the son of tarzan-第21部分

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Korak　wanted　her　to　say　something。　　He　wanted　to　tell　her　how　he　loved　her；　but　the　emotion　of　his　love　choked　him　and　the　vocabulary　of　the　Mangani　was　limited。

There　came　a　sudden　interruption。　　It　was　from　Akuta　sudden；　low　growl；　no　louder　than　those　he　had　been　giving　vent　to　the　while　he　pranced　about　the　dead　bull；　nor　half　so　loud　in　fact；　but　of　a　timbre　that　bore　straight　to　the　perceptive　faculties　of　the　jungle　beast　ingrained　in　Korak。　　It　was　a　warning。　　Korak　looked　quickly　up　from　the　glorious　vision　of　the　sweet　face　so　close　to　his。　　Now　his　other　faculties　awoke。　　His　ears；　his　nostrils　were　on　the　alert。　　Something　was　coming！

The　Killer　moved　to　Akut's　side。　　Meriem　was　just　behind　them。　　The　three　stood　like　carved　statues　gazing　into　the　leafy　tangle　of　the　jungle。　　The　noise　that　had　attracted　their　attention　increased；　and　presently　a　great　ape　broke　through　the　underbrush　a　few　paces　from　where　they　stood。　　The　beast　halted　at　sight　of　them。　　He　gave　a　warning　grunt　back　over　his　shoulder；　and　a　moment　later　coming　cautiously　another　bull　appeared。　He　was　followed　by　othersboth　bulls　and　females　with　young；　until　two　score　hairy　monsters　stood　glaring　at　the　three。　　It　was　the　tribe　of　the　dead　king　ape。　　Akut　was　the　first　to　speak。　　He　pointed　to　the　body　of　the　dead　bull。

〃Korak；　mighty　fighter；　has　killed　your　king；〃　he　grunted。　〃There　is　none　greater　in　all　the　jungle　than　Korak；　son　of　Tarzan。　Now　Korak　is　king。　　What　bull　is　greater　than　Korak？〃　　It　was　a　challenge　to　any　bull　who　might　care　to　question　Korak's　right　to　the　kingship。　　The　apes　jabbered　and　chattered　and　growled　among　themselves　for　a　time。　　At　last　a　young　bull　came　slowly　forward　rocking　upon　his　short　legs；　bristling；　growling；　terrible。

The　beast　was　enormous；　and　in　the　full　prime　of　his　strength。　He　belonged　to　that　almost　extinct　species　for　which　white　men　have　long　sought　upon　the　information　of　the　natives　of　the　more　inaccessible　jungles。　　Even　the　natives　seldom　see　these　great；　hairy；　primordial　men。

Korak　advanced　to　meet　the　monster。　　He；　too；　was　growling。　In　his　mind　a　plan　was　revolving。　　To　close　with　this　powerful；　untired　brute　after　having　just　passed　through　a　terrific　battle　with　another　of　his　kind　would　have　been　to　tempt　defeat。　　He　must　find　an　easier　way　to　victory。　　Crouching；　he　prepared　to　meet　the　charge　which　he　knew　would　soon　come；　nor　did　he　have　long　to　wait。　　His　antagonist　paused　only　for　sufficient　time　to　permit　him　to　recount　for　the　edification　of　the　audience　and　the　confounding　of　Korak　a　brief　resume　of　his　former　victories；　of　his　prowess；　and　of　what　he　was　about　to　do　to　this　puny　Tarmangani。　　Then　he　charged。

With　clutching　fingers　and　wide　opened　jaws　he　came　down　upon　the　waiting　Korak　with　the　speed　of　an　express　train。　　Korak　did　not　move　until　the　great　arms　swung　to　embrace　him；　then　he　dropped　low　beneath　them；　swung　a　terrific　right　to　the　side　of　the　beast's　jaw　as　he　side…stepped　his　rushing　body；　and　swinging　quickly　about　stood　ready　over　the　fallen　ape　where　he　sprawled　upon　the　ground。

It　was　a　surprised　anthropoid　that　attempted　to　scramble　to　its　feet。　　Froth　flecked　its　hideous　lips。　　Red　were　the　little　eyes。　Blood　curdling　roars　tumbled　from　the　deep　chest。　　But　it　did　not　reach　its　feet。　　The　Killer　stood　waiting　above　it；　and　the　moment　that　the　hairy　chin　came　upon　the　proper　level　another　blow　that　would　have　felled　an　ox　sent　the　ape　over　backward。

Again　and　again　the　beast　struggled　to　arise；　but　each　time　the　mighty　Tarmangani　stood　waiting　with　ready　fist　and　pile　driver　blow　to　bowl　him　over。　　Weaker　and　weaker　became　the　efforts　of　the　bull。　　Blood　smeared　his　face　and　breast。　　A　red　stream　trickled　from　nose　and　mouth。　　The　crowd　that　had　cheered　him　on　at　first　with　savage　yells；　now　jeered　himtheir　approbation　was　for　the　Tarmangani。

〃Kagoda？〃　inquired　Korak；　as　he　sent　the　bull　down　once　more。

Again　the　stubborn　bull　essayed　to　scramble　to　his　feet。　　Again　The　Killer　struck　him　a　terrific　blow。　　Again　he　put　the　question；　kagodahave　you　had　enough？

For　a　moment　the　bull　lay　motionless。　　Then　from　between　battered　lips　came　the　single　word：　〃Kagoda！〃

〃Then　rise　and　go　back　among　your　people；〃　said　Korak。　　〃I　do　not　wish　to　be　king　among　people　who　once　drove　me　from　them。　　Keep　your　own　ways；　and　we　will　keep　ours。　　When　we　meet　we　may　be　friends；　but　we　shall　not　live　together。〃

An　old　bull　came　slowly　toward　The　Killer。

〃You　have　killed　our　king；〃　he　said。　　〃You　have　defeated　him　who　would　have　been　king。　　You　could　have　killed　him　had　you　wished。　　What　shall　we　do　for　a　king？〃

Korak　turned　toward　Akut。

〃There　is　your　king；〃　he　said。　　But　Akut　did　not　want　to　be　separated　from　Korak；　although　he　was　anxious　enough　to　remain　with　his　own　kind。　　He　wanted　Korak　to　remain；　too。　　He　said　as　much。

The　youth　was　thinking　of　Meriemof　what　would　be　best　and　safest　for　her。　　If　Akut　went　away　with　the　apes　there　would　be　but　one　to　watch　over　and　protect　her。　　On　the　other　hand　were　they　to　join　the　tribe　he　would　never　feel　safe　to　leave　Meriem　behind　when　he　went　out　to　hunt；　for　the　passions　of　the　ape…folk　are　not　ever　well　controlled。　　Even　a　female　might　develop　an　insane　hatred　for　the　slender　white　girl　and　kill　her　during　Korak's　absence。

〃We　will　live　near　you；〃　he　said；　at　last。　　〃When　you　change　your　hunting　ground　we　will　change　ours；　Meriem　and　I；　and　so　remain　near　you；　but　we　shall　not　dwell　among　you。〃

Akut　raised　objections　to　this　plan。　　He　did　not　wish　to　be　separated　from　Korak。　　At　first　he　refused　to　leave　his　human　friend　for　the　companionship　of　his　own　kind；　but　when　he　saw　the　last　of　the　tribe　wandering　off　into　the　jungle　again　and　his　glance　rested　upon　the　lithe　figure　of　the　dead　king's　young　mate　as　she　cast　admiring　glances　at　her　lord's　successor　the　call　of　blood　would　not　be　denied。　　With　a　farewell　glance　toward　his　beloved　Korak　he　turned　and　followed　the　she　ape　into　the　labyrinthine　mazes　of　the　wood。


After　Korak　had　left　the　village　of　the　blacks　following　his　last　thieving　expedition；　the　screams　of　his　victim　and　those　of　the　other　women　and　children　had　brought　the　warriors　in　from　the　forest　and　the　river。　　Great　was　the　excitement　and　hot　was　the　rage　of　the　men　when　they　learned　that　the　white　devil　had　again　entered　their　homes；　frightened　their　women　and　stolen　arrows　and　ornaments　and　food。

Even　their　superstitious　fear　of　this　weird　creature　who　hunted　with　a　huge　bull　ape　was　overcome　in　their　desire　to　wreak　vengeance　upon　him　and　rid　themselves　for　good　and　all　of　the　menace　of　his　presence　in　the　jungle。

And　so　it　was　that　a　score　of　the　fleetest　and　most　doughty　warriors　of　the　tribe　set　out　in　pursuit　of　Korak　and　Akut　but　a　few　minutes　after　they　had　left　the　scene　of　The　Killer's　many　depredations。

The　youth　and　the　ape　had　traveled　slowly　and　with　no　precautions　against　a　successful　pursuit。　　Nor　was　their　attitude　of　careless　indifference　to　the　blacks　at　all　remarkable。　　So　many　similar　raids　had　gone　unpunished　that　the　two　had　come　to　look　upon　the　Negroes　with　contempt。　　The　return　journey　led　them　straight　up　wind。　　The　result　being　that　the　scent　of　their　pursuers　was　borne　away　from　them；　so　they　proceeded　upon　their　way　in　total　ignorance　of　the　fact　that　tireless　trackers　but　little　less　expert　in　the　mysteries　of　woodcraft　than　themselves　were　dogging　their　trail　with　savage　insistence。

The　little　party　of　warriors　was　led　by　Kovudoo；　the　chief；　a　middle…aged　savage　of　exceptional　cunning　and　bravery。　　It　was　he　who　first　came　within　sight　of　the　quarry　which　they　had　followed　for　hours　by　the　mysterious　methods　of　their　almost　uncanny　powers　of　observation；　intuition；　and　even　scent。

Kovudoo　and　his　men　came　upon　Korak；　Akut　and　Meriem　after　the　killing　of　the　king　ape；　the　noise　of　the　combat　having　led　them　at　last　straight　to　their　quarry。　　The　sight　of　the　slender　white　girl　had　amazed　the　savage　chief　and　held　him　gazing　at　the　trio　for　a　moment　before　ordering　his　warriors　to　rush　out　upon　their　prey。　　In　that　moment　it　was　that　the　great　apes　came　and　again　the　blacks　remained　awestruck　witnesses　to　the　palaver；　and　the　battle　between　Korak　and　the　young　bull。

But　now　the　apes　had　gone；　and　the　white　youth　and　the　white　maid　stood　alone　in　the　jungle。　　One　of　Kovudoo's　men　leaned　close　to　the　ear　of　his　chief。　　〃Look！〃　he　whispered；　and　pointed　to　something　that　dangled　at　the　girl's　side。　　〃When　my　brother　and　I　were　slaves　in　the　village　of　The　Sheik　my　brother　made　that　thing　for　The　Sheik's　little　daughtershe　played　with　it　always　and　called　it　after　my　brother；　whose　name　is　Geeka。　Just　before　we　escaped　some　one　came　and　struck　down　The　Sheik；　stealing　his　daughter　away。　　If　this　is　she　The　Sheik　will　pay　you　well　for　her　return。〃

Korak's　arm　had　again　gone　around　the　shoulders　of　Meriem。　Love　raced　hot　through　his　young　veins。　　Civilization　was　but　a　half…remembered　stateLondon　as　remote　as　ancient　Rome。　　In　all　the　world　there　were　but　they　twoKorak；　The　Killer；　and　Meriem；　his　mate。　　Again　he　drew　her　close　to　him　and　covered　her　willing　lips　with　his　hot　kisses。　　And　then　from　behind　him　broke　a　hideous　bedlam　of　savage　war　cries　and　a　score　of　shrieking　blacks　were　upon　them。

Korak　turned　to　give　battle。　　Meriem　with　her　own　light　spear　stood　by　his　side。　　An　avalanche　of　barbed　missiles　flew　about　them。　　One　pierced　Korak's　shoulder；　another　his　leg；　and　he　went　down。

Meriem　was　unscathed　for　the　blacks　had　intentionally　spared　her。　　Now　they　rushed　forward　to　finish　Korak　and　made　good　the　girl's　capture；　but　as　they　came　there　came　also　from　another　point　in　the　jungle　the　great　Akut　and　at　his　heels　the　huge　bulls　of　his　new　kingdom。

Snarling　and　roaring　they　rushed　upon　the　black　warriors　when　they　saw　the　mischief　they　had　already　wrought。　　Kovudoo；　realizing　the　danger　of　coming　to　close　quarters　with　these　mighty　ape…men；　seized　Meriem　and　called　upon　his　warriors　to　retreat。　For　a　time　the　apes　followed　them；　and　several　of　the　blacks　were　badly　mauled　and　one　killed　before　they　succeeded　in　escaping。　　Nor　would　they　have　gotten　off　thus　easily　had　Akut　not　been　more　concerned　wi