| 80 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 |
| 1 | 41 | 81 | 122 | 162 |
|
www.freeclassicebooks.com
For the first time in his life, Tarzan of the Apes had been lost in the jungle. That
the experience should have befallen him at such a time seemed cruel beyond
expression. Somewhere in this savage land his wife and son lay in the clutches of
the arch-fiend Rokoff.
What hideous trials might they not have undergone during those seven awful
days that nature had thwarted him in his endeavours to locate them? Tarzan
knew the Russian, in whose power they were, so well that he could not doubt but
that the man, filled with rage that Jane had once escaped him, and knowing that
Tarzan might be close upon his trail, would wreak without further loss of time
whatever vengeance his polluted mind might be able to conceive.
But now that the sun shone once more, the ape-man was still at a loss as to what
direction to take. He knew that Rokoff had left the river in pursuit of Anderssen,
but whether he would continue inland or return to the Ugambi was a question.
The ape-man had seen that the river at the point he had left it was growing
narrow and swift, so that he judged that it could not be navigable even for canoes
to any great distance farther toward its source. However, if Rokoff had not
returned to the river, in what direction had he proceeded?
From the direction of Anderssen's flight with Jane and the child Tarzan was
convinced that the man had purposed attempting the tremendous feat of crossing
the continent to Zanzibar; but whether Rokoff would dare so dangerous a journey
or not was a question.
Fear might drive him to the attempt now that he knew the manner of horrible
pack that was upon his trail, and that Tarzan of the Apes was following him to
wreak upon him the vengeance that he deserved.
At last the ape-man determined to continue toward the northeast in the general
direction of German East Africa until he came upon natives from whom he might
gain information as to Rokoff's whereabouts.
The second day following the cessation of the rain Tarzan came upon a native
village the inhabitants of which fled into the bush the instant their eyes fell upon
him. Tarzan, not to be thwarted in any such manner as this, pursued them, and
after a brief chase caught up with a young warrior. The fellow was so badly
frightened that he was unable to defend himself, dropping his weapons and
falling upon the ground, wide-eyed and screaming as he gazed on his captor.
It was with considerable difficulty that the ape-man quieted the fellow's fears
sufficiently to obtain a coherent statement from him as to the cause of his
uncalled-for terror.
8
2
Page
Quick Jump
|