按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
and follow him。
Jane Clayton sprang to her feet and looked about for Schneider；
only to see him standing behind the newcomers； a grin upon his face。
At his side stood Schmidt。 Instantly she saw that she had been made
the victim of a plot。
〃What is the meaning of this？〃 she asked； addressing the mate。
〃It means that we have found a ship and that we can now
escape from Jungle Island；〃 replied the man。
〃Why did you send Mugambi and the others into the jungle？〃 she inquired。
〃They are not coming with usonly you and I； and the Mosula woman。〃
〃Come！〃 repeated Kai Shang； and seized Jane Clayton's wrist。
One of the Maoris grasped the black woman by the arm；
and when she would have screamed struck her across the mouth。
Mugambi raced through the jungle toward the south。 Jones and
Sullivan trailed far behind。 For a mile he continued upon
his way to the relief of Schmidt； but no signs saw he of the
missing man or of any of the apes of Akut。
At last he halted and called aloud the summons which he and
Tarzan had used to hail the great anthropoids。 There was
no response。 Jones and Sullivan came up with the black warrior
as the latter stood voicing his weird call。 For another
half…mile the black searched； calling occasionally。
Finally the truth flashed upon him； and then； like a
frightened deer； he wheeled and dashed back toward camp。
Arriving there； it was but a moment before full confirmation
of his fears was impressed upon him。 Lady Greystoke and the
Mosula woman were gone。 So； likewise； was Schneider。
When Jones and Sullivan joined Mugambi he would have killed
them in his anger； thinking them parties to the plot；
but they finally succeeded in partially convincing him that
they had known nothing of it。
As they stood speculating upon the probable whereabouts
of the women and their abductor； and the purpose which
Schneider had in mind in taking them from camp； Tarzan of
the Apes swung from the branches of a tree and crossed the
clearing toward them。
His keen eyes detected at once that something was radically
wrong； and when he had heard Mugambi's story his jaws clicked
angrily together as he knitted his brows in thought。
What could the mate hope to accomplish by taking Jane
Clayton from a camp upon a small island from which there
was no escape from the vengeance of Tarzan？ The ape…man
could not believe the fellow such a fool； and then a slight
realization of the truth dawned upon him。
Schneider would not have committed such an act unless he
had been reasonably sure that there was a way by which
he could quit Jungle Island with his prisoners。 But why had he
taken the black woman as well？ There must have been others；
one of whom wanted the dusky female。
〃Come；〃 said Tarzan； 〃there is but one thing to do now；
and that is to follow the trail。〃
As he finished speaking a tall； ungainly figure emerged
from the jungle north of the camp。 He came straight toward
the four men。 He was an entire stranger to all of them；
not one of whom had dreamed that another human being than
those of their own camp dwelt upon the unfriendly shores
of Jungle Island。
It was Gust。 He came directly to the point。
〃Your women were stolen；〃 he said。 〃If you want ever
to see them again； come quickly and follow me。 If we do not
hurry the Cowrie will be standing out to sea by the time we
reach her anchorage。〃
〃Who are you？〃 asked Tarzan。 〃What do you know of
the theft of my wife and the black woman？〃
〃I heard Kai Shang and Momulla the Maori plot with two
men of your camp。 They had chased me from our camp； and
would have killed me。 Now I will get even with them。 Come！〃
Gust led the four men of the Kincaid's camp at a rapid trot
through the jungle toward the north。 Would they come to the
sea in time？ But a few more minutes would answer the question。
And when at last the little party did break through the last
of the screening foliage； and the harbour and the ocean lay
before them； they realized that fate had been most cruelly
unkind； for the Cowrie was already under sail and moving
slowly out of the mouth of the harbour into the open sea。
What were they to do？ Tarzan's broad chest rose and fell
to the force of his pent emotions。 The last blow seemed to
have fallen； and if ever in all his life Tarzan of the Apes had
had occasion to abandon hope it was now that he saw the ship
bearing his wife to some frightful fate moving gracefully over
the rippling water； so very near and yet so hideously far away。
In silence he stood watching the vessel。 He saw it turn
toward the east and finally disappear around a headland on
its way he knew not whither。 Then he dropped upon his
haunches and buried his face in his hands。
It was after dark that the five men returned to the camp on
the east shore。 The night was hot and sultry。 No slightest
breeze ruffled the foliage of the trees or rippled the mirror…
like surface of the ocean。 Only a gentle swell rolled softly in
upon the beach。
Never had Tarzan seen the great Atlantic so ominously at peace。
He was standing at the edge of the beach gazing out to sea
in the direction of the mainland； his mind filled with
sorrow and hopelessness； when from the jungle close behind
the camp came the uncanny wail of a panther。
There was a familiar note in the weird cry； and almost
mechanically Tarzan turned his head and answered。 A moment
later the tawny figure of Sheeta slunk out into the half…light of
the beach。 There was no moon； but the sky was brilliant with stars。
Silently the savage brute came to the side of the man。 It had been
long since Tarzan had seen his old fighting companion； but the soft
purr was sufficient to assure him that the animal still recalled
the bonds which had united them in the past。
The ape…man let his fingers fall upon the beast's coat；
and as Sheeta pressed close against his leg he caressed and
fondled the wicked head while his eyes continued to search
the blackness of the waters。
Presently he started。 What was that？ He strained his eyes
into the night。 Then he turned and called aloud to the men
smoking upon their blankets in the camp。 They came running
to his side； but Gust hesitated when he saw the nature of
Tarzan's companion。
〃Look！〃 cried Tarzan。 〃A light！ A ship's light！ It must
be the Cowrie。 They are becalmed。〃 And then with an
exclamation of renewed hope； 〃We can reach them！
The skiff will carry us easily。〃
Gust demurred。 〃They are well armed；〃 he warned。 〃We
could not take the shipjust five of us。〃
〃There are six now；〃 replied Tarzan； pointing to Sheeta；
〃and we can have more still in a half…hour。 Sheeta is the
equivalent of twenty men； and the few others I can bring will
add full a hundred to our fighting strength。 You do not know them。〃
The ape…man turned and raised his head toward the jungle；
while there pealed from his lips； time after time；
the fearsome cry of the bull…ape who would summon his fellows。
Presently from the jungle came an answering cry； and then
another and another。 Gust shuddered。 Among what sort of
creatures had fate thrown him？ Were not Kai Shang and Momulla
to be preferred to this great white giant who stroked a
panther and called to the beasts of the jungle？
In a few minutes the apes of Akut came crashing through
the underbrush and out upon the beach； while in the meantime
the five men had been struggling with the unwieldy bulk
of the skiff's hull。
By dint of Herculean efforts they had managed to get it to
the water's edge。 The oars from the two small boats of the
Kincaid； which had been washed away by an off…shore wind
the very night that the party had landed； had been in use to
support the canvas of the sailcloth tents。 These were hastily
requisitioned； and by the time Akut and his followers came
down to the water all was ready for embarkation。
Once again the hideous crew entered the service of their
master； and without question took up their places in the skiff。
The four men； for Gust could not be prevailed upon to accompany
the party； fell to the oars； using them paddle…wise； while some
of the apes followed their example； and presently the ungainly
skiff was moving quietly out to sea in the direction of the
light which rose and fell gently with the swell。
A sleepy sailor kept a poor vigil upon the Cowrie's deck；
while in the cabin below Schneider paced up and down arguing
with Jane Clayton。 The woman had found a revolver in a table
drawer in the room in which she had been locked； and now she
kept the mate of the Kincaid at bay with the weapon。
The Mosula woman kneeled behind her； while Schneider paced
up and down before the door； threatening and pleading and
promising； but all to no avail。 Presently from the deck
above came a shout of wa