登陆注册
4809800000112

第112章 The Tommies.(1)

Daylight overtook them after they had entered the gorge, but, tired as they all were with the exception of Tar-zan, they realized that they must keep on at all costs until they found a spot where they might ascend the precipi-tous side of the gorge to the floor of the plateau above. Tarzan and Otobu were both equally confident that the Xujans would not follow them beyond the gorge, but though they scanned every inch of the frowning cliffs upon either hand noon came and there was still no indication of any avenue of escape to right or left. There were places where the ape-man alone might have negotiated the ascent but none where the others could hope successfully to reach the plateau, nor where Tar-zan, powerful and agile as he was, could have ventured safely to carry them aloft.

For half a day the ape-man had been either carrying or supporting Smith-Oldwick and now, to his chagrin, he saw that the girl was faltering. He had realized well how much she had undergone and how greatly the hardships and dan-gers and the fatigue of the past weeks must have told upon her vitality. He saw how bravely she attempted to keep up, yet how often she stumbled and staggered as she labored through the sand and gravel of the gorge. Nor could he help but admire her fortitude and the uncomplaining effort she was making to push on.

The Englishman must have noticed her condition too, for some time after noon, he stopped suddenly and sat down in the sand. "It's no use," he said to Tarzan. "I can go no far-ther. Miss Kircher is rapidly weakening. You will have to go on without me.""No," said the girl, "we cannot do that. We have all been through so much together and the chances of our escape are still so remote that whatever comes, let us remain together, unless," and she looked up at Tarzan, "you, who have done so much for us to whom you are under no obligations, will go on without us. I for one wish that you would. It must be as evident to you as it is to me that you cannot save us, for though you succeeded in dragging us from the path of our pursuers, even your great strength and endurance could never take one of us across the desert waste which lies between here and the nearest fertile country."The ape-man returned her serious look with a smile. "You are not dead," he said to her, "nor is the lieutenant, nor Otobu, nor myself. One is either dead or alive, and until we are dead we should plan only upon continuing to live. Because we remain here and rest is no indication that we shall die here.

I cannot carry you both to the country of the Wamabos, which is the nearest spot at which we may expect to find game and water, but we shall not give up on that account. So far we have found a way. Let us take things as they come. Let us rest now because you and Lieutenant Smith-Oldwick need the rest, and when you are stronger we will go on again.""But the Xujans --?" she asked, "may they not follow us here?""Yes," he said, "they probably will. But we need not be concerned with them until they come.""I wish," said the girl, "that I possessed your philosophy but I am afraid it is beyond me.""You were not born and reared in the jungle by wild beasts and among wild beasts, or you would possess, as I do, the fatalism of the jungle."And so they moved to the side of the gorge beneath the shade of an overhanging rock and lay down in the hot sand to rest. Numa wandered restlessly to and fro and finally, after sprawling for a moment close beside the ape-man, rose and moved off up the gorge to be lost to view a moment later be-yond the nearest turn.

For an hour the little party rested and then Tarzan suddenly rose and, motioning the others to silence, listened. For a min-ute he stood motionless, his keen ears acutely receptive to sounds so faint and distant that none of the other three could detect the slightest break in the utter and deathlike quiet of the gorge. Finally the ape-man relaxed and turned toward them.

"What is it?" asked the girl.

"They are coming," he replied. "They are yet some distance away, though not far, for the sandaled feet of the men and the pads of the lions make little noise upon the soft sands.""What shall we do -- try to go on?" asked Smith-Oldwick.

"I believe I could make a go of it now for a short way. I am much rested. How about you Miss Kircher?""Oh, yes," she said, "I am much stronger. Yes, surely I can go on."Tarzan knew that neither of them quite spoke the truth, that people do not recover so quickly from utter exhaustion, but he saw no other way and there was always the hope that just beyond the next turn would be a way out of the gorge.

"You help the lieutenant, Otobu," he said, turning to the black, "and I will carry Miss Kircher," and though the girl objected, saying that he must not waste his strength, he lifted her lightly in his arms and moved off up the canyon, followed by Otobu and the Englishman. They had gone no great dis-tance when the others of the party became aware of the sounds of pursuit, for now the lions were whining as though the fresh scent spoor of their quarry had reached their nostrils.

"I wish that your Numa would return," said the girl.

"Yes," said Tarzan, "but we shall have to do the best we can without him. I should like to find some place where we can barricade ourselves against attack from all sides. Possibly then we might hold them off. Smith-Oldwick is a good shot and if there are not too many men he might be able to dispose of them provided they can only come at him one at a time. The lions don't bother me so much. Sometimes they are stupid animals, and I am sure that these that pursue us, and who are so dependent upon the masters that have raised and trained them, will be easily handled after the warriors are disposed of.""You think there is some hope, then?" she asked.

"We are still alive," was his only answer.

同类推荐
  • 乐育堂语录

    乐育堂语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 至正直记

    至正直记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Chronicle of the Conquest of Granada

    Chronicle of the Conquest of Granada

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Repertory of the Comedie Humaine

    Repertory of the Comedie Humaine

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Cowley's Essays

    Cowley's Essays

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 星光与梦都在

    星光与梦都在

    寒门男生的奋斗历程和生活、感情经历。世事洞明皆学问,人情练达即文章。
  • 失却之主

    失却之主

    混沌之女太阴,寻找属于自己的道。她选择收集上古十大神器,成为随时能触发失却之阵的主人。
  • 黄箓救苦十斋转经仪

    黄箓救苦十斋转经仪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • BURNING DAYLIGHT

    BURNING DAYLIGHT

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 洪荒天子(8)

    洪荒天子(8)

    洪荒中,毒虫遍地,异兽出没,危机无处不在,这便是始前的死亡之地。然而人类以天生的本能存于天地间,而他们之中的强者以神自居,用智慧与力量瓜分洪荒,分别统治着这片危机四伏的土地,从而形成了洪荒万国。而就在这血腥与杀劫之间,一位在蛇腹中、沼泽内、神剑下、陷阱里生存下来的少年,就在这野蛮与文明、毁灭与建设的洪流中崛起。他得到了苍天的眷恋,与神龙之丹融为一体,在广成洞府内开启心灵之门,悟透了天地的玄机,看遍了人世的杀戮争斗,孕育出无穷的智慧和能量,终铸就其不死之身,超越了凡尘的一切,游历于洪荒万国之间,组成“龙之旅”,横扫八荒,一统万国,创下了神州大地的千秋功业。他就是战神轩辕——洪荒天子!
  • 英雄联盟之王者无敌

    英雄联盟之王者无敌

    无敌意识,神级操作,在世界总决赛中意外失误,与冠军失之交臂,从此沉寂沦为网吧网管。一次偶然的机会,英雄联盟强势袭来,迫于家庭经济,杨逸又一次踏入游戏,以其外挂般的意识一局封神,曾经的上帝之眼苏醒了,且看杨逸征战英雄联盟路。
  • 中华传心地禅门师资承袭图

    中华传心地禅门师资承袭图

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 桃花债·王爷,我等你

    桃花债·王爷,我等你

    北苑小王爷秦流璟是传说中的短命鬼,空生了一副风华无限的好相貌。天下大乱,皇帝无嗣,他竟然还有可能登上皇帝的宝座!只有夭夭才知道:他是天生妖孽,根本不是个人!大臣常家二十一口灭门惨案;京中大活人变成木头人的怪症;敌国北燕出兵的阴谋……全都是他,妖孽祸国!★可是他却独独只贪恋夭夭。他害死了她爹,却又甘愿用自己心尖鲜血挽救她娘的绝症;所有人都想将杀人罪名安在她身上,只有他执了她的手,告诉她:“刀山火海,我陪你去。”★三生三世,一场桃花。是谁在桃花下许下诺言,是谁欠下桃花情债?桃之夭夭,灼灼其华;之子于归,宜其室家。我终为你披上嫁衣,为你情定三生。可是你是否会含笑等在,桃花下?==========================现言新文:《哥,要你负责》http://m.wkkk.net/a/185387/
  • 报告!我爱你(制服青春)

    报告!我爱你(制服青春)

    男主角邵言的父亲是军区军长,因对父亲有颇多怨言,故意在大学里频频闹事。父亲一怒之下将其骗去当兵,目的在于好好管教他。入伍后,一次特殊的契机让他被选中加入特种兵的行列,和谢欣可相遇。当邵言被选入预备役特种兵时,遇到了教官身边的助教,25岁的年轻女教官谢欣可。女人当教官,新兵们都觉得不服。一次邵言整蛊谢欣可让她牢记在心,在各项训练项目上,谢欣可变着方法恶整邵言,男生苦不堪言,却不想认输。两人在激烈的对抗中擦出火花,相互拆招中,邵言发现自己莫名对谢欣可产生了不同寻常的期待,而谢欣可也发现了邵言顽劣外表下的成熟和聪明……
  • 萌妃当道:征服杀手妻

    萌妃当道:征服杀手妻

    据说这个文很搞笑,据说这个杀手很逗比,据说这个皇帝好腹黑……【她,是出名的贪财杀手!他,是有着神秘身份的皇帝!当一次不清楚是巧合还是特意安排的无良邂逅,某杀手的一世英明全部埋汰,只能在他那慵懒华贵的笑里,眨着眼睛、咬着手指:你放过我吧……】