the beasts of tarzan-第29节

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girl　snatched　up　a　heavy　express　rifle　from　the　bottom　of　the

craft　and　levelled　it　full　at　his　breast。



Quickly　he　had　dropped　the　rope　then　and　seen　her　float　away

beyond　his　reach；　but　a　moment　later　he　had　been　racing　up…stream

toward　a　little　tributary　in　the　mouth　of　which　was　hidden　the　canoe

in　which　he　and　his　party　had　come　thus　far　upon　their　journey

in　pursuit　of　the　girl　and　Anderssen。



What　had　become　of　her？



There　seemed　little　doubt　in　the　Russian's　mind；　however；

but　that　she　had　been　captured　by　warriors　from　one　of　the

several　villages　she　would　have　been　compelled　to　pass　on

her　way　down　to　the　sea。　　Well；　he　was　at　least　rid　of　most

of　his　human　enemies。



But　at　that　he　would　gladly　have　had　them　all　back　in　the　land

of　the　living　could　he　thus　have　been　freed　from　the　menace　of

the　frightful　creatures　who　pursued　him　with　awful　relentlessness；

screaming　and　growling　at　him　every　time　they　came　within　sight　of　him。

The　one　that　filled　him　with　the　greatest　terror　was　the　pantherthe

flaming…eyed；　devil…faced　panther　whose　grinning　jaws　gaped　wide　at　him

by　day；　and　whose　fiery　orbs　gleamed　wickedly　out　across　the　water

from　the　Cimmerian　blackness　of　the　jungle　nights。



The　sight　of　the　mouth　of　the　Ugambi　filled　Rokoff　with

renewed　hope；　for　there；　upon　the　yellow　waters　of　the　bay；

floated　the　Kincaid　at　anchor。　　He　had　sent　the　little　steamer

away　to　coal　while　he　had　gone　up　the　river；　leaving　Paulvitch

in　charge　of　her；　and　he　could　have　cried　aloud　in　his　relief

as　he　saw　that　she　had　returned　in　time　to　save　him。



Frantically　he　alternately　paddled　furiously　toward　her　and

rose　to　his　feet　waving　his　paddle　and　crying　aloud　in　an

attempt　to　attract　the　attention　of　those　on　board。　　But　loud

as　he　screamed　his　cries　awakened　no　answering　challenge

from　the　deck　of　the　silent　craft。



Upon　the　shore　behind　him　a　hurried　backward　glance　revealed

the　presence　of　the　snarling　pack。　　Even　now；　he　thought；

these　manlike　devils　might　yet　find　a　way　to　reach　him　even

upon　the　deck　of　the　steamer　unless　there　were　those　there

to　repel　them　with　firearms。



What　could　have　happened　to　those　he　had　left　upon　the

Kincaid？　　Where　was　Paulvitch？　　Could　it　be　that　the　vessel

was　deserted；　and　that；　after　all；　he　was　doomed　to　be　overtaken

by　the　terrible　fate　that　he　had　been　flying　from　through

all　these　hideous　days　and　nights？　　He　shivered　as　might　one

upon　whose　brow　death　has　already　laid　his　clammy　finger。



Yet　he　did　not　cease　to　paddle　frantically　toward　the　steamer；

and　at　last；　after　what　seemed　an　eternity；　the　bow　of　the　dugout

bumped　against　the　timbers　of　the　Kincaid。　　Over　the　ship's　side

hung　a　monkey…ladder；　but　as　the　Russian　grasped　it　to　ascend

to　the　deck　he　heard　a　warning　challenge　from　above；　and；

looking　up；　gazed　into　the　cold；　relentless　muzzle　of　a　rifle。



After　Jane　Clayton；　with　rifle　levelled　at　the　breast　of　Rokoff；

had　succeeded　in　holding　him　off　until　the　dugout　in

which　she　had　taken　refuge　had　drifted　out　upon　the　bosom

of　the　Ugambi　beyond　the　man's　reach；　she　had　lost　no　time

in　paddling　to　the　swiftest　sweep　of　the　channel；　nor　did　she

for　long　days　and　weary　nights　cease　to　hold　her　craft　to　the

most　rapidly　moving　part　of　the　river；　except　when　during

the　hottest　hours　of　the　day　she　had　been　wont　to　drift　as　the

current　would　take　her；　lying　prone　in　the　bottom　of　the　canoe；

her　face　sheltered　from　the　sun　with　a　great　palm　leaf。



Thus　only　did　she　gain　rest　upon　the　voyage；　at　other　times

she　continually　sought　to　augment　the　movement　of　the　craft

by　wielding　the　heavy　paddle。



Rokoff；　on　the　other　hand；　had　used　little　or　no　intelligence

in　his　flight　along　the　Ugambi；　so　that　more　often　than　not

his　craft　had　drifted　in　the　slow…going　eddies；　for　he　habitually

hugged　the　bank　farthest　from　that　along　which　the　hideous　horde

pursued　and　menaced　him。



Thus　it　was　that；　though　he　had　put　out　upon　the　river　but

a　short　time　subsequent　to　the　girl；　yet　she　had　reached　the

bay　fully　two　hours　ahead　of　him。　　When　she　had　first　seen

the　anchored　ship　upon　the　quiet　water；　Jane　Clayton's　heart

had　beat　fast　with　hope　and　thanksgiving；　but　as　she　drew

closer　to　the　craft　and　saw　that　it　was　the　Kincaid；

her　pleasure　gave　place　to　the　gravest　misgivings。



It　was　too　late；　however；　to　turn　back；　for　the　current　that

carried　her　toward　the　ship　was　much　too　strong　for　her　muscles。　　

She　could　not　have　forced　the　heavy　dugout　upstream　against　it；

and　all　that　was　left　her　was　to　attempt　either　to　make　the

shore　without　being　seen　by　those　upon　the　deck　of　the　Kincaid；

or　to　throw　herself　upon　their　mercyotherwise　she　must　be

swept　out　to　sea。



She　knew　that　the　shore　held　little　hope　of　life　for　her；　as

she　had　no　knowledge　of　the　location　of　the　friendly　Mosula

village　to　which　Anderssen　had　taken　her　through　the　darkness

of　the　night　of　their　escape　from　the　Kincaid。



With　Rokoff　away　from　the　steamer　it　might　be　possible

that　by　offering　those　in　charge　a　large　reward　they　could　be

induced　to　carry　her　to　the　nearest　civilized　port。　　It　was

worth　riskingif　she　could　make　the　steamer　at　all。



The　current　was　bearing　her　swiftly　down　the　river；　and

she　found　that　only　by　dint　of　the　utmost　exertion　could　she

direct　the　awkward　craft　toward　the　vicinity　of　the　Kincaid。　　

Having　reached　the　decision　to　board　the　steamer；　she　now

looked　to　it　for　aid；　but　to　her　surprise　the　decks　appeared　to

be　empty　and　she　saw　no　sign　of　life　aboard　the　ship。



The　dugout　was　drawing　closer　and　closer　to　the　bow　of

the　vessel；　and　yet　no　hail　came　over　the　side　from　any

lookout　aboard。　　In　a　moment　more；　Jane　realized；　she　would　be

swept　beyond　the　steamer；　and　then；　unless　they　lowered　a

boat　to　rescue　her；　she　would　be　carried　far　out　to　sea　by　the

current　and　the　swift　ebb　tide　that　was　running。



The　young　woman　called　loudly　for　assistance；　but　there

was　no　reply　other　than　the　shrill　scream　of　some　savage

beast　upon　the　jungle…shrouded　shore。　　Frantically　Jane

wielded　the　paddle　in　an　effort　to　carry　her　craft　close

alongside　the　steamer。



For　a　moment　it　seemed　that　she　should　miss　her　goal　by

but　a　few　feet；　but　at　the　last　moment　the　canoe　swung　close

beneath　the　steamer's　bow　and　Jane　barely　managed　to　grasp

the　anchor　chain。



Heroically　she　clung　to　the　heavy　iron　links；　almost　dragged

from　the　canoe　by　the　strain　of　the　current　upon　her　craft。　　

Beyond　her　she　saw　a　monkey…ladder　dangling　over　the

steamer's　side。　　To　release　her　hold　upon　the　chain　and　chance

clambering　to　the　ladder　as　her　canoe　was　swept　beneath　it

seemed　beyond　the　pale　of　possibility；　yet　to　remain　clinging

to　the　anchor　chain　appeared　equally　as　futile。



Finally　her　glance　chanced　to　fall　upon　the　rope　in　the　bow

of　the　dugout；　and；　making　one　end　of　this　fast　to　the　chain；

she　succeeded　in　drifting　the　canoe　slowly　down　until　it　lay

directly　beneath　the　ladder。　　A　moment　later；　her　rifle　slung

about　her　shoulders；　she　had　clambered　safely　to　the　deserted　deck。



Her　first　task　was　to　explore　the　ship；　and　this　she　did；　her

rifle　ready　for　instant　use　should　she　meet　with　any　human

menace　aboard　the　Kincaid。　　She　was　not　long　in　discovering

the　cause　of　the　apparently　deserted　condition　of　the　steamer；

for　in　the　forecastle　she　found　the　sailors；　who　had　evidently

been　left　to　guard　the　ship；　deep　in　drunken　slumber。



With　a　shudder　of　disgust　she　clambered　above；　and　to　the

best　of　her　ability　closed　and　made　fast　the　hatch　above　the

heads　of　the　sleeping　guard。　　Next　she　sought　the　galley　and

food；　and；　having　appeased　her　hunger；　she　took　her　place

on　deck；　determined　that　none　should　board　the　Kincaid

without　first　having　agreed　to　her　demands。



For　an　hour　or　so　nothing　appeared　upon　the　surface　of

the　river　to　cause　her　alarm；　but　then；　about　a　bend　upstream；

she　saw　a　canoe　appear　in　which　sat　a　single　figure。　　It　had

not　proceeded　far　in　her　direction　before　she　recognized　the

occupant　as　Rokoff；　and　when　the　fellow　attempted　to　board

he　found　a　rifle　staring　him　in　the　face。



When　the　Russian　discovered　who　it　was　that　repelled　his

advance　he　became　furious；　cursing　and　threatening　in　a　most

horrible　manner；　but；　finding　that　these　tactics　failed　to

frighten　or　move　the　girl；　he　at　last　fell　to　pleading　and　promising。



Jane　had　but　a　single　reply　for　his　every　proposition；　and

that　was　that　nothing　would　ever　persuade　her　to　permit　Rokoff

upon　the　same　vessel　with　her。　　That　she　would　put　her

threats　into　action　and　shoot　him　should　he　persist　in　his

endeavour　to　board　the　ship　he　was　convinced。



So；　as　there　was　no　other　alternative；　the　great　coward

dropped　back　into　his　dugout　and；　at　imminent　risk　of　being

swept　to　sea；　finally　succeeded　in　making　the　shore　far　down

the　bay　and　upon　the　opp