the beasts of tarzan-第41章

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grow　upward　out　of　the　ocean。　　The　beasts　had　sought　the

shade　of　the　galley；　where　they　were　curled　up　in　sleep。　　

All　was　quiet　and　peace　upon　the　ship；　and　upon　the　waters。



Suddenly；　without　warning；　the　cabin　roof　shot　up　into　the　air；

a　cloud　of　dense　smoke　puffed　far　above　the　Kincaid；

there　was　a　terrific　explosion　which　shook　the　vessel

from　stem　to　stern。



Instantly　pandemonium　broke　loose　upon　the　deck。　　The　apes

of　Akut；　terrified　by　the　sound；　ran　hither　and　thither；

snarling　and　growling。　　Sheeta　leaped　here　and　there；

screaming　out　his　startled　terror　in　hideous　cries　that　sent

the　ice　of　fear　straight　to　the　hearts　of　the　Kincaid's　crew。



Mugambi；　too；　was　trembling。　　Only　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　and

his　wife　retained　their　composure。　　Scarce　had　the　debris

settled　than　the　ape…man　was　among　the　beasts；　quieting　their

fears；　talking　to　them　in　low；　pacific　tones；　stroking　their

shaggy　bodies；　and　assuring　them；　as　only　he　could；　that　the

immediate　danger　was　over。



An　examination　of　the　wreckage　showed　that　their　greatest　danger；

now；　lay　in　fire；　for　the　flames　were　licking　hungrily　at　the

splintered　wood　of　the　wrecked　cabin；　and　had　already　found

a　foothold　upon　the　lower　deck　through　a　great　jagged　hole

which　the　explosion　had　opened。



By　a　miracle　no　member　of　the　ship's　company　had　been　injured

by　the　blast；　the　origin　of　which　remained　for　ever　a　total

mystery　to　all　but　onethe　sailor　who　knew　that　Paulvitch　had

been　aboard　the　Kincaid　and　in　his　cabin　the　previous　night。　　

He　guessed　the　truth；　but　discretion　sealed　his　lips。　　It　would；

doubtless；　fare　none　too　well　for　the　man　who　had　permitted

the　arch　enemy　of　them　all　aboard　the　ship　in　the　watches

of　the　night；　where　later　he　might　set　an　infernal　machine

to　blow　them　all　to　kingdom　come。　　No；　the　man　decided　that

he　would　keep　this　knowledge　to　himself。



As　the　flames　gained　headway　it　became　apparent　to　Tarzan

that　whatever　had　caused　the　explosion　had　scattered

some　highly　inflammable　substance　upon　the　surrounding

woodwork；　for　the　water　which　they　poured　in　from　the　pump

seemed　rather　to　spread　than　to　extinguish　the　blaze。



Fifteen　minutes　after　the　explosion　great；　black　clouds　of

smoke　were　rising　from　the　hold　of　the　doomed　vessel。　　

The　flames　had　reached　the　engine…room；　and　the　ship　no　longer

moved　toward　the　shore。　　Her　fate　was　as　certain　as　though　the

waters　had　already　closed　above　her　charred　and　smoking　remains。



〃It　is　useless　to　remain　aboard　her　longer；〃　remarked　the

ape…man　to　the　mate。　　〃There　is　no　telling　but　there　may　be

other　explosions；　and　as　we　cannot　hope　to　save　her；　the

safest　thing　which　we　can　do　is　to　take　to　the　boats　without

further　loss　of　time　and　make　land。〃



Nor　was　there　other　alternative。　　Only　the　sailors　could

bring　away　any　belongings；　for　the　fire；　which　had　not　yet

reached　the　forecastle；　had　consumed　all　in　the　vicinity　of

the　cabin　which　the　explosion　had　not　destroyed。



Two　boats　were　lowered；　and　as　there　was　no　sea　the　landing

was　made　with　infinite　ease。　　Eager　and　anxious；　the　beasts

of　Tarzan　sniffed　the　familiar　air　of　their　native　island　as

the　small　boats　drew　in　toward　the　beach；　and　scarce　had　their

keels　grated　upon　the　sand　than　Sheeta　and　the　apes　of　Akut

were　over　the　bows　and　racing　swiftly　toward　the　jungle。　　

A　half…sad　smile　curved　the　lips　of　the　ape…man　as　he

watched　them　go。



〃Good…bye；　my　friends；〃　he　murmured。　　〃You　have　been

good　and　faithful　allies；　and　I　shall　miss　you。〃



〃They　will　return；　will　they　not；　dear？〃　asked　Jane　Clayton；　at　his　side。



〃They　may　and　they　may　not；〃　replied　the　ape…man。

〃They　have　been　ill　at　ease　since　they　were　forced　to　accept

so　many　human　beings　into　their　confidence。　　Mugambi　and

I　alone　affected　them　less；　for　he　and　I　are；　at　best；

but　half　human。　　You；　however；　and　the　members　of　the　crew　are

far　too　civilized　for　my　beastsit　is　you　whom　they　are　fleeing。　　

Doubtless　they　feel　that　they　cannot　trust　themselves　in　the

close　vicinity　of　so　much　perfectly　good　food　without　the

danger　that　they　may　help　themselves　to　a　mouthful　some

time　by　mistake。〃



Jane　laughed。　　〃I　think　they　are　just　trying　to　escape　you；〃

she　retorted。　　〃You　are　always　making　them　stop　something

which　they　see　no　reason　why　they　should　not　do。　　Like　little

children　they　are　doubtless　delighted　at　this　opportunity　to

flee　from　the　zone　of　parental　discipline。　　If　they　come　back；

though；　I　hope　they　won't　come　by　night。〃



〃Or　come　hungry；　eh？〃　laughed　Tarzan。



For　two　hours　after　landing　the　little　party　stood　watching　the

burning　ship　which　they　had　abandoned。　　Then　there　came　faintly

to　them　from　across　the　water　the　sound　of　a　second　explosion。　　

The　Kincaid　settled　rapidly　almost　immediatel　thereafter；

and　sank　within　a　few　minutes。



The　cause　of　the　second　explosion　was　less　a　mystery　than

that　of　the　first；　the　mate　attributing　it　to　the　bursting　of　the

boilers　when　the　flames　had　finally　reached　them；　but　what

had　caused　the　first　explosion　was　a　subject　of　considerable

speculation　among　the　stranded　company。









Chapter　20





Jungle　Island　Again





The　first　consideration　of　the　party　was　to　locate　fresh

water　and　make　camp；　for　all　knew　that　their　term　of

existence　upon　Jungle　Island　might　be　drawn　out　to　months；

or　even　years。



Tarzan　knew　the　nearest　water；　and　to　this　he　immediately

led　the　party。　　Here　the　men　fell　to　work　to　construct　shelters

and　rude　furniture　while　Tarzan　went　into　the　jungle　after

meat；　leaving　the　faithful　Mugambi　and　the　Mosula　woman

to　guard　Jane；　whose　safety　he　would　never　trust　to　any

member　of　the　Kincaid's　cut…throat　crew。



Lady　Greystoke　suffered　far　greater　anguish　than　any　other

of　the　castaways；　for　the　blow　to　her　hopes　and　her　already

cruelly　lacerated　mother…heart　lay　not　in　her　own　privations

but　in　the　knowledge　that　she　might　now　never　be　able　to

learn　the　fate　of　her　first…born　or　do　aught　to　discover　his

whereabouts；　or　ameliorate　his　conditiona　condition　which

imagination　naturally　pictured　in　the　most　frightful　forms。



For　two　weeks　the　party　divided　the　time　amongst　the

various　duties　which　had　been　allotted　to　each。　　A　daylight

watch　was　maintained　from　sunrise　to　sunset　upon　a　bluff

near　the　campa　jutting　shoulder　of　rock　which　overlooked

the　sea。　　Here；　ready　for　instant　lighting；　was　gathered　a　huge

pile　of　dry　branches；　while　from　a　lofty　pole　which　they　had

set　in　the　ground　there　floated　an　improvised　distress　signal

fashioned　from　a　red　undershirt　which　belonged　to　the　mate

of　the　Kincaid。



But　never　a　speck　upon　the　horizon　that　might　be　sail　or

smoke　rewarded　the　tired　eyes　that　in　their　endless；　hopeless

vigil　strained　daily　out　across　the　vast　expanse　of　ocean。



It　was　Tarzan　who　suggested；　finally；　that　they　attempt　to

construct　a　vessel　that　would　bear　them　back　to　the　mainland。　　

He　alone　could　show　them　how　to　fashion　rude　tools；　and

when　the　idea　had　taken　root　in　the　minds　of　the　men　they

were　eager　to　commence　their　labours。



But　as　time　went　on　and　the　Herculean　nature　of　their　task

became　more　and　more　apparent　they　fell　to　grumbling；　and

to　quarrelling　among　themselves；　so　that　to　the　other　dangers

were　now　added　dissension　and　suspicion。



More　than　before　did　Tarzan　now　fear　to　leave　Jane　among

the　half　brutes　of　the　Kincaid's　crew；　but　hunting　he　must

do；　for　none　other　could　so　surely　go　forth　and　return　with

meat　as　he。　　Sometimes　Mugambi　spelled　him　at　the　hunting；

but　the　black's　spear　and　arrows　were　never　so　sure　of　results

as　the　rope　and　knife　of　the　ape…man。



Finally　the　men　shirked　their　work；　going　off　into　the

jungle　by　twos　to　explore　and　to　hunt。　　All　this　time　the　camp

had　had　no　sight　of　Sheeta；　or　Akut　and　the　other　great　apes；

though　Tarzan　had　sometimes　met　them　in　the　jungle　as