tarzan the terrible-第32章
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Ta…den and pretended to stab him； immediately turning questioningly toward the stranger。
The latter shook his head vehemently and then first placing a hand above his heart he raised his palm in the symbol of peace。
〃He is a friend of Tarzan…jad…guru；〃 exclaimed Ta…den。
〃Either a friend or a great liar；〃 replied Om…at。
〃Tarzan；〃 continued the stranger； 〃you know him？ He lives？ O God； if I could only speak your language。〃 And again reverting to sign language he sought to ascertain where Tarzan was。 He would pronounce the name and point in different directions； in the cave； down into the gorge； back toward the mountains； or out upon the valley below； and each time he would raise his brows questioningly and voice the universal 〃eh？〃 of interrogation which they could not fail to understand。 But always Om…at shook his head and spread his palms in a gesture which indicated that while he understood the question he was ignorant as to the whereabouts of the ape…man； and then the black chief attempted as best he might to explain to the stranger what he knew of the whereabouts of Tarzan。
He called the newcomer Jar…don； which in the language of Pal…ul…don means 〃stranger；〃 and he pointed to the sun and said as。 This he repeated several times and then he held up one hand with the fingers outspread and touching them one by one； including the thumb； repeated the word adenen until the stranger understood that he meant five。 Again he pointed to the sun and describing an arc with his forefinger starting at the eastern horizon and terminating at the western； he repeated again the words as adenen。 It was plain to the stranger that the words meant that the sun had crossed the heavens five times。 In other words； five days had passed。 Om…at then pointed to the cave where they stood； pronouncing Tarzan's name and imitating a walking man with the first and second fingers of his right hand upon the floor of the recess； sought to show that Tarzan had walked out of the cave and climbed upward on the pegs five days before； but this was as far as the sign language would permit him to go。
This far the stranger followed him and； indicating that he understood he pointed to himself and then indicating the pegs leading above announced that he would follow Tarzan。
〃Let us go with him；〃 said Om…at； 〃for as yet we have not punished the Kor…ul…lul for killing our friend and ally。〃
〃Persuade him to wait until morning；〃 said Ta…den； 〃that you may take with you many warriors and make a great raid upon the Kor…ul…lul； and this time； Om…at； do not kill your prisoners。 Take as many as you can alive and from some of them we may learn the fate of Tarzan…jad…guru。〃
〃Great is the wisdom of the Ho…don；〃 replied Om…at。 〃It shall be as you say； and having made prisoners of all the Kor…ul…lul we shall make them tell us what we wish to know。 And then we shall march them to the rim of Kor…ul…gryf and push them over the edge of the cliff。〃
Ta…den smiled。 He knew that they would not take prisoner all the Kor…ul…lul warriorsthat they would be fortunate if they took one and it was also possible that they might even be driven back in defeat； but he knew too that Om…at would not hesitate to carry out his threat if he had the opportunity； so implacable was the hatred of these neighbors for each other。
It was not difficult to explain Om…at's plan to the stranger or to win his consent since he was aware； when the great black had made it plain that they would be accompanied by many warriors； that their venture would probably lead them into a hostile country and every safeguard that he could employ he was glad to avail himself of； since the furtherance of his quest was the paramount issue。
He slept that night upon a pile of furs in one of the compartments of Om…at's ancestral cave； and early the next day following the morning meal they sallied forth； a hundred savage warriors swarming up the face of the sheer cliff and out upon the summit of the ridge； the main body preceded by two warriors whose duties coincided with those of the point of modern military maneuvers； safeguarding the column against the danger of too sudden contact with the enemy。
Across the ridge they went and down into the Kor…ul…lul and there almost immediately they came upon a lone and unarmed Waz…don who was making his way fearfully up the gorge toward the village of his tribe。 Him they took prisoner which； strangely； only added to his terror since from the moment that he had seen them and realized that escape was impossible； he had expected to be slain immediately。
〃Take him back to Kor…ul…ja；〃 said Om…at； to one of his warriors； 〃and hold him there unharmed until I return。〃
And so the puzzled Kor…ul…lul was led away while the savage company moved stealthily from tree to tree in its closer advance upon the village。 Fortune smiled upon Om…at in that it gave him quickly what he soughta battle royal； for they had not yet come in sight of the caves of the Kor…ul…lul when they encountered a considerable band of warriors headed down the gorge upon some expedition。
Like shadows the Kor…ul…ja melted into the concealment of the foliage upon either side of the trail。 Ignorant of impending danger； safe in the knowledge that they trod their own domain where each rock and stone was as familiar as the features of their mates； the Kor…ul…lul walked innocently into the ambush。 Suddenly the quiet of that seeming peace was shattered by a savage cry and a hurled club felled a Kor…ul…lul。
The cry was a signal for a savage chorus from a hundred Kor…ul…ja throats with which were soon mingled the war cries of their enemies。 The air was filled with flying clubs and then as the two forces mingled； the battle resolved itself into a number of individual encounters as each warrior singled out a foe and closed upon him。 Knives gleamed and flashed in the mottling sunlight that filtered through the foliage of the trees above。 Sleek black coats were streaked with crimson stains。
In the thick of the fight the smooth brown skin of the stranger mingled with the black bodies of friend and foe。 Only his keen eyes and his quick wit had shown him how to differentiate between Kor…ul…lul and Kor…ul…ja since with the single exception of apparel they were identical； but at the first rush of the enemy he had noticed that their loin cloths were not of the leopard…matted hides such as were worn by his allies。
Om…at； after dispatching his first antagonist； glanced at Jar…don。 〃He fights with the ferocity of jato；〃 mused the chief。 〃Powerful indeed must be the tribe from which he and Tarzan…jad…guru come；〃 and then his whole attention was occupied by a new assailant。
The fighters surged to and fro through the forest until those who survived were spent with exhaustion。 All but the stranger who seemed not to know the sense of fatigue。 He fought on when each new antagonist would have gladly quit； and when there were no more Kor…ul…lul who were not engaged； he leaped upon those who stood pantingly facing the exhausted Kor…ul…ja。
And always he carried upon his back the peculiar thing which Om…at had thought was some manner of strange weapon but the purpose of which he could not now account for in view of the fact that Jar…don never used it； and that for the most part it seemed but a nuisance and needless encumbrance since it banged and smashed against its owner as he leaped； catlike； hither and thither in the course of his victorious duels。 The bow and arrows he had tossed aside at the beginning of the fight but the Enfield he would not discard； for where he went he meant that it should go until its mission had been fulfilled。
Presently the Kor…ul…ja； seemingly shamed by the example of Jar…don closed once more with the enemy； but the latter； moved no doubt to terror by the presence of the stranger； a tireless demon who appeared invulnerable to their attacks； lost heart and sought to flee。 And then it was that at Om…at's command his warriors surrounded a half…dozen of the most exhausted and made them prisoners。
It was a tired； bloody； and elated company that returned victorious to the Kor…ul…ja。 Twenty of their number were carried back and six of these were dead men。 It was the most glorious and successful raid th
