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第39章

the return of tarzan-第39章

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fully as much as they feared Numa; the lion; but with a fear

with which was mixed a certain uncanny awe of the manlike

thing to which they attributed supernatural powers。



But when Tarzan lowered his raised head and smiled upon

them they were reassured; though they did not understand。

Nor did they ever fully understand this strange creature

who ran through the trees as quickly as Manu; yet was even

more at home upon the ground than themselves; who was

except as to color like unto themselves; yet as powerful

as ten of them; and singlehanded a match for the fiercest

denizens of the fierce jungle。



When the remainder of the warriors had gathered; the

hunt was again taken up and the stalking of the retreating

herd once more begun; but they had covered a bare hundred

yards when from behind them; at a great distance;

sounded faintly a strange popping。



For an instant they stood like a group of statuary;

intently listening。  Then Tarzan spoke。



〃Guns!〃 he said。  〃The village is being attacked。〃



〃Come!〃 cried Waziri。  〃The Arab raiders have returned

with their cannibal slaves for our ivory and our women!〃







Chapter 16





The Ivory Raiders





Waziri's warriors marched at a rapid trot through the

jungle in the direction of the village。  For a few minutes;

the sharp cracking of guns ahead warned them to haste;

but finally the reports dwindled to an occasional shot;

presently ceasing altogether。  Nor was this less ominous

than the rattle of musketry; for it suggested but a single

solution to the little band of rescuersthat the illy

garrisoned village had already succumbed to the onslaught

of a superior force。



The returning hunters had covered a little more than

three miles of the five that had separated them from the

village when they met the first of the fugitives who had

escaped the bullets and clutches of the foe。  There were a

dozen women; youths; and girls in the party; and so excited

were they that they could scarce make themselves understood

as they tried to relate to Waziri the calamity that had

befallen his people。



〃They are as many as the leaves of the forest;〃 cried one

of the women; in attempting to explain the enemy's force。

〃There are many Arabs and countless Manyuema; and they

all have guns。  They crept close to the village before we

knew that they were about; and then; with many shouts;

they rushed in upon us; shooting down men; and women;

and children。  Those of us who could fled in all directions

into the jungle; but more were killed。  I do not know whether

they took any prisoners or notthey seemed only bent

upon killing us all。  The Manyuema called us many names;

saying that they would eat us all before they left our

countrythat this was our punishment for killing their

friends last year。  I did not hear much; for I ran away quickly。〃



The march toward the village was now resumed; more

slowly and with greater stealth; for Waziri knew that it was

too late to rescuetheir only mission could be one of revenge。

Inside the next mile a hundred more fugitives were met。

There were many men among these; and so the fighting

strength of the party was augmented。



Now a dozen warriors were sent creeping ahead to reconnoiter。

Waziri remained with the main body; which advanced in a thin

line that spread in a great crescent through the forest。

By the chief's side walked Tarzan。



Presently one of the scouts returned。  He had come within

sight of the village。



〃They are all within the palisade;〃 he whispered。



〃Good!〃 said Waziri。  〃We shall rush in upon them and

slay them all;〃 and he made ready to send word along the

line that they were to halt at the edge of the clearing until

they saw him rush toward the villagethen all were to follow。



〃Wait!〃 cautioned Tarzan。  〃If there are even fifty guns

within the palisade we shall be repulsed and slaughtered。

Let me go alone through the trees; so that I may look down

upon them from above; and see just how many there be; and

what chance we might have were we to charge。  It were foolish

to lose a single man needlessly if there be no hope of success。

I have an idea that we can accomplish more by cunning than

by force。  Will you wait; Waziri?〃



〃Yes;〃 said the old chief。  〃Go!〃



So Tarzan sprang into the trees and disappeared in the

direction of the village。  He moved more cautiously than was

his wont; for he knew that men with guns could reach him

quite as easily in the treetops as on the ground。  And when

Tarzan of the Apes elected to adopt stealth; no creature in

all the jungle could move so silently or so completely efface

himself from the sight of an enemy。



In five minutes he had wormed his way to the great tree

that overhung the palisade at one end of the village; and

from his point of vantage looked down upon the savage

horde beneath。  He counted fifty Arabs and estimated that

there were five times as many Manyuema。  The latter were

gorging themselves upon food and; under the very noses of

their white masters; preparing the gruesome feast which is the

PIECE DE RESISTANCE that follows a victory in which the

bodies of their slain enemies fall into their horrid hands。



The ape…man saw that to charge that wild horde; armed

as they were with guns; and barricaded behind the locked

gates of the village; would be a futile task; and so he

returned to Waziri and advised him to wait; that he; Tarzan;

had a better plan。



But a moment before one of the fugitives had related to

Waziri the story of the atrocious murder of the old chief's

wife; and so crazed with rage was the old man that he cast

discretion to the winds。  Calling his warriors about him; he

commanded them to charge; and; with brandishing spears

and savage yells; the little force of scarcely more than a

hundred dashed madly toward the village gates。  Before the

clearing had been half crossed the Arabs opened up a

withering fire from behind the palisade。



With the first volley Waziri fell。  The speed of the

chargers slackened。  Another volley brought down a half

dozen more。  A few reached the barred gates; only to be shot

in their tracks; without the ghost of a chance to gain the

inside of the palisade; and then the whole attack crumpled;

and the remaining warriors scampered back into the forest。

As they ran the raiders opened the gates; rushing after them;

to complete the day's work with the utter extermination of

the tribe。  Tarzan had been among the last to turn back toward

the forest; and now; as he ran slowly; he turned from time to

time to speed a well…aimed arrow into the body of a pursuer。



Once within the jungle; he found a little knot of determined

blacks waiting to give battle to the oncoming horde;

but Tarzan cried to them to scatter; keeping out of

harm's way until they could gather in force after dark。



〃Do as I tell you;〃 he urged; 〃and I will lead you to

victory over these enemies of yours。  Scatter through the

forest; picking up as many stragglers as you can find; and at

night; if you think that you have been followed; come by

roundabout ways to the spot where we killed the elephants today。

Then I will explain my plan; and you will find that it is good。

You cannot hope to pit your puny strength and simple weapons

against the numbers and the guns of the Arabs and the Manyuema。〃



They finally assented。  〃When you scatter;〃 explained Tarzan;

in conclusion; 〃your foes will have to scatter to follow you;

and so it may happen that if you are watchful you can drop


many a Manyuema with your arrows from behind some great trees。〃



They had barely time to hasten away farther into the forest

before the first of the raiders had crossed the clearing and

entered it in pursuit of them。



Tarzan ran a short distance along the ground before he

took to the trees。  Then he raced quickly to the upper terrace;

there doubling on his tracks and m

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