adventure-第42章

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Creeping　ahead　and　peering　into　the　clearing　for　a　moment；　Binu　Charley　beckoned　Sheldon　to　come　on　cautiously。　　Joan　crouched　beside　him；　and　together　they　peeped　out。　　The　cleared　space　was　fully　half　an　acre　in　extent　and　carefully　fenced　against　the　wild　pigs。　　Paw…paw　and　banana…trees　were　just　ripening　their　fruit；　while　beneath　grew　sweet　potatoes　and　yams。　　On　one　edge　of　the　clearing　was　a　small　grass　house；　open…sided；　a　mere　rain…shelter。　In　front　of　it；　crouched　on　his　hams　before　a　fire；　was　a　gaunt　and　bearded　bushman。　　The　fire　seemed　to　smoke　excessively；　and　in　the　thick　of　the　smoke　a　round　dark　object　hung　suspended。　　The　bushman　seemed　absorbed　in　contemplation　of　this　object。

Warning　them　not　to　shoot　unless　the　man　was　successfully　escaping；　Sheldon　beckoned　the　Poonga…Poonga　men　forward。　　Joan　smiled　appreciatively　to　Sheldon。　　It　was　head…hunters　against　head…　hunters。　　The　blacks　trod　noiselessly　to　their　stations；　which　were　arranged　so　that　they　could　spring　simultaneously　into　the　open。　Their　faces　were　keen　and　serious；　their　eyes　eloquent　with　the　ecstasy　of　living　that　was　upon　themfor　this　was　living；　this　game　of　life　and　death；　and　to　them　it　was　the　only　game　a　man　should　play；　withal　they　played　it　in　low　and　cowardly　ways；　killing　from　behind　in　the　dim　forest　gloom　and　rarely　coming　out　into　the　open。

Sheldon　whispered　the　word；　and　the　ten　runners　leaped　forwardfor　Binu　Charley　ran　with　them。　　The　bushman's　keen　ears　warned　him；　and　he　sprang　to　his　feet；　bow　and　arrow　in　hand；　the　arrow　fixed　in　the　notch　and　the　bow　bending　as　he　sprang。　　The　man　he　let　drive　at　dodged　the　arrow；　and　before　he　could　shoot　another　his　enemies　were　upon　him。　　He　was　rolled　over　and　over　and　dragged　to　his　feet；　disarmed　and　helpless。

〃Why；　he's　an　ancient　Babylonian！〃　Joan　cried；　regarding　him。　〃He's　an　Assyrian；　a　Phoenician！　　Look　at　that　straight　nose；　that　narrow　face；　those　high　cheek…bonesand　that　slanting；　oval　forehead；　and　the　beard；　and　the　eyes；　too。〃

〃And　the　snaky　locks；〃　Sheldon　laughed。

The　bushman　was　in　mortal　fear；　led　by　all　his　training　to　expect　nothing　less　than　death；　yet　he　did　not　cower　away　from　them。　Instead；　he　returned　their　looks　with　lean　self…sufficiency；　and　finally　centred　his　gaze　upon　Joan；　the　first　white　woman　he　had　ever　seen。

〃My　word；　bush　fella　kai…kai　along　that　fella　boy；〃　Binu　Charley　remarked。

So　stolid　was　his　manner　of　utterance　that　Joan　turned　carelessly　to　see　what　had　attracted　his　attention；　and　found　herself　face　to　face　with　Gogoomy。　　At　least；　it　was　the　head　of　Gogoomythe　dark　object　they　had　seen　hanging　in　the　smoke。　　It　was　freshthe　smoke…curing　had　just　begunand；　save　for　the　closed　eyes；　all　the　sullen　handsomeness　and　animal　virility　of　the　boy；　as　Joan　had　known　it；　was　still　to　be　seen　in　the　monstrous　thing　that　twisted　and　dangled　in　the　eddying　smoke。

Nor　was　Joan's　horror　lessened　by　the　conduct　of　the　Poonga…Poonga　boys。　　On　the　instant　they　recognized　the　head；　and　on　the　instant　rose　their　wild　hearty　laughter　as　they　explained　to　one　another　in　shrill　falsetto　voices。　　Gogoomy's　end　was　a　joke。　　He　had　been　foiled　in　his　attempt　to　escape。　　He　had　played　the　game　and　lost。　And　what　greater　joke　could　there　be　than　that　the　bushmen　should　have　eaten　him？　　It　was　the　funniest　incident　that　had　come　under　their　notice　in　many　a　day。　　And　to　them　there　was　certainly　nothing　unusual　nor　bizarre　in　the　event。　　Gogoomy　had　completed　the　life…cycle　of　the　bushman。　　He　had　taken　heads；　and　now　his　own　head　had　been　taken。　　He　had　eaten　men；　and　now　he　had　been　eaten　by　men。

The　Poonga…Poonga　men's　laughter　died　down；　and　they　regarded　the　spectacle　with　glittering　eyes　and　gluttonous　expressions。　　The　Tahitians；　on　the　other　hand；　were　shocked；　and　Adamu　Adam　was　shaking　his　head　slowly　and　grunting　forth　his　disgust。　　Joan　was　angry。　　Her　face　was　white；　but　in　each　cheek　was　a　vivid　spray　of　red。　　Disgust　had　been　displaced　by　wrath；　and　her　mood　was　clearly　vengeful。

Sheldon　laughed。

〃It's　nothing　to　be　angry　over；〃　he　said。　　〃You　mustn't　forget　that　he　hacked　off　Kwaque's　head；　and　that　he　ate　one　of　his　own　comrades　that　ran　away　with　him。　　Besides；　he　was　born　to　it。　　He　has　but　been　eaten　out　of　the　same　trough　from　which　he　himself　has　eaten。〃

Joan　looked　at　him　with　lips　that　trembled　on　the　verge　of　speech。

〃And　don't　forget；〃　Sheldon　added；　〃that　he　is　the　son　of　a　chief；　and　that　as　sure　as　fate　his　Port　Adams　tribesmen　will　take　a　white　man's　head　in　payment。〃

〃It　is　all　so　ghastly　ridiculous；〃　Joan　finally　said。

〃Anderromantic；〃　he　suggested　slyly。

She　did　not　answer；　and　turned　away；　but　Sheldon　knew　that　the　shaft　had　gone　home。

〃That　fella　boy　he　sick；　belly　belong　him　walk　about；〃　Binu　Charley　said；　pointing　to　the　Poonga…Poonga　man　whose　shoulder　had　been　scratched　by　the　arrow　an　hour　before。

The　boy　was　sitting　down　and　groaning；　his　arms　clasping　his　bent　knees；　his　head　drooped　forward　and　rolling　painfully　back　and　forth。　　For　fear　of　poison；　Sheldon　had　immediately　scarified　the　wound　and　injected　permanganate　of　potash；　but　in　spite　of　the　precaution　the　shoulder　was　swelling　rapidly。

〃We'll　take　him　on　to　where　Tudor　is　lying；〃　Joan　said。　　〃The　walking　will　help　to　keep　up　his　circulation　and　scatter　the　poison。　　Adamu　Adam；　you　take　hold　that　boy。　　Maybe　he　will　want　to　sleep。　　Shake　him　up。　　If　he　sleep　he　die。〃

The　advance　was　more　rapid　now；　for　Binu　Charley　placed　the　captive　bushman　in　front　of　him　and　made　him　clear　the　run…way　of　traps。　Once；　at　a　sharp　turn　where　a　man's　shoulder　would　unavoidably　brush　against　a　screen　of　leaves；　the　bushman　displayed　great　caution　as　he　spread　the　leaves　aside　and　exposed　the　head　of　a　sharp…pointed　spear；　so　set　that　the　casual　passer…by　would　receive　at　the　least　a　nasty　scratch。

〃My　word；〃　said　Binu　Charley；　〃that　fella　spear　allee　same　devil…　devil。〃

He　took　the　spear　and　was　examining　it　when　suddenly　he　made　as　if　to　stick　it　into　the　bushman。　　It　was　a　bit　of　simulated　playfulness；　but　the　bushman　sprang　back　in　evident　fright。　Poisoned　the　weapon　was　beyond　any　doubt；　and　thereafter　Binu　Charley　carried　it　threateningly　at　the　prisoner's　back。

The　sun；　sinking　behind　a　lofty　western　peak；　brought　on　an　early　but　lingering　twilight；　and　the　expedition　plodded　on　through　the　evil　forestthe　place　of　mystery　and　fear；　of　death　swift　and　silent　and　horrible；　of　brutish　appetite　and　degraded　instinct；　of　human　life　that　still　wallowed　in　the　primeval　slime；　of　savagery　degenerate　and　abysmal。　　No　slightest　breezes　blew　in　the　gloomy　silence；　and　the　air　was　stale　and　humid　and　suffocating。　　The　sweat　poured　unceasingly　from　their　bodies；　and　in　their　nostrils　was　the　heavy　smell　of　rotting　vegetation　and　of　black　earth　that　was　a…crawl　with　fecund　life。

They　turned　aside　from　the　run…way　at　a　place　indicated　by　Binu　Charley；　and；　sometimes　crawling　on　hands　and　knees　through　the　damp　black　muck；　at　other　times　creeping　and　climbing　through　the　tangled　undergrowth　a　dozen　feet　from　the　ground；　they　came　to　an　immense　banyan　tree；　half　an　acre　in　extent；　that　made　in　the　innermost　heart　of　the　jungle　a　denser　jungle　of　its　own。　　From　out　of　its　black　depths　came　the　voice　of　a　man　singing　in　a　cracked；　eerie　voice。

〃My　word；　that　big　fella　marster　he　no　die！〃

The　singing　stopped；　and　the　voice；　faint　and　weak；　called　out　a　hello。　　Joan　answered；　and　then　the　voice　explained。

〃I'm　not　wandering。　　I　was　just　singing　to　keep　my　spirits　up。　Have　you　got　anything　to　eat？〃

A　few　minutes　saw　the　rescued　man　lying　among　blankets；　while　fires　were　building；　water　was　being　carried；　Joan's　tent　was　going　up；　and　Lalaperu　was　overhauling　the　packs　and　opening　tins　of　provisions。　　Tudor；　having　pulled　through　the　fever　and　started　to　mend；　was　still　frightfully　weak　and　very　much　starved。　　So　badly　swollen　was　he　from　mosquito…bites　that　his　face　was　unrecognizable；　and　the　acceptance　of　his　identity　was　largely　a　matter　of　faith。　　Joan　had　her　own　ointments　along；　and　she　prefaced　their　application　by　fomenting　his　swollen　features　with　hot　cloths。　　Sheldon；　with　an　eye　to　the　camp　and　the　preparations　for