the beasts of tarzan-第44章

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he　noted　a　stealthiness　in　their　movements　that　comported

poorly　with　amicable　or　friendly　intentions；　and　then；　just　as

they　two　slunk　within　the　interior；　Gust　caught　a　glimpse　of

the　long　knife　which　Momulla　the　Maori　was　then　carrying

behind　his　back。



The　Swede's　eyes　opened　wide；　and　a　funny　little　sensation

assailed　the　roots　of　his　hairs。　　Also　he　turned　almost　white

beneath　his　tan。　　Quite　precipitately　he　left　the　cook's　tent。　　

He　was　not　one　who　required　a　detailed　exposition　of　intentions

that　were　quite　all　too　obvious。



As　surely　as　though　he　had　heard　them　plotting；　he　knew

that　Kai　Shang　and　Momulla　had　come　to　take　his　life。　　

The　knowledge　that　he　alone　could　navigate　the　Cowrie　had；

up　to　now；　been　sufficient　assurance　of　his　safety；　but　quite

evidently　something　had　occurred　of　which　he　had　no　knowledge

that　would　make　it　quite　worth　the　while　of　his　co…conspirators

to　eliminate　him。



Without　a　pause　Gust　darted　across　the　beach　and　into　the　jungle。　　

He　was　afraid　of　the　jungle；　uncanny　noises　that　were

indeed　frightful　came　forth　from　its　recessesthe　tangled

mazes　of　the　mysterious　country　back　of　the　beach。



But　if　Gust　was　afraid　of　the　jungle　he　was　far　more　afraid

of　Kai　Shang　and　Momulla。　　The　dangers　of　the　jungle　were

more　or　less　problematical；　while　the　danger　that　menaced

him　at　the　hands　of　his　companions　was　a　perfectly　well…

known　quantity；　which　might　be　expressed　in　terms　of　a　few

inches　of　cold　steel；　or　the　coil　of　a　light　rope。　　He　had　seen

Kai　Shang　garrotte　a　man　at　Pai…sha　in　a　dark　alleyway　back

of　Loo　Kotai's　place。　　He　feared　the　rope；　therefore；　more

than　he　did　the　knife　of　the　Maori；　but　he　feared　them　both

too　much　to　remain　within　reach　of　either。　　Therefore　he　chose

the　pitiless　jungle。









Chapter　21





The　Law　of　the　Jungle





In　Tarzan's　camp；　by　dint　of　threats　and　promised　rewards；

the　ape…man　had　finally　succeeded　in　getting　the　hull　of　a

large　skiff　almost　completed。　　Much　of　the　work　he　and

Mugambi　had　done　with　their　own　hands　in　addition　to

furnishing　the　camp　with　meat。



Schneider；　the　mate；　had　been　doing　considerable　grumbling；

and　had　at　last　openly　deserted　the　work　and　gone　off

into　the　jungle　with　Schmidt　to　hunt。　　He　said　that　he　wanted

a　rest；　and　Tarzan；　rather　than　add　to　the　unpleasantness

which　already　made　camp　life　almost　unendurable；　had　permitted

the　two　men　to　depart　without　a　remonstrance。



Upon　the　following　day；　however；　Schneider　affected　a　feeling

of　remorse　for　his　action；　and　set　to　work　with　a　will　upon

the　skiff。　　Schmidt　also　worked　good…naturedly；　and　Lord

Greystoke　congratulated　himself　that　at　last　the　men　had

awakened　to　the　necessity　for　the　labour　which　was　being　asked　of

them　and　to　their　obligations　to　the　balance　of　the　party。



It　was　with　a　feeling　of　greater　relief　than　he　had　experienced

for　many　a　day　that　he　set　out　that　noon　to　hunt　deep　in　the

jungle　for　a　herd　of　small　deer　which　Schneider　reported

that　he　and　Schmidt　had　seen　there　the　day　before。



The　direction　in　which　Schneider　had　reported　seeing　the

deer　was　toward　the　south…west；　and　to　that　point　the　ape…man

swung　easily　through　the　tangled　verdure　of　the　forest。



And　as　he　went　there　approached　from　the　north　a　half…dozen

ill…featured　men　who　went　stealthily　through　the　jungle

as　go　men　bent　upon　the　commission　of　a　wicked　act。



They　thought　that　they　travelled　unseen；　but　behind　them；

almost　from　the　moment　they　quitted　their　own　camp；　a　tall

man　crept　upon　their　trail。　　In　the　man's　eyes　were　hate　and

fear；　and　a　great　curiosity。　　Why　went　Kai　Shang　and　Momulla

and　the　others　thus　stealthily　toward　the　south？　　What　did

they　expect　to　find　there？　　Gust　shook　his　low…browed

head　in　perplexity。　　But　he　would　know。　　He　would　follow

them　and　learn　their　plans；　and　then　if　he　could　thwart　them

he　wouldthat　went　without　question。



At　first　he　had　thought　that　they　searched　for　him；　but

finally　his　better　judgment　assured　him　that　such　could　not

be　the　case；　since　they　had　accomplished　all　they　really

desired　by　chasing　him　out　of　camp。　　Never　would　Kai　Shang

or　Momulla　go　to　such　pains　to　slay　him　or　another　unless　it

would　put　money　into　their　pockets；　and　as　Gust　had　no

money　it　was　evident　that　they　were　searching　for　someone　else。



Presently　the　party　he　trailed　came　to　a　halt。　　Its　members

concealed　themselves　in　the　foliage　bordering　the　game　trail

along　which　they　had　come。　　Gust；　that　he　might　the　better

observe；　clambered　into　the　branches　of　a　tree　to　the　rear　of

them；　being　careful　that　the　leafy　fronds　hid　him　from　the

view　of　his　erstwhile　mates。



He　had　not　long　to　wait　before　he　saw　a　strange　white　man

approach　carefully　along　the　trail　from　the　south。



At　sight　of　the　newcomer　Momulla　and　Kai　Shang　arose

from　their　places　of　concealment　and　greeted　him。　　Gust　could

not　overhear　what　passed　between　them。　　Then　the　man　returned

in　the　direction　from　which　he　had　come。



He　was　Schneider。　　Nearing　his　camp　he　circled　to　the

opposite　side　of　it；　and　presently　came　running　in　breathlessly。　　

Excitedly　he　hastened　to　Mugambi。



〃Quick！〃　he　cried。　　〃Those　apes　of　yours　have　caught　Schmidt

and　will　kill　him　if　we　do　not　hasten　to　his　aid。　　You　alone

can　call　them　off。　　Take　Jones　and　Sullivanyou　may　need

helpand　get　to　him　as　quick　as　you　can。　　Follow　the　game

trail　south　for　about　a　mile。　　I　will　remain　here。　　I　am

too　spent　with　running　to　go　back　with　you；〃　and　the　mate

of　the　Kincaid　threw　himself　upon　the　ground；　panting　as

though　he　was　almost　done　for。



Mugambi　hesitated。　　He　had　been　left　to　guard　the　two　women。　　

He　did　not　know　what　to　do；　and　then　Jane　Clayton；

who　had　heard　Schneider's　story；　added　her　pleas　to

those　of　the　mate。



〃Do　not　delay；〃　she　urged。　　〃We　shall　be　all　right　here。　　

Mr。　Schneider　will　remain　with　us。　　Go；　Mugambi。　　The　poor

fellow　must　be　saved。〃



Schmidt；　who　lay　hidden　in　a　bush　at　the　edge　of　the　camp；　grinned。　　

Mugambi；　heeding　the　commands　of　his　mistress；　though　still　doubtful

of　the　wisdom　of　his　action；　started　off　toward　the　south；　with　Jones

and　Sullivan　at　his　heels。



No　sooner　had　he　disappeared　than　Schmidt　rose　and　darted　north

into　the　jungle；　and　a　few　minutes　later　the　face　of　Kai　Shang

of　Fachan　appeared　at　the　edge　of　the　clearing。　　Schneider　saw

the　Chinaman；　and　motioned　to　him　that　the　coast　was　clear。



Jane　Clayton　and　the　Mosula　woman　were　sitting　at　the

opening　of　the　former's　tent；　their　backs　toward　the

approaching　ruffians。　　The　first　intimation　that　either

had　of　the　presence　of　strangers　in　camp　was　the　sudden

appearance　of　a　half…dozen　ragged　villains　about　them。



〃Come！〃　said　Kai　Shang；　motioning　that　the　two　arise

and　follow　him。



Jane　Clayton　sprang　to　her　feet　and　looked　about　for　Schneider；

only　to　see　him　standing　behind　the　newcomers；　a　grin　upon　his　face。

At　his　side　stood　Schmidt。　　Instantly　she　saw　that　she　had　been　made

the　victim　of　a　plot。



〃What　is　the　meaning　of　this？〃　she　asked；　addressing　the　mate。



〃It　means　that　we　have　found　a　ship　and　that　we　can　now

escape　from　Jungle　Island；〃　replied　the　man。



〃Why　did　you　send　Mugambi　and　the　others　into　the　jungle？〃　she　inquired。



〃They　are　not　coming　with　usonly　you　and　I；　and　the　Mosula　woman。〃



〃Come！〃　repeated　Kai　Shang；　and　seized　Jane　Clayton's　wrist。



One　of　the　Maoris　grasped　the　black　woman　by　the　arm；

and　when　she　would　have　screamed　struck　her　across　the　mouth。



Mugambi　raced　through　the　jungle　toward　the　south。　　Jones　and

Sullivan　trailed　far　behind。　　For　a　mile　he　continued　upon

his　way　to　the　relief　of　Schmidt；　but　no　signs　saw　he　of　the

missing　man　or　of　any　of　the　apes　of　Akut。



At　last　he　halted　and　called　aloud　the　summons　which　he　and

Tarzan　had　used　to　hail　the　great　anthropoids。　　There　was

no　respo