the return of tarzan-第44章

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well…bred　face　and　irreproachable　manners　had　so　captivated

her　but　a　few　short　months　ago？　　And　Jane　Porter！　　Would

she　have　still　loved　this　savage　warrior　chieftain；　dancing

naked　among　his　naked　savage　subjects？　　And　D'Arnot！

Could　D'Arnot　have　believed　that　this　was　the　same　man　he

had　introduced　into　half　a　dozen　of　the　most　select　clubs

of　Paris？　　What　would　his　fellow　peers　in　the　House　of

Lords　have　said　had　one　pointed　to　this　dancing　giant；　with

his　barbaric　headdress　and　his　metal　ornaments；　and　said：

〃There；　my　lords；　is　John　Clayton；　Lord　Greystoke。〃



And　so　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　came　into　a　real　kingship

among　menslowly　but　surely　was　he　following　the　evolution

of　his　ancestors；　for　had　he　not　started　at　the　very　bottom？







Chapter　18





The　Lottery　of　Death





Jane　Porter　had　been　the　first　of　those　in　the　lifeboat

to　awaken　the　morning　after　the　wreck　of　the　LADY　ALICE。

The　other　members　of　the　party　were　asleep　upon　the　thwarts

or　huddled　in　cramped　positions　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat。



When　the　girl　realized　that　they　had　become　separated

from　the　other　boats　she　was　filled　with　alarm。　　The　sense

of　utter　loneliness　and　helplessness　which　the　vast　expanse

of　deserted　ocean　aroused　in　her　was　so　depressing　that；

from　the　first；　contemplation　of　the　future　held　not　the

slightest　ray　of　promise　for　her。　　She　was　confident　that

they　were　lostlost　beyond　possibility　of　succor。



Presently　Clayton　awoke。　　It　was　several　minutes　before　he

could　gather　his　senses　sufficiently　to　realize　where　he　was；

or　recall　the　disaster　of　the　previous　night。　　Finally　his

bewildered　eyes　fell　upon　the　girl。



〃Jane！〃　he　cried。　　〃Thank　God　that　we　are　together！〃



〃Look；〃　said　the　girl　dully；　indicating　the　horizon　with　an

apathetic　gesture。　　〃We　are　all　alone。〃



Clayton　scanned　the　water　in　every　direction。



〃Where　can　they　be？〃　he　cried。　　〃They　cannot　have　gone　down；

for　there　has　been　no　sea；　and　they　were　afloat　after　the

yacht　sankI　saw　them　all。〃



He　awoke　the　other　members　of　the　party；　and　explained　their　plight。



〃It　is　just　as　well　that　the　boats　are　scattered；　sir；〃　said

one　of　the　sailors。　　〃They　are　all　provisioned；　so　that　they

do　not　need　each　other　on　that　score；　and　should　a　storm

blow　up　they　could　be　of　no　service　to　one　another　even　if

they　were　together；　but　scattered　about　the　ocean　there　is　a

much　better　chance　that　one　at　least　will　be　picked　up；　and

then　a　search　will　be　at　once　started　for　the　others。

Were　we　together　there　would　be　but　one　chance　of　rescue；

where　now　there　may　be　four。〃



They　saw　the　wisdom　of　his　philosophy；　and　were　cheered

by　it；　but　their　joy　was　short…lived；　for　when　it　was

decided　that　they　should　row　steadily　toward　the　east　and

the　continent；　it　was　discovered　that　the　sailors　who　had

been　at　the　only　two　oars　with　which　the　boat　had　been

provided　had　fallen　asleep　at　their　work；　and　allowed　both

to　slip　into　the　sea；　nor　were　they　in　sight　anywhere　upon

the　water。



During　the　angry　words　and　recriminations　which　followed

the　sailors　nearly　came　to　blows；　but　Clayton　succeeded　in

quieting　them；　though　a　moment　later　Monsieur　Thuran　almost

precipitated　another　row　by　making　a　nasty　remark　about　the

stupidity　of　all　Englishmen；　and　especially　English　sailors。



〃Come；　come；　mates；〃　spoke　up　one　of　the　men；　Tompkins；

who　had　taken　no　part　in　the　altercation；　〃shootin'

off　our　bloomin'　mugs　won't　get　us　nothin'。　　As　Spider　'ere

said　afore；　we'll　all　bloody　well　be　picked　up；　anyway；　sez

'e；　so　wot's　the　use　o'　squabblin'？　　Let's　eat；　sez　I。〃



〃That's　not　a　bad　idea；〃　said　Monsieur　Thuran；　and　then；

turning　to　the　third　sailor；　Wilson；　he　said：　　〃Pass　one　of

those　tins　aft；　my　good　man。〃



〃Fetch　it　yerself；〃　retorted　Wilson　sullenly。　　〃I　ain't　a…takin'

no　orders　from　nofurrineryou　ain't　captain　o'　this　ship　yet。〃



The　result　was　that　Clayton　himself　had　to　get　the　tin；

and　then　another　angry　altercation　ensued　when　one　of　the

sailors　accused　Clayton　and　Monsieur　Thuran　of　conspiring　to

control　the　provisions　so　that　they　could　have　the　lion's　share。



〃Some　one　should　take　command　of　this　boat；〃　spoke　up　Jane　Porter；

thoroughly　disgusted　with　the　disgraceful　wrangling　that　had

marked　the　very　opening　of　a　forced　companionship　that　might

last　for　many　days。　　〃It　is　terrible　enough　to　be　alone

in　a　frail　boat　on　the　Atlantic；　without　having　the　added

misery　and　danger　of　constant　bickering　and　brawling　among

the　members　of　our　party。　　You　men　should　elect　a　leader；

and　then　abide　by　his　decisions　in　all　matters。　　There　is

greater　need　for　strict　discipline　here　than　there　is

upon　a　well…ordered　ship。〃



She　had　hoped　before　she　voiced　her　sentiments　that　it

would　not　be　necessary　for　her　to　enter　into　the　transaction

at　all；　for　she　believed　that　Clayton　was　amply　able　to　cope

with　every　emergency；　but　she　had　to　admit　that　so　far　at

least　he　had　shown　no　greater　promise　of　successfully　handling

the　situation　than　any　of　the　others；　though　he　had　at　least

refrained　from　adding　in　any　way　to　the　unpleasantness；　even

going　so　far　as　to　give　up　the　tin　to　the　sailors　when　they

objected　to　its　being　opened　by　him。



The　girl's　words　temporarily　quieted　the　men；　and　finally　it

was　decided　that　the　two　kegs　of　water　and　the　four　tins　of

food　should　be　divided　into　two　parts；　one…half　going　forward

to　the　three　sailors　to　do　with　as　they　saw　best；　and　the

balance　aft　to　the　three　passengers。



Thus　was　the　little　company　divided　into　two　camps；　and

when　the　provisions　had　been　apportioned　each　immediately

set　to　work　to　open　and　distribute　food　and　water。　　The　sailors

were　the　first　to　get　one　of　the　tins　of　〃food〃　open；　and　their

curses　of　rage　and　disappointment　caused　Clayton　to　ask

what　the　trouble　might　be。



〃Trouble！〃　shrieked　Spider。　　〃Trouble！　　It's　worse　than

troubleit's　death！　　This　…　tin　is　full　of　coal　oil！〃



Hastily　now　Clayton　and　Monsieur　Thuran　tore　open　one　of

theirs；　only　to　learn　the　hideous　truth　that　it　also　contained；

not　food；　but　coal　oil。　　One　after　another　the　four　tins　on

board　were　opened。　　And　as　the　contents　of　each　became

known　howls　of　anger　announced　the　grim　truththere　was

not　an　ounce　of　food　upon　the　boat。



〃Well；　thank　Gawd　it　wasn't　the　water；〃　cried　Thompkins。

〃It's　easier　to　get　along　without　food　than　it　is　without　water。

We　can　eat　our　shoes　if　worse　comes　to　worst；　but　we

couldn't　drink　'em。〃



As　he　spoke　Wilson　had　been　boring　a　hole　in　one　of　the　water

kegs；　and　as　Spider　held　a　tin　cup　he　tilted　the　keg　to　pour

a　draft　of　the　precious　fluid。　　A　thin　stream　of　blackish；

dry　particles　filtered　slowly　through　the　tiny　aperture　into

the　bottom　of　the　cup。　　With　a　groan　Wilson　dropped　the　keg；　and

sat　staring　at　the　dry　stuff　in　the　cup；　speechless　with　horror。



〃The　kegs　are　filled　with　gunpowder；〃　said　Spider；　in　a　low　tone；

turning　to　those　aft。　　And　so　it　proved　when　the　last　had　been　opened。



〃Coal　oil　and　gunpowder！〃　cried　Monsieur　Thuran。

〃SAPRISTI！　　What　a　diet　for　shipwrecked　mariners！〃



With　the　full　knowledge　that　there　was　neither　food　nor

water　on　board；　the　pangs　of　hunger　and　thirst　became

immediately　aggravated；　and　so　on　the　first　day　of　their　tragic

adventure　real　suffering　commenced　in　grim　earnest；　and　the

full　horrors　of　shipwreck　were　upon　them。



As　the　days　passed　conditions　became　horrible。　　Aching　eyes

scanned　the　horizon　day　and　night　until　the　weak

and　weary　watchers　would　sink　exhausted　to　the　bottom　of

the　boat；　and　there　wrest　in　dream…disturbed　slumber　a

moment's　respite　from　the　horrors　of　the　waking　reality。



The　sailors；　goaded　by　the　remorseless　pangs　of　hunger；

had　eaten　their　leather　belts；　their　shoes；　the　sweatbands

from　their　caps；　although　both　Clayton　and　Monsieur

Thuran　had　done　their　best　to　convince　them　that　these