the beasts of tarzan-第13章

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so　Tarzan　and　Mugambi　set　off　in　search　of　the　Ugambi　River。　　

They　had　proceeded　scarce　a　hundred　yards　when　they　came

suddenly　upon　a　broad　stream；　which　the　Negro　instantly

recognized　as　that　down　which　he　and　his　warriors

had　paddled　to　the　sea　upon　their　ill…starred　expedition。



The　two　now　followed　the　stream　down　to　the　ocean；　finding

that　it　emptied　into　a　bay　not　over　a　mile　from　the　point　upon

the　beach　at　which　the　canoe　had　been　thrown　the　night　before。



Tarzan　was　much　elated　by　the　discovery；　as　he　knew　that

in　the　vicinity　of　a　large　watercourse　he　should　find　natives；

and　from　some　of　these　he　had　little　doubt　but　that　he　should

obtain　news　of　Rokoff　and　the　child；　for　he　felt　reasonably

certain　that　the　Russian　would　rid　himself　of　the　baby　as

quickly　as　possible　after　having　disposed　of　Tarzan。



He　and　Mugambi　now　righted　and　launched　the　dugout；　though

it　was　a　most　difficult　feat　in　the　face　of　the　surf　which

rolled　continuously　in　upon　the　beach；　but　at　last　they　were

successful；　and　soon　after　were　paddling　up　the　coast　toward

the　mouth　of　the　Ugambi。　　Here　they　experienced　considerable

difficulty　in　making　an　entrance　against　the　combined

current　and　ebb　tide；　but　by　taking　advantage　of　eddies　close

in　to　shore　they　came　about　dusk　to　a　point　nearly　opposite

the　spot　where　they　had　left　the　pack　asleep。



Making　the　craft　fast　to　an　overhanging　bough；　the　two

made　their　way　into　the　jungle；　presently　coming　upon　some

of　the　apes　feeding　upon　fruit　a　little　beyond　the　reeds　where

the　buffalo　had　fallen。　　Sheeta　was　not　anywhere　to　be　seen；

nor　did　he　return　that　night；　so　that　Tarzan　came　to　believe

that　he　had　wandered　away　in　search　of　his　own　kind。



Early　the　next　morning　the　ape…man　led　his　band　down　to　the　river；

and　as　he　walked　he　gave　vent　to　a　series　of　shrill　cries。　　

Presently　from　a　great　distance　and　faintly　there　came

an　answering　scream；　and　a　half…hour　later　the　lithe　form　of

Sheeta　bounded　into　view　where　the　others　of　the　pack　were

clambering　gingerly　into　the　canoe。



The　great　beast；　with　arched　back　and　purring　like　a

contented　tabby；　rubbed　his　sides　against　the　ape…man；　and　then

at　a　word　from　the　latter　sprang　lightly　to　his　former　place　in

the　bow　of　the　dugout。



When　all　were　in　place　it　was　discovered　that　two　of　the

apes　of　Akut　were　missing；　and　though　both　the　king　ape

and　Tarzan　called　to　them　for　the　better　part　of　an　hour；　there

was　no　response；　and　finally　the　boat　put　off　without　them。　　

As　it　happened　that　the　two　missing　ones　were　the　very　same

who　had　evinced　the　least　desire　to　accompany　the　expedition

from　the　island；　and　had　suffered　the　most　from　fright　during

the　voyage；　Tarzan　was　quite　sure　that　they　had　absented

themselves　purposely　rather　than　again　enter　the　canoe。



As　the　party　were　putting　in　for　the　shore　shortly　after

noon　to　search　for　food　a　slender；　naked　savage　watched

them　for　a　moment　from　behind　the　dense　screen　of　verdure

which　lined　the　river's　bank；　then　he　melted　away　up…stream

before　any　of　those　in　the　canoe　discovered　him。



Like　a　deer　he　bounded　along　the　narrow　trail　until；　filled

with　the　excitement　of　his　news；　he　burst　into　a　native　village

several　miles　above　the　point　at　which　Tarzan　and　his　pack

had　stopped　to　hunt。



〃Another　white　man　is　coming！〃　he　cried　to　the　chief

who　squatted　before　the　entrance　to　his　circular　hut。　　

〃Another　white　man；　and　with　him　are　many　warriors。　　

They　come　in　a　great　war…canoe　to　kill　and　rob　as　did

the　black…bearded　one　who　has　just　left　us。〃



Kaviri　leaped　to　his　feet。　　He　had　but　recently　had　a　taste

of　the　white　man's　medicine；　and　his　savage　heart　was　filled

with　bitterness　and　hate。　　In　another　moment　the　rumble　of

the　war…drums　rose　from　the　village；　calling　in　the　hunters

from　the　forest　and　the　tillers　from　the　fields。



Seven　war…canoes　were　launched　and　manned　by　paint…daubed；

befeathered　warriors。　　Long　spears　bristled　from　the　rude

battle…ships；　as　they　slid　noiselessly　over　the　bosom　of　the　water；

propelled　by　giant　muscles　rolling　beneath　glistening；　ebony　hides。



There　was　no　beating　of　tom…toms　now；　nor　blare　of　native

horn；　for　Kaviri　was　a　crafty　warrior；　and　it　was　in　his　mind

to　take　no　chances；　if　they　could　be　avoided。　　He　would　swoop

noiselessly　down　with　his　seven　canoes　upon　the　single　one

of　the　white　man；　and　before　the　guns　of　the　latter　could

inflict　much　damage　upon　his　people　he　would　have　overwhelmed

the　enemy　by　force　of　numbers。



Kaviri's　own　canoe　went　in　advance　of　the　others　a　short

distance；　and　as　it　rounded　a　sharp　bend　in　the　river　where

the　swift　current　bore　it　rapidly　on　its　way　it　came　suddenly

upon　the　thing　that　Kaviri　sought。



So　close　were　the　two　canoes　to　one　another　that　the　black

had　only　an　opportunity　to　note　the　white　face　in　the　bow　of

the　oncoming　craft　before　the　two　touched　and　his　own　men

were　upon　their　feet；　yelling　like　mad　devils　and　thrusting

their　long　spears　at　the　occupants　of　the　other　canoe。



But　a　moment　later；　when　Kaviri　was　able　to　realize　the

nature　of　the　crew　that　manned　the　white　man's　dugout；　he

would　have　given　all　the　beads　and　iron　wire　that　he

possessed　to　have　been　safely　within　his　distant　village。　　

Scarcely　had　the　two　craft　come　together　than　the　frightful　apes　of

Akut　rose；　growling　and　barking；　from　the　bottom　of　the

canoe；　and；　with　long；　hairy　arms　far　outstretched；　grasped

the　menacing　spears　from　the　hands　of　Kaviri's　warriors。



The　blacks　were　overcome　with　terror；　but　there　was　nothing

to　do　other　than　to　fight。　　Now　came　the　other　war…canoes

rapidly　down　upon　the　two　craft。　　Their　occupants　were　eager

to　join　the　battle；　for　they　thought　that　their　foes　were　white

men　and　their　native　porters。



They　swarmed　about　Tarzan's　craft；　but　when　they　saw　the　nature

of　the　enemy　all　but　one　turned　and　paddled　swiftly　upriver。　　

That　one　came　too　close　to　the　ape…man's　craft　before

its　occupants　realized　that　their　fellows　were　pitted

against　demons　instead　of　men。　　As　it　touched　Tarzan　spoke

a　few　low　words　to　Sheeta　and　Akut；　so　that　before　the

attacking　warriors　could　draw　away　there　sprang　upon　them

with　a　blood…freezing　scream　a　huge　panther；　and　into　the

other　end　of　their　canoe　clambered　a　great　ape。



At　one　end　the　panther　wrought　fearful　havoc　with　his

mighty　talons　and　long；　sharp　fangs；　while　Akut　at　the　other

buried　his　yellow　canines　in　the　necks　of　those　that　came

within　his　reach；　hurling　the　terror…stricken　blacks　overboard

as　he　made　his　way　toward　the　centre　of　the　canoe。



Kaviri　was　so　busily　engaged　with　the　demons　that　had

entered　his　own　craft　that　he　could　offer　no　assistance　to　his

warriors　in　the　other。　　A　giant　of　a　white　devil　had　wrested

his　spear　from　him　as　though　he；　the　mighty　Kaviri；　had　been

but　a　new…born　babe。　　Hairy　monsters　were　overcoming　his

fighting　men；　and　a　black　chieftain　like　himself　was　fighting

shoulder　to　shoulder　with　the　hideous　pack　that　opposed　him。



Kaviri　battled　bravely　against　his　antagonist；　for　he　felt

that　death　had　already　claimed　him；　and　so　the　least　that　he

could　do　would　be　to　sell　his　life　as　dearly　as　possible；　but　it

was　soon　evident　that　his　best　was　quite　futile　when　pitted

against　the　superhuman　brawn　and　agility　of　the　creature　that

at　last　found　his　throat　and　bent　him　back　into　the　bottom　of

the　canoe。



Presently　Kaviri's　head　began　to　whirlobjects　became

confused　and　dim　before　his　eyesthere　was　a　great　pain　in

his　chest　as　he　struggled　for　the　breath　of　life　that　the　thing

upon　him　was　shutting　off　for　ever。　　Then　he　lost　consciousness。



When　he　opened　his　eyes　once　more　he　found；　much　to

his　surprise；　that　he　was　not　dead。　　He　lay；　securely　bound；

in　the　bottom　of　his　own　canoe。　　A　great　panther　sat　upon　its

haunches；　looking　down　upon　him。



Kaviri　shuddered　and　closed　his　eyes