the lost continent-第14部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


op　back　to　my　side。

〃Go　on！〃　I　cried。　　〃Make　for　the　other　shore；　and　then　follow　down　until　you　find　my　friends。　　Tell　them　that　I　sent　you；　and　with　orders　that　they　are　to　protect　you。　　Go　on！　　Go　on！〃

But　she　only　waited　until　we　were　again　swimming　side　by　side；　and　I　saw　that　she　had　drawn　her　long　knife；　and　was　holding　it　between　her　teeth。

〃Do　as　I　tell　you！〃　I　said　to　her　sharply；　but　she　shook　her　head。

The　lioness　was　overhauling　us　rapidly。　　She　was　swimming　silently；　her　chin　just　touching　the　water；　but　blood　was　streaming　from　between　her　lips。　　It　was　evident　that　her　lungs　were　pierced。

She　was　almost　upon　me。　　I　saw　that　in　a　moment　she　would　take　me　under　her　forepaws；　or　seize　me　in　those　great　jaws。　I　felt　that　my　time　had　come；　but　I　meant　to　die　fighting。　And　so　I　turned；　and；　treading　water；　raised　my　rifle　above　my　head　and　awaited　her。

Victory；　animated　by　a　bravery　no　less　ferocious　than　that　of　the　dumb　beast　assailing　us；　swam　straight　for　me。　　It　all　happened　so　swiftly　that　I　cannot　recall　the　details　of　the　kaleidoscopic　action　which　ensued。　　I　knew　that　I　rose　high　out　of　the　water；　and；　with　clubbed　rifle；　dealt　the　animal　a　terrific　blow　upon　the　skull；　that　I　saw　Victory；　her　long　blade　flashing　in　her　hand；　close；　striking；　upon　the　beast；　that　a　great　paw　fell　upon　her　shoulder；　and　that　I　was　swept　beneath　the　surface　of　the　water　like　a　straw　before　the　prow　of　a　freighter。

Still　clinging　to　my　rifle；　I　rose　again；　to　see　the　lioness　struggling　in　her　death　throes　but　an　arm's　length　from　me。　Scarcely　had　I　risen　than　the　beast　turned　upon　her　side；　struggled　frantically　for　an　instant；　and　then　sank。



6


Victory　was　nowhere　in　sight。　　Alone；　I　floated　upon　the　bosom　of　the　Thames。　　In　that　brief　instant　I　believe　that　I　suffered　more　mental　anguish　than　I　have　crowded　into　all　the　balance　of　my　life　before　or　since。　　A　few　hours　before；　I　had　been　wishing　that　I　might　be　rid　of　her；　and　now　that　she　was　gone　I　would　have　given　my　life　to　have　her　back　again。

Wearily　I　turned　to　swim　about　the　spot　where　she　had　disappeared；　hoping　that　she　might　rise　once　at　least；　and　I　would　be　given　the　opportunity　to　save　her；　and；　as　I　turned；　the　water　boiled　before　my　face　and　her　head　shot　up　before　me。　　I　was　on　the　point　of　striking　out　to　seize　her；　when　a　happy　smile　illumined　her　features。

〃You　are　not　dead！〃　she　cried。　　〃I　have　been　searching　the　bottom　for　you。　　I　was　sure　that　the　blow　she　gave　you　must　have　disabled　you；〃　and　she　glanced　about　for　the　lioness。

〃She　has　gone？〃　she　asked。

〃Dead；〃　I　replied。

〃The　blow　you　struck　her　with　the　thing　you　call　rifle　stunned　her；〃　she　explained；　〃and　then　I　swam　in　close　enough　to　get　my　knife　into　her　heart。〃

Ah；　such　a　girl！　　I　could　not　but　wonder　what　one　of　our　own　Pan…American　women　would　have　done　under　like　circumstances。　But　then；　of　course；　they　have　not　been　trained　by　stern　necessity　to　cope　with　the　emergencies　and　dangers　of　savage　primeval　life。

Along　the　bank　we　had　just　quitted；　a　score　of　lions　paced　to　and　fro；　growling　menacingly。　　We　could　not　return；　and　we　struck　out　for　the　opposite　shore。　　I　am　a　strong　swimmer；　and　had　no　doubt　as　to　my　ability　to　cross　the　river；　but　I　was　not　so　sure　about　Victory；　so　I　swam　close　behind　her；　to　be　ready　to　give　her　assistance　should　she　need　it。

She　did　not；　however；　reaching　the　opposite　bank　as　fresh；　apparently；　as　when　she　entered　the　water。　　Victory　is　a　wonder。　　Each　day　that　we　were　together　brought　new　proofs　of　it。　　Nor　was　it　her　courage　or　vitality　only　which　amazed　me。　　She　had　a　head　on　those　shapely　shoulders　of　hers；　and　dignity！　　My；　but　she　could　be　regal　when　she　chose！

She　told　me　that　the　lions　were　fewer　upon　this　side　of　the　river；　but　that　there　were　many　wolves；　running　in　great　packs　later　in　the　year。　　Now　they　were　north　somewhere；　and　we　should　have　little　to　fear　from　them；　though　we　might　meet　with　a　few。

My　first　concern　was　to　take　my　weapons　apart　and　dry　them；　which　was　rather　difficult　in　the　face　of　the　fact　that　every　rag　about　me　was　drenched。　　But　finally；　thanks　to　the　sun　and　much　rubbing；　I　succeeded；　though　I　had　no　oil　to　lubricate　them。

We　ate　some　wild　berries　and　roots　that　Victory　found；　and　then　we　set　off　again　down　the　river；　keeping　an　eye　open　for　game　on　one　side　and　the　launch　on　the　other；　for　I　thought　that　Delcarte；　who　would　be　the　natural　leader　during　my　absence；　might　run　up　the　Thames　in　search　of　me。

The　balance　of　that　day　we　sought　in　vain　for　game　or　for　the　launch；　and　when　night　came　we　lay　down；　our　stomachs　empty；　to　sleep　beneath　the　stars。　　We　were　entirely　unprotected　from　attack　from　wild　beasts；　and　for　this　reason　I　remained　awake　most　of　the　night；　on　guard。　　But　nothing　approached　us；　though　I　could　hear　the　lions　roaring　across　the　river；　and　once　I　thought　I　heard　the　howl　of　a　beast　north　of　usit　might　have　been　a　wolf。

Altogether；　it　was　a　most　unpleasant　night；　and　I　determined　then　that　if　we　were　forced　to　sleep　out　again　that　I　should　provide　some　sort　of　shelter　which　would　protect　us　from　attack　while　we　slept。

Toward　morning　I　dozed；　and　the　sun　was　well　up　when　Victory　aroused　me　by　gently　shaking　my　shoulder。

〃Antelope！〃　she　whispered　in　my　ear；　and；　as　I　raised　my　head；　she　pointed　up…river。　　Crawling　to　my　knees；　I　looked　in　the　direction　she　indicated；　to　see　a　buck　standing　upon　a　little　knoll　some　two　hundred　yards　from　us。　　There　was　good　cover　between　the　animal　and　me；　and　so；　though　I　might　have　hit　him　at　two　hundred　yards；　I　preferred　to　crawl　closer　to　him　and　make　sure　of　the　meat　we　both　so　craved。

I　had　covered　about　fifty　yards　of　the　distance；　and　the　beast　was　still　feeding　peacefully；　so　I　thought　that　I　would　make　even　surer　of　a　hit　by　going　ahead　another　fifty　yards；　when　the　animal　suddenly　raised　his　head　and　looked　away；　up…river。　　His　whole　attitude　proclaimed　that　he　was　startled　by　something　beyond　him　that　I　could　not　see。

Realizing　that　he　might　break　and　run　and　that　I　should　then　probably　miss　him　entirely；　I　raised　my　rifle　to　my　shoulder。　　But　even　as　I　did　so　the　animal　leaped　into　the　air；　and　simultaneously　there　was　a　sound　of　a　shot　from　beyond　the　knoll。

For　an　instant　I　was　dumbfounded。　　Had　the　report　come　from　down…river；　I　should　have　instantly　thought　that　one　of　my　own　men　had　fired。　　But　coming　from　up…river　it　puzzled　me　considerably。　　Who　could　there　be　with　firearms　in　primitive　England　other　than　we　of　the　Coldwater？

Victory　was　directly　behind　me；　and　I　motioned　for　her　to　lie　down；　as　I　did；　behind　the　bush　from　which　I　had　been　upon　the　point　of　firing　at　the　antelope。　　We　could　see　that　the　buck　was　quite　dead；　and　from　our　hiding　place　we　waited　to　discover　the　identity　of　his　slayer　when　the　latter　should　approach　and　claim　his　kill。

We　had　not　long　to　wait；　and　when　I　saw　the　head　and　shoulders　of　a　man　appear　above　the　crest　of　the　knoll；　I　sprang　to　my　feet；　with　a　heartfelt　cry　of　joy；　for　it　was　Delcarte。

At　the　sound　of　my　voice；　Delcarte　half　raised　his　rifle　in　readiness　for　the　attack　of　an　enemy；　but　a　moment　later　he　recognized　me；　and　was　coming　rapidly　to　meet　us。　　Behind　him　was　Snider。　　They　both　were　astounded　to　see　me　upon　the　north　bank　of　the　river；　and　much　more　so　at　the　sight　of　my　companion。

Then　I　introduced　them　to　Victory；　and　told　them　that　she　was　queen　of　England。　　They　thought；　at　first；　that　I　was　joking。　　But　when　I　had　recounted　my　adventures　and　they　realized　that　I　was　in　earnest；　they　believed　me。

They　told　me　that　they　had　followed　me　inshore　when　I　had　not　returned　from　the　hunt；　that　they　had　met　the　men　of　the　elephant　country；　and　had　had　a　short　and　one…sided　battle　with　the　fellows。　　And　that　afterward　they　had　returned　to　the　launch　with　a　prisoner；　from　whom　they　had　learned　that　I　had　probably　been　captured　by　the　men　of　the　lion　country。

With　the　prisoner　as　a　guide　they　had　set　off　up…river　in　search　of　me；　but　had　been　much　delayed　by　motor　trouble；　and　had　finally　camped　after　dark　a　half　mile　above　the　spot　where　Victory　and　I　had　spent　the　night。　　They　must　have　passed　us　in　the　dark；　and　why　I　did　not　hear　the　sound　of　the　propeller　I　do　not　know；　unless　it　passed　me　at　a　time　when　the　lions　were　making　an　unusually　earsplitting　din　upon　the　opposite　side。

Taking　the　antelope　with　us；　we　all　returned　to　the　launch；　where　we　found　Taylor　as　delighted　to　see　me　alive　again　as　Delcarte　had　been。　　I　cannot　say　truthfully　that　Snider　evinced　much　enthusiasm　at　my　rescue。

Taylor　had　found　the　ingredients　for　chemical　fuel；　and　the　distilling　of　them　had；　with　the　motor　trouble；　accounted　for　their　delay　in　setting　out　after　me。

The　prisoner　that　Delcarte　and　Snider　had　taken　was　a　powerful　young　fellow　from　the　elephant　country。　Notwithstanding　the　fact　that　they　had　all　assured　him　to　the　contrary；　he　still　could　not　believe　that　we　would　not　kill　him。

He　assured　us　that　his　name　was　Thirty…six；　and；　as　he　could　not　count　above　ten；　I　am　sure　that　he　had　no　conception　of　the　correct　meaning　of　the　word；　and　that　it　may　have　been　handed　down　to　him　either　from　the　military　number　of　an　ancestor　who　had　served　in　the　English　ranks　during　the　Great　War；　or　that　originally　it　was　the　number　of　some　famous　regiment　with　which　a　forbear　fought。

Now　that　we　were　reunited；　we　held　a　council　to　determine　what　course　we　should　pursue　in　the　immediate　future。　Snider　was　still　for　setting　out　to　sea　and　returning　to　Pan…America；　but　the　better　judgment　of　Delcarte　and　Taylor　ridiculed　the　suggestionwe　should　not　have　lived　a　fortnight。

To　remain　in　England；　constantly　menaced　by　wild　beasts　and　men　equally　as　wild；　seemed　about　as　bad。　　I　suggested　that　we　cross　the　Channel　and　ascertain　if　we　could　not　discover　a　more　enlightened　and　civilized　people　upon　the　continent。　I　was　sure　that　some　trace　of　the　ancient　culture　and　greatness　of　Europe　must　remain。　　Germany；　probably；　would　be　much　as　it　was　during　the　twentieth　century；　for；　in　common　with　most　Pan…Americans；　I　was　positive　that　Germany　had　been　victorious　in　the　Great　War。

Snider　demurred　at　the　suggestion。　　He　said　that　it　was　bad　e