the return of tarzan-第27部分

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morning　there　was　a　terrific　impact　that　threw　the　slumbering

guests　and　crew　from　berth　and　bunk。　　A　mighty　shudder　ran

through　the　frail　craft；　she　lay　far　over　to　starboard；　the

engines　stopped。　　For　a　moment　she　hung　there　with　her　decks

at　an　angle　of　forty…five　degreesthen；　with　a　sullen；　rending

sound；　she　slipped　back　into　the　sea　and　righted。



Instantly　the　men　rushed　upon　deck；　followed　closely　by

the　women。　　Though　the　night　was　cloudy；　there　was　little

wind　or　sea；　nor　was　it　so　dark　but　that　just　off　the　port

bow　a　black　mass　could　be　discerned　floating　low　in　the　water。



〃A　derelict；〃　was　the　terse　explanation　of　the　officer　of　the　watch。



Presently　the　engineer　hurried　on　deck　in　search　of　the　captain。



〃That　patch　we　put　on　the　cylinder　head's　blown　out；　sir；〃　he

reported；　〃and　she's　makin'　water　fast　for'ard　on　the　port　bow。〃



An　instant　later　a　seaman　rushed　up　from　below。



〃My　Gawd！〃　he　cried。　　〃Her　whole　bleedin'　bottom's　ripped

out。　　She　can't　float　twenty　minutes。〃



〃Shut　up！〃　roared　Tennington。　　〃Ladies；　go　below　and　get

some　of　your　things　together。　　It　may　not　be　so　bad　as　that；

but　we　may　have　to　take　to　the　boats。　　It　will　be　safer

to　be　prepared。　　Go　at　once；　please。　　And；　Captain　Jerrold；

send　some　competent　man　below；　please；　to　ascertain　the　exact

extent　of　the　damage。　　In　the　meantime　I　might　suggest　that

you　have　the　boats　provisioned。〃



The　calm；　low　voice　of　the　owner　did　much　to　reassure

the　entire　party；　and　a　moment　later　all　were　occupied　with

the　duties　he　had　suggested。　　By　the　time　the　ladies　had

returned　to　the　deck　the　rapid　provisioning　of　the　boats　had

been　about　completed；　and　a　moment　later　the　officer　who

had　gone　below　had　returned　to　report。　　But　his　opinion　was

scarcely　needed　to　assure　the　huddled　group　of　men　and

women　that　the　end　of　the　LADY　ALICE　was　at　hand。



〃Well；　sir？〃　said　the　captain；　as　his　officer　hesitated。



〃I　dislike　to　frighten　the　ladies；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃but　she

can't　float　a　dozen　minutes；　in　my　opinion。　　There's　a　hole　in

her　you　could　drive　a　bally　cow　through；　sir。〃



For　five　minutes　the　LADY　ALICE　had　been　settling　rapidly

by　the　bow。　　Already　her　stern　loomed　high　in　the　air；　and

foothold　on　the　deck　was　of　the　most　precarious　nature。

She　carried　four　boats；　and　these　were　all　filled　and　lowered

away　in　safety。　　As　they　pulled　rapidly　from　the　stricken

little　vessel　Jane　Porter　turned　to　have　one　last　look　at　her。

Just　then　there　came　a　loud　crash　and　an　ominous　rumbling

and　pounding　from　the　heart　of　the　shipher　machinery　had

broken　loose；　and　was　dashing　its　way　toward　the　bow；

tearing　out　partitions　and　bulkheads　as　it　wentthe　stern　rose

rapidly　high　above　them；　for　a　moment　she　seemed　to　pause

therea　vertical　shaft　protruding　from　the　bosom　of　the

ocean；　and　then　swiftly　she　dove　headforemost　beneath　the　waves。



In　one　of　the　boats　the　brave　Lord　Tennington　wiped　a　tear

from　his　eyehe　had　not　seen　a　fortune　in　money　go　down

forever　into　the　sea；　but　a　dear；　beautiful　friend　whom　he

had　loved。



At　last　the　long　night　broke；　and　a　tropical　sun　smote

down　upon　the　rolling　water。　　Jane　Porter　had　dropped　into　a

fitful　slumberthe　fierce　light　of　the　sun　upon　her　upturned

face　awoke　her。　　She　looked　about　her。　　In　the　boat　with　her

were　three　sailors；　Clayton；　and　Monsieur　Thuran。　　Then　she

looked　for　the　other　boats；　but　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach

there　was　nothing　to　break　the　fearful　monotony　of　that

waste　of　watersthey　were　alone　in　a　small　boat　upon　the

broad　Atlantic。







Chapter　14





Back　to　the　Primitive





As　Tarzan　struck　the　water；　his　first　impulse　was　to　swim　clear

of　the　ship　and　possible　danger　from　her　propellers。　　He　knew

whom　to　thank　for　his　present　predicament；　and　as　he　lay　in

the　sea；　just　supporting　himself　by　a　gentle　movement　of　his

hands；　his　chief　emotion　was　one　of　chagrin　that　he　had　been

so　easily　bested　by　Rokoff。



He　lay　thus　for　some　time；　watching　the　receding　and

rapidly　diminishing　lights　of　the　steamer　without　it　ever　once

occurring　to　him　to　call　for　help。　　He　never　had　called　for

help　in　his　life；　and　so　it　is　not　strange　that　he　did　not　think

of　it　now。　　Always　had　he　depended　upon　his　own　prowess

and　resourcefulness；　nor　had　there　ever　been　since　the　days

of　Kala　any　to　answer　an　appeal　for　succor。　　When　it　did

occur　to　him　it　was　too　late。



There　was；　thought　Tarzan；　a　possible　one　chance　in　a

hundred　thousand　that　he　might　be　picked　up；　and　an　even

smaller　chance　that　he　would　reach　land；　so　he　determined

that　to　combine　what　slight　chances　there　were；　he　would

swim　slowly　in　the　direction　of　the　coastthe　ship　might

have　been　closer　in　than　he　had　known。



His　strokes　were　long　and　easyit　would　be　many　hours

before　those　giant　muscles　would　commence　to　feel　fatigue。

As　he　swam；　guided　toward　the　east　by　the　stars；　he　noticed

that　he　felt　the　weight　of　his　shoes；　and　so　he　removed　them。

His　trousers　went　next；　and　he　would　have　removed　his　coat

at　the　same　time　but　for　the　precious　papers　in　its　pocket。

To　assure　himself　that　he　still　had　them　he　slipped　his

hand　in　to　feel；　but　to　his　consternation　they　were　gone。



Now　he　knew　that　something　more　than　revenge　had

prompted　Rokoff　to　pitch　him　overboardthe　Russian　had

managed　to　obtain　possession　of　the　papers　Tarzan　had

wrested　from　him　at　Bou　Saada。　　The　ape…man　swore　softly；

and　let　his　coat　and　shirt　sink　into　the　Atlantic。　　Before　many

hours　he　had　divested　himself　of　his　remaining　garments；

and　was　swimming　easily　and　unencumbered　toward　the　east。



The　first　faint　evidence　of　dawn　was　paling　the　stars　ahead

of　him　when　the　dim　outlines　of　a　low…lying　black　mass

loomed　up　directly　in　his　track。　　A　few　strong　strokes　brought

him　to　its　sideit　was　the　bottom　of　a　wave…washed　derelict。

Tarzan　clambered　upon　ithe　would　rest　there　until　daylight

at　least。　　He　had　no　intention　to　remain　there　inactivea　prey

to　hunger　and　thirst。　　If　he　must　die　he　preferred　dying　in

action　while　making　some　semblance　of　an　attempt　to　save　himself。



The　sea　was　quiet；　so　that　the　wreck　had　only　a　gently

undulating　motion；　that　was　nothing　to　the　swimmer　who

had　had　no　sleep　for　twenty　hours。　　Tarzan　of　the　Apes

curled　up　upon　the　slimy　timbers；　and　was　soon　asleep。



The　heat　of　the　sun　awoke　him　early　in　the　forenoon。

His　first　conscious　sensation　was　of　thirst；　which　grew

almost　to　the　proportions　of　suffering　with　full　returning

consciousness；　but　a　moment　later　it　was　forgotten　in　the

joy　of　two　almost　simultaneous　discoveries。　　The　first　was

a　mass　of　wreckage　floating　beside　the　derelict　in　the　midst

of　which；　bottom　up；　rose　and　fell　an　overturned　lifeboat；

the　other　was　the　faint；　dim　line　of　a　far…distant　shore

showing　on　the　horizon　in　the　east。



Tarzan　dove　into　the　water；　and　swam　around　the　wreck

to　the　lifeboat。　　The　cool　ocean　refreshed　him　almost　as

much　as　would　a　draft　of　water；　so　that　it　was　with　renewed

vigor　that　he　brought　the　smaller　boat　alongside　the　derelict；

and；　after　many　herculean　efforts；　succeeded　in　dragging　it

onto　the　slimy　ship's　bottom。　　There　he　righted　and　examined

itthe　boat　was　quite　sound；　and　a　moment　later　floated　upright

alongside　the　wreck。　　Then　Tarzan　selected　several　pieces

of　wreckage　that　might　answer　him　as　paddles；　and　presently

was　making　good　headway　toward　the　far…off　shore。



It　was　late　in　the　afternoon　by　the　time　he　came　close

enough　to　distinguish　objects　on　land；　or　to　make　out　the

contour　of　the　shore　line。　　Before　him　lay　what　appeared　to

be　the　entrance　to　a　little；　landlocked　harbor。　　The　wooded

point　to　the　north　was　strangely　familiar。　　Could　it　be

possible　that　fate　had　thrown　him　up　at　the　very　threshold

of　his　own　beloved　jungle！　　But　as　the　bow　of　his　boat

entered　the　mouth　of　the　harbor　the　last　shred　of　doubt　was

cleared　away；　for　there　before　him　upon　the　farther　shore；

under　the　shadows　of　his　primeval　forest；　stood　his　own

cabinbuilt　before　his　birth　by　the　hand　of　his　long…dead

father；　John　Clayton；　Lord　Greystoke。



With　long　sweeps　of　his　giant　muscles　Tarzan　sent　the　little

craft　speeding　toward　the　beach。　　Its　prow　had　scarcely

touched　when　the　ape…man　leaped　to　shorehis　heart　beat

fast　in　joy　and　exultation　as　each　long…familiar　object　came

beneath　his　roving　eyesthe　cabin；　the　beach；　the　little

brook；　the　dense　jungle；　the　black；　impenetrable　forest。

The　myriad　birds　in　their　brilliant　plumagethe　gorgeous

tropical　blooms　upon　the　festooned　creepers　falling　in　great

loops　from　the　giant　trees。



Tarzan　of　the　Apes　had　come　into　his　own　again；　and　that

all　the　world　might　know　it　he　threw　back　his　young　head；

and　gave　voice　to　the　fierce；　wild　challenge　of　his　tribe。

For　a　moment　silence　reigned　upon　the　jungle；　and　then；

low　and　weird；　came　an　answering　challengeit　was　the

deep　roar　of　Numa；　the　lion；　and　from　a　great　distance；

faintly；　the　fearsome　answering　bellow　of　a　bull　ape。



Tarzan　went　to　the　brook　first；　and　slaked　his　thirst。

Then　he　approached　his　cabin。　　The　door　was　still　closed

and　latched　as　he　and　D'Arnot　had　left　it。　　He　raised　the

latch　and　entered。　　Nothing　had　been　disturbed；　there　were

the　table；　the　bed；　and　the　little　crib　built　by　his

fatherthe　shelves　and　cupboards　just　as　they　had　stood

for　ever　twenty…three　yearsjust　as　he　had　left　them

nearly　two　years　before。



His　eyes　satisfied；　Tarzan's　stomach　began　to　call　aloud　for

attentionthe　pangs　of　hunger　suggested　a　search　for　food。

There　was　nothing　in　the　cabin；　nor　had　he　any　weapons；

but　upon　a　wall　hung　one　of　his　old　grass　ropes。　　It　had

been　many　times　broken　and　spliced；　so　that　he　had　discarded

it　for　a　better　one　long　before。　　Tarzan　wished　that　he　had　a　knife。

Well；　unless　he　was　mistaken　he　should　have　that　and　a　spear　and

bows