the beasts of tarzan- 第35部分

〃I　am　a　friend；〃　he　said。　　〃I　heard　you；　but　do　not　fear

that　I　will　reveal　what　you　have　said。　　I　can　help　you；　and　you

can　help　me。〃　　He　was　addressing　Schneider。　　〃You　can　navigate

a　ship；　but　you　have　no　ship。　　We　have　a　ship；　but　no　one　to

navigate　it。　　If　you　will　come　with　us　and　ask　no　questions

we　will　let　you　take　the　ship　where　you　will　after　you

have　landed　us　at　a　certain　port；　the　name　of　which　we　will

give　you　later。　　You　can　take　the　woman　of　whom　you　speak；

and　we　will　ask　no　questions　either。　　Is　it　a　bargain？〃



Schneider　desired　more　information；　and　got　as　much　as

Momulla　thought　best　to　give　him。　　Then　the　Maori　suggested

that　they　speak　with　Kai　Shang。　　The　two　members　of　the

Kincaid's　company　followed　Momulla　and　his　fellows　to　a

point　in　the　jungle　close　by　the　camp　of　the　mutineers。　　

Here　Momulla　hid　them　while　he　went　in　search　of　Kai　Shang；

first　admonishing　his　Maori　companions　to　stand　guard　over

the　two　sailors　lest　they　change　their　minds　and　attempt

to　escape。　　Schneider　and　Schmidt　were　virtually　prisoners；

though　they　did　not　know　it。



Presently　Momulla　returned　with　Kai　Shang；　to　whom　he

had　briefly　narrated　the　details　of　the　stroke　of　good　fortune

that　had　come　to　them。　　The　Chinaman　spoke　at　length　with

Schneider；　until；　notwithstanding　his　natural　suspicion　of

the　sincerity　of　all　men；　he　became　quite　convinced　that

Schneider　was　quite　as　much　a　rogue　as　himself　and　that　the

fellow　was　anxious　to　leave　the　island。



These　two　premises　accepted　there　could　be　little　doubt

that　Schneider　would　prove　trustworthy　in　so　far　as　accepting

the　command　of　the　Cowrie　was　concerned；　after　that　Kai

Shang　knew　that　he　could　find　means　to　coerce　the　man　into

submission　to　his　further　wishes。



When　Schneider　and　Schmidt　left　them　and　set　out　in　the

direction　of　their　own　camp；　it　was　with　feelings　of　far

greater　relief　than　they　had　experienced　in　many　a　day。　　

Now　at　last　they　saw　a　feasible　plan　for　leaving　the　island

upon　a　seaworthy　craft。　　There　would　be　no　more　hard　labour

at　ship…building；　and　no　risking　their　lives　upon　a　crudely

built　makeshift　that　would　be　quite　as　likely　to　go　to　the

bottom　as　it　would　to　reach　the　mainland。



Also；　they　were　to　have　assistance　in　capturing　the　woman；

or　rather　women；　for　when　Momulla　had　learned　that　there

was　a　black　woman　in　the　other　camp　he　had　insisted　that

she　be　brought　along　as　well　as　the　white　woman。



As　Kai　Shang　and　Momulla　entered　their　camp；　it　was

with　a　realization　that　they　no　longer　needed　Gust。　　

They　marched　straight　to　the　tent　in　which　they　might　expect　to

find　him　at　that　hour　of　the　day；　for　though　it　would　have

been　more　comfortable　for　the　entire　party　to　remain　aboard

the　ship；　they　had　mutually　decided　that　it　would　be　safer　for

all　concerned　were　they　to　pitch　their　camp　ashore。



Each　knew　that　in　the　heart　of　the　others　was　sufficient

treachery　to　make　it　unsafe　for　any　member　of　the　party　to

go　ashore　leaving　the　others　in　possession　of　the　Cowrie；　so

not　more　than　two　or　three　men　at　a　time　were　ever　permitted

aboard　the　vessel　unless　all　the　balance　of　the　company

was　there　too。



As　the　two　crossed　toward　Gust's　tent　the　Maori　felt　the

edge　of　his　long　knife　with　one　grimy；　calloused　thumb。　　

The　Swede　would　have　felt　far　from　comfortable　could　he　have

seen　this　significant　action；　or　read　what　was　passing　amid

the　convolutions　of　the　brown　man's　cruel　brain。



Now　it　happened　that　Gust　was　at　that　moment　in　the　tent

occupied　by　the　cook；　and　this　tent　stood　but　a　few　feet

from　his　own。　　So　that　he　heard　the　approach　of　Kai　Shang

and　Momulla；　though　he　did　not；　of　course；　dream　that　it

had　any　special　significance　for　him。



Chance　had　it；　though；　that　he　glanced　out　of　the　doorway

of　the　cook's　tent　at　the　very　moment　that　Kai　Shang　and

Momulla　approached　the　entrance　to　his；　and　he　thought　that

he　noted　a　stealthiness　in　their　movements　that　comported

poorly　with　amicable　or　friendly　intentions；　and　then；　just　as

they　two　slunk　within　the　interior；　Gust　caught　a　glimpse　of

the　long　knife　which　Momulla　the　Maori　was　then　carrying

behind　his　back。



The　Swede's　eyes　opened　wide；　and　a　funny　little　sensation

assailed　the　roots　of　his　hairs。　　Also　he　turned　almost　white

beneath　his　tan。　　Quite　precipitately　he　left　the　cook's　tent。　　

He　was　not　one　who　required　a　detailed　exposition　of　intentions

that　were　quite　all　too　obvious。



As　surely　as　though　he　had　heard　them　plotting；　he　knew

that　Kai　Shang　and　Momulla　had　come　to　take　his　life。　　

The　knowledge　that　he　alone　could　navigate　the　Cowrie　had；

up　to　now；　been　sufficient　assurance　of　his　safety；　but　quite

evidently　something　had　occurred　of　which　he　had　no　knowledge

that　would　make　it　quite　worth　the　while　of　his　co…conspirators

to　eliminate　him。



Without　a　pause　Gust　darted　across　the　beach　and　into　the　jungle。　　

He　was　afraid　of　the　jungle；　uncanny　noises　that　were

indeed　frightful　came　forth　from　its　recessesthe　tangled

mazes　of　the　mysterious　country　back　of　the　beach。



But　if　Gust　was　afraid　of　the　jungle　he　was　far　more　afraid

of　Kai　Shang　and　Momulla。　　The　dangers　of　the　jungle　were

more　or　less　problematical；　while　the　danger　that　menaced

him　at　the　hands　of　his　companions　was　a　perfectly　well…

known　quantity；　which　might　be　expressed　in　terms　of　a　few

inches　of　cold　steel；　or　the　coil　of　a　light　rope。　　He　had　seen

Kai　Shang　garrotte　a　man　at　Pai…sha　in　a　dark　alleyway　back

of　Loo　Kotai's　place。　　He　feared　the　rope；　therefore；　more

than　he　did　the　knife　of　the　Maori；　but　he　feared　them　both

too　much　to　remain　within　reach　of　either。　　Therefore　he　chose

the　pitiless　jungle。









Chapter　21





The　Law　of　the　Jungle





In　Tarzan's　camp；　by　dint　of　threats　and　promised　rewards；

the　ape…man　had　finally　succeeded　in　getting　the　hull　of　a

large　skiff　almost　completed。　　Much　of　the　work　he　and

Mugambi　had　done　with　their　own　hands　in　addition　to

furnishing　the　camp　with　meat。



Schneider；　the　mate；　had　been　doing　considerable　grumbling；

and　had　at　last　openly　deserted　the　work　and　gone　off

into　the　jungle　with　Schmidt　to　hunt。　　He　said　that　he　wanted

a　rest；　and　Tarzan；　rather　than　add　to　the　unpleasantness

which　already　made　camp　life　almost　unendurable；　had　permitted

the　two　men　to　depart　without　a　remonstrance。



Upon　the　following　day；　however；　Schneider　affected　a　feeling

of　remorse　for　his　action；　and　set　to　work　with　a　will　upon

the　skiff。　　Schmidt　also　worked　good…naturedly；　and　Lord

Greystoke　congratulated　himself　that　at　last　the　men　had

awakened　to　the　necessity　for　the　labour　which　was　being　asked　of

them　and　to　their　obligations　to　the　balance　of　the　party。



It　was　with　a　feeling　of　greater　relief　than　he　had　experienced

for　many　a　day　that　he　set　out　that　noon　to　hunt　deep　in　the

jungle　for　a　herd　of　small　deer　which　Schneider　reported

that　he　and　Schmidt　had　seen　there　the　day　before。



The　direction　in　which　Schneider　had　reported　seeing　the

deer　was　toward　the　south…west；　and　to　that　point　the　ape…man

swung　easily　through　the　tangled　verdure　of　the　forest。



And　as　he　went　there　approached　from　the　north　a　half…dozen

ill…featured　men　who　went　stealthily　through　the　jungle

as　go　men　bent　upon　the　commission　of　a　wicked　act。



They　thought　that　they　travelled　unseen；　but　behind　them；

almost　from　the　moment　they　quitted　their　own　camp；　a　tall

man　crept　upon　their　trail。　　In　the　man's　eyes　were　hate　and

fear；　and　a　great　curiosity。　　Why　went　Kai　Shang　and　Momulla

and　the　others　thus　stealthily　toward　the　south？　　What　did

they　expect　to　find　there？　　Gust　shook　his　low…browed

head　in　perplexity。　　But　he　would　know。　　He　would　follow

them　and　learn　their　plans；　and　then　if　he　could　thwart　them

he　wouldthat　went　without　question。



At　first　he　had　thought　that　they　searched　for　him；　but

finally　his　better　judgment　assured　him　that　such　could　not

be　the　case；　since　they　had　accomplished　all　they　really

desired　by　chasing　him　out　of　camp。　　Never　would　Kai　Shang

or　Momulla　go　to　such　pains　to　slay　him　or　another　unless　it

would　put　money　into　their　pockets；　and　as　Gust　had　no

money　it　was　evident　that　they　were　searching　for　someone　else。



Presently　the　party　he　trailed　came　to　a　halt。　　Its　members

concealed　themselves　in　the　foliage　bordering　the　game　trail

along　which　they　had　come。　　Gust；　that　he　might　the　better

observe；　clambered　into　the　branches　of　a　tree　to　the　rear　of

them；　being　careful　that　the　leafy　fronds　hid　him　from　the

view　of　his　erstwhile　mates。



He　had　not　long　to　wait　before　he　saw　a　strange　white　man

approach　carefully　along　the　trail　from　the　south。



At　sight　of　the　newcomer　Momulla　and　Kai　Shang　arose

from　their　places　of　concealment　and　greeted　him。　　Gust　could

not　overhear　what　passed　between　them。　　Then　the　man　returned

in　the　direction　from　which　he　had　come。



He　was　Schneider。　　Nearing　his　camp　he　circled　to　the

opposite　side　of　it；　and　presently　came　running　in　breathlessly。　　

Excitedly　he　hastened　to　Mugambi。



〃Quick！〃　he　cried。　　〃Those　apes　of　yours　have　caught　Schmidt

and　will　kill　him　if　we　do　not　hasten　to　his　aid。　　You　alone

can　call　them　off。　　Take　Jones　and　Sullivanyou　may　need

helpand　get　to　him　as　quick　as　you　can。　　Follow　the　game

trail　south　for　about　a　mile。　　I　will　remain　here。　　I　am

too　spent　with　running　to　go　back　with　you；〃　and　the　mate

of　the　Kincaid　threw　himself　upon　the　ground；　panting　as

though　he　was　almost　done　for。



Mugambi　hesitated。　　He　had　been　left　to　guard　the　two　women。　　

He　did　not　know　what　to　do；　and　then　Jane　Clayton；

who　had　heard　Schneider's　story；　added　her　pleas　to

those　of　the　mate。



〃Do　not　delay；〃　she　urged。　　〃We　shall　be　all　right　here。　　

Mr。　Schneider　will　remain　with　us。　　Go；　Mugambi。　　The　poor

fe