the lost continent-第16部分

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ous　aspect。

The　fellow　was　armed　with　a　long　spear　and　a　club；　the　latter　dangling　down　his　back　from　a　leathern　thong　about　his　neck。　　His　feet　were　incased　in　hide　sandals。

At　sight　of　me；　he　halted　for　an　instant；　then　turned　and　dove　into　the　forest；　and；　though　I　called　reassuringly　to　him　in　English　he　did　not　return　nor　did　I　again　see　him。

The　sight　of　the　wild　man　raised　my　hopes　once　more　that　elsewhere　we　might　find　men　in　a　higher　state　of　civilizationit　was　the　society　of　civilized　man　that　I　cravedand　so；　with　a　lighter　heart；　I　continued　on　toward　the　river　and　the　launch。

I　was　still　some　distance　ahead　of　Delcarte　and　Taylor；　when　I　came　in　sight　of　the　Rhine　again。　　But　I　came　to　the　water's　edge　before　I　noticed　that　anything　was　amiss　with　the　party　we　had　left　there　a　few　hours　before。

My　first　intimation　of　disaster　was　the　absence　of　the　launch　from　its　former　moorings。　　And　then；　a　moment　later　I　discovered　the　body　of　a　man　lying　upon　the　bank。　　Running　toward　it；　I　saw　that　it　was　Thirty…six；　and　as　I　stopped　and　raised　the　Grabritin's　head　in　my　arms；　I　heard　a　faint　moan　break　from　his　lips。　　He　was　not　dead；　but　that　he　was　badly　injured　was　all　too　evident。

Delcarte　and　Taylor　came　up　a　moment　later；　and　the　three　of　us　worked　over　the　fellow；　hoping　to　revive　him　that　he　might　tell　us　what　had　happened；　and　what　had　become　of　the　others。　　My　first　thought　was　prompted　by　the　sight　I　had　recently　had　of　the　savage　native。　　The　little　party　had　evidently　been　surprised；　and　in　the　attack　Thirty…six　had　been　wounded　and　the　others　taken　prisoners。　　The　thought　was　almost　like　a　physical　blow　in　the　faceit　stunned　me。　Victory　in　the　hands　of　these　abysmal　brutes！　　It　was　frightful。　　I　almost　shook　poor　Thirty…six　in　my　efforts　to　revive　him。

I　explained　my　theory　to　the　others；　and　then　Delcarte　shattered　it　by　a　single　movement　of　the　hand。　　He　drew　aside　the　lion's　skin　that　covered　half　of　the　Grabritin's　breast；　revealing　a　neat；　round　hole　in　Thirty…six's　chest　a　hole　that　could　have　been　made　by　no　other　weapon　than　a　rifle。

〃Snider！〃　I　exclaimed。　　Delcarte　nodded。　　At　about　the　same　time　the　eyelids　of　the　wounded　man　fluttered；　and　raised。　He　looked　up　at　us；　and　very　slowly　the　light　of　consciousness　returned　to　his　eyes。

〃What　happened；　Thirty…six？〃　I　asked　him。

He　tried　to　reply；　but　the　effort　caused　him　to　cough；　bringing　about　a　hemorrhage　of　the　lungs　and　again　he　fell　back　exhausted。　　For　several　long　minutes　he　lay　as　one　dead；　then　in　an　almost　inaudible　whisper　he　spoke。

〃Snider〃　　He　paused；　tried　to　speak　again；　raised　a　hand；　and　pointed　down…river。　　〃Theywentback；〃　and　then　he　shuddered　convulsively　and　died。

None　of　us　voiced　his　belief。　　But　I　think　they　were　all　alike：　Victory　and　Snider　had　stolen　the　launch；　and　deserted　us。



7


We　stood　there；　grouped　about　the　body　of　the　dead　Grabritin；　looking　futilely　down　the　river　to　where　it　made　an　abrupt　curve　to　the　west；　a　quarter　of　a　mile　below　us；　and　was　lost　to　sight；　as　though　we　expected　to　see　the　truant　returning　to　us　with　our　precious　launchthe　thing　that　meant　life　or　death　to　us　in　this　unfriendly；　savage　world。

I　felt；　rather　than　saw；　Taylor　turn　his　eyes　slowly　toward　my　profile；　and；　as　mine　swung　to　meet　them；　the　expression　upon　his　face　recalled　me　to　my　duty　and　responsibility　as　an　officer。

The　utter　hopelessness　that　was　reflected　in　his　face　must　have　been　the　counterpart　of　what　I　myself　felt；　but　in　that　brief　instant　I　determined　to　hide　my　own　misgivings　that　I　might　bolster　up　the　courage　of　the　others。

〃We　are　lost！〃　was　written　as　plainly　upon　Taylor's　face　as　though　his　features　were　the　printed　words　upon　an　open　book。　　He　was　thinking　of　the　launch；　and　of　the　launch　alone。　　Was　I？　　I　tried　to　think　that　I　was。　　But　a　greater　grief　than　the　loss　of　the　launch　could　have　engendered　in　me；　filled　my　hearta　sullen；　gnawing　misery　which　I　tried　to　denywhich　I　refused　to　admitbut　which　persisted　in　obsessing　me　until　my　heart　rose　and　filled　my　throat；　and　I　could　not　speak　when　I　would　have　uttered　words　of　reassurance　to　my　companions。

And　then　rage　came　to　my　reliefrage　against　the　vile　traitor　who　had　deserted　three　of　his　fellow　countrymen　in　so　frightful　a　position。　　I　tried　to　feel　an　equal　rage　against　the　woman；　but　somehow　I　could　not；　and　kept　searching　for　excuses　for　herher　youth；　her　inexperience；　her　savagery。

My　rising　anger　swept　away　my　temporary　helplessness。　　I　smiled；　and　told　Taylor　not　to　look　so　glum。

〃We　will　follow　them；〃　I　said；　〃and　the　chances　are　that　we　shall　overtake　them。　　They　will　not　travel　as　rapidly　as　Snider　probably　hopes。　　He　will　be　forced　to　halt　for　fuel　and　for　food；　and　the　launch　must　follow　the　windings　of　the　river；　we　can　take　short　cuts　while　they　are　traversing　the　detour。　　I　have　my　mapthank　God！　I　always　carry　it　upon　my　personand　with　that　and　the　compass　we　will　have　an　advantage　over　them。〃

My　words　seemed　to　cheer　them　both；　and　they　were　for　starting　off　at　once　in　pursuit。　　There　was　no　reason　why　we　should　delay；　and　we　set　forth　down　the　river。　　As　we　tramped　along；　we　discussed　a　question　that　was　uppermost　in　the　mind　of　eachwhat　we　should　do　with　Snider　when　we　had　captured　him；　for　with　the　action　of　pursuit　had　come　the　optimistic　conviction　that　we　should　succeed。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　we　had　to　succeed。　　The　very　thought　of　remaining　in　this　utter　wilderness　for　the　rest　of　our　lives　was　impossible。

We　arrived　at　nothing　very　definite　in　the　matter　of　Snider's　punishment；　since　Taylor　was　for　shooting　him；　Delcarte　insisting　that　he　should　be　hanged；　while　I；　although　fully　conscious　of　the　gravity　of　his　offense；　could　not　bring　myself　to　give　the　death　penalty。

I　fell　to　wondering　what　charm　Victory　had　found　in　such　a　man　as　Snider；　and　why　I　insisted　upon　finding　excuses　for　her　and　trying　to　defend　her　indefensible　act。　　She　was　nothing　to　me。　　Aside　from　the　natural　gratitude　I　felt　for　her　since　she　had　saved　my　life；　I　owed　her　nothing。　　She　was　a　half…naked　little　savageI；　a　gentleman；　and　an　officer　in　the　world's　greatest　navy。　　There　could　be　no　close　bonds　of　interest　between　us。

This　line　of　reflection　I　discovered　to　be　as　distressing　as　the　former；　but；　though　I　tried　to　turn　my　mind　to　other　things；　it　persisted　in　returning　to　the　vision　of　an　oval　face；　sun…tanned；　of　smiling　lips；　revealing　white　and　even　teeth；　of　brave　eyes　that　harbored　no　shadow　of　guile；　and　of　a　tumbling　mass　of　wavy　hair　that　crowned　the　loveliest　picture　on　which　my　eyes　had　ever　rested。

Every　time　this　vision　presented　itself　I　felt　myself　turn　cold　with　rage　and　hate　against　Snider。　　I　could　forgive　the　launch；　but　if　he　had　wronged　her　he　should　diehe　should　die　at　my　own　hands；　in　this　I　was　determined。

For　two　days　we　followed　the　river　northward；　cutting　off　where　we　could；　but　confined　for　the　most　part　to　the　game　trails　that　paralleled　the　stream。　　One　afternoon；　we　cut　across　a　narrow　neck　of　land　that　saved　us　many　miles；　where　the　river　wound　to　the　west　and　back　again。

Here　we　decided　to　halt；　for　we　had　had　a　hard　day　of　it；　and；　if　the　truth　were　known；　I　think　that　we　had　all　given　up　hope　of　overtaking　the　launch　other　than　by　the　merest　accident。

We　had　shot　a　deer　just　before　our　halt；　and；　as　Taylor　and　Delcarte　were　preparing　it；　I　walked　down　to　the　water　to　fill　our　canteens。　　I　had　just　finished；　and　was　straightening　up；　when　something　floating　around　a　bend　above　me　caught　my　eye。　　For　a　moment　I　could　not　believe　the　testimony　of　my　own　senses。　　It　was　a　boat。

I　shouted　to　Delcarte　and　Taylor；　who　came　running　to　my　side。

〃The　launch！〃　cried　Delcarte；　and；　indeed；　it　was　the　launch；　floating　down…river　from　above　us。　　Where　had　it　been？　　How　had　we　passed　it？　　And　how　were　we　to　reach　it　now；　should　Snider　and　the　girl　discover　us？

〃It's　drifting；〃　said　Taylor。　　〃I　see　no　one　in　it。〃

I　was　stripping　off　my　clothes；　and　Delcarte　soon　followed　my　example。　　I　told　Taylor　to　remain　on　shore　with　the　clothing　and　rifles。　　He　might　also　serve　us　better　there；　since　it　would　give　him　an　opportunity　to　take　a　shot　at　Snider　should　the　man　discover　us　and　show　himself。

With　powerful　strokes　we　swam　out　in　the　path　of　the　oncoming　launch。　　Being　a　stronger　swimmer　than　Delcarte；　I　soon　was　far　in　the　lead；　reaching　the　center　of　the　channel　just　as　the　launch　bore　down　upon　me。　　It　was　drifting　broadside　on。　　I　seized　the　gunwale　and　raised　myself　quickly；　so　that　my　chin　topped　the　side。　　I　expected　a　blow　the　moment　that　I　came　within　the　view　of　the　occupants；　but　no　blow　fell。

Snider　lay　upon　his　back　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat　alone。　Even　before　I　had　clambered　in　and　stooped　above　him　I　knew　that　he　was　dead。　　Without　examining　him　further；　I　ran　forward　to　the　control　board　and　pressed　the　starting　button。　　To　my　relief；　the　mechanism　respondedthe　launch　was　uninjured。　　Coming　about；　I　picked　up　Delcarte。　　He　was　astounded　at　the　sight　that　met　his　eyes；　and　immediately　fell　to　examining　Snider's　body　for　signs　of　life　or　an　explanation　of　the　manner　in　which　he　met　his　death。

The　fellow　had　been　dead　for　hourshe　was　cold　and　still。　But　Delcarte's　search　was　not　without　results；　for　above　Snider's　heart　was　a　wound；　a　slit　about　an　inch　in　length　such　a　slit　as　a　sharp　knife　would　make；　and　in　the　dead　fingers　of　one　hand　was　clutched　a　strand　of　long　brown　hairVictory's　hair　was　brown。

They　say　that　dead　men　tell　no　tales；　but　Snider　told　the　story　of　his　end　as　clearly　as　though　the　dead　lips　had　parted　and　poured　forth　the　truth。　　The　beast　had　attacked　the　girl；　and　she　had　defended　her　honor。

We　buried　Snider　beside　the　Rhine；　and　no　stone　marks　his　last　resting　place。　　Beasts　do　not　require　headstones。

Then　we　set　out　in　the　launch；　turning　her　nose　upstream。　When　I　had　told　Delcarte　and　Taylor　that　I　intended　searching　for　the　girl；　neither　had　demurred。

〃We　had　her　wrong　in　our　thoughts；〃　said　Delcarte；　〃and　the　least　that　we　can　do　in　expiation　is　to　find　and　rescue　her。〃

We　called　her　name　aloud　every　few　minutes　as　we　motored　up　the　river；　but；　though　we　returned　all　the　way　to　our　former　camping　pl