the son of tarzan-第14部分

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mething；　better　at　least　than　a　lifetime　of　the　cramped　and　cloying　restrictions　of　civilization。

And　so　he　was　rather　contented　than　otherwise　as　he　made　his　way　in　the　direction　of　the　coast；　for　while　he　enjoyed　the　liberty　and　the　savage　pleasures　of　the　wild　his　conscience　was　at　the　same　time　clear；　for　he　knew　that　he　was　doing　all　that　lay　in　his　power　to　return　to　his　parents。　　He　rather　looked　forward；　too；　to　meeting　white　men　againcreatures　of　his　own　kind　for　there　had　been　many　occasions　upon　which　he　had　longed　for　other　companionship　than　that　of　the　old　ape。　　The　affair　with　the　blacks　still　rankled　in　his　heart。　　He　had　approached　them　in　such　innocent　good　fellowship　and　with　such　childlike　assurance　of　a　hospitable　welcome　that　the　reception　which　had　been　accorded　him　had　proved　a　shock　to　his　boyish　ideals。　　He　no　longer　looked　upon　the　black　man　as　his　brother；　but　rather　as　only　another　of　the　innumerable　foes　of　the　bloodthirsty　junglea　beast　of　prey　which　walked　upon　two　feet　instead　of　four。

But　if　the　blacks　were　his　enemies　there　were　those　in　the　world　who　were　not。　　There　were　those　who　always　would　welcome　him　with　open　arms；　who　would　accept　him　as　a　friend　and　brother；　and　with　whom　he　might　find　sanctuary　from　every　enemy。　　Yes；　there　were　always　white　men。　　Somewhere　along　the　coast　or　even　in　the　depths　of　the　jungle　itself　there　were　white　men。　　To　them　he　would　be　a　welcome　visitor。　　They　would　befriend　him。　　And　there　were　also　the　great　apesthe　friends　of　his　father　and　of　Akut。　　How　glad　they　would　be　to　receive　the　son　of　Tarzan　of　the　Apes！　　He　hoped　that　he　could　come　upon　them　before　he　found　a　trading　post　upon　the　coast。　　He　wanted　to　be　able　to　tell　his　father　that　he　had　known　his　old　friends　of　the　jungle；　that　he　had　hunted　with　them；　that　he　had　joined　with　them　in　their　savage　life；　and　their　fierce；　primeval　ceremoniesthe　strange　ceremonies　of　which　Akut　had　tried　to　tell　him。　　It　cheered　him　immensely　to　dwell　upon　these　happy　meetings。　　Often　he　rehearsed　the　long　speech　which　he　would　make　to　the　apes；　in　which　he　would　tell　them　of　the　life　of　their　former　king　since　he　had　left　them。

At　other　times　he　would　play　at　meeting　with　white　men。　　Then　he　would　enjoy　their　consternation　at　sight　of　a　naked　white　boy　trapped　in　the　war　togs　of　a　black　warrior　and　roaming　the　jungle　with　only　a　great　ape　as　his　companion。

And　so　the　days　passed；　and　with　the　traveling　and　the　hunting　and　the　climbing　the　boy's　muscles　developed　and　his　agility　increased　until　even　phlegmatic　Akut　marvelled　at　the　prowess　of　his　pupil。　　And　the　boy；　realizing　his　great　strength　and　revelling　in　it；　became　careless。　　He　strode　through　the　jungle；　his　proud　head　erect；　defying　danger。　　Where　Akut　took　to　the　trees　at　the　first　scent　of　Numa；　the　lad　laughed　in　the　face　of　the　king　of　beasts　and　walked　boldly　past　him。　　Good　fortune　was　with　him　for　a　long　time。　　The　lions　he　met　were　well…fed；　perhaps；　or　the　very　boldness　of　the　strange　creature　which　invaded　their　domain　so　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　parent