the son of tarzan-第50节

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He　tested　the　strength　of　the　limb　to　which　he　clung。　　It　seemed　strong　enough　to　support　a　dozen　men。　　Then　he　reached　down　and　lifted　his　rifle　from　the　bottom　of　the　canoe；　slipping　the　sling　over　his　shoulder。　　Again　he　tested　the　branch；　and　then　reaching　upward　as　far　as　he　could　for　a　safe　hold　he　drew　himself　painfully　and　slowly　upward　until　his　feet　swung　clear　of　the　canoe；　which；　released；　floated　silently　from　beneath　him　to　be　lost　forever　in　the　blackness　of　the　dark　shadows　down　stream。

He　had　burned　his　bridges　behind　him。　　He　must　either　climb　aloft　or　drop　back　into　the　river；　but　there　had　been　no　other　way。　　He　struggled　to　raise　one　leg　over　the　limb；　but　found　himself　scarce　equal　to　the　effort；　for　he　was　very　weak。　　For　a　time　he　hung　there　feeling　his　strength　ebbing。　　He　knew　that　he　must　gain　the　branch　above　at　once　or　it　would　be　too　late。

Suddenly　the　lion　roared　almost　in　his　ear。　　Baynes　glanced　up。　　He　saw　two　spots　of　flame　a　short　distance　from　and　above　him。　　The　lion　was　standing　on　the　bank　of　the　river　glaring　at　him；　andwaiting　for　him。　　Well；　thought　the　Hon。　Morison；　let　him　wait。　　Lions　can't　climb　trees；　and　if　I　get　into　this　one　I　shall　be　safe　enough　from　him。

The　young　Englishman's　feet　hunt　almost　to　the　surface　of　the　watercloser　than　he　knew；　for　all　was　pitch　dark　below　as　above　him。　　Presently　he　heard　a　slight　commotion　in　the　river　beneath　him　and　something　banged　against　one　of　his　feet；　followed　almost　instantly　by　a　sound　that　he　felt　he　could　not　have　mistakenthe　click　of　great　jaws　snapping　together。

〃By　George！〃　exclaimed　the　Hon。　Morison；　aloud。　　〃The　beggar　nearly　got　me；〃　and　immediately　he　struggled　again　to　climb　higher　and　to　comparative　safety；　but　with　that　final　effort　he　knew　that　it　was　futile。　　Hope　that　had　survived　persistently　until　now　began　to　wane。　　He　felt　his　tired；　numbed　fingers　slipping　from　their　holdhe　was　dropping　back　into　the　river　into　the　jaws　of　the　frightful　death　that　awaited　him　there。

And　then　he　heard　the　leaves　above　him　rustle　to　the　movement　of　a　creature　among　them。　　The　branch　to　which　he　clung　bent　beneath　an　added　weightand　no　light　weight；　from　the　way　it　sagged；　but　still　Baynes　clung　desperatelyhe　would　not　give　up　voluntarily　either　to　the　death　above　or　the　death　below。

He　felt　a　soft；　warm　pad　upon　the　fingers　of　one　of　his　hands　where　they　circled　the　branch　to　which　he　clung；　and　then　something　reached　down　out　of　the　blackness　above　and　dragged　him　up　among　the　branches　of　the　tree。



Chapter　24

Sometimes　lolling　upon　Tantor's　back；　sometimes　roaming　the　jungle　in　solitude；　Korak　made　his　way　slowly　toward　the　West　and　South。　　He　made　but　a　few　miles　a　day；　for　he　had　a　whole　lifetime　before　him　and　no　place　in　particular　to　go。　Possibly　he　would　have　moved　more　rapidly　but　for　the　thought　which　continually　haunted　him　that　each　mile　he　traversed　carried　him　further　and　further　away　from　Meriemno　longer　his　Meriem；　as　of　yore；　it　is　true！　but　still　as　dear　to　him　as　ever。

Thus　he　came　upon　the　trail　of　The　Sheik's　band　as　it　traveled　down　river　from　the　point　where　The　Sheik　had　captured　Meriem　to　his　own　stockaded　village。　　Korak　pretty　well　knew　who　it　was　that　had　passed；　for　there　were　few　in　the　great　jungle　with　whom　he　was　not　familiar；　though　it　had　been　years　since　he　had　come　this　far　north。　　He　had　no　particular　business；　however；　with　the　old　Sheik　and　so　he　did　not　propose　following　himthe　further　from　men　he　could　stay　the　better　pleased　he　would　behe　wished　that　he　might　never　see　a　human　face　again。　　Men　always　brought　him　sorrow　and　misery。

The　river　suggested　fishing　and　so　he　waddled　upon　its　shores；　catching　fish　after　a　fashion　of　his　own　devising　and　eating　them　raw。　　When　night　came　he　curled　up　in　a　great　tree　beside　the　streamthe　one　from　which　he　had　been　fishing　during　the　afternoonand　was　soon　asleep。　　Numa；　roaring　beneath　him；　awoke　him。　　He　was　about　to　call　out　in　anger　to　his　noisy　neighbor　when　something　else　caught　his　attention。　　He　listened。　　Was　there　something　in　the　tree　beside　himself？　　Yes；　he　heard　the　noise　of　something　below　him　trying　to　clamber　upward。　　Presently　he　heard　the　click　of　a　crocodile's　jaws　in　the　waters　beneath；　and　then；　low　but　distinct：　〃By　George！　　The　beggar　nearly　got　me。〃　　The　voice　was　familiar。

Korak　glanced　downward　toward　the　speaker。　　Outlined　against　the　faint　luminosity　of　the　water　he　saw　the　figure　of　a　man　clinging　to　a　lower　branch　of　the　tree。　　Silently　and　swiftly　the　ape…man　clambered　downward。　　He　felt　a　hand　beneath　his　foot。　He　reached　down　and　clutched　the　figure　beneath　him　and　dragged　it　up　among　the　branches。　　It　struggled　weakly　and　struck　at　him；　but　Korak　paid　no　more　attention　than　Tantor　to　an　ant。　He　lugged　his　burden　to　the　higher　safety　and　greater　comfort　of　a　broad　crotch；　and　there　he　propped　it　in　a　sitting　position　against　the　bole　of　the　tree。　　Numa　still　was　roaring　beneath　them；　doubtless　in　anger　that　he　had　been　robbed　of　his　prey。　Korak　shouted　down　at　him；　calling　him；　in　the　language　of　the　great　apes；　〃Old　green…eyed　eater　of　carrion；〃　〃Brother　of　Dango；〃　the　hyena；　and　other　choice　appellations　of　jungle　opprobrium。

The　Hon。　Morison　Baynes；　listening；　felt　assured　that　a　gorilla　had　seized　upon　him。　　He　felt　for　his　revolver；　and　as　he　was　drawing　it　stealthily　from　its　holster　a　voice　asked　in　perfectly　good　English；　〃Who　are　you？〃

Baynes　started　so　that　he　nearly　fell　from　the　branch。

〃My　God！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Are　you　a　man？〃

〃What　did　you　think　I　was？〃　asked　Korak。

〃A　gorilla；〃　replied　Baynes；　honestly。

Korak　laughed。

〃Who　are　you？〃　he　repeated。

〃I'm　an　Englishman　by　the　name　of　Baynes；　but　who　the　devil　are　you？〃　asked　the　Hon。　Morison。

〃They　call　me　The　Killer；〃　replied　Korak；　giving　the　English　translation　of　the　name　that　Akut　had　given　him。　　And　then　after　a　pause　during　which　the　Hon。　Morison　attempted　to　pierce　the　darkness　and　catch　a　glimpse　of　the　features　of　the　strange　being　into　whose　hands　he　had　fallen；　〃You　are　the　same　whom　I　saw　kissing　the　girl　at　the　edge　of　the　great　plain　to　the　East；　that　time　that　the　lion　charged　you？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Baynes。

〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃

〃The　girl　was　stolenI　am　trying　to　rescue　her。〃

〃Stolen！〃　　The　word　was　shot　out　like　a　bullet　from　a　gun。　〃Who　stole　her？〃

〃The　Swede　trader；　Hanson；〃　replied　Baynes。

〃Where　is　he？〃

Baynes　related　to　Korak　all　that　had　transpired　since　he　had　come　upon　Hanson's　camp。　　Before　he　was　done　the　first　gray　dawn　had　relieved　the　darkness。　　Korak　made　the　Englishman　comfortable　in　the　tree。　　He　filled　his　canteen　from　the　river　and　fetched　him　fruits　to　eat。　　Then　he　bid　him　good…bye。

〃I　am　going　to　the　Swede's　camp；〃　he　announced。　　〃I　will　bring　the　girl　back　to　you　here。〃

〃I　shall　go；　too；　then；〃　insisted　Baynes。　　〃It　is　my　right　and　my　duty；　for　she　was　to　have　become　my　wife。〃

Korak　winced。　　〃You　are　wounded。　　You　could　not　make　the　trip；〃　he　said。　　〃I　can　go　much　faster　alone。〃

〃Go；　then；〃　replied　Baynes；　〃but　I　shall　follow。　　It　is　my　right　and　duty。〃

〃As　you　will；〃　replied　Korak；　with　a　shrug。　　If　the　man　wanted　to　be　killed　it　was　none　of　his　affair。　　He　wanted　to　kill　him　himself；　but　for　Meriem's　sake　he　would　not。　　If　she　loved　him　then　he　must　do　what　he　could　to　preserve　him；　but　he　could　not　prevent　his　following　him；　more　than　to　advise　him　against　it；　and　this　he　did；　earnestly。

And　so　Korak　set　out　rapidly　toward　the　North；　and　limping　slowly　and　painfully　along；　soon　far　to　the　rear；　came　the　tired　and　wounded　Baynes。　　Korak　had　reached　the　river　bank　opposite　Malbihn's　camp　before　Baynes　had　covered　two　miles。　　Late　in　the　afternoon　the　Englishman　was　still　plodding　wearily　along；　forced　to　stop　often　for　rest　when　he　heard　the　sound　of　the　galloping　feet　of　a　horse　behind　him。　　Instinctively　he　drew　into　the　concealing　foliage　of　the　underbrush　and　a　moment　later　a　white…robed　Arab　dashed　by。　　Baynes　did　not　hail　the　rider。　　He　had　heard　of　the　nature　of　the　Arabs　who　penetrate　thus　far　to　the　South；　and　what　he　had　heard　had　convinced　him　that　a　snake　or　a　panther　would　as　quickly　befriend　him　as　one　of　these　villainous　renegades　from　the　Northland。

When　Abdul　Kamak　had　passed　out　of　sight　toward　the　North　Baynes　resumed　his　weary　march。　　A　half　hour　later　he　was　again　surprised　by　the　unmistakable　sound　of　galloping　horses。　　This　time　there　were　many。　　Once　more　he　sought　a　hiding　place；　but　it　chanced　that　he　was　crossing　a　clearing　which　offered　little　opportunity　for　concealment。　　He　broke　into　a　slow　trotthe　best　that　he　could　do　in　his　weakened　condition；　but　it　did　not　suffice　to　carry　him　to　safety　and　before　he　reached　the　opposite　side　of　the　clearing　a　band　of　white…robed　horsemen　dashed　into　view　behind　him。

At　sight　of　him　they　shouted　in　Arabic；　which；　of　course；　he　could　not　understand；　and　then　they　closed　about　him；　threatening　and　angry。　　Their　questions　were　unintelligible　to　him；　and　no　more　could　they　interpret　his　English。　　At　last；　evidently　out　of　patience；　the　leader　ordered　two　of　his　men　to　seize　him；　which　they　lost　no　time　in　doing。　　They　disarmed　him　and　ordered　him　to　climb