the son of tarzan-第22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！


cerned　with　the　condition　of　the　wounded　Korak　than　with　the　fate　of　the　girl　upon　whom　he　had　always　looked　as　more　or　less　of　an　interloper　and　an　unquestioned　burden。

Korak　lay　bleeding　and　unconscious　when　Akut　reached　his　side。　　The　great　ape　tore　the　heavy　spears　from　his　flesh；　licked　the　wounds　and　then　carried　his　friend　to　the　lofty　shelter　that　Korak　had　constructed　for　Meriem。　　Further　than　this　the　brute　could　do　nothing。　　Nature　must　accomplish　the　rest　unaided　or　Korak　must　die。

He　did　not　die；　however。　　For　days　he　lay　helpless　with　fever；　while　Akut　and　the　apes　hunted　close　by　that　they　might　protect　him　from　such　birds　and　beasts　as　might　reach　his　lofty　retreat。　Occasionally　Akut　brought　him　juicy　fruits　which　helped　to　slake　his　thirst　and　allay　his　fever；　and　little　by　little　his　powerful　constitution　overcame　the　effects　of　the　spear　thrusts。　　The　wounds　healed　and　his　strength　returned。　　All　during　his　rational　moments　as　he　had　lain　upon　the　soft　furs　which　lined　Meriem's　nest　he　had　suffered　more　acutely　from　fears　for　Meriem　than　from　the　pain　of　his　own　wounds。　　For　her　he　must　live。　　For　her　he　must　regain　his　strength　that　he　might　set　out　in　search　of　her。　　What　had　the　blacks　done　to　her？　　Did　she　still　live；　or　had　they　sacrificed　her　to　their　lust　for　torture　and　human　flesh？　Korak　almost　trembled　with　terror　as　the　most　hideous　possibilities　of　the　girl's　fate　suggested　themselves　to　him　out　of　his　knowledge　of　the　customs　of　Kovudoo's　tribe。

The　days　dragged　their　weary　lengths　along；　but　at　last　he　had　sufficiently　regained　his　strength　to　crawl　from　the　shelter　and　make　his　way　unaided　to　the　ground。　　Now　he　lived　more　upon　raw　meat；　for　which　he　was　entirely　dependent　on　Akut's　skill　and　generosity。　　With　the　meat　diet　his　strength　returned　more　rapidly；　and　at　last　he　felt　that　he　was　fit　to　undertake　the　journey　to　the　village　of　the　blacks。



Chapter　12

Two　tall；　bearded　white　men　moved　cautiously　through　the　jungle　from　their　camp　beside　a　wide　river。　　They　were　Carl　Jenssen　and　Sven　Malbihn；　but　little　altered　in　appearance　since　the　day；　years　before；　that　they　and　their　safari　had　been　so　badly　frightened　by　Korak　and　Akut　as　the　former　sought　haven　with　them。

Every　year　had　they　come　into　the　jungle　to　trade　with　the　natives；　or　to　rob　them；　to　hunt　and　trap；　or　to　guide　other　white　men　in　the　land　they　knew　so　well。　　Always　since　their　experience　with　The　Sheik　had　they　operated　at　a　safe　distance　from　his　territory。

Now　they　were　closer　to　his　village　than　they　had　been　for　years；　yet　safe　enough　from　discovery　owing　to　the　uninhabited　nature　of　the　intervening　jungle　and　the　fear　and　enmity　of　Kovudoo's　people　for　The　Sheik；　who；　in　time　past；　had　raided　and　all　but　exterminated　the　tribe。

This　year　they　had　come　to　trap　live　specimens　for　a　European　zoological　garden；　and　today　they　were　approaching　a　trap　which　they　had　set　in　the　hope　of　capturing　a　specimen　of　the　large　baboons　that　frequented　the　neighborhood。　　As　they　approached　the　trap　they　became　aware　from　the　noises　emanating　from　its　vicinity　that　their　efforts　had　been　crowned　with　success。　　The　barking　and　screaming　of　hundreds　of　baboons　could　mean　naught　else　than　that　one　or　more　of　their　number　had　fallen　a　victim　to　the　allurements　of　the　bait。

The　extreme　caution　of　the　two　men　was　prompted　by　former　experiences　with　the　intelligent　and　doglike　creatures　with　which　they　had　to　deal。　　More　than　one　trapper　has　lost　his　life　in　battle　with　enraged　baboons　who　will　hesitate　to　attack　nothing　upon　one　occasion；　while　upon　another　a　single　gun　shot　will　disperse　hundreds　of　them。

Heretofore　the　Swedes　had　always　watched　near…by　their　trap；　for　as　a　rule　only　the　stronger　bulls　are　thus　caught；　since　in　their　greediness　they　prevent　the　weaker　from　approaching　the　covered　bait；　and　when　once　within　the　ordinary　rude　trap　woven　on　the　spot　of　interlaced　branches　they　are　able；　with　the　aid　of　their　friends　upon　the　outside；　to　demolish　their　prison　and　escape。　　But　in　this　instance　the　trappers　had　utilized　a　special　steel　cage　which　could　withstand　all　the　strength　and　cunning　of　a　baboon。　　It　was　only　necessary；　therefore；　to　drive　away　the　herd　which　they　knew　were　surrounding　the　prison　and　wait　for　their　boys　who　were　even　now　following　them　to　the　trap。

As　they　came　within　sight　of　the　spot　they　found　conditions　precisely　as　they　had　expected。　　A　large　male　was　battering　frantically　against　the　steel　wires　of　the　cage　that　held　him　captive。　　Upon　the　outside　several　hundred　other　baboons　were　tearing　and　tugging　in　his　aid；　and　all　were　roaring　and　jabbering　and　barking　at　the　top　of　their　lungs。

But　what　neither　the　Swedes　nor　the　baboons　saw　was　the　half…naked　figure　of　a　youth　hidden　in　the　foliage　of　a　nearby　tree。　　He　had　come　upon　the　scene　at　almost　the　same　instant　as　Jenssen　and　Malbihn；　and　was　watching　the　activities　of　the　baboons　with　every　mark　of　interest。

Korak's　relations　with　the　baboons　had　never　been　over　friendly。　　A　species　of　armed　toleration　had　marked　their　occasional　meetings。　　The　baboons　and　Akut　had　walked　stiff　legged　and　growling　past　one　another；　while　Korak　had　maintained　a　bared　fang　neutrality。　　So　now　he　was　not　greatly　disturbed　by　the　predicament　of　their　king。　　Curiosity　prompted　him　to　tarry　a　moment；　and　in　that　moment　his　quick　eyes　caught　the　unfamiliar　coloration　of　the　clothing　of　the　two　Swedes　behind　a　bush　not　far　from　him。　　Now　he　was　all　alertness。　　Who　were　these　interlopers？　　What　was　their　business　in　the　jungle　of　the　Mangani？　　Korak　slunk　noiselessly　around　them　to　a　point　where　he　might　get　their　scent　as　well　as　a　better　view　of　them；　and　scarce　had　he　done　so　when　he　recognized　themthey　were　the　men　who　had　fired　upon　him　years　before。　　His　eyes　blazed。　　He　could　feel　the　hairs　upon　his　scalp　stiffen　at　the　roots。　　He　watched　them　with　the　intentness　of　a　panther　about　to　spring　upon　its　prey。

He　saw　them　rise　and；　shouting；　attempt　to　frighten　away　the　baboons　as　they　approached　the　cage。　　Then　one　of　them　raised　his　rifle　and　fired　into　the　midst　of　the　surprised　and　angry　herd。　For　an　instant　Korak　thought　that　the　baboons　were　about　to　charge；　but　two　more　shots　from　the　rifles　of　the　white　men　sent　them　scampering　into　the　trees。　　Then　the　two　Europeans　advanced　upon　the　cage。　　Korak　thought　that　they　were　going　to　kill　the　king。　　He　cared　nothing　for　the　king　but　he　cared　less　for　the　two　white　men。　　The　king　had　never　attempted　to　kill　him　the　white　men　had。　　The　king　was　a　denizen　of　his　own　beloved　junglethe　white　men　were　aliens。　　His　loyalty　therefore　was　to　the　baboon　against　the　human。　　He　could　speak　the　language　of　the　baboonit　was　identical　to　that　of　the　great　apes。　　Across　the　clearing　he　saw　the　jabbering　horde　watching。

Raising　his　voice　he　shouted　to　them。　　The　white　men　turned　at　the　sound　of　this　new　factor　behind　them。　　They　thought　it　was　another　baboon　that　had　circled　them；　but　though　they　searched　the　trees　with　their　eyes　they　saw　nothing　of　the　now　silent　figure　hidden　by　the　foliage。　　Again　Korak　shouted。

〃I　am　The　Killer；〃　he　cried。　　〃These　men　are　my　enemies　and　yours。　　I　will　help　you　free　your　king。　　Run　out　upon　the　strangers　when　you　see　me　do　so；　and　together　we　will　drive　them　away　and　free　your　king。〃

And　from　the　baboons　came　a　great　chorus：　　〃We　will　do　what　you　say；　Korak。〃

Dropping　from　his　tree　Korak　ran　toward　the　two　Swedes；　and　at　the　same　instant　three　hundred　baboons　followed　his　example。　　At　sight　of　the　strange　apparition　of　the　half…naked　white　warrior　rushing　upon　them　with　uplifted　spear　Jenssen　and　Malbihn　raised　their　rifles　and　fired　at　Korak；　but　in　the　excitement　both　missed　and　a　moment　later　the　baboons　were　upon　them。　　Now　their　only　hope　of　safety　lay　in　escape；　and　dodging　here　and　there；　fighting　off　the　great　beasts　that　leaped　upon　their　backs；　they　ran　into　the　jungle。　　Even　then　they　would　have　died　but　for　the　coming　of　their　men　whom　they　met　a　couple　of　hundred　yards　from　the　cage。

Once　the　white　men　had　turned　in　flight　Korak　gave　them　no　further　attention；　turning　instead　to　the　imprisoned　baboon。　　The　fastenings　of　the　door　that　had　eluded　the　mental　powers　of　the　baboons；　yielded　their　secret　immediately　to　the　human　intelligence　of　The　Killer；　and　a　moment　later　the　king　baboon　stepped　forth　to　liberty。　　He　wasted　no　breath　in　thanks　to　Korak；　nor　did　the　young　man　expect　thanks。　　He　knew　that　none　of　the　baboons　would　ever　forget　his　service；　though　as　a　matter　of　fact　he　did　not　care　if　they　did。　　What　he　had　done　had　been　prompted　by　a　desire　to　be　revenged　upon　the　two　white　men。　　The　baboons　could　never　be　of　service　to　him。　　Now　they　were　racing　in　the　direction　of　the　battle　that　was　being　waged　between　their　fellows　and　the　followers　of　the　two　Swedes；　and　as　the　din　of　battle　subsided　in　the　distance；　Korak　turned　and　resumed　his　journey　toward　the　village　of　Kovudoo。

On　the　way　he　came　upon　a　herd　of　elephants　standing　in　an　open　forest　glade。　　Here　the　trees　were　too　far　apart　to　permit　Korak　to　travel　through　the　branchesa　trail　he　much　preferred　not　only　because　of　its　freedom　from　dense　underbrush　and　the　wider　field　of　vision　it　gave　him　but　from　pride　in　his　arboreal　ability。　　It　was　exhilarating　to　swing　from　tree　to　tree；　to　test　the　prowess　of　his　mighty　muscles；　to　reap　the　pleasurable　fruits　of　his　hard　won　agility。　　Korak　joyed　in　the　thrills　of　the　highflung　upper　terraces　of　the　great　forest；　where；　unhampered　and　unhindered；　he　might　laugh　down　upon　the　great　brutes　who　must　keep　forever　to　the　darkness　and　the　gloom　of　the　musty　soil。

But　here；　in　this　open　glade　where　Tantor　flapped　his　giant　ears　and　swayed　his　huge　bulk　from　side　to　side；　the　ape…man　must　pass　along　the　surface　of　the　grounda　pygmy　amongst　giants。　　A　great　bull　raised　his　trunk　to　rattle　a　low　warning　as　he　sensed　the　coming　of　an　intruder。　　His　weak　eyes　roved　hither　and　thither　but　it　was　his　keen　scent　and　acute　hearing　which　first　located　the　ape…man。　　The　herd　moved　restlessly；　prepared　for　fight；　for　the　old　bull　had　caught　the　scent　of　man。

〃Peace；　Tantor；〃　called　The　Killer。　　〃It　is　I；　Korak；　Tarmangani。〃

The　bull　lowe