tarzan the terrible-第23章

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trides；　though　always　with　the　utmost　alertness　against　possible　dangers。　A　gentle　breeze　came　down　from　the　mountains　behind　him　so　that　only　his　ears　and　his　eyes　were　of　value　in　detecting　the　presence　of　danger　ahead。　Generally　the　trail　followed　along　the　banks　of　the　winding　brooklet　at　the　bottom　of　the　gorge；　but　in　some　places　where　the　waters　tumbled　over　a　precipitous　ledge　the　trail　made　a　detour　along　the　side　of　the　gorge；　and　again　it　wound　in　and　out　among　rocky　outcroppings；　and　presently　where　it　rounded　sharply　the　projecting　shoulder　of　a　cliff　the　stranger　came　suddenly　face　to　face　with　one　who　was　ascending　the　gorge。

Separated　by　a　hundred　paces　the　two　halted　simultaneously。　Before　him　the　stranger　saw　a　tall　white　warrior；　naked　but　for　a　loin　cloth；　cross　belts；　and　a　girdle。　The　man　was　armed　with　a　heavy；　knotted　club　and　a　short　knife；　the　latter　hanging　in　its　sheath　at　his　left　hip　from　the　end　of　one　of　his　cross　belts；　the　opposite　belt　supporting　a　leathern　pouch　at　his　right　side。　It　was　Ta…den　hunting　alone　in　the　gorge　of　his　friend；　the　chief　of　Kor…ul…ja。　He　contemplated　the　stranger　with　surprise　but　no　wonder；　since　he　recognized　in　him　a　member　of　the　race　with　which　his　experience　of　Tarzan　the　Terrible　had　made　him　familiar　and　also；　thanks　to　his　friendship　for　the　ape…man；　he　looked　upon　the　newcomer　without　hostility。

The　latter　was　the　first　to　make　outward　sign　of　his　intentions；　raising　his　palm　toward　Ta…den　in　that　gesture　which　has　been　a　symbol　of　peace　from　pole　to　pole　since　man　ceased　to　walk　upon　his　knuckles。　Simultaneously　he　advanced　a　few　paces　and　halted。

Ta…den；　assuming　that　one　so　like　Tarzan　the　Terrible　must　be　a　fellow…tribesman　of　his　lost　friend；　was　more　than　glad　to　accept　this　overture　of　peace；　the　sign　of　which　he　returned　in　kind　as　he　ascended　the　trail　to　where　the　other　stood。　〃Who　are　you？〃　he　asked；　but　the　newcomer　only　shook　his　head　to　indicate　that　he　did　not　understand。

By　signs　he　tried　to　carry　to　the　Ho…don　the　fact　that　he　was　following　a　trail　that　had　led　him　over　a　period　of　many　days　from　some　place　beyond　the　mountains　and　Ta…den　was　convinced　that　the　newcomer　sought　Tarzan…jad…guru。　He　wished；　however；　that　he　might　discover　whether　as　friend　or　foe。

The　stranger　perceived　the　Ho…don's　prehensile　thumbs　and　great　toes　and　his　long　tail　with　an　astonishment　which　he　sought　to　conceal；　but　greater　than　all　was　the　sense　of　relief　that　the　first　inhabitant　of　this　strange　country　whom　he　had　met　had　proven　friendly；　so　greatly　would　he　have　been　handicapped　by　the　necessity　for　forcing　his　way　through　a　hostile　land。

Ta…den；　who　had　been　hunting　for　some　of　the　smaller　mammals；　the　meat　of　which　is　especially　relished　by　the　Ho…don；　forgot　his　intended　sport　in　the　greater　interest　of　his　new　discovery。　He　would　take　the　stranger　to　Om…at　and　possibly　together　the　two　would　find　some　way　of　discovering　the　true　intentions　of　the　newcomer。　And　so　again　through　signs　he　apprised　the　other　that　he　would　accompany　him　and　together　they　descended　toward　the　cliffs　of　Om…at's　people。

As　they　approached　these　they　came　upon　the　women　and　children　working　under　guard　of　the　old　men　and　the　youthsgathering　the　wild　fruits　and　herbs　which　constitute　a　part　of　their　diet；　as　well　as　tending　the　small　acres　of　growing　crops　which　they　cultivate。　The　fields　lay　in　small　level　patches　that　had　been　cleared　of　trees　and　brush。　Their　farm　implements　consisted　of　metal…shod　poles　which　bore　a　closer　resemblance　to　spears　than　to　tools　of　peaceful　agriculture。　Supplementing　these　were　others　with　flattened　blades　that　were　neither　hoes　nor　spades；　but　instead　possessed　the　appearance　of　an　unhappy　attempt　to　combine　the　two　implements　in　one。

At　first　sight　of　these　people　the　stranger　halted　and　unslung　his　bow　for　these　creatures　were　black　as　night；　their　bodies　entirely　covered　with　hair。　But　Ta…den；　interpreting　the　doubt　in　the　other's　mind；　reassured　him　with　a　gesture　and　a　smile。　The　Waz…don；　however；　gathered　around　excitedly　jabbering　questions　in　a　language　which　the　stranger　discovered　his　guide　understood　though　it　was　entirely　unintelligible　to　the　former。　They　made　no　attempt　to　molest　him　and　he　was　now　sure　that　he　had　fallen　among　a　peaceful　and　friendly　people。

It　was　but　a　short　distance　now　to　the　caves　and　when　they　reached　these　Ta…den　led　the　way　aloft　upon　the　wooden　pegs；　assured　that　this　creature　whom　he　had　discovered　would　have　no　more　difficulty　in　following　him　than　had　Tarzan　the　Terrible。　Nor　was　he　mistaken　for　the　other　mounted　with　ease　until　presently　the　two　stood　within　the　recess　before　the　cave　of　Om…at；　the　chief。

The　latter　was　not　there　and　it　was　mid…afternoon　before　he　returned；　but　in　the　meantime　many　warriors　came　to　look　upon　the　visitor　and　in　each　instance　the　latter　was　more　thoroughly　impressed　with　the　friendly　and　peaceable　spirit　of　his　hosts；　little　guessing　that　he　was　being　entertained　by　a　ferocious　and　warlike　tribe　who　never　before　the　coming　of　Ta…den　and　Tarzan　had　suffered　a　stranger　among　them。

At　last　Om…at　returned　and　the　guest　sensed　intuitively　that　he　was　in　the　presence　of　a　great　man　among　these　people；　possibly　a　chief　or　king；　for　not　only　did　the　attitude　of　the　other　black　warriors　indicate　this　but　it　was　written　also　in　the　mien　and　bearing　of　the　splendid　creature　who　stood　looking　at　him　while　Ta…den　explained　the　circumstances　of　their　meeting。　〃And　I　believe；　Om…at；〃　concluded　the　Ho…don；　〃that　he　seeks　Tarzan　the　Terrible。〃

At　the　sound　of　that　name；　the　first　intelligible　word　that　had　fallen　upon　the　ears　of　the　stranger　since　he　had　come　among　them；　his　face　lightened。　〃Tarzan！〃　he　cried；　〃Tarzan　of　the　Apes！〃　and　by　signs　he　tried　to　tell　them　that　it　was　he　whom　he　sought。

They　understood；　and　also　they　guessed　from　the　expression　of　his　face　that　he　sought　Tarzan　from　motives　of　affection　rather　than　the　reverse；　but　of　this　Om…at　wished　to　make　sure。　He　pointed　to　the　stranger's　knife；　and　repeating　Tarzan's　name；　seized　Ta…den　and　pretended　to　stab　him；　immediately　turning　questioningly　toward　the　stranger。

The　latter　shook　his　head　vehemently　and　then　first　placing　a　hand　above　his　heart　he　raised　his　palm　in　the　symbol　of　peace。

〃He　is　a　friend　of　Tarzan…jad…guru；〃　exclaimed　Ta…den。

〃Either　a　friend　or　a　great　liar；〃　replied　Om…at。

〃Tarzan；〃　continued　the　stranger；　〃you　know　him？　He　lives？　O　God；　if　I　could　only　speak　your　language。〃　And　again　reverting　to　sign　language　he　sought　to　ascertain　where　Tarzan　was。　He　would　pronounce　the　name　and　point　in　different　directions；　in　the　cave；　down　into　the　gorge；　back　toward　the　mountains；　or　out　upon　the　valley　below；　and　each　time　he　would　raise　his　brows　questioningly　and　voice　the　universal　〃eh？〃　of　interrogation　which　they　could　not　fail　to　understand。　But　always　Om…at　shook　his　head　and　spread　his　palms　in　a　gesture　which　indicated　that　while　he　understood　the　question　he　was　ignorant　as　to　the　whereabouts　of　the　ape…man；　and　then　the　black　chief　attempted　as　best　he　might　to　explain　to　the　stranger　what　he　knew　of　the　whereabouts　of　Tarzan。

He　called　the　newcomer　Jar…don；　which　in　the　language　of　Pal…ul…don　means　〃stranger；〃　and　he　pointed　to　the　sun　and　said　as。　This　he　repeated　several　times　and　then　he　held　up　one　hand　with　the　fingers　outspread　and　touching　them　one　by　one；　including　the　thumb；　repeated　the　word　adenen　until　the　stranger　understood　that　he　meant　five。　Again　he　pointed　to　the　sun　and　describing　an　arc　with　his　forefinger　starting　at　the　eastern　horizon　and　terminating　at　the　western；　he　repeated　again　the　words　as　adenen。　It　was　plain　to　the　stranger　that　the　words　meant　that　the　sun　had　crossed　the　heavens　five　times。　In　other　words；　five　days　had　passed。　Om…at　then　pointed　to　the　cave　where　they　stood；　pronouncing　Tarzan's　name　and　imitating　a　walking　man　with　the　first　and　second　fingers　of　his　right　hand　upon　the　floor　of　the　recess；　sought　to　show　that　Tarzan　had　walked　out　of　the　cave　and　climbed　upward　on　the　pegs　five　days　before；　but　this　was　as　far　as　the　sign　language　would　permit　him　to　go。

This　far　the　stranger　followed　him　and；　indicating　that　he　understood　he　pointed　to　himself　and　then　indicating　the　pegs　leading　above　announced　that　he　would　follow　Tarzan。

〃Let　us　go　with　him；〃　said　Om…at；　〃for　as　yet　we　have　not　punished　the　Kor…ul…lul　for　killing　our　friend　and　ally。〃

〃Persuade　him　to　wait　until　morning；〃　said　Ta…den；　〃that　you　may　take　with　you　many　warriors　and　make　a　great　raid　upon　the　Kor…ul…lul；　and　this　time；　Om…at；　do　not　kill　your　prisoners。　Take　as　many　as　you　can　alive　and　from　some　of　them　we　may　learn　the　fate　of　Tarzan…jad…guru。〃

〃Great　is　the　wisdom　of　the　Ho…don；〃　replied　Om…at。　〃It　shall　be　as　you　say；　and　having　made　prisoners　of　all　the　Kor…ul…lul　we　shall　make　them　tell　us　what　we　wish　to　know。　And　then　we　shall　march　them　to　the　rim　of　Kor…ul…gryf　and　push　them　over　the　edge　of　the　cliff。〃

Ta…den　smiled。　He　knew　that　they　would　not　take　prisoner　all　the　Kor…ul…lul　warriorsthat　they　would　be　fortunate　if　they　took　one　and　it　was　also　possible　that　they　might　even　be　driven　back　in　defeat；　but　he　knew　too　that　Om…at　would　not　hesitate　to　carry　out　his　threat　if　he　had　the　opportunity；　so　implacable　was　the　hatred　of　these　neighbors　for　each　other。

It　was　not　difficult　to　explain　Om…at's　plan　to　the　stranger　or　to　win　his　consent　since　he　was　aware；　when　the　great　black　had　made　it　plain　that　they　would　be　accompanied　by　many　warriors；　that　their　venture　would　probably　lead　them　into　a　hostile　country　and　every　safeguard　that　he　could　employ　he　was　glad　to　avail　himself　of；　since　the　furtherance　of　his　quest　was　the　paramount　issue。

He　slept　that　night　upon　a　pile　of　furs　in　one　of　the　compartments　of　Om…at's　ancestral　cave；　and　early　the　next　day　following　the　morning　meal　they　sallied　forth；　a　hundred　savage　warriors　swarming　up　the　face　of　the　sheer　cliff　and　out　upon　the　summit　of　the　ridge；　the　main　body　preceded　by　two　warriors　whose　duties　coincided　with　those　of　the　point　of　modern　military　maneuvers；　safeguarding　the　column　against　the　danger　of　too　sudden　contact　with　the　enemy。

Across　the　ridge　they　went　and　down　into　the　Kor…ul…lul　and　there　almost　immediately　they　came　upon　a　lone　and　unarmed　Waz…don　who　was　making　his　way　fearfully　up　the　gorge　toward　the　village　of　his　tribe。　Him　they　took　prisoner　which；　strangely；　only　added　to　his　terror　since　from　the　moment　that　he　had　seen　them　and　realized　that　escape　was　impossible；　he　had　expected　to　be　slain　immediately。

〃Take　him　back　to　Kor…ul…ja；〃　said　Om…at；　to　one　of　his　warriors；　〃and　hold　him　there　unharmed　until　I　return。〃

And　so　the　puzzled　Kor…ul…lul　was　led　away　while　the　savage　company　moved　stealthily　from　tree　to　tree　in　its　closer　advance　upon　the　village。　Fortune　smiled　upon　Om…at　in　that　it　gave　him　quickly　what　he　soughta　battle　royal；　for　they　had　not　yet　come　in　sight　of　the　caves　of　the　Kor…ul…lul　when　they　encountered　a　considerable　band　of　warriors　headed　down　the　gorge　upon　some　expedition。

Like　shadows　the　Kor…ul…ja　melted　into　the　concealment　of　the　foliage　upon　either　side　of　the　trail。　Ignorant　of