　his　head　and　rushed　madly　into　close　quarters　with　the　boy　he　discovered　that　the　stinging　hail　of　blows　released　upon　him　always　found　their　mark　and　effectually　stopped　himeffectually　and　painfully。　　Then　he　would　withdraw　growling　viciously；　backing　away　with　grinning　jaws　distended；　to　sulk　for　an　hour　or　so。

Tonight　they　did　not　box。　　Just　for　a　moment　or　two　they　wrestled　playfully；　until　the　scent　of　Sheeta；　the　panther；　brought　them　to　their　feet；　alert　and　wary。　　The　great　cat　was　passing　through　the　jungle　in　front　of　them。　　For　a　moment　it　paused；　listening。　　The　boy　and　the　ape　growled　menacingly　in　chorus　and　the　carnivore　moved　on。

Then　the　two　took　up　their　journey　toward　the　sound　of　the　Dum…Dum。　　Louder　and　louder　came　the　beating　of　the　drum。　　Now；　at　last；　they　could　hear　the　growling　of　the　dancing　apes；　and　strong　to　their　nostrils　came　the　scent　of　their　kind。　　The　lad　trembled　with　excitement。　　The　hair　down　Akut's　spine　stiffenedthe　symptoms　of　happiness　and　anger　are　often　similar。

Silently　they　crept　through　the　jungle　as　they　neared　the　meeting　place　of　the　apes。　　Now　they　were　in　the　trees；　worming　their　way　forward；　alert　for　sentinels。　　Presently　through　a　break　in　the　foliage　the　scene　burst　upon　the　eager　eyes　of　the　boy。　　To　Akut　it　was　a　familiar　one；　but　to　Korak　it　was　all　new。　　His　nerves　tingled　at　the　savage　sight。　　The　great　bulls　were　dancing　in　the　moonlight；　leaping　in　an　irregular　circle