登陆注册
5169700000007

第7章

"We must work and wait.I am sure that relief will come, and come quickly, when once it is apparent that the Fuwalda has been lost, even though Black Michael does not keep his word to us.""But John, if it were only you and I," she sobbed, "we could endure it I know; but--""Yes, dear," he answered, gently, "I have been thinking of that, also; but we must face it, as we must face whatever comes, bravely and with the utmost confidence in our ability to cope with circumstances whatever they may be.

"Hundreds of thousands of years ago our ancestors of the dim and distant past faced the same problems which we must face, possibly in these same primeval forests.That we are here today evidences their victory.

"What they did may we not do? And even better, for are we not armed with ages of superior knowledge, and have we not the means of protection, defense, and sustenance which science has given us, but of which they were totally ignorant?

What they accomplished, Alice, with instruments and weapons of stone and bone, surely that may we accomplish also.""Ah, John, I wish that I might be a man with a man's philosophy, but I am but a woman, seeing with my heart rather than my head, and all that I can see is too horrible, too unthinkable to put into words.

"I only hope you are right, John.I will do my best to be a brave primeval woman, a fit mate for the primeval man."Clayton's first thought was to arrange a sleeping shelter for the night; something which might serve to protect them from prowling beasts of prey.

He opened the box containing his rifles and ammunition, that they might both be armed against possible attack while at work, and then together they sought a location for their first night's sleeping place.

A hundred yards from the beach was a little level spot, fairly free of trees; here they decided eventually to build a permanent house, but for the time being they both thought it best to construct a little platform in the trees out of reach of the larger of the savage beasts in whose realm they were.

To this end Clayton selected four trees which formed a rectangle about eight feet square, and cutting long branches from other trees he constructed a framework around them, about ten feet from the ground, fastening the ends of the branches securely to the trees by means of rope, a quantity of which Black Michael had furnished him from the hold of the Fuwalda.

Across this framework Clayton placed other smaller branches quite close together.This platform he paved with the huge fronds of elephant's ear which grew in profusion about them, and over the fronds he laid a great sail folded into several thicknesses.

Seven feet higher he constructed a similar, though lighter platform to serve as roof, and from the sides of this he suspended the balance of his sailcloth for walls.

When completed he had a rather snug little nest, to which he carried their blankets and some of the lighter luggage.

It was now late in the afternoon, and the balance of the daylight hours were devoted to the building of a rude ladder by means of which Lady Alice could mount to her new home.

All during the day the forest about them had been filled with excited birds of brilliant plumage, and dancing, chattering monkeys, who watched these new arrivals and their wonderful nest building operations with every mark of keenest interest and fascination.

Notwithstanding that both Clayton and his wife kept a sharp lookout they saw nothing of larger animals, though on two occasions they had seen their little simian neighbors come screaming and chattering from the near-by ridge, casting frightened glances back over their little shoulders, and evincing as plainly as though by speech that they were fleeing some terrible thing which lay concealed there.

Just before dusk Clayton finished his ladder, and, filling a great basin with water from the near-by stream, the two mounted to the comparative safety of their aerial chamber.

As it was quite warm, Clayton had left the side curtains thrown back over the roof, and as they sat, like Turks, upon their blankets, Lady Alice, straining her eyes into the darkening shadows of the wood, suddenly reached out and grasped Clayton's arms.

"John," she whispered, "look! What is it, a man?"As Clayton turned his eyes in the direction she indicated, he saw silhouetted dimly against the shadows beyond, a great figure standing upright upon the ridge.

For a moment it stood as though listening and then turned slowly, and melted into the shadows of the jungle.

"What is it, John?"

"I do not know, Alice," he answered gravely, "it is too dark to see so far, and it may have been but a shadow cast by the rising moon.""No, John, if it was not a man it was some huge and grotesque mockery of man.Oh, I am afraid."He gathered her in his arms, whispering words of courage and love into her ears.

Soon after, he lowered the curtain walls, tying them securely to the trees so that, except for a little opening toward the beach, they were entirely enclosed.

As it was now pitch dark within their tiny aerie they lay down upon their blankets to try to gain, through sleep, a brief respite of forgetfulness.

Clayton lay facing the opening at the front, a rifle and a brace of revolvers at his hand.

Scarcely had they closed their eyes than the terrifying cry of a panther rang out from the jungle behind them.Closer and closer it came until they could hear the great beast directly beneath them.For an hour or more they heard it sniffing and clawing at the trees which supported their platform, but at last it roamed away across the beach, where Clayton could see it clearly in the brilliant moonlight--a great, handsome beast, the largest he had ever seen.

During the long hours of darkness they caught but fitful snatches of sleep, for the night noises of a great jungle teeming with myriad animal life kept their overwrought nerves on edge, so that a hundred times they were startled to wakefulness by piercing screams, or the stealthy moving of great bodies beneath them.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 锦绣良辰

    锦绣良辰

    夜来香舞姬小蝶无意中救下了重伤的沐辰秋,未曾想,他的身份扑朔迷离,而她的倾城绝色之下,也一样暗藏玄机。面对未知的敌人,他们患难与共,她期待了却心愿之后便与他相濡以沫,携手归林。未曾想,情义两难,经历重重身份蜕变之后,她与他渐行渐远。一切水落石出,灭门之恨终究葬送了他们的爱情和承诺。当付出和偿还亦无法获得宽恕和原谅,爱如梦似幻,如烟般随风而逝。痴爱也可虚假,伤害亦成守护,到底谁是敌,谁是友?
  • 教诫新学比丘行护律仪

    教诫新学比丘行护律仪

    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。
  • 文昌旅语

    文昌旅语

    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。
  • 暗光

    暗光

    夜色如墨。秦平古道深处慢慢行来一支镖队,夺目的镖旗迎风而展,“单衣无双”四个大字,深蓝的色彩将每一个字都熏染得有骨有气。镖旗之下一个身着蓝绸长衣的男子走在所有人前面,目光如炬。旁边一人,面色如玉,五官俊美,只是左边脸颊上有着一道清晰的伤疤,让人觉得俊美里多了一分诡异。两人身后,二十几个镖师和趟子手正紧张地注视着队伍前方,每个人都将兵刃轻露一截,再将自己身体紧密地贴在镖车边上。“喈,喈。”旁边树林中不知什么鸟惨叫了两声,叫声袅袅传来,让人不禁有种毛骨悚然的感觉。
  • 莲花签(全三册)

    莲花签(全三册)

    莲花签落两情生,浮生镜里看缘起。流年偷换,尘缘相误,到底谁是谁的劫?红尘一回,让他明白,他根本不想修佛,只愿护她一世安稳。被黑魔追杀的大楚太子楚岩汐偶然闯入囚魔禁仙的结境中,被性格开朗的少女莲一一所救,但这一次的相遇换来的却是几世寂寞。因莲一一元神中被种下一道莲花签,她被禁制耗得油尽灯枯,命难长久。楚岩汐想凭一己之力更改她的天命,守护她一生。历经各种艰难,换来的却是知道事情真相的莲一一却宁愿坠入往生崖,也不愿再投入他的怀抱。楚岩汐等了八百多年,终于等到了莲一一在今世的重生,但是事情却完全出乎他的想象,他当何去何从?
  • 弃妃谨记妇道

    弃妃谨记妇道

    她一步步将他逼退墙角,向来洁癖的他却嫌弃地用袖子将脸一抹,“女人,你的唾沫星子喷到本王脸上了!”******李时光一朝穿越,凤冠霞帔,拜天地入洞房,洞房时很憋屈。大婚之日传她刺杀亲夫!实属污蔑!牢狱中受赠白衫,被传牵扯不清!这是谣言!遭人追杀,被陌生男子所救,嫌她作风不正!喂,你还能再混蛋些吗?她很耐打,不论你左青龙右白虎,或是她断胳膊瘸条腿,都能迅速痊愈。只是,王爷,你真当我伤好这么快纯属是为了尽快再接受你的摧残吗?******他是风华若妖、隐忍不发的九王爷花容千黎,本以为自己该迎娶陪伴他多年的女子,没想到圣上赐婚,他不得不迎娶自己不爱的女人。在他眼里,她不过是个跳梁小丑,不论一心如何想逃,总也翻不出他的五指山。身为他的女人,只需牢记几条守则:一、不可朝三暮四;二、不可多管闲事;三、不可心胸狭隘。只是,他却看到了李时光朝他竖起了中指,这手势是什么意思?******片段一:被困城内,花容千黎让人备齐火药打算炸了城门,却见李时光悠然走来,一掌之后,乱石漫天,城门已破。“小意思!这种事情本姑娘手到擒来!”旁边一众曾欺负过她的绝色男子全都看直了眼。片段二:他居高临下睥睨着眼前娇柔的女子,“本王欺你辱你打你负你伤害你,你又能如何?”李时光抬手抚上平坦的小腹,突然笑了,“我不打你不骂你不怨你,可是我能虐你娃!”“……”
  • 天庭微信红包群

    天庭微信红包群

    在一次意外中步凡加了天庭的微信群
  • 刘强东崛起的智慧

    刘强东崛起的智慧

    《刘强东崛起的智慧:强者必有强势的事业》将为读者还原一个完整的刘强东。这里不仅有他曾经所经历的惊心动魄的故事,有他不同于常人的商业信念和从业策略,更重要的是全面披露了他取得强势事业成功的内在秘诀。
  • 正体类要

    正体类要

    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。
  • 校霸女友超萌的

    校霸女友超萌的

    “不准和男生说话,不准和学校里的异性有任何接触,不准告诉任何人你的身份。如果我找你,你必须立刻到我身边来!”他霸道的命令着她,只因为她是被恶魔独占的小丫头,她是被他捧在手心里的小公主,全世界只有他可以任意妄为的欺负她!这是一头大灰狼把小白兔叼回家去的故事!(绝对宠文,黄金狗粮遍地撒!)