the beasts of tarzan-第32章

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Even　though　the　Russian　knew　that　he　was　safe　from　his　enemy；

the　very　sight　of　him　threw　him　into　a　frenzy　of　trembling　cowardice；

which　became　frantic　hysteria　as　he　saw　the　white　giant　dive　fearlessly

into　the　forbidding　waters　of　the　tropical　river。



With　steady；　powerful　strokes　the　ape…man　forged　out　into

the　stream　toward　the　drifting　dugout。　　Now　Rokoff　seized

one　of　the　paddles　lying　in　the　bottom　of　the　craft；　and；

with　terrorwide　eyes　still　glued　upon　the　living　death　that

pursued　him；　struck　out　madly　in　an　effort　to　augment　the　speed

of　the　unwieldy　canoe。



And　from　the　opposite　bank　a　sinister　ripple；　unseen　by

either　man；　moving　steadily　toward　the　half…naked　swimmer。



Tarzan　had　reached　the　stern　of　the　craft　at　last。　　One　hand

upstretched　grasped　the　gunwale。　　Rokoff　sat　frozen　with　fear；

unable　to　move　a　hand　or　foot；　his　eyes　riveted　upon　the　face

of　his　Nemesis。



Then　a　sudden　commotion　in　the　water　behind　the　swimmer　caught

his　attention。　　He　saw　the　ripple；　and　he　knew　what　caused　it。



At　the　same　instant　Tarzan　felt　mighty　jaws　close　upon　his

right　leg。　　He　tried　to　struggle　free　and　raise　himself　over　the

side　of　the　boat。　　His　efforts　would　have　succeeded　had　not

this　unexpected　interruption　galvanized　the　malign　brain　of

the　Russian　into　instant　action　with　its　sudden　promise　of

deliverance　and　revenge。



Like　a　venomous　snake　the　man　leaped　toward　the　stern　of　the　boat；

and　with　a　single　swift　blow　struck　Tarzan　across　the　head　with

the　heavy　paddle。　　The　ape…man's　fingers　slipped　from　their　hold

upon　the　gunwale。



There　was　a　short　struggle　at　the　surface；　and　then　a　swirl　of　waters；

a　little　eddy；　and　a　burst　of　bubbles　soon　smoothed　out　by　the　flowing

current　marked　for　the　instant　the　spot　where　Tarzan　of　the　Apes；

Lord　of　the　Jungle；　disappeared　from　the　sight　of　men　beneath　the

gloomy　waters　of　the　dark　and　forbidding　Ugambi。



Weak　from　terror；　Rokoff　sank　shuddering　into　the　bottom　of　the　dugout。

For　a　moment　he　could　not　realize　the　good　fortune　that　had　befallen　him

all　that　he　could　see　was　the　figure　of　a　silent；　struggling　white　man

disappearing　beneath　the　surface　of　the　river　to　unthinkable　death　in

the　slimy　mud　of　the　bottom。



Slowly　all　that　it　meant　to　him　filtered　into　the　mind　of　the

Russian；　and　then　a　cruel　smile　of　relief　and　triumph　touched

his　lips；　but　it　was　short…lived；　for　just　as　he　was

congratulating　himself　that　he　was　now　comparatively　safe　to

proceed　upon　his　way　to　the　coast　unmolested；　a　mighty

pandemonium　rose　from　the　river…bank　close　by。



As　his　eyes　sought　the　authors　of　the　frightful　sound　he

saw　standing　upon　the　shore；　glaring　at　him　with　hate…filled

eyes；　a　devil…faced　panther　surrounded　by　the　hideous　apes

of　Akut；　and　in　the　forefront　of　them　a　giant　black　warrior

who　shook　his　fist　at　him；　threatening　him　with　terrible　death。



The　nightmare　of　that　flight　down　the　Ugambi　with　the　hideous　horde

racing　after　him　by　day　and　by　night；　now　abreast　of　him；　now　lost

in　the　mazes　of　the　jungle　far　behind　for　hours　and　once　for　a　whole　day；

only　to　reappear　again　upon　his　trail　grim；　relentless；　and　terrible；

reduced　the　Russian　from　a　strong　and　robust　man　to　an　emaciated；

white…haired；　fear…gibbering　thing　before　ever　the　bay　and　the　ocean

broke　upon　his　hopeless　vision。



Past　populous　villages　he　had　fled。　　Time　and　again　warriors

had　put　out　in　their　canoes　to　intercept　him；　but　each

time　the　hideous　horde　had　swept　into　view　to　send　the

terrified　natives　shrieking　back　to　the　shore　to　lose

themselves　in　the　jungle。



Nowhere　in　his　flight　had　he　seen　aught　of　Jane　Clayton。　　

Not　once　had　his　eyes　rested　upon　her　since　that　moment　at

the　river's　brim　his　hand　had　closed　upon　the　rope　attached

to　the　bow　of　her　dugout　and　he　had　believed　her　safely　in

his　power　again；　only　to　be　thwarted　an　instant　later　as　the

girl　snatched　up　a　heavy　express　rifle　from　the　bottom　of　the

craft　and　levelled　it　full　at　his　breast。



Quickly　he　had　dropped　the　rope　then　and　seen　her　float　away

beyond　his　reach；　but　a　moment　later　he　had　been　racing　up…stream

toward　a　little　tributary　in　the　mouth　of　which　was　hidden　the　canoe

in　which　he　and　his　party　had　come　thus　far　upon　their　journey

in　pursuit　of　the　girl　and　Anderssen。



What　had　become　of　her？



There　seemed　little　doubt　in　the　Russian's　mind；　however；

but　that　she　had　been　captured　by　warriors　from　one　of　the

several　villages　she　would　have　been　compelled　to　pass　on

her　way　down　to　the　sea。　　Well；　he　was　at　least　rid　of　most

of　his　human　enemies。



But　at　that　he　would　gladly　have　had　them　all　back　in　the　land

of　the　living　could　he　thus　have　been　freed　from　the　menace　of

the　frightful　creatures　who　pursued　him　with　awful　relentlessness；

screaming　and　growling　at　him　every　time　they　came　within　sight　of　him。

The　one　that　filled　him　with　the　greatest　terror　was　the　pantherthe

flaming…eyed；　devil…faced　panther　whose　grinning　jaws　gaped　wide　at　him

by　day；　and　whose　fiery　orbs　gleamed　wickedly　out　across　the　water

from　the　Cimmerian　blackness　of　the　jungle　nights。



The　sight　of　the　mouth　of　the　Ugambi　filled　Rokoff　with

renewed　hope；　for　there；　upon　the　yellow　waters　of　the　bay；

floated　the　Kincaid　at　anchor。　　He　had　sent　the　little　steamer

away　to　coal　while　he　had　gone　up　the　river；　leaving　Paulvitch

in　charge　of　her；　and　he　could　have　cried　aloud　in　his　relief

as　he　saw　that　she　had　returned　in　time　to　save　him。



Frantically　he　alternately　paddled　furiously　toward　her　and

rose　to　his　feet　waving　his　paddle　and　crying　aloud　in　an

attempt　to　attract　the　attention　of　those　on　board。　　But　loud

as　he　screamed　his　cries　awakened　no　answering　challenge

from　the　deck　of　the　silent　craft。



Upon　the　shore　behind　him　a　hurried　backward　glance　revealed

the　presence　of　the　snarling　pack。　　Even　now；　he　thought；

these　manlike　devils　might　yet　find　a　way　to　reach　him　even

upon　the　deck　of　the　steamer　unless　there　were　those　there

to　repel　them　with　firearms。



What　could　have　happened　to　those　he　had　left　upon　the

Kincaid？　　Where　was　Paulvitch？　　Could　it　be　that　the　vessel

was　deserted；　and　that；　after　all；　he　was　doomed　to　be　overtaken

by　the　terrible　fate　that　he　had　been　flying　from　through

all　these　hideous　days　and　nights？　　He　shivered　as　might　one

upon　whose　brow　death　has　already　laid　his　clammy　finger。



Yet　he　did　not　cease　to　paddle　frantically　toward　the　steamer；

and　at　last；　after　what　seemed　an　eternity；　the　bow　of　the　dugout

bumped　against　the　timbers　of　the　Kincaid。　　Over　the　ship's　side

hung　a　monkey…ladder；　but　as　the　Russian　grasped　it　to　ascend

to　the　deck　he　heard　a　warning　challenge　from　above；　and；

looking　up；　gazed　into　the　cold；　relentless　muzzle　of　a　rifle。



After　Jane　Clayton；　with　rifle　levelled　at　the　breast　of　Rokoff；

had　succeeded　in　holding　him　off　until　the　dugout　in

which　she　had　taken　refuge　had　drifted　out　upon　the　bosom

of　the　Ugambi　beyond　the　man's　reach；　she　had　lost　no　time

in　paddling　to　the　swiftest　sweep　of　the　channel；　nor　did　she

for　long　days　and　weary　nights　cease　to　hold　her　craft　to　the

most　rapidly　moving　part　of　the　river；　except　when　during

the　hottest　hours　of　the　day　she　had　been　wont　to　drift　as　the

current　would　take　her；　lying　prone　in　the　bottom　of　the　canoe；

her　face　sheltered　from　the　sun　with　a　great　palm　leaf。



Thus　only　did　she　gain　rest　upon　the　voyage；　at　other　times

she　continually　sought　to　augment　the　movement　of　the　craft

by　wielding　the　heavy　paddle。



Rokoff；　on　the　other　hand；　had　used　little　or　no　intelligence

in　his　flight　along　the　Ugambi；　so　that　more　often　than　not

his　craft　had　drifted　in　the　slow…going　eddies；　for　he　habitually

hugged　the　bank　farthest　from　that　along　which　the　hideous　horde

pursued　and　menaced　him。



Thus　it　was　that；　though　he　had　put　out　upon　the　river　but

a　short　time　subsequent