tarzan and the jewels of opar-第29章

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fellows　set　upon　the　purpose　of　their　adventure；　for

the　mind　of　an　ape　lacks　the　power　of　long…sustained

concentration。　　To　set　out　upon　a　long　journey；　with　a

definite　destination　in　view；　is　one　thing；　to　remember

that　purpose　and　keep　it　uppermost　in　one's　mind

continually　is　quite　another。　　There　are　so　many　things

to　distract　one's　attention　along　the　way。



Chulk　was；　at　first；　for　rushing　rapidly　ahead　as

though　the　village　of　the　raiders　lay　but　an　hour's

march　before　them　instead　of　several　days；　but　within　a

few　minutes　a　fallen　tree　attracted　his　attention　with

its　suggestion　of　rich　and　succulent　forage　beneath；

and　when　Tarzan；　missing　him；　returned　in　search；　he

found　Chulk　squatting　beside　the　rotting　bole；　from

beneath　which　he　was　assiduously　engaged　in　digging　out

the　grubs　and　beetles；　whose　kind　form　a　considerable

proportion　of　the　diet　of　the　apes。



Unless　Tarzan　desired　to　fight　there　was　nothing　to

do　but　wait　until　Chulk　had　exhausted　the　storehouse；

and　this　he　did；　only　to　discover　that　Taglat　was　now

missing。　　After　a　considerable　search；　he　found　that

worthy　gentleman　contemplating　the　sufferings　of　an

injured　rodent　he　had　pounced　upon。　　He　would　sit　in

apparent　indifference；　gazing　in　another　direction；

while　the　crippled　creature；　wriggled　slowly　and

painfully　away　from　him；　and　then；　just　as　his　victim

felt　assured　of　escape；　he　would　reach　out　a　giant　palm

and　slam　it　down　upon　the　fugitive。　　Again　and　again　he

repeated　this　operation；　until；　tiring　of　the　sport；　he

ended　the　sufferings　of　his　plaything　by　devouring　it。



Such　were　the　exasperating　causes　of　delay　which

retarded　Tarzan's　return　journey　toward　the　village　of

Achmet　Zek；　but　the　ape…man　was　patient；　for　in　his

mind　was　a　plan　which　necessitated　the　presence　of

Chulk　and　Taglat　when　he　should　have　arrived　at　his

destination。



It　was　not　always　an　easy　thing　to　maintain　in　the

vacillating　minds　of　the　anthropoids　a　sustained

interest　in　their　venture。　　Chulk　was　wearying　of　the

continued　marching　and　the　infrequency　and　short

duration　of　the　rests。　　He　would　gladly　have　abandoned

this　search　for　adventure　had　not　Tarzan　continually

filled　his　mind　with　alluring　pictures　of　the　great

stores　of　food　which　were　to　be　found　in　the　village　of

Tarmangani。



Taglat　nursed　his　secret　purpose　to　better　advantage

than　might　have　been　expected　of　an　ape；　yet　there　were

times　when　he；　too；　would　have　abandoned　the　adventure

had　not　Tarzan　cajoled　him　on。



It　was　mid…afternoon　of　a　sultry；　tropical　day　when　the

keen　senses　of　the　three　warned　them　of　the　proximity

of　the　Arab　camp。　　Stealthily　they　approached；　keeping

to　the　dense　tangle　of　growing　things　which　made

concealment　easy　to　their　uncanny　jungle　craft。



First　came　the　giant　ape…man；　his　smooth；　brown　skin

glistening　with　the　sweat　of　exertion　in　the　close；　hot

confines　of　the　jungle。　　Behind　him　crept　Chulk　and

Taglat；　grotesque　and　shaggy　caricatures　of　their

godlike　leader。



Silently　they　made　their　way　to　the　edge　of　the

clearing　which　surrounded　the　palisade；　and　here　they

clambered　into　the　lower　branches　of　a　large　tree

overlooking　the　village　occupied　by　the　enemy；　the

better　to　spy　upon　his　goings　and　comings。



A　horseman；　white　burnoosed；　rode　out　through　the

gateway　of　the　village。　　Tarzan；　whispering　to　Chulk

and　Taglat　to　remain　where　they　were；　swung；　monkey…like；

through　the　trees　in　the　direction　of　the　trail

the　Arab　was　riding。　　From　one　jungle　giant　to　the　next

he　sped　with　the　rapidity　of　a　squirrel　and　the　silence

of　a　ghost。



The　Arab　rode　slowly　onward；　unconscious　of　the　danger

hovering　in　the　trees　behind　him。　　The　ape…man　made　a

slight　detour　and　increased　his　speed　until　he　had

reached　a　point　upon　the　trail　in　advance　of　the

horseman。　　Here　he　halted　upon　a　leafy　bough　which

overhung　the　narrow；　jungle　trail。　On　came　the　victim；

humming　a　wild　air　of　the　great　desert　land　of　the

north。　　Above　him　poised　the　savage　brute　that　was

today　bent　upon　the　destruction　of　a　human　lifethe

same　creature　who　a　few　months　before；　had　occupied　his

seat　in　the　House　of　Lords　at　London；　a　respected　and

distinguished　member　of　that　august　body。



The　Arab　passed　beneath　the　overhanging　bough；　there

was　a　slight　rustling　of　the　leaves　above；　the　horse

snorted　and　plunged　as　a　brown…skinned　creature　dropped

upon　its　rump。　　A　pair　of　mighty　arms　encircled　the

Arab　and　he　was　dragged　from　his　saddle　to　the　trail。



Ten　minutes　later　the　ape…man；　carrying　the　outer

garments　of　an　Arab　bundled　beneath　an　arm；　rejoined

his　companions。　　He　exhibited　his　trophies　to　them；

explaining　in　low　gutturals　the　details　of　his　exploit。

Chulk　and　Taglat　fingered　the　fabrics；　smelled　of　them；

and；　placing　them　to　their　ears；　tried　to　listen　to　them。



Then　Tarzan　led　them　back　through　the　jungle　to　the

trail；　where　the　three　hid　themselves　and　waited。

Nor　had　they　long　to　wait　before　two　of　Achmet　Zek's

blacks；　clothed　in　habiliments　similar　to　their　master's；

came　down　the　trail　on　foot；　returning　to　the　camp。



One　moment　they　were　laughing　and　talking　togetherthe

next　they　lay　stretched　in　death　upon　the　trail；　three

mighty　engines　of　destruction　bending　over　them。

Tarzan　removed　their　outer　garments　as　he　had　removed

those　of　his　first　victim；　and　again　retired　with　Chulk

and　Taglat　to　the　greater　seclusion　of　the　tree　they

had　first　selected。



Here　the　ape…man　arranged　the　garments　upon　his　shaggy

fellows　and　himself；　until；　at　a　distance；　it　might

have　appeared　that　three　white…robed　Arabs　squatted

silently　among　the　branches　of　the　forest。



Until　dark　they　remained　where　they　were；　for　from　his

point　of　vantage；　Tarzan　could　view　the　enclosure

within　the　palisade。　　He　marked　the　position　of　the　hut

in　which　he　had　first　discovered　the　scent　spoor　of　the

she　he　sought。　　He　saw　the　two　sentries　standing　before

its　doorway；　and　he　located　the　habitation　of　Achmet

Zek；　where　something　told　him　he　would　most　likely　find

the　missing　pouch　and　pebbles。



Chulk　and　Taglat　were；　at　first；　greatly　interested　in

their　wonderful　raiment。　　They　fingered　the　fabric；

smelled　of　it；　and　regarded　each　other　intently　with

every　mark　of　satisfaction　and　pride。　　Chulk；　a

humorist　in　his　way；　stretched　forth　a　long　and　hairy

arm；　and　grasping　the　hood　of　Taglat's　burnoose　pulled

it　down　over　the　latter's　eyes；　extinguishing　him；

snuffer…like；　as　it　were。



The　older　ape；　pessimistic　by　nature；　recognized　no

such　thing　as　humor。　　Creatures　laid　their　paws　upon

him　for　but　two　thingsto　search　for　fleas　and　to

attack。　　The　pulling　of　the　Tarmangani…scented　thing

about　his　head　and　eyes　could　not　be　for　the

performance　of　the　former　act；　therefore　it　must　be　the

latter。　　He　was　attacked！　　Chulk　had　attacked　him。



With　a　snarl　he　was　at　the　other's　throat；　not　even

waiting　to　lift　the　woolen　veil　which　obscured　his

vision。　　Tarzan　leaped　upon　the　two；　and　swaying　and

toppling　upon　their　insecure　perch　the　three　great

beasts　tussled　and　snapped　at　one　another　until　the

ape…man　finally　succeeded　in　separating　the　enraged

anthropoids。



An　apology　is　unknown　to　these　savage　progenitors　of

man；　and　explanation　a　laborious　and　usually　futile

process；　Tarzan　bridged　the　dangerous　gulf　by

distracting　their　attention　from　their　altercation　to　a

consideration　of　their　plans　for　the　immediate　future。

Accustomed　to　frequent　arguments　in　which　more　hair

than　blood　is　wasted；　the　apes　speedily　forget　such

trivial　encounters；　and　presently　Chulk　and　Taglat　were

again　squatting　in　close　proximity　to　each　other　and

peaceful　repose；　awaiting　the　moment　when　the　ape…man

should　lead　them　into　the　village　of　the　Tarmangani。



It　was　long　after　darkness　had　fallen；　that　Tarzan　led

his　companions　from　their　hiding　place　in　the　tree　to

t