tarzan and the jewels of opar-第47章

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his　arms　and　shoulders；　the　veins　stood　out　upon　his

temples　from　the　force　of　his　exertionsa　strand

parted；　another　and　another；　and　one　hand　was　free。

Then　from　the　jungle　came　a　low　guttural；　and　the

ape…man　became　suddenly　a　silent；　rigid　statue；　with　ears

and　nostrils　straining　to　span　the　black　void　where　his

eyesight　could　not　reach。



Again　came　the　uncanny　sound　from　the　thick　verdure

beyond　the　camp。　　A　sentry　halted　abruptly；　straining

his　eyes　into　the　gloom。　　The　kinky　wool　upon　his　head

stiffened　and　raised。　　He　called　to　his　comrade　in　a

hoarse　whisper。



〃Did　you　hear　it？〃　he　asked。



The　other　came　closer；　trembling。



〃Hear　what？〃



Again　was　the　weird　sound　repeated；　followed　almost

immediately　by　a　similar　and　answering　sound　from　the

camp。　　The　sentries　drew　close　together；　watching　the

black　spot　from　which　the　voice　seemed　to　come。



Trees　overhung　the　boma　at　this　point　which　was　upon

the　opposite　side　of　the　camp　from　them。　　They　dared

not　approach。　　Their　terror　even　prevented　them　from

arousing　their　fellowsthey　could　only　stand　in　frozen

fear　and　watch　for　the　fearsome　apparition　they

momentarily　expected　to　see　leap　from　the　jungle。



Nor　had　they　long　to　wait。　　A　dim；　bulky　form　dropped

lightly　from　the　branches　of　a　tree　into　the　camp。　　At

sight　of　it　one　of　the　sentries　recovered　command　of

his　muscles　and　his　voice。　　Screaming　loudly　to　awaken

the　sleeping　camp；　he　leaped　toward　the　flickering

watch　fire　and　threw　a　mass　of　brush　upon　it。



The　white　officer　and　the　black　soldiers　sprang　from

their　blankets。　　The　flames　leaped　high　upon　the

rejuvenated　fire；　lighting　the　entire　camp；　and　the

awakened　men　shrank　back　in　superstitious　terror　from

the　sight　that　met　their　frightened　and　astonished

vision。



A　dozen　huge　and　hairy　forms　loomed　large　beneath　the

trees　at　the　far　side　of　the　enclosure。　　The　white

giant；　one　hand　freed；　had　struggled　to　his　knees　and

was　calling　to　the　frightful；　nocturnal　visitors　in　a

hideous　medley　of　bestial　gutturals；　barkings　and

growlings。



Werper　had　managed　to　sit　up。　　He；　too；　saw　the　savage

faces　of　the　approaching　anthropoids　and　scarcely　knew

whether　to　be　relieved　or　terror…stricken。



Growling；　the　great　apes　leaped　forward　toward　Tarzan

and　Werper。　　Chulk　led　them。　　The　Belgian　officer

called　to　his　men　to　fire　upon　the　intruders；　but　the

Negroes　held　back；　filled　as　they　were　with

superstitious　terror　of　the　hairy　treemen；　and　with　the

conviction　that　the　white　giant　who　could　thus　summon

the　beasts　of　the　jungle　to　his　aid　was　more　than　human。



Drawing　his　own　weapon；　the　officer　fired；　and　Tarzan

fearing　the　effect　of　the　noise　upon　his　really　timid

friends　called　to　them　to　hasten　and　fulfill　his　commands。



A　couple　of　the　apes　turned　and　fled　at　the　sound　of

the　firearm；　but　Chulk　and　a　half　dozen　others　waddled

rapidly　forward；　and；　following　the　ape…man's

directions；　seized　both　him　and　Werper　and　bore　them

off　toward　the　jungle。



By　dint　of　threats；　reproaches　and　profanity　the

Belgian　officer　succeeded　in　persuading　his　trembling

command　to　fire　a　volley　after　the　retreating　apes。　　A

ragged；　straggling　volley　it　was；　but　at　least　one　of

its　bullets　found　a　mark；　for　as　the　jungle　closed

about　the　hairy　rescuers；　Chulk；　who　bore　Werper　across

one　broad　shoulder；　staggered　and　fell。



In　an　instant　he　was　up　again；　but　the　Belgian　guessed

from　his　unsteady　gait　that　he　was　hard　hit。　　He　lagged

far　behind　the　others；　and　it　was　several　minutes　after

they　had　halted　at　Tarzan's　command　before　he　came

slowly　up　to　them；　reeling　from　side　to　side；　and　at

last　falling　again　beneath　the　weight　of　his　burden　and

the　shock　of　his　wound。



As　Chulk　went　down　he　dropped　Werper；　so　that　the

latter　fell　face　downward　with　the　body　of　the　ape

lying　half　across　him。　　In　this　position　the　Belgian

felt　something　resting　against　his　hands；　which　were

still　bound　at　his　backsomething　that　was　not　a　part

of　the　hairy　body　of　the　ape。



Mechanically　the　man's　fingers　felt　of　the　object

resting　almost　in　their　graspit　was　a　soft　pouch；

filled　with　small；　hard　particles。　　Werper　gasped　in

wonderment　as　recognition　filtered　through　the

incredulity　of　his　mind。　　It　was　impossible；　and　yet

it　was　true！



Feverishly　he　strove　to　remove　the　pouch　from　the　ape

and　transfer　it　to　his　own　possession；　but　the

restricted　radius　to　which　his　bonds　held　his　hands

prevented　this；　though　he　did　succeed　in　tucking　the

pouch　with　its　precious　contents　inside　the　waist　band

of　his　trousers。



Tarzan；　sitting　at　a　short　distance；　was　busy　with　the

remaining　knots　of　the　cords　which　bound　him。

Presently　he　flung　aside　the　last　of　them　and　rose　to

his　feet。　　Approaching　Werper　he　knelt　beside　him。　　For

a　moment　he　examined　the　ape。



〃Quite　dead；〃　he　announced。　　〃It　is　too　badhe　was　a

splendid　creature；〃　and　then　he　turned　to　the　work　of

liberating　the　Belgian。



He　freed　his　hands　first；　and　then　commenced　upon　the

knots　at　his　ankles。



〃I　can　do　the　rest；〃　said　the　Belgian。　　〃I　have　a　small

pocketknife　which　they　overlooked　when　they　searched

me；〃　and　in　this　way　he　succeeded　in　ridding　himself　of

the　ape…man's　attentions　that　he　might　find　and　open

his　little　knife　and　cut　the　thong　which　fastened　the

pouch　about　Chulk's　shoulder；　and　transfer　it　from　his

waist　band　to　the　breast　of　his　shirt。　　Then　he　rose

and　approached　Tarzan。



Once　again　had　avarice　claimed　him。　　Forgotten　were　the

good　intentions　which　the　confidence　of　Jane　Clayton　in

his　honor　had　awakened。　　What　she　had　done；　the　little

pouch　had　undone。　　How　it　had　come　upon　the　person　of

the　great　ape；　Werper　could　not　imagine；　unless　it　had

been　that　the　anthropoid　had　witnessed　his　fight　with

Achmet　Zek；　seen　the　Arab　with　the　pouch　and　taken　it

away　from　him；　but　that　this　pouch　contained　the　jewels

of　Opar；　Werper　was　positive；　and　that　was　all　that

interested　him　greatly。



〃Now；〃　said　the　ape…man；　〃keep　your　promise　to　me。

Lead　me　to　the　spot　where　you　last　saw　my　wife。〃



It　was　slow　work　pushing　through　the　jungle　in　the　dead

of　night　behind　the　slow…moving　Belgian。　　The　ape…man

chafed　at　the　delay；　but　the　European　could　not　swing

through　the　trees　as　could　his　more　agile　and　muscular

companions；　and　so　the　speed　of　all　was　limited　to　that

of　the　slowest。



The　apes　trailed　out　behind　the　two　white　men　for　a

matter　of　a　few　miles；　but　presently　their　interest

lagged；　the　foremost　of　them　halted　in　a　little　glade

and　the　others　stopped　at　his　side。　　There　they　sat

peering　from　beneath　their　shaggy　brows　at　the　figures

of　the　two　men　forging　steadily　ahead；　until　the　latter

disappeared　in　the　leafy　trail　beyond　the　clearing。

Then　an　ape　sought　a　comfortable　couch　beneath　a　tree；

and　one　by　one　the　others　followed　his　example；　so　that

Werper　and　Tarzan　continued　their　journey　alone；　nor

was　the　latter　either　surprised　or　concerned。



The　two　had　gone　but　a　short　distance　beyond　the　glade

where　the　apes　had　deserted　them；　when　the　roaring　of

distant　lions　fell　upon　their　ears。　　The　ape…man　paid

no　attention　to　the　familiar　sounds　until　the　crack　of

a　rifle　came　faintly　from　the　same　direction；　and　when

this　was　followed　by　the　shrill　neighing　of　horses；　and

an　almost　continuous　fusillade　of　shots　intermingled

with　increased　and　savage　roaring　of　a　large　troop　of

lions；　he　became　immediately　concerned。



〃Someone　is　having　trouble　over　there；〃　he　said；

turning　toward　Werper。　　〃I'll　have　to　go　to　themthey

may　be　friends。〃



〃Your　wife　might　be　among　them；〃　suggested　the　Belgian；

for　since　he　had　again　come　into　possession　of　the

pouch　he　had　become　fearful　and　suspicious　of　the

ape…man；　and　in　his　mind　had　constantly　revolved　many　plans

for　eluding　this　giant　Englishman；　who　was　at　once　his

savior　and