the return of tarzan-第35节

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were　they　that　they　could　scarce　make　themselves　understood

as　they　tried　to　relate　to　Waziri　the　calamity　that　had

befallen　his　people。



〃They　are　as　many　as　the　leaves　of　the　forest；〃　cried　one

of　the　women；　in　attempting　to　explain　the　enemy's　force。

〃There　are　many　Arabs　and　countless　Manyuema；　and　they

all　have　guns。　　They　crept　close　to　the　village　before　we

knew　that　they　were　about；　and　then；　with　many　shouts；

they　rushed　in　upon　us；　shooting　down　men；　and　women；

and　children。　　Those　of　us　who　could　fled　in　all　directions

into　the　jungle；　but　more　were　killed。　　I　do　not　know　whether

they　took　any　prisoners　or　notthey　seemed　only　bent

upon　killing　us　all。　　The　Manyuema　called　us　many　names；

saying　that　they　would　eat　us　all　before　they　left　our

countrythat　this　was　our　punishment　for　killing　their

friends　last　year。　　I　did　not　hear　much；　for　I　ran　away　quickly。〃



The　march　toward　the　village　was　now　resumed；　more

slowly　and　with　greater　stealth；　for　Waziri　knew　that　it　was

too　late　to　rescuetheir　only　mission　could　be　one　of　revenge。

Inside　the　next　mile　a　hundred　more　fugitives　were　met。

There　were　many　men　among　these；　and　so　the　fighting

strength　of　the　party　was　augmented。



Now　a　dozen　warriors　were　sent　creeping　ahead　to　reconnoiter。

Waziri　remained　with　the　main　body；　which　advanced　in　a　thin

line　that　spread　in　a　great　crescent　through　the　forest。

By　the　chief's　side　walked　Tarzan。



Presently　one　of　the　scouts　returned。　　He　had　come　within

sight　of　the　village。



〃They　are　all　within　the　palisade；〃　he　whispered。



〃Good！〃　said　Waziri。　　〃We　shall　rush　in　upon　them　and

slay　them　all；〃　and　he　made　ready　to　send　word　along　the

line　that　they　were　to　halt　at　the　edge　of　the　clearing　until

they　saw　him　rush　toward　the　villagethen　all　were　to　follow。



〃Wait！〃　cautioned　Tarzan。　　〃If　there　are　even　fifty　guns

within　the　palisade　we　shall　be　repulsed　and　slaughtered。

Let　me　go　alone　through　the　trees；　so　that　I　may　look　down

upon　them　from　above；　and　see　just　how　many　there　be；　and

what　chance　we　might　have　were　we　to　charge。　　It　were　foolish

to　lose　a　single　man　needlessly　if　there　be　no　hope　of　success。

I　have　an　idea　that　we　can　accomplish　more　by　cunning　than

by　force。　　Will　you　wait；　Waziri？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　old　chief。　　〃Go！〃



So　Tarzan　sprang　into　the　trees　and　disappeared　in　the

direction　of　the　village。　　He　moved　more　cautiously　than　was

his　wont；　for　he　knew　that　men　with　guns　could　reach　him

quite　as　easily　in　the　treetops　as　on　the　ground。　　And　when

Tarzan　of　the　Apes　elected　to　adopt　stealth；　no　creature　in

all　the　jungle　could　move　so　silently　or　so　completely　efface

himself　from　the　sight　of　an　enemy。



In　five　minutes　he　had　wormed　his　way　to　the　great　tree

that　overhung　the　palisade　at　one　end　of　the　village；　and

from　his　point　of　vantage　looked　down　upon　the　savage

horde　beneath。　　He　counted　fifty　Arabs　and　estimated　that

there　were　five　times　as　many　Manyuema。　　The　latter　were

gorging　themselves　upon　food　and；　under　the　very　noses　of

their　white　masters；　preparing　the　gruesome　feast　which　is　the

PIECE　DE　RESISTANCE　that　follows　a　victory　in　which　the

bodies　of　their　slain　enemies　fall　into　their　horrid　hands。



The　ape…man　saw　that　to　charge　that　wild　horde；　armed

as　they　were　with　guns；　and　barricaded　behind　the　locked

gates　of　the　village；　would　be　a　futile　task；　and　so　he

returned　to　Waziri　and　advised　him　to　wait；　that　he；　Tarzan；

had　a　better　plan。



But　a　moment　before　one　of　the　fugitives　had　related　to

Waziri　the　story　of　the　atrocious　murder　of　the　old　chief's

wife；　and　so　crazed　with　rage　was　the　old　man　that　he　cast

discretion　to　the　winds。　　Calling　his　warriors　about　him；　he

commanded　them　to　charge；　and；　with　brandishing　spears

and　savage　yells；　the　little　force　of　scarcely　more　than　a

hundred　dashed　madly　toward　the　village　gates。　　Before　the

clearing　had　been　half　crossed　the　Arabs　opened　up　a

withering　fire　from　behind　the　palisade。



With　the　first　volley　Waziri　fell。　　The　speed　of　the

chargers　slackened。　　Another　volley　brought　down　a　half

dozen　more。　　A　few　reached　the　barred　gates；　only　to　be　shot

in　their　tracks；　without　the　ghost　of　a　chance　to　gain　the

inside　of　the　palisade；　and　then　the　whole　attack　crumpled；

and　the　remaining　warriors　scampered　back　into　the　forest。

As　they　ran　the　raiders　opened　the　gates；　rushing　after　them；

to　complete　the　day's　work　with　the　utter　extermination　of

the　tribe。　　Tarzan　had　been　among　the　last　to　turn　back　toward

the　forest；　and　now；　as　he　ran　slowly；　he　turned　from　time　to

time　to　speed　a　well…aimed　arrow　into　the　body　of　a　pursuer。



Once　within　the　jungle；　he　found　a　little　knot　of　determined

blacks　waiting　to　give　battle　to　the　oncoming　horde；

but　Tarzan　cried　to　them　to　scatter；　keeping　out　of

harm's　way　until　they　could　gather　in　force　after　dark。



〃Do　as　I　tell　you；〃　he　urged；　〃and　I　will　lead　you　to

victory　over　these　enemies　of　yours。　　Scatter　through　the

forest；　picking　up　as　many　stragglers　as　you　can　find；　and　at

night；　if　you　think　that　you　have　been　followed；　come　by

roundabout　ways　to　the　spot　where　we　killed　the　elephants　today。

Then　I　will　explain　my　plan；　and　you　will　find　that　it　is　good。

You　cannot　hope　to　pit　your　puny　strength　and　simple　weapons

against　the　numbers　and　the　guns　of　the　Arabs　and　the　Manyuema。〃



They　finally　assented。　　〃When　you　scatter；〃　explained　Tarzan；

in　conclusion；　〃your　foes　will　have　to　scatter　to　follow　you；

and　so　it　may　happen　that　if　you　are　watchful　you　can　drop


many　a　Manyuema　with　your　arrows　from　behind　some　great　trees。〃



They　had　barely　time　to　hasten　away　farther　into　the　forest

before　the　first　of　the　raiders　had　crossed　the　clearing　and

entered　it　in　pursuit　of　them。



Tarzan　ran　a　short　distance　along　the　ground　before　he

took　to　the　trees。　　Then　he　raced　quickly　to　the　upper　terrace；

there　doubling　on　his　tracks　and　making　his　way　rapidly

back　toward　the　village。　　Here　he　found　that　every　Arab　and

Manyuema　had　joined　in　the　pursuit；　leaving　the　village

deserted　except　for　the　chained　prisoners　and　a　single　guard。



The　sentry　stood　at　the　open　gate；　looking　in　the　direction

of　the　forest；　so　that　he　did　not　see　the　agile　giant　that

dropped　to　the　ground　at　the　far　end　of　the　village　street。

With　drawn　bow　the　ape…man　crept　stealthily　toward　his

unsuspecting　victim。　　The　prisoners　had　already　discovered

him；　and　with　wide　eyes　filled　with　wonder　and　with　hope

they　watched　their　would…be　rescuer。　　Now　he　halted　not　ten

paces　from　the　unconscious　Manyuema。　　The　shaft　was

drawn　back　its　full　length　at　the　height　of　the　keen　gray

eye　that　sighted　along　its　polished　surface。　　There　was　a

sudden　twang　as　the　brown　fingers　released　their　hold；　and

without　a　sound　the　raider　sank　forward　upon　his　face；　a

wooden　shaft　transfixing　his　heart　and　protruding　a　foot

from　his　black　chest。



Then　Tarzan　turned　his　attention　to　the　fifty　women　and

youths　chained　neck　to　neck　on　the　long　slave　chain。

There　was　no　releasing　of　the　ancient　padlocks　in　the　time　that

was　left　him；　so　the　ape…man　called　to　them　to　follow　him　as

they　were；　and；　snatching　the　gun　and　cartridge　belt　from　the

dead　sentry；　he　led　the　now　happy　band　out　through　the　village

gate　and　into　the　forest　upon　the　far　side　of　the　clearing。



It　was　a　slow　and　arduous　march；　for　the　slave　chain　was　new

to　these　people；　and　there　were　many　delays　as　one　of　their

number　would　stumble　and　fall；　dragging　others　down　with　her。

Then；　too；　Tarzan　had　been　forced　to　make　a　wide　detour　to

avoid　any　possibility　of　meeting　with　returning　raiders。

He　was　partially　guided　by　occasional　shots　which

indicated　that　the　Arab　horde　was　still　in　touch　with　the

villagers；　but　he　knew　that　if　they　would　but　follow　his

advice　there　would　be　but　few　casualties　other　than　on　the

side　of　the　marauders。



Toward　dusk　the　firing　ceased　entirely；　and　Tarzan　knew

that　the　Arabs　had　all　returned　to　the　village。　　He　could

scarce　repress　a　smile　of　triumph　as　he　thought　of　their　rage

on　discovering　that　their　guard　had　been　killed　and　their

prisoners　taken　away。　　Tarzan　had　wished　that　he　might　have

taken　some　of　the　great　store　of　ivory　the　village　contained；

solely　for　the　purpose　of　still　further　augmenting　the　wrath

of　his　enemies；　but　he　knew　that　that　was　not　necessary　for

its　salvation；　since　he　already　had　a　plan　mapped　out　which

would　effectually　prevent　the　Arabs　leaving　the　country　with

a　single　tusk。　　And　it　would　have　been　cruel　to　have　needlessly

burdened　these　poor；　overwrought　women　with　the　extra

weight　of　the　heavy　ivory。



It　was　after　midnight　when　Tarzan；　with　his　slow…moving

caravan；　approached　the　spot　where　the　elephants　lay。

Long　before　they　reached　it　they　had　been　guided　by　the

huge　fire　the　natives　had　built　in　the　center　of　a　hastily

impr