the return of tarzan-第31部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



backs　swaying　back　and　forth　above　the　top　of　the　lofty

jungle　grasses。　　He　pointed　the　direction　to　the　watchers　below；

indicating　with　his　fingers　the　number　of　beasts　he　could　count。



Immediately　the　hunters　started　toward　the　elephants。

The　black　in　the　tree　hastened　down；　but　Tarzan　stalked；　after

his　own　fashion；　along　the　leafy　way　of　the　middle　terrace。



It　is　no　child's　play　to　hunt　wild　elephants　with　the　crude

weapons　of　primitive　man。　　Tarzan　knew　that　few　native

tribes　ever　attempted　it；　and　the　fact　that　his　tribe　did　so

gave　him　no　little　pridealready　he　was　commencing　to

think　of　himself　as　a　member　of　the　little　community。

As　Tarzan　moved　silently　through　the　trees　he　saw　the

warriors　below　creeping　in　a　half　circle　upon　the　still

unsuspecting　elephants。　　Finally　they　were　within　sight　of　the

great　beasts。　　Now　they　singled　out　two　large　tuskers；　and　at

a　signal　the　fifty　men　rose　from　the　ground　where　they　had

lain　concealed；　and　hurled　their　heavy　war　spears　at　the　two

marked　beasts。　　There　was　not　a　single　miss；　twenty…five

spears　were　embedded　in　the　sides　of　each　of　the　giant　animals。

One　never　moved　from　the　spot　where　it　stood　when　the

avalanche　of　spears　struck　it；　for　two；　perfectly　aimed；

had　penetrated　its　heart；　and　it　lunged　forward　upon

its　knees；　rolling　to　the　ground　without　a　struggle。



The　other；　standing　nearly　head…on　toward　the　hunters；

had　not　proved　so　good　a　mark；　and　though　every　spear

struck　not　one　entered　the　great　heart。　　For　a　moment　the

huge　bull　stood　trumpeting　in　rage　and　pain；　casting　about

with　its　little　eyes　for　the　author　of　its　hurt。　　The　blacks

had　faded　into　the　jungle　before　the　weak　eyes　of　the　monster

had　fallen　upon　any　of　them；　but　now　he　caught　the　sound　of

their　retreat；　and；　amid　a　terrific　crashing　of　underbrush

and　branches；　he　charged　in　the　direction　of　the　noise。



It　so　happened　that　chance　sent　him　in　the　direction　of

Busuli；　whom　he　was　overtaking　so　rapidly　that　it　was　as

though　the　black　were　standing　still　instead　of　racing　at　full

speed　to　escape　the　certain　death　which　pursued　him。

Tarzan　had　witnessed　the　entire　performance　from　the　branches

of　a　nearby　tree；　and　now　that　he　saw　his　friend's　peril　he

raced　toward　the　infuriated　beast　with　loud　cries；　hoping　to

distract　him。



But　it　had　been　as　well　had　he　saved　his　breath；　for　the

brute　was　deaf　and　blind　to　all　else　save　the　particular

object　of　his　rage　that　raced　futilely　before　him。

And　now　Tarzan　saw　that　only　a　miracle　could　save　Busuli；

and　with　the　same　unconcern　with　which　he　had　once　hunted

this　very　man　he　hurled　himself　into　the　path　of　the　elephant

to　save　the　black　warrior's　life。



He　still　grasped　his　spear；　and　while　Tantor　was　yet　six

or　eight　paces　behind　his　prey；　a　sinewy　white　warrior

dropped　as　from　the　heavens；　almost　directly　in　his　path。

With　a　vicious　lunge　the　elephant　swerved　to　the　right　to

dispose　of　this　temerarious　foeman　who　dared　intervene

between　himself　and　his　intended　victim；　but　he　had　not

reckoned　on　the　lightning　quickness　that　could　galvanize

those　steel　muscles　into　action　so　marvelously　swift　as　to

baffle　even　a　keener　eyesight　than　Tantor's。



And　so　it　happened　that　before　the　elephant　realized　that

his　new　enemy　had　leaped　from　his　path　Tarzan　had　driven

his　iron…shod　spear　from　behind　the　massive　shoulder　straight

into　the　fierce　heart；　and　the　colossal　pachyderm　had　toppled

to　his　death　at　the　feet　of　the　ape…man。



Busuli　had　not　beheld　the　manner　of　his　deliverance；　but

Waziri；　the　old　chief；　had　seen；　and　several　of　the　other

warriors；　and　they　hailed　Tarzan　with　delight　as　they　swarmed

about　him　and　his　great　kill。　　When　he　leaped　upon　the　mighty

carcass；　and　gave　voice　to　the　weird　challenge　with　which　he

announced　a　great　victory；　the　blacks　shrank　back　in　fear；

for　to　them　it　marked　the　brutal　Bolgani；　whom　they　feared

fully　as　much　as　they　feared　Numa；　the　lion；　but　with　a　fear

with　which　was　mixed　a　certain　uncanny　awe　of　the　manlike

thing　to　which　they　attributed　supernatural　powers。



But　when　Tarzan　lowered　his　raised　head　and　smiled　upon

them　they　were　reassured；　though　they　did　not　understand。

Nor　did　they　ever　fully　understand　this　strange　creature

who　ran　through　the　trees　as　quickly　as　Manu；　yet　was　even

more　at　home　upon　the　ground　than　themselves；　who　was

except　as　to　color　like　unto　themselves；　yet　as　powerful

as　ten　of　them；　and　singlehanded　a　match　for　the　fiercest

denizens　of　the　fierce　jungle。



When　the　remainder　of　the　warriors　had　gathered；　the

hunt　was　again　taken　up　and　the　stalking　of　the　retreating

herd　once　more　begun；　but　they　had　covered　a　bare　hundred

yards　when　from　behind　them；　at　a　great　distance；

sounded　faintly　a　strange　popping。



For　an　instant　they　stood　like　a　group　of　statuary；

intently　listening。　　Then　Tarzan　spoke。



〃Guns！〃　he　said。　　〃The　village　is　being　attacked。〃



〃Come！〃　cried　Waziri。　　〃The　Arab　raiders　have　returned

with　their　cannibal　slaves　for　our　ivory　and　our　women！〃







Chapter　16





The　Ivory　Raiders





Waziri's　warriors　marched　at　a　rapid　trot　through　the

jungle　in　the　direction　of　the　village。　　For　a　few　minutes；

the　sharp　cracking　of　guns　ahead　warned　them　to　haste；

but　finally　the　reports　dwindled　to　an　occasional　shot；

presently　ceasing　altogether。　　Nor　was　this　less　ominous

than　the　rattle　of　musketry；　for　it　suggested　but　a　single

solution　to　the　little　band　of　rescuersthat　the　illy

garrisoned　village　had　already　succumbed　to　the　onslaught

of　a　superior　force。



The　returning　hunters　had　covered　a　little　more　than

three　miles　of　the　five　that　had　separated　them　from　the

village　when　they　met　the　first　of　the　fugitives　who　had

escaped　the　bullets　and　clutches　of　the　foe。　　There　were　a

dozen　women；　youths；　and　girls　in　the　party；　and　so　excited

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　th