the beasts of tarzan-第39章

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But　the　pressure　of　a　finger　lay　between　the　harmless　boy

and　eternity。　　The　soft　bloom　of　youth　still　lay　upon　the　brown

cheek；　a　smile　half　parted　the　beardless　lips。　　Did　any　qualm　of

conscience　point　its　disquieting　finger　of　reproach　at　the　murderer？



To　all　such　was　Alexander　Paulvitch　immune。　　A　sneer　curled

his　bearded　lip　as　his　forefinger　closed　upon　the　trigger

of　his　revolver。　　There　was　a　loud　report。　　A　little　hole

appeared　above　the　heart　of　the　sleeping　boy；　a　little　hole

about　which　lay　a　blackened　rim　of　powder…burned　flesh。



The　youthful　body　half　rose　to　a　sitting　posture。　　The　smiling

lips　tensed　to　the　nervous　shock　of　a　momentary　agony

which　the　conscious　mind　never　apprehended；　and　then　the

dead　sank　limply　back　into　that　deepest　of　slumbers　from

which　there　is　no　awakening。



The　killer　dropped　quickly　into　the　skiff　beside　the　killed。　　

Ruthless　hands　seized　the　dead　boy　heartlessly　and　raised

him　to　the　low　gunwale。　　A　little　shove；　a　splash；　some　widening

ripples　broken　by　the　sudden　surge　of　a　dark；　hidden　body　from

the　slimy　depths；　and　the　coveted　canoe　was　in　the　sole

possession　of　the　white　manmore　savage　than　the　youth

whose　life　he　had　taken。



Casting　off　the　tie　rope　and　seizing　the　paddle；

Paulvitch　bent　feverishly　to　the　task　of　driving

the　skiff　downward　toward　the　Ugambi　at　top　speed。



Night　had　fallen　when　the　prow　of　the　bloodstained　craft

shot　out　into　the　current　of　the　larger　stream。　　Constantly　the

Russian　strained　his　eyes　into　the　increasing　darkness　ahead

in　vain　endeavour　to　pierce　the　black　shadows　which　lay　between

him　and　the　anchorage　of　the　Kincaid。



Was　the　ship　still　riding　there　upon　the　waters　of　the

Ugambi；　or　had　the　ape…man　at　last　persuaded　himself　of　the

safety　of　venturing　forth　into　the　abating　storm？　　As　Paulvitch

forged　ahead　with　the　current　he　asked　himself　these　questions；

and　many　more　beside；　not　the　least　disquieting　of　which　were

those　which　related　to　his　future　should　it　chance　that　the

Kincaid　had　already　steamed　away；　leaving　him　to　the

merciless　horrors　of　the　savage　wilderness。



In　the　darkness　it　seemed　to　the　paddler　that　he　was　fairly

flying　over　the　water；　and　he　had　become　convinced　that　the

ship　had　left　her　moorings　and　that　he　had　already　passed　the

spot　at　which　she　had　lain　earlier　in　the　day；　when　there

appeared　before　him　beyond　a　projecting　point　which　he　had

but　just　rounded　the　flickering　light　from　a　ship's　lantern。



Alexander　Paulvitch　could　scarce　restrain　an　exclamation　of　triumph。

The　Kincaid　had　not　departed！　　Life　and　vengeance　were　not　to　elude

him　after　all。



He　stopped　paddling　the　moment　that　he　descried　the　gleaming　beacon

of　hope　ahead　of　him。　　Silently　he　drifted　down　the　muddy　waters

of　the　Ugambi；　occasionally　dipping　his　paddle's　blade　gently

into　the　current　that　he　might　guide　his　primitive　craft

to　the　vessel's　side。



As　he　approached　more　closely　the　dark　bulk　of　a　ship

loomed　before　him　out　of　the　blackness　of　the　night。　　

No　sound　came　from　the　vessel's　deck。　　Paulvitch　drifted；

unseen；　close　to　the　Kincaid's　side。　　Only　the　momentary

scraping　of　his　canoe's　nose　against　the　ship's　planking　broke

the　silence　of　the　night。



Trembling　with　nervous　excitement；　the　Russian　remained

motionless　for　several　minutes；　but　there　was　no　sound　from　the

great　bulk　above　him　to　indicate　that　his　coming　had　been　noted。



Stealthily　he　worked　his　craft　forward　until　the　stays　of　the

bowsprit　were　directly　above　him。　　He　could　just　reach　them。　　

To　make　his　canoe　fast　there　was　the　work　of　but　a　minute

or　two；　and　then　the　man　raised　himself　quietly　aloft。



A　moment　later　he　dropped　softly　to　the　deck。　　Thoughts　of

the　hideous　pack　which　tenanted　the　ship　induced　cold

tremors　along　the　spine　of　the　cowardly　prowler；　but　life

itself　depended　upon　the　success　of　his　venture；　and　so　he

was　enabled　to　steel　himself　to　the　frightful　chances　which

lay　before　him。



No　sound　or　sign　of　watch　appeared　upon　the　ship's　deck。　　

Paulvitch　crept　stealthily　toward　the　forecastle。　　

All　was　silence。　　The　hatch　was　raised；　and　as　the　man

peered　downward　he　saw　one　of　the　Kincaid's　crew　reading

by　the　light　of　the　smoky　lantern　depending　from　the　ceiling

of　the　crew's　quarters。



Paulvitch　knew　the　man　well；　a　surly　cut…throat　upon　whom

he　figured　strongly　in　the　carrying　out　of　the　plan　which　he

had　conceived。　　Gently　the　Russ　lowered　himself　through　the

aperture　to　the　rounds　of　the　ladder　which　led　into　the　forecastle。



He　kept　his　eyes　turned　upon　the　reading　man；　ready　to

warn　him　to　silence　the　moment　that　the　fellow　discovered

him；　but　so　deeply　immersed　was　the　sailor　in　the　magazine

that　the　Russian　came；　unobserved；　to　the　forecastle　floor。



There　he　turned　and　whispered　the　reader's　name。　　The　man

raised　his　eyes　from　the　magazineeyes　that　went　wide

for　a　moment　as　they　fell　upon　the　familiar　countenance　of

Rokoff's　lieutenant；　only　to　narrow　instantly　in　a　scowl

of　disapproval。



〃The　devil！〃　he　ejaculated。　　〃Where　did　you　come　from？

We　all　thought　you　were　done　for　and　gone　where　you　ought

to　have　gone　a　long　time　ago。　　His　lordship　will　be　mighty

pleased　to　see　you。〃



Paulvitch　crossed　to　the　sailor's　side。　　A　friendly　smile　lay

on　the　Russian's　lips；　and　his　right　hand　was　extended　in

greeting；　as　though　the　other　might　have　been　a　dear　and

long　lost　friend。　　The　sailor　ignored　the　proffered　hand；

nor　did　he　return　the　other's　smile。



〃I've　come　to　help　you；〃　explained　Paulvitch。　　〃I'm　going　to

help　you　get　rid　of　the　Englishman　and　his　beaststhen　there

will　be　no　danger　from　the　law　when　we　get　back　to　civilization。　　

We　can　sneak　in　on　them　while　they　sleepthat　is　Greystoke；

his　wife；　and　that　black　scoundrel；　Mugambi。　　Afterward　it　will

be　a　simple　matter　to　clean　up　the　beasts。　　Where　are　they？〃



〃They're　below；〃　replied　the　sailor；　〃but　just　let　me　tell

you　something；　Paulvitch。　　You　haven't　got　no　more　show　to

turn　us　men　against　the　Englishman　than　nothing。　　We　had

all　we　wanted　of　you　and　that　other　beast。　　He's　dead；　an'　if

I　don't　miss　my　guess　a　whole　lot　you'll　be　dead　too　before　long。　　

You　two　treated　us　like　dogs；　and　if　you　think　we　got　any　love

for　you　you　better　forget　it。〃



〃You　mean　to　say　that　you're　going　to　turn　against　me？〃

demanded　Paulvitch。



The　other　nodded；　and　then　after　a　momentary　pause；

during　which　an　idea　seemed　to　have　occurred　to　him；

he　spoke　again。



〃Unless；〃　he　said；　〃you　can　make　it　worth　my　while　to

let　you　go　before　the　Englishman　finds　you　here。〃



〃You　wouldn't　turn　me　away　in　the　jungle；　would　you？〃

asked　Paulvitch。　　〃Why；　I'd　die　there　in　a　week。〃



〃You'd　have　a　chance　there；〃　replied　the　sailor。　　〃Here；

you　wouldn't　have　no　chance。　　Why；　if　I　woke　up　my　maties　here

they'd　probably　cut　your　heart　out　of　you　before　the　Englishman

got　a　chance　at　you　at　all。　　It's　mighty　lucky　for　you　that

I'm　the　one　to　be　awake　now　and　not　none　of　the　others。〃



〃You're　crazy；〃　cried　Paulvitch。　　〃Don't　you　know　that

the　Englishman　will　have　you　all　hanged　when　he　gets　you

back　where　the　law　can　get　hold　of　you？〃



〃No；　he　won't　do　nothing　of　the　kind；〃　replied　the　sailor。

〃He's　told　us　as　much；　for　he　says　that　there　wasn't　nobody　to

blame　but　you　and　Rokoffthe　rest　of　us　was　just　tools。　　See？〃



For　half　an　hour　the　Russian　pleaded　or　threatened　as　the

mood　seized　him。　　Sometimes　he　was　upon　the　verge　of　tears；

and　again　he　was　promising　his　listener　either　fabulous

rewards　or　condign　punishment；　but　the　other　was　obdurate。

＇condign：　　of　equal　value＇



He　made　it　plain　to　the　Russian　that　there　were　but　two　plans

open　to　himeither　he　must　consent　to　being　turned　over

immediately　to　Lord　Greystoke；　or　he　must　pay　to　the　sailor；

as　a　price　for　permission　to　quit　the　Kincaid　unmolested；

every　cent　of　money　and　ar