the beasts of tarzan-第12节

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them　for　a　moment　from　behind　the　dense　screen　of　verdure

which　lined　the　river's　bank；　then　he　melted　away　up…stream

before　any　of　those　in　the　canoe　discovered　him。



Like　a　deer　he　bounded　along　the　narrow　trail　until；　filled

with　the　excitement　of　his　news；　he　burst　into　a　native　village

several　miles　above　the　point　at　which　Tarzan　and　his　pack

had　stopped　to　hunt。



〃Another　white　man　is　coming！〃　he　cried　to　the　chief

who　squatted　before　the　entrance　to　his　circular　hut。　　

〃Another　white　man；　and　with　him　are　many　warriors。　　

They　come　in　a　great　war…canoe　to　kill　and　rob　as　did

the　black…bearded　one　who　has　just　left　us。〃



Kaviri　leaped　to　his　feet。　　He　had　but　recently　had　a　taste

of　the　white　man's　medicine；　and　his　savage　heart　was　filled

with　bitterness　and　hate。　　In　another　moment　the　rumble　of

the　war…drums　rose　from　the　village；　calling　in　the　hunters

from　the　forest　and　the　tillers　from　the　fields。



Seven　war…canoes　were　launched　and　manned　by　paint…daubed；

befeathered　warriors。　　Long　spears　bristled　from　the　rude

battle…ships；　as　they　slid　noiselessly　over　the　bosom　of　the　water；

propelled　by　giant　muscles　rolling　beneath　glistening；　ebony　hides。



There　was　no　beating　of　tom…toms　now；　nor　blare　of　native

horn；　for　Kaviri　was　a　crafty　warrior；　and　it　was　in　his　mind

to　take　no　chances；　if　they　could　be　avoided。　　He　would　swoop

noiselessly　down　with　his　seven　canoes　upon　the　single　one

of　the　white　man；　and　before　the　guns　of　the　latter　could

inflict　much　damage　upon　his　people　he　would　have　overwhelmed

the　enemy　by　force　of　numbers。



Kaviri's　own　canoe　went　in　advance　of　the　others　a　short

distance；　and　as　it　rounded　a　sharp　bend　in　the　river　where

the　swift　current　bore　it　rapidly　on　its　way　it　came　suddenly

upon　the　thing　that　Kaviri　sought。



So　close　were　the　two　canoes　to　one　another　that　the　black

had　only　an　opportunity　to　note　the　white　face　in　the　bow　of

the　oncoming　craft　before　the　two　touched　and　his　own　men

were　upon　their　feet；　yelling　like　mad　devils　and　thrusting

their　long　spears　at　the　occupants　of　the　other　canoe。



But　a　moment　later；　when　Kaviri　was　able　to　realize　the

nature　of　the　crew　that　manned　the　white　man's　dugout；　he

would　have　given　all　the　beads　and　iron　wire　that　he

possessed　to　have　been　safely　within　his　distant　village。　　

Scarcely　had　the　two　craft　come　together　than　the　frightful　apes　of

Akut　rose；　growling　and　barking；　from　the　bottom　of　the

canoe；　and；　with　long；　hairy　arms　far　outstretched；　grasped

the　menacing　spears　from　the　hands　of　Kaviri's　warriors。



The　blacks　were　overcome　with　terror；　but　there　was　nothing

to　do　other　than　to　fight。　　Now　came　the　other　war…canoes

rapidly　down　upon　the　two　craft。　　Their　occupants　were　eager

to　join　the　battle；　for　they　thought　that　their　foes　were　white

men　and　their　native　porters。



They　swarmed　about　Tarzan's　craft；　but　when　they　saw　the　nature

of　the　enemy　all　but　one　turned　and　paddled　swiftly　upriver。　　

That　one　came　too　close　to　the　ape…man's　craft　before

its　occupants　realized　that　their　fellows　were　pitted

against　demons　instead　of　men。　　As　it　touched　Tarzan　spoke

a　few　low　words　to　Sheeta　and　Akut；　so　that　before　the

attacking　warriors　could　draw　away　there　sprang　upon　them

with　a　blood…freezing　scream　a　huge　panther；　and　into　the

other　end　of　their　canoe　clambered　a　great　ape。



At　one　end　the　panther　wrought　fearful　havoc　with　his

mighty　talons　and　long；　sharp　fangs；　while　Akut　at　the　other

buried　his　yellow　canines　in　the　necks　of　those　that　came

within　his　reach；　hurling　the　terror…stricken　blacks　overboard

as　he　made　his　way　toward　the　centre　of　the　canoe。



Kaviri　was　so　busily　engaged　with　the　demons　that　had

entered　his　own　craft　that　he　could　offer　no　assistance　to　his

warriors　in　the　other。　　A　giant　of　a　white　devil　had　wrested

his　spear　from　him　as　though　he；　the　mighty　Kaviri；　had　been

but　a　new…born　babe。　　Hairy　monsters　were　overcoming　his

fighting　men；　and　a　black　chieftain　like　himself　was　fighting

shoulder　to　shoulder　with　the　hideous　pack　that　opposed　him。



Kaviri　battled　bravely　against　his　antagonist；　for　he　felt

that　death　had　already　claimed　him；　and　so　the　least　that　he

could　do　would　be　to　sell　his　life　as　dearly　as　possible；　but　it

was　soon　evident　that　his　best　was　quite　futile　when　pitted

against　the　superhuman　brawn　and　agility　of　the　creature　that

at　last　found　his　throat　and　bent　him　back　into　the　bottom　of

the　canoe。



Presently　Kaviri's　head　began　to　whirlobjects　became

confused　and　dim　before　his　eyesthere　was　a　great　pain　in

his　chest　as　he　struggled　for　the　breath　of　life　that　the　thing

upon　him　was　shutting　off　for　ever。　　Then　he　lost　consciousness。



When　he　opened　his　eyes　once　more　he　found；　much　to

his　surprise；　that　he　was　not　dead。　　He　lay；　securely　bound；

in　the　bottom　of　his　own　canoe。　　A　great　panther　sat　upon　its

haunches；　looking　down　upon　him。



Kaviri　shuddered　and　closed　his　eyes　again；　waiting　for

the　ferocious　creature　to　spring　upon　him　and　put　him　out　of

his　misery　of　terror。



After　a　moment；　no　rending　fangs　having　buried　themselves

in　his　trembling　body；　he　again　ventured　to　open　his　eyes。　　

Beyond　the　panther　kneeled　the　white　giant　who　had

overcome　him。



The　man　was　wielding　a　paddle；　while　directly　behind　him

Kaviri　saw　some　of　his　own　warriors　similarly　engaged。　　

Back　of　them　again　squatted　several　of　the　hairy　apes。



Tarzan；　seeing　that　the　chief　had　regained　consciousness；

addressed　him。



〃Your　warriors　tell　me　that　you　are　the　chief　of　a

numerous　people；　and　that　your　name　is　Kaviri；〃　he　said。



〃Yes；〃　replied　the　black。



〃Why　did　you　attack　me？　　I　came　in　peace。〃



〃Another　white　man　‘came　in　peace'　three　moons　ago；〃

replied　Kaviri；　〃and　after　we　had　brought　him　presents　of　a

goat　and　cassava　and　milk；　he　set　upon　us　with　his　guns　and

killed　many　of　my　people；　and　then　went　on　his　way；　taking

all　of　our　goats　and　many　of　our　young　men　and　women。〃



〃I　am　not　as　this　other　white　man；〃　replied　Tarzan。　　

〃I　should　not　have　harmed　you　had　you　not　set　upon　me。　　

Tell　me；　what　was　the　face　of　this　bad　white　man　like？　　I　am

searching　for　one　who　has　wronged　me。　　Possibly　this　may

be　the　very　one。〃



〃He　was　a　man　with　a　bad　face；　covered　with　a　great；

black　beard；　and　he　was　very；　very　wickedyes；　very

wicked　indeed。〃



〃Was　there　a　little　white　child　with　him？〃　asked　Tarzan；

his　heart　almost　stopped　as　he　awaited　the　black's　answer。



〃No；　bwana；〃　replied　Kaviri；　〃the　white　child　was　not

with　this　man's　partyit　was　with　the　other　party。〃



〃Other　party！〃　exclaimed　Tarzan。　　〃What　other　party？〃



〃With　the　party　that　the　very　bad　white　man　was　pursuing。　　

There　was　a　white　man；　woman；　and　the　child；　with　six

Mosula　porters。　　They　passed　up　the　river　three　days　ahead

of　the　very　bad　white　man。　　I　think　that　they　were　running

away　from　him。〃



A　white　man；　woman；　and　child！　　Tarzan　was　puzzled。　　The　child

must　be　his　little　Jack；　but　who　could　the　woman　beand　the　man？　

Was　it　possible　that　one　of　Rokoff's　confederates　had　conspired

with　some　womanwho　had　accompanied　the　Russianto　steal

the　baby　from　him？



If　this　was　the　case；　they　had　doubtless　purposed　returning

the　child　to　civilization　and　there　either　claiming　a　reward　or

holding　the　little　prisoner　for　ransom。



But　now　that　Rokoff　had　succeeded　in　chasing　them　far　inland；

up　the　savage　river；　there　could　be　little　doubt　but

that　he　would　eventually　overhaul　them；　unless；　as　was　still

more　probable；　they　should　be　captured　and　killed　by　the

very　cannibals　farther　up　the　Ugambi；　to　whom；　Tarzan　was　now

convinced；　it　had　been　Rokoff's　intention　to　deliver　the　baby。



As　he　talked　to　Kaviri　the　canoes　had　been　moving　steadily

up…river　toward　the　chief's　village。　　Kaviri's　warriors　plied　the

paddles　in　the　three　canoes；　casting　sidelong；　terrified　glances

at　their　hideous　passengers。　　Three　of　the　apes　of　Akut　had

been　killed　in　the　encounter；　but　there　were；　with　Akut；　eight

of　the　frightful　beasts　remaining；　and　there　was　Sheeta；　the

panther；　and　Tarzan　and　Mugambi。



Kaviri's　warriors　thought　that　they　had　never　seen　so　terrible

a　crew　in　all　their　lives。　　Momentarily　they　expected　to

be　pounced　upon　and　torn　asunder　by　some　of　their　captors；

and；　in　fact；　it　was　all　that　Tarzan　and　Mugambi　and　Akut

could　do　to　keep　the　snarling；　ill…natured　brutes　from　snapping

at　the　glistening；　naked　bodies　that　brushed　against　them

now　and　then　with　the　movements　of　the　paddlers；　whose

very　fear　added　incitement　to　the　beasts。



At　Kaviri's　camp　Tarzan　paused　only　long　enough　to　eat

the　food　that　the　blacks　furnished；　and　arrange　with　the

chief　for　a　dozen　men　to　man　the　paddles　of　his　canoe。



Kaviri　was　only　too　glad　to　comply　with　any　demands　that

the　ape…man　might　make　if　only　such　comp