the son of tarzan-第13部分

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　of　themfor　over　a　month　he　had　seen　no　human　being。　What　if　these　were　naked　savages？　　What　if　their　skins　were　black？　　Were　they　not　creatures　fashioned　in　the　mold　of　their　Maker；　as　was　he？　　They　were　his　brothers　and　sisters！　　He　started　toward　them。　　With　a　low　warning　Akut　laid　a　hand　upon　his　arm　to　hold　him　back。　　The　boy　shook　himself　free；　and　with　a　shout　of　greeting　ran　forward　toward　the　ebon　players。

The　sound　of　his　voice　brought　every　head　erect。　　Wide　eyes　viewed　him　for　an　instant；　and　then；　with　screams　of　terror；　the　children　turned　and　fled　toward　the　village。　　At　their　heels　ran　their　mothers；　and　from　the　village　gate；　in　response　to　the　alarm；　came　a　score　of　warriors；　hastily　snatched　spears　and　shields　ready　in　their　hands。

At　sight　of　the　consternation　he　had　wrought　the　boy　halted。　The　glad　smile　faded　from　his　face　as　with　wild　shouts　and　menacing　gestures　the　warriors　ran　toward　him。　　Akut　was　calling　to　him　from　behind　to　turn　and　flee；　telling　him　that　the　blacks　would　kill　him。　　For　a　moment　he　stood　watching　them　coming；　then　he　raised　his　hand　with　the　palm　toward　them　in　signal　for　them　to　halt；　calling　out　at　the　same　time　that　he　came　as　a　friendthat　he　had　only　wanted　to　play　with　their　children。　Of　course　they　did　not　understand　a　word　that　he　addressed　to　them；　and　their　answer　was　what　any　naked　creature　who　had　run　suddenly　out　of　the　jungle　upon　their　women　and　children　might　have　expecteda　shower　of　spears。　　The　missiles　struck　all　about　the　boy；　but　none　touched　him。　　Again　his　spine　tingled　and　the　short　hairs　lifted　at　the　nape　of　his　neck　and　along　the　top　of　his　scalp。　　His　eyes　narrowed。　　Sudden　hatred　flared　in　them　to　wither　the　expression　of　glad　friendliness　that　had　lighted　them　but　an　instant　before。　　With　a　low　snarl；　quite　similar　to　that　of　a　baffled　beast；　he　turned　and　ran　into　the　jungle。　　There　was　Akut　awaiting　him　in　a　tree。　　The　ape　urged　him　to　hasten　in　flight；　for　the　wise　old　anthropoid　knew　that　they　two；　naked　and　unarmed；　were　no　match　for　the　sinewy　black　warriors　who　would　doubtless　make　some　sort　of　search　for　them　through　the　jungle。

But　a　new　power　moved　the　son　of　Tarzan。　　He　had　come　with　a　boy's　glad　and　open　heart　to　offer　his　friendship　to　these　people　who　were　human　beings　like　himself。　　He　had　been　met　with　suspicion　and　spears。　　They　had　not　even　listened　to　him。　　Rage　and　hatred　consumed　him。　　When　Akut　urged　speed　he　held　back。　　He　wanted　to　fight；　yet　his　reason　made　it　all　too　plain　that　it　would　be　but　a　foolish　sacrifice　of　his　life　to　meet　these　armed　men　with　his　naked　hands　and　his　teethalready　the　boy　thought　of　his　teeth；　of　his　fighting　fangs；　when　possibility　of　combat　loomed　close。

Moving　slowly　through　the　trees　he　kept　his　eyes　over　his　shoulder；　though　he　no　longer　neglected　the　possibilities　of　other　dangers　which　might　lurk　on　either　hand　or　aheadhis　experience　with　the　lioness　did　not　need　a　repetition　to　insure　the　permanency　of　the　lesson　it　had　taught。　　Behind　he　could　hear　the　savages　advancing　with　shouts　and　cries。　　He　lagged　further　behind　until　the　pursuers　were　in　sight。　　They　did　not　see　him；　for　they　were　not　looking　among　the　branches　of　the　trees　for　human　quarry。　　The　lad　kept　just　ahead　of　them。　　For　a　mile　perhaps　they　continued　the　search；　and　then　they　turned　back　toward　the　village。　　Here　was　the　boy's　opportunity；　that　for　which　he　had　been　waiting；　while　the　hot　blood　of　revenge　coursed　through　his　veins　until　he　saw　his　pursuers　through　a　scarlet　haze。

When　they　turned　back　he　turned　and　followed　them。　　Akut　was　no　longer　in　sight。　　Thinking　that　the　boy　followed　he　had　gone　on　further　ahead。　　He　had　no　wish　to　tempt　fate　within　range　of　those　deadly　spears。　　Slinking　silently　from　tree　to　tree　the　boy　dogged　the　footsteps　of　the　returning　warriors。　　At　last　one　dropped　behind　his　fellows　as　they　followed　a　narrow　path　toward　the　village。　　A　grim　smile　lit　the　lad's　face。　　Swiftly　he　hurried　forward　until　he　moved　almost　above　the　unconscious　blackstalking　him　as　Sheeta；　the　panther；　stalked　his　prey；　as　the　boy　had　seen　Sheeta　do　on　many　occasions。

Suddenly　and　silently　he　leaped　forward　and　downward　upon　the　broad　shoulders　of　his　prey。　　In　the　instant　of　contact　his　fingers　sought　and　found　the　man's　throat。　　The　weight　of　the　boy's　body　hurled　the　black　heavily　to　the　ground；　the　knees　in　his　back　knocking　the　breath　from　him　as　he　struck。　　Then　a　set　of　strong；　white　teeth　fastened　themselves　in　his　neck；　and　muscular　fingers　closed　tighter　upon　his　wind…pipe。　　For　a　time　the　warrior　struggled　frantically；　throwing　himself　about　in　an　effort　to　dislodge　his　antagonist；　but　all　the　while　he　was　weakening　and　all　the　while　the　grim　and　silent　thing　he　could　not　see　clung　tenaciously　to　him；　and　dragged　him　slowly　into　the　bush　to　one　side　of　the　trail。

Hidden　there　at　last；　safe　from　the　prying　eyes　of　searchers；　should　they　miss　their　fellow　and　return　for　him；　the　lad　choked　the　life　from　the　body　of　his　victim。　　At　last　he　knew　by　the　sudden　struggle；　followed　by　limp　relaxation；　that　the　warrior　was　dead。　　Then　a　strange　desire　seized　him。　　His　whole　being　quivered　and　thrilled。　　Involuntarily　he　leaped　to　his　feet　and　placed　one　foot　upon　the　body　of　his　kill。　　His　chest　expanded。　He　raised　his　face　toward　the　heavens　and　opened　his　mouth　to　voice　a　strange；　weird　cry　that　seemed　screaming　within　him　for　outward　expression；　but　no　sound　passed　his　lipshe　just　stood　there　for　a　full　minute；　his　face　turned　toward　the　sky；　his　breast　heaving　to　the　pent　emotion；　like　an　animate　statue　of　vengeance。

The　silence　which　marked　the　first　great　kill　of　the　son　of　Tarzan　was　to　typify　all　his　future　kills；　just　as　the　hideous　victory　cry　of　the　bull　ape　had　marked　the　kills　of　his　mighty　sire。



Chapter　7

Akut；　discovering　that　the　boy　was　not　close　behind　him；　turned　back　to　search　for　him。　　He　had　gone　but　a　short　distance　in　return　when　he　was　brought　to　a　sudden　and　startled　halt　by　sight　of　a　strange　figure　moving　through　the　trees　toward　him。　　It　was　the　boy；　yet　could　it　be？　　In　his　hand　was　a　long　spear；　down　his　back　hung　an　oblong　shield　such　as　the　black　warriors　who　had　attacked　them　had　worn；　and　upon　ankle　and　arm　were　bands　of　iron　and　brass；　while　a　loin　cloth　was　twisted　about　the　youth's　middle。　　A　knife　was　thrust　through　its　folds。

When　the　boy　saw　the　ape　he　hastened　forward　to　exhibit　his　trophies。　　Proudly　he　called　attention　to　each　of　his　newly　won　possessions。　　Boastfully　he　recounted　the　details　of　his　exploit。

〃With　my　bare　hands　and　my　teeth　I　killed　him；〃　he　said。　〃I　would　have　made　friends　with　them　but　they　chose　to　be　my　enemies。　　And　now　that　I　have　a　spear　I　shall　show　Numa；　too；　what　it　means　to　have　me　for　a　foe。　　Only　the　white　men　and　the　great　apes；　Akut；　are　our　friends。　　Them　we　shall　seek；　all　others　must　we　avoid　or　kill。　　This　have　I　learned　of　the　jungle。〃

They　made　a　detour　about　the　hostile　village；　and　resumed　their　journey　toward　the　coast。　　The　boy　took　much　pride　in　his　new　weapons　and　ornaments。　　He　practiced　continually　with　the　spear；　throwing　it　at　some　object　ahead　hour　by　hour　as　they　traveled　their　loitering　way；　until　he　gained　a　proficiency　such　as　only　youthful　muscles　may　attain　to　speedily。　　All　the　while　his　training　went　on　under　the　guidance　of　Akut。　　No　longer　was　there　a　single　jungle　spoor　but　was　an　open　book　to　the　keen　eyes　of　the　lad；　and　those　other　indefinite　spoor　that　elude　the　senses　of　civilized　man　and　are　only　partially　appreciable　to　his　savage　cousin　came　to　be　familiar　friends　of　the　eager　boy。　　He　could　differentiate　the　innumerable　species　of　the　herbivora　by　scent；　and　he　could　tell；　too；　whether　an　animal　was　approaching　or　departing　merely　by　the　waxing　or　waning　strength　of　its　effluvium。　　Nor　did　he　need　the　evidence　of　his　eyes　to　tell　him　whether　there　were　two　lions　or　four　up　wind；a　hundred　yards　away　or　half　a　mile。

Much　of　this　had　Akut　taught　him；　but　far　more　was　instinctive　knowledgea　species　of　strange　intuition　inherited　from　his　father。　　He　had　come　to　love　the　jungle　life。　　The　constant　battle　of　wits　and　senses　against　the　many　deadly　foes　that　lurked　by　day　and　by　night　along　the　pathway　of　the　wary　and　the　unwary　appealed　to　the　spirit　of　adventure　which　breathes　strong　in　the　heart　of　every　red…blooded　son　of　primordial　Adam。　　Yet；　though　he　loved　it；　he　had　not　let　his　selfish　desires　outweigh　the　sense　of　duty　that　had　brought　him　to　a　realization　of　the　moral　wrong　which　lay　beneath　the　adventurous　escapade　that　had　brought　him　to　Africa。　　His　love　of　father　and　mother　was　strong　within　him；　too　strong　to　permit　unalloyed　happiness　which　was　undoubtedly　causing　them　days　of　sorrow。　　And　so　he　held　tight　to　his　determination　to　find　a　port　upon　the　coast　where　he　might　communicate　with　them　and　receive　funds　for　his　return　to　London。　　There　he　felt　sure　that　he　could　now　persuade　his　parents　to　let　him　spend　at　least　a　portion　of　his　time　upon　those　African　estates　which　from　little　careless　remarks　dropped　at　home　he　knew　his　father　possessed。　　That　would　be　something；　better　at　least　than　a　lifetime　of　the　cramped　and　cloying　restrictions　of　civilization。