the beasts of tarzan-µÚ35ÕÂ
°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡û »ò ¡ú ¿É¿ìËÙÉÏÏ·ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉ쵀 Enter ¼ü¿É»Øµ½±¾ÊéĿ¼ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡ü ¿É»Øµ½±¾Ò³¶¥²¿£¡
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªÎ´ÔĶÁÍꣿ¼ÓÈëÊéÇ©ÒѱãÏ´μÌÐøÔĶÁ£¡
Rokoff¡¡upon¡¡one¡¡bank¡¡and¡¡Mugambi¡¡and¡¡the¡¡horde¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡other¡£¡¡¡¡
The¡¡cries¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Russian¡¡had¡¡brought¡¡the¡¡dugout¡¡first¡¡to¡¡him£»
and¡¡then£»¡¡after¡¡a¡¡conference£»¡¡it¡¡had¡¡been¡¡turned¡¡toward¡¡the
Kincaid£»¡¡but¡¡before¡¡ever¡¡it¡¡covered¡¡half¡¡the¡¡distance¡¡between
the¡¡shore¡¡and¡¡the¡¡steamer¡¡a¡¡rifle¡¡had¡¡spoken¡¡from¡¡the¡¡latter's
deck¡¡and¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡sailors¡¡in¡¡the¡¡bow¡¡of¡¡the¡¡canoe¡¡had¡¡crumpled
and¡¡fallen¡¡into¡¡the¡¡water¡£
After¡¡that¡¡they¡¡went¡¡more¡¡slowly£»¡¡and¡¡presently£»¡¡when¡¡Jane's¡¡rifle
had¡¡found¡¡another¡¡member¡¡of¡¡the¡¡party£»¡¡the¡¡canoe¡¡withdrew¡¡to¡¡the¡¡shore£»
where¡¡it¡¡lay¡¡as¡¡long¡¡as¡¡daylight¡¡lasted¡£
The¡¡savage£»¡¡snarling¡¡pack¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡opposite¡¡shore¡¡had¡¡been
directed¡¡in¡¡their¡¡pursuit¡¡by¡¡the¡¡black¡¡warrior£»¡¡Mugambi£»
chief¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Wagambi¡£¡¡¡¡Only¡¡he¡¡knew¡¡which¡¡might¡¡be¡¡foe¡¡and
which¡¡friend¡¡of¡¡their¡¡lost¡¡master¡£
Could¡¡they¡¡have¡¡reached¡¡either¡¡the¡¡canoe¡¡or¡¡the¡¡Kincaid
they¡¡would¡¡have¡¡made¡¡short¡¡work¡¡of¡¡any¡¡whom¡¡they¡¡found
there£»¡¡but¡¡the¡¡gulf¡¡of¡¡black¡¡water¡¡intervening¡¡shut¡¡them¡¡off
from¡¡farther¡¡advance¡¡as¡¡effectually¡¡as¡¡though¡¡it¡¡had¡¡been¡¡the
broad¡¡ocean¡¡that¡¡separated¡¡them¡¡from¡¡their¡¡prey¡£
Mugambi¡¡knew¡¡something¡¡of¡¡the¡¡occurrences¡¡which¡¡had¡¡led¡¡up¡¡to
the¡¡landing¡¡of¡¡Tarzan¡¡upon¡¡Jungle¡¡Island¡¡and¡¡the¡¡pursuit¡¡of
the¡¡whites¡¡up¡¡the¡¡Ugambi¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡knew¡¡that¡¡his¡¡savage¡¡master
sought¡¡his¡¡wife¡¡and¡¡child¡¡who¡¡had¡¡been¡¡stolen¡¡by¡¡the¡¡wicked
white¡¡man¡¡whom¡¡they¡¡had¡¡followed¡¡far¡¡into¡¡the¡¡interior¡¡and
now¡¡back¡¡to¡¡the¡¡sea¡£
He¡¡believed¡¡also¡¡that¡¡this¡¡same¡¡man¡¡had¡¡killed¡¡the¡¡great
white¡¡giant¡¡whom¡¡he¡¡had¡¡come¡¡to¡¡respect¡¡and¡¡love¡¡as¡¡he¡¡had
never¡¡loved¡¡the¡¡greatest¡¡chiefs¡¡of¡¡his¡¡own¡¡people¡£¡¡¡¡And¡¡so¡¡in
the¡¡wild¡¡breast¡¡of¡¡Mugambi¡¡burned¡¡an¡¡iron¡¡resolve¡¡to¡¡win¡¡to
the¡¡side¡¡of¡¡the¡¡wicked¡¡one¡¡and¡¡wreak¡¡vengeance¡¡upon¡¡him
for¡¡the¡¡murder¡¡of¡¡the¡¡ape¡man¡£
But¡¡when¡¡he¡¡saw¡¡the¡¡canoe¡¡come¡¡down¡¡the¡¡river¡¡and¡¡take¡¡in¡¡Rokoff£»
when¡¡he¡¡saw¡¡it¡¡make¡¡for¡¡the¡¡Kincaid£»¡¡he¡¡realized¡¡that¡¡only¡¡by
possessing¡¡himself¡¡of¡¡a¡¡canoe¡¡could¡¡he¡¡hope¡¡to¡¡transport¡¡the¡¡beasts
of¡¡the¡¡pack¡¡within¡¡striking¡¡distance¡¡of¡¡the¡¡enemy¡£
So¡¡it¡¡happened¡¡that¡¡even¡¡before¡¡Jane¡¡Clayton¡¡fired¡¡the¡¡first¡¡shot¡¡into
Rokoff's¡¡canoe¡¡the¡¡beasts¡¡of¡¡Tarzan¡¡had¡¡disappeared¡¡into¡¡the¡¡jungle¡£
After¡¡the¡¡Russian¡¡and¡¡his¡¡party£»¡¡which¡¡consisted¡¡of¡¡Paulvitch
and¡¡the¡¡several¡¡men¡¡he¡¡had¡¡left¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡Kincaid¡¡to¡¡attend
to¡¡the¡¡matter¡¡of¡¡coaling£»¡¡had¡¡retreated¡¡before¡¡her¡¡fire£»
Jane¡¡realized¡¡that¡¡it¡¡would¡¡be¡¡but¡¡a¡¡temporary¡¡respite¡¡from
their¡¡attentions¡¡which¡¡she¡¡had¡¡gained£»¡¡and¡¡with¡¡the¡¡conviction
came¡¡a¡¡determination¡¡to¡¡make¡¡a¡¡bold¡¡and¡¡final¡¡stroke¡¡for
freedom¡¡from¡¡the¡¡menacing¡¡threat¡¡of¡¡Rokoff's¡¡evil¡¡purpose¡£
With¡¡this¡¡idea¡¡in¡¡view¡¡she¡¡opened¡¡negotiations¡¡with¡¡the¡¡two
sailors¡¡she¡¡had¡¡imprisoned¡¡in¡¡the¡¡forecastle£»¡¡and¡¡having
forced¡¡their¡¡consent¡¡to¡¡her¡¡plans£»¡¡upon¡¡pain¡¡of¡¡death¡¡should
they¡¡attempt¡¡disloyalty£»¡¡she¡¡released¡¡them¡¡just¡¡as¡¡darkness
closed¡¡about¡¡the¡¡ship¡£
With¡¡ready¡¡revolver¡¡to¡¡compel¡¡obedience£»¡¡she¡¡let¡¡them¡¡up
one¡¡by¡¡one£»¡¡searching¡¡them¡¡carefully¡¡for¡¡concealed¡¡weapons
as¡¡they¡¡stood¡¡with¡¡hands¡¡elevated¡¡above¡¡their¡¡heads¡£¡¡¡¡Once
satisfied¡¡that¡¡they¡¡were¡¡unarmed£»¡¡she¡¡set¡¡them¡¡to¡¡work¡¡cutting
the¡¡cable¡¡which¡¡held¡¡the¡¡Kincaid¡¡to¡¡her¡¡anchorage£»¡¡for¡¡her¡¡bold
plan¡¡was¡¡nothing¡¡less¡¡than¡¡to¡¡set¡¡the¡¡steamer¡¡adrift¡¡and¡¡float
with¡¡her¡¡out¡¡into¡¡the¡¡open¡¡sea£»¡¡there¡¡to¡¡trust¡¡to¡¡the¡¡mercy
of¡¡the¡¡elements£»¡¡which¡¡she¡¡was¡¡confident¡¡would¡¡be¡¡no¡¡more
merciless¡¡than¡¡Nikolas¡¡Rokoff¡¡should¡¡he¡¡again¡¡capture¡¡her¡£
There¡¡was£»¡¡too£»¡¡the¡¡chance¡¡that¡¡the¡¡Kincaid¡¡might¡¡be¡¡sighted
by¡¡some¡¡passing¡¡ship£»¡¡and¡¡as¡¡she¡¡was¡¡well¡¡stocked¡¡with
provisions¡¡and¡¡waterthe¡¡men¡¡had¡¡assured¡¡her¡¡of¡¡this¡¡fact
and¡¡as¡¡the¡¡season¡¡of¡¡storm¡¡was¡¡well¡¡over£»¡¡she¡¡had¡¡every
reason¡¡to¡¡hope¡¡for¡¡the¡¡eventual¡¡success¡¡of¡¡her¡¡plan¡£
The¡¡night¡¡was¡¡deeply¡¡overcast£»¡¡heavy¡¡clouds¡¡riding
low¡¡above¡¡the¡¡jungle¡¡and¡¡the¡¡wateronly¡¡to¡¡the¡¡west£»
where¡¡the¡¡broad¡¡ocean¡¡spread¡¡beyond¡¡the¡¡river's¡¡mouth£»
was¡¡there¡¡a¡¡suggestion¡¡of¡¡lessening¡¡gloom¡£
It¡¡was¡¡a¡¡perfect¡¡night¡¡for¡¡the¡¡purposes¡¡of¡¡the¡¡work¡¡in¡¡hand¡£
Her¡¡enemies¡¡could¡¡not¡¡see¡¡the¡¡activity¡¡aboard¡¡the¡¡ship¡¡nor
mark¡¡her¡¡course¡¡as¡¡the¡¡swift¡¡current¡¡bore¡¡her¡¡outward¡¡into
the¡¡ocean¡£¡¡¡¡Before¡¡daylight¡¡broke¡¡the¡¡ebb¡tide¡¡would¡¡have
carried¡¡the¡¡Kincaid¡¡well¡¡into¡¡the¡¡Benguela¡¡current¡¡which
flows¡¡northward¡¡along¡¡the¡¡coast¡¡of¡¡Africa£»¡¡and£»¡¡as¡¡a¡¡south
wind¡¡was¡¡prevailing£»¡¡Jane¡¡hoped¡¡to¡¡be¡¡out¡¡of¡¡sight¡¡of¡¡the
mouth¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Ugambi¡¡before¡¡Rokoff¡¡could¡¡become¡¡aware¡¡of
the¡¡departure¡¡of¡¡the¡¡steamer¡£
Standing¡¡over¡¡the¡¡labouring¡¡seamen£»¡¡the¡¡young¡¡woman
breathed¡¡a¡¡sigh¡¡of¡¡relief¡¡as¡¡the¡¡last¡¡strand¡¡of¡¡the¡¡cable¡¡parted
and¡¡she¡¡knew¡¡that¡¡the¡¡vessel¡¡was¡¡on¡¡its¡¡way¡¡out¡¡of¡¡the¡¡maw
of¡¡the¡¡savage¡¡Ugambi¡£
With¡¡her¡¡two¡¡prisoners¡¡still¡¡beneath¡¡the¡¡coercing¡¡influence
of¡¡her¡¡rifle£»¡¡she¡¡ordered¡¡them¡¡upon¡¡deck¡¡with¡¡the¡¡intention
of¡¡again¡¡imprisoning¡¡them¡¡in¡¡the¡¡forecastle£»¡¡but¡¡at¡¡length¡¡she
permitted¡¡herself¡¡to¡¡be¡¡influenced¡¡by¡¡their¡¡promises¡¡of¡¡loyalty
and¡¡the¡¡arguments¡¡which¡¡they¡¡put¡¡forth¡¡that¡¡they¡¡could¡¡be¡¡of
service¡¡to¡¡her£»¡¡and¡¡permitted¡¡them¡¡to¡¡remain¡¡above¡£
For¡¡a¡¡few¡¡minutes¡¡the¡¡Kincaid¡¡drifted¡¡rapidly¡¡with¡¡the¡¡current£»
and¡¡then£»¡¡with¡¡a¡¡grinding¡¡jar£»¡¡she¡¡stopped¡¡in¡¡midstream¡£¡¡¡¡
The¡¡ship¡¡had¡¡run¡¡upon¡¡a¡¡low¡lying¡¡bar¡¡that¡¡splits¡¡the¡¡channel
about¡¡a¡¡quarter¡¡of¡¡a¡¡mile¡¡from¡¡the¡¡sea¡£
For¡¡a¡¡moment¡¡she¡¡hung¡¡there£»¡¡and¡¡then£»¡¡swinging¡¡round¡¡until
her¡¡bow¡¡pointed¡¡toward¡¡the¡¡shore£»¡¡she¡¡broke¡¡adrift¡¡once¡¡more¡£
At¡¡the¡¡same¡¡instant£»¡¡just¡¡as¡¡Jane¡¡Clayton¡¡was¡¡congratulating
herself¡¡that¡¡the¡¡ship¡¡was¡¡once¡¡more¡¡free£»¡¡there¡¡fell¡¡upon
her¡¡ears¡¡from¡¡a¡¡point¡¡up¡¡the¡¡river¡¡about¡¡where¡¡the¡¡Kincaid
had¡¡been¡¡anchored¡¡the¡¡rattle¡¡of¡¡musketry¡¡and¡¡a¡¡woman's
screamshrill£»¡¡piercing£»¡¡fear¡laden¡£
The¡¡sailors¡¡heard¡¡the¡¡shots¡¡with¡¡certain¡¡conviction¡¡that
they¡¡announced¡¡the¡¡coming¡¡of¡¡their¡¡employer£»¡¡and¡¡as¡¡they
had¡¡no¡¡relish¡¡for¡¡the¡¡plan¡¡that¡¡would¡¡consign¡¡them¡¡to¡¡the
deck¡¡of¡¡a¡¡drifting¡¡derelict£»¡¡they¡¡whispered¡¡together¡¡a¡¡hurried
plan¡¡to¡¡overcome¡¡the¡¡young¡¡woman¡¡and¡¡hail¡¡Rokoff¡¡and¡¡their
companions¡¡to¡¡their¡¡rescue¡£
It¡¡seemed¡¡that¡¡fate¡¡would¡¡play¡¡into¡¡their¡¡hands£»¡¡for¡¡with
the¡¡reports¡¡of¡¡the¡¡guns¡¡Jane¡¡Clayton's¡¡attention¡¡had¡¡been
distracted¡¡from¡¡her¡¡unwilling¡¡assistants£»¡¡and¡¡instead¡¡of
keeping¡¡one¡¡eye¡¡upon¡¡them¡¡as¡¡she¡¡had¡¡intended¡¡doing£»¡¡she¡¡ran
to¡¡the¡¡bow¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Kincaid¡¡to¡¡peer¡¡through¡¡the¡¡darkness¡¡toward
the¡¡source¡¡of¡¡the¡¡disturbance¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡river's¡¡bosom¡£
Seeing¡¡that¡¡she¡¡was¡¡off¡¡her¡¡guard£»¡¡the¡¡two¡¡sailors¡¡crept
stealthily¡¡upon¡¡her¡¡from¡¡behind¡£
The¡¡scraping¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡deck¡¡of¡¡the¡¡shoes¡¡of¡¡one¡¡of¡¡them
startled¡¡the¡¡girl¡¡to¡¡a¡¡sudden¡¡appreciation¡¡of¡¡her¡¡danger£»
but¡¡the¡¡warning¡¡had¡¡come¡¡too¡¡late¡£
As¡¡she¡¡turned£»¡¡both¡¡men¡¡leaped¡¡upon¡¡her¡¡and¡¡bore¡¡her
to¡¡the¡¡deck£»¡¡and¡¡as¡¡she¡¡went¡¡down¡¡beneath¡¡them¡¡she¡¡saw£»
outlined¡¡against¡¡the¡¡lesser¡¡gloom¡¡of¡¡the¡¡ocean£»¡¡the¡¡figure¡¡of
another¡¡man¡¡clamber¡¡over¡¡the¡¡side¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Kincaid¡£
After¡¡all¡¡her¡¡pains¡¡her¡¡heroic¡¡struggle¡¡for¡¡freedom¡¡had¡¡failed¡£¡¡¡¡
With¡¡a¡¡stifled¡¡sob¡¡she¡¡gave¡¡up¡¡the¡¡unequal¡¡battle¡£
Chapter¡¡17
On¡¡the¡¡Deck¡¡of¡¡the¡¡¡¨Kincaid¡¨
When¡¡Mugambi¡¡had¡¡turned¡¡back¡¡into¡¡the¡¡jungle¡¡with¡¡the¡¡pack
he¡¡had¡¡a¡¡definite¡¡purpose¡¡in¡¡view¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡was¡¡to¡¡obtain¡¡a
dugout¡¡wherewith¡¡to¡¡transport¡¡the¡¡beasts¡¡of¡¡Tarzan¡¡to¡¡the
side¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Kincaid¡£¡¡¡¡Nor¡¡was¡¡he¡¡long¡¡in¡¡coming¡¡upon¡¡the
object¡¡which¡¡he¡¡sought¡£
Just¡¡at¡¡dusk¡¡he¡¡found¡¡a¡¡canoe¡¡moored¡¡to¡¡the¡¡bank¡¡of¡¡a
small¡¡tributary¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Ugambi¡¡at¡¡a¡¡point¡¡where¡¡he¡¡had
felt¡¡certain¡¡that¡¡he¡¡should¡¡find¡¡one¡£
Without¡¡loss¡¡of¡¡time¡¡he¡¡piled¡¡his¡¡hideous¡¡fellows¡¡into¡¡the
craft¡¡and¡¡shoved¡¡out¡¡into¡¡the¡¡stream¡£¡¡¡¡So¡¡quickly¡¡had¡¡they
taken¡¡possession¡¡of¡¡the¡¡canoe¡¡that¡¡the¡¡warrior¡¡had¡¡not¡¡noticed
that¡¡it¡¡was¡¡already¡¡occupied¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡huddled¡¡figure¡¡sleeping¡¡in
the¡¡bottom¡¡had¡¡entirely¡¡escaped¡¡his¡¡observation¡¡in¡¡the¡¡darkness
of¡¡the¡¡night¡¡that¡¡had¡¡now¡¡fallen¡£
But¡¡no¡¡sooner¡¡were¡¡they¡¡afloat¡¡than¡¡a¡¡savage¡¡growling
from¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡apes¡¡directly¡¡ahead¡¡of¡¡him¡¡in¡¡the¡¡dugout
attracted¡¡his¡¡attention¡¡to¡¡a¡¡shivering¡¡and¡¡cowering¡¡figure
that¡¡trembled¡¡between¡¡him¡¡and¡¡the¡¡great¡¡anthropo