the son of tarzan-第13部分

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　filled　them　with　surprise　that　thoughts　of　attack　were　banished　from　their　minds　as　they　stood；　round…eyed；　watching　his　approach　and　his　departure。　　Whatever　the　cause；　however；　the　fact　remains　that　on　many　occasions　the　boy　passed　within　a　few　paces　of　some　great　lion　without　arousing　more　than　a　warning　growl。

But　no　two　lions　are　necessarily　alike　in　character　or　temper。　They　differ　as　greatly　as　do　individuals　of　the　human　family。　Because　ten　lions　act　similarly　under　similar　conditions　one　cannot　say　that　the　eleventh　lion　will　do　likewisethe　chances　are　that　he　will　not。　　The　lion　is　a　creature　of　high　nervous　development。　　He　thinks；　therefore　he　reasons。　　Having　a　nervous　system　and　brains　he　is　the　possessor　of　temperament；　which　is　affected　variously　by　extraneous　causes。　　One　day　the　boy　met　the　eleventh　lion。　　The　former　was　walking　across　a　small　plain　upon　which　grew　little　clumps　of　bushes。　　Akut　was　a　few　yards　to　the　left　of　the　lad　who　was　the　first　to　discover　the　presence　of　Numa。

〃Run；　Akut；〃　called　the　boy；　laughing。　　〃Numa　lies　hid　in　the　bushes　to　my　right。　　Take　to　the　trees。　　Akut！　　I；　the　son　of　Tarzan；　will　protect　you；〃　and　the　boy；　laughing；　kept　straight　along　his　way　which　led　close　beside　the　brush　in　which　Numa　lay　concealed。

The　ape　shouted　to　him　to　come　away；　but　the　lad　only　flourished　his　spear　and　executed　an　improvised　war　dance　to　show　his　contempt　for　the　king　of　beasts。　　Closer　and　closer　to　the　dread　destroyer　he　came；　until；　with　a　sudden；　angry　growl；　the　lion　rose　from　his　bed　not　ten　paces　from　the　youth。　　A　huge　fellow　he　was；　this　lord　of　the　jungle　and　the　desert。　　A　shaggy　mane　clothed　his　shoulders。　　Cruel　fangs　armed　his　great　jaws。　His　yellow…green　eyes　blazed　with　hatred　and　challenge。

The　boy；　with　his　pitifully　inadequate　spear　ready　in　his　hand；　realized　quickly　that　this　lion　was　different　from　the　others　he　had　met；　but　he　had　gone　too　far　now　to　retreat。　　The　nearest　tree　lay　several　yards　to　his　leftthe　lion　could　be　upon　him　before　he　had　covered　half　the　distance；　and　that　the　beast　intended　to　charge　none　could　doubt　who　looked　upon　him　now。　　Beyond　the　lion　was　a　thorn　treeonly　a　few　feet　beyond　him。　It　was　the　nearest　sanctuary　but　Numa　stood　between　it　and　his　prey。

The　feel　of　the　long　spear　shaft　in　his　hand　and　the　sight　of　the　tree　beyond　the　lion　gave　the　lad　an　ideaa　preposterous　ideaa　ridiculous；　forlorn　hope　of　an　idea；　but　there　was　no　time　now　to　weigh　chancesthere　was　but　a　single　chance；　and　that　was　the　thorn　tree。　　If　the　lion　charged　it　would　be　too　late　the　lad　must　charge　first；　and　to　the　astonishment　of　Akut　and　none　the　less　of　Numa；　the　boy　leaped　swiftly　toward　the　beast。　Just　for　a　second　was　the　lion　motionless　with　surprise　and　in　that　second　Jack　Clayton　put　to　the　crucial　test　an　accomplishment　which　he　had　practiced　at　school。

Straight　for　the　savage　brute　he　ran；　his　spear　held　butt　foremost　across　his　body。　　Akut　shrieked　in　terror　and　amazement。　The　lion　stood　with　wide；　round　eyes　awaiting　the　attack；　ready　to　rear　upon　his　hind　feet　and　receive　this　rash　creature　with　blows　that　could　crush　the　skull　of　a　buffalo。

Just　in　front　of　the　lion　the　boy　placed　the　butt　of　his　spear　upon　the　ground；　gave　a　mighty　spring；　and；　before　the　bewildered　beast　could　guess　the　trick　that　had　been　played　upon　him；　sailed　over　the　lion's　head　into　the　rending　embrace　of　the　thorn　treesafe　but　lacerated。

Akut　had　never　before　seen　a　pole…vault。　　Now　he　leaped　up　and　down　within　the　safety　of　his　own　tree；　screaming　taunts　and　boasts　at　the　discomfited　Numa；　while　the　boy；　torn　and　bleeding；　sought　some　position　in　his　thorny　retreat　in　which　he　might　find　the　least　agony。　　He　had　saved　his　life；　but　at　considerable　cost　in　suffering。　　It　seemed　to　him　that　the　lion　would　never　leave；　and　it　was　a　full　hour　before　the　angry　brute　gave　up　his　vigil　and　strode　majestically　away　across　the　plain。　　When　he　was　at　a　safe　distance　the　boy　extricated　himself　from　the　thorn　tree；　but　not　without　inflicting　new　wounds　upon　his　already　tortured　flesh。

It　was　many　days　before　the　outward　evidence　of　the　lesson　he　had　learned　had　left　him；　while　the　impression　upon　his　mind　was　one　that　was　to　remain　with　him　for　life。　　Never　again　did　he　uselessly　tempt　fate。

He　took　long　chances　often　in　his　after　life；　but　only　when　the　taking　of　chances　might　further　the　attainment　of　some　cherished　endand；　always　thereafter；　he　practiced　pole…vaulting。

For　several　days　the　boy　and　the　ape　lay　up　while　the　former　recovered　from　the　painful　wounds　inflicted　by　the　sharp　thorns。　The　great　anthropoid　licked　the　wounds　of　his　human　friend；　nor；　aside　from　this；　did　they　receive　other　treatment；　but　they　soon　healed；　for　healthy　flesh　quickly　replaces　itself。

When　the　lad　felt　fit　again　the　two　continued　their　journey　toward　the　coast；　and　once　more　the　boy's　mind　was　filled　with　pleasurable　anticipation。

And　at　last　the　much　dreamed　of　moment　came。　　They　were　passing　through　a　tangled　forest　when　the　boy's　sharp　eyes　discovered　from　the　lower　branches　through　which　he　was　traveling　an　old　but　well…marked　spoora　spoor　that　set　his　heart　to　leapingthe　spoor　of　man；　of　white　men；　for　among　the　prints　of　naked　feet　were　the　well　defined　outlines　of　European　made　boots。　　The　trail；　which　marked　the　passage　of　a　good…sized　company；　pointed　north　at　right　angles　to　the　course　the　boy　and　the　ape　were　taking　toward　the　coast。

Doubtless　these　white　men　knew　the　nearest　coast　settlement。　They　might　even　be　headed　for　it　now。　　At　any　rate　it　would　be　worth　while　overtaking　them　if　even　only　for　the　pleasure　of　meeting　again　creatures　of　his　own　kind。　　The　lad　was　all　excitement；　palpitant　with　eagerness　to　be　off　in　pursuit。　　Akut　demurred。　　He　wanted　nothing　of　men。　　To　him　the　lad　was　a　fellow　ape；　for　he　was　the　son　of　the　king　of　apes。　　He　tried　to　dissuade　the　boy；　telling　him　that　soon　they　should　come　upon　a　tribe　of　their　own　folk　where　some　day　when　he　was　older　the　boy　should　be　king　as　his　father　had　before　him。　　But　Jack　was　obdurate。　　He　insisted　that　he　wanted　to　see　white　men　again。　　He　wanted　to　send　a　message　to　his　parents。　　Akut　listened　and　as　he　listened　the　intuition　of　the　beast　suggested　the　truth　to　himthe　boy　was　planning　to　return　to　his　own　kind。

The　thought　filled　the　old　ape　with　sorrow。　　He　loved　the　boy　as　he　had　loved　the　father；　with　the　loyalty　and　faithfulness　of　a　hound　for　its　master。　　In　his　ape　brain　and　his　ape　heart　he　had　nursed　the　hope　that　he　and　the　lad　would　never　be　separated。　He　saw　all　his　fondly　cherished　plans　fading　away；　and　yet　he　remained　loyal　to　the　lad　and　to　his　wishes。　　Though　disconsolate　he　gave　in　to　the　boy's　determination　to　pursue　the　safari　of　the　white　men；　accompanying　him　upon　what　he　believed　would　be　their　last　journey　together。

The　spoor　was　but　a　couple　of　days　old　when　the　two　discovered　it；　which　meant　that　the　slow…moving　caravan　was　but　a　few　hours　distant　from　them　whose　trained　and　agile　muscles　could　carry　their　bodies　swiftly　through　the　branches　above　the　tangled　undergrowth　which　had　impeded　the　progress　of　the　laden　carriers　of　the　white　men。

The　boy　was　in　the　lead；　excitement　and　anticipation　carrying　him　ahead　of　his　companion　to　whom　the　attainment　of　their　goal　meant　only　sorrow。　　And　it　was　the　boy　who　first　saw　the　rear　guard　of　the　caravan　and　the　white　men　he　had　been　so　anxious　to　overtake。

Stumbling　along　the　tangled　trail　of　those　ahead　a　dozen　heavily　laden　blacks　who；　from　fatigue　or　sickness；　had　dropped　behind　were　being　prodded　by　the　black　soldiers　of　the　rear　guard；　kicked　when　they　fell；　and　then　roughly　jerked　to　their　feet　and　hustled　onward。　　On　either　side　walked　a　giant　white　man；　heavy　blonde　beards　almost　obliterating　their　countenances。　　The　boy's　lips　formed　a　glad　cry　of　salutation　as　his　eyes　first　discovered　the　whitesa　cry　that　was　never　uttered；　for　almost　immediately　he　witnessed　that　which　turned　his　happiness　to　anger　as　he　saw　that　both　the　white　men　were　wielding　heavy　whips　brutally　upon　the　naked　backs　of　the　poor　devils　staggering　along　beneath　loads　that　would　have　overtaxed　the　strength　and　endurance　of　strong　men　at　the　beginning　of　a　new　day。

Every　now　and　then　the　rear　guard　and　the　white　men　cast　apprehensive　glances　rearward　as　though　momentarily　expecting　the　materialization　of　some　long　expected　danger　from　that　quarter。　　The　boy　had　paused　after　his　first　sight　of　the　caravan；　and　now　was　following　slowly　in　the　wake　of　the　sordid；　brutal　spectacle。　　Presently　Akut　came　up　with　him。　　To　the　beast　there　was　less　of　horror　in　the　sight　than　to　the　lad；　yet　even　the　great　ape　growled　beneath　his　breath　at　useless　torture　being　inflicted　upon　the　helpless　slaves。　　He　looked　at　the　boy。　　Now　that　he　had　caught　up　with　the　creatures　of　his　own　kind；　why　was　it　that　he　did　not　rush　forward　and　greet　them？　　He　put　the　question　to　his　companion。

〃They　are　fiends；〃　muttered　the　boy。　　〃I　would　not　travel　with　such　as　they；　for　if　I　did　I　should　set　upon　them　and　kill　them　the　first　time　they　beat　their　people　as　they　are　beating　them　now；　but；〃　he　added；　after　a　moment's　thought；　〃I　can　ask　them　the　whereabouts　of　the　nearest　port；　and　then；　Akut；　we　can　leave　them。〃

The　ape　made　no　reply；　and　the　boy　swung　to　the　ground　and　started　at　a　brisk　walk　toward　the　safari。　　He　was　a　hundred　yards　away；　perhaps；　when　one　of　the　whites　caught　sight　of　him。　　The　man　gave　a　shout　of　alarm；　instantly　levelling　his　rifle　upon　the　boy　and　firing。　　The　bullet　struck　just　in　front　of　its　mark；　scattering　turf　and　fallen　leaves　against　the　lad's　legs。　　A　second　later　the　other　white　and　the　black　soldiers　of　the　rear　guard　were　firing　hysterically　at　the　boy。

Jack　leaped　behind　a　tree；　unhit。　　Days　of　panic　ridden　flight　through　the　jungle　had　filled　Carl　Jenssen　and　Sven　Malbihn　with　jangling　nerves　and　their　native　boys　with　unreasoning　terror。　　Every　new　note　from　behind　sounded　to　their　frightened　ears　the　coming　of　The　Sheik　and　his　bloodthirsty　entourage。　　They　were　in　a　blue　funk；　and　the　sight　of　the　naked　white　warrior　stepping　silently　out　of　the　jungle　through　which　they　had　just　passed　had　been　sufficient　shoc