Тарзан, приёмыш обезьян
At the Mercy of the Jungle
Theafternoonwasdrawingtoaclose,andClayton,disheartenedanddiscouraged,wasinaterriblequandaryastothepropercoursetopursue;whethertokeeponinsearchofProfessorPorter,atthealmostcertainriskofhisowndeathinthejunglebynight,ortoreturntothecabinwherehemightatleastservetoprotectJanefromtheperilswhichconfrontedheronallsides.
Hedidnotwishtoreturntocampwithoutherfather;stillmore,heshrankfromthethoughtofleavingheraloneandunprotectedinthehandsofthemutineersoftheArrow,ortothehundredunknowndangersofthejungle.
Possibly,too,hethought,theprofessorandPhilandermighthavereturnedtocamp.Yes,thatwasmorethanlikely.Atleasthewouldreturnandsee,beforehecontinuedwhatseemedtobeamostfruitlessquest.Andsohestarted,stumblingbackthroughthethickandmattedunderbrushinthedirectionthathethoughtthecabinlay.
ToTarzan’ssurprisetheyoungmanwasheadingfurtherintothejungleinthegeneraldirectionofMbonga’svillage,andtheshrewdyoungape-manwasconvincedthathewaslost.
ToTarzanthiswasscarcelycomprehensible;hisjudgmenttoldhimthatnomanwouldventuretowardthevillageofthecruelblacksarmedonlywithaspearwhich,fromtheawkwardwayinwhichhecarriedit,wasevidentlyanunaccustomedweapontothiswhiteman.Norwashefollowingthetrailoftheoldmen.
