Тарзан, приёмыш обезьян
At the Mercy of the Jungle
That,theyhadcrossedandleftlongsince,thoughithadbeenfreshandplainbeforeTarzan’seyes.
Tarzanwasperplexed.Thefiercejunglewouldmakeeasypreyofthisunprotectedstrangerinaveryshorttimeifhewerenotguidedquicklytothebeach.
Yes,therewasNuma,thelion,evennow,stalkingthewhitemanadozenpacestotheright.
Claytonheardthegreatbodyparallelinghiscourse,andnowthereroseupontheeveningairthebeast’sthunderousroar.Themanstoppedwithupraisedspearandfacedthebrushfromwhichissuedtheawfulsound.Theshadowsweredeepening,darknesswassettlingin.
God!Todieherealone,beneaththefangsofwildbeasts;tobetornandrended;tofeelthehotbreathofthebruteonhisfaceasthegreatpawcrusheddownuponhisbreast!
Foramomentallwasstill.Claytonstoodrigid,withraisedspear.Presentlyafaintrustlingofthebushapprisedhimofthestealthycreepingofthethingbehind.Itwasgatheringforthespring.Atlasthesawit,nottwentyfeetaway—thelong,lithe,muscularbodyandtawnyheadofahugeblack-manedlion.
Thebeastwasuponitsbelly,movingforwardveryslowly.AsitseyesmetClayton’sitstopped,anddeliberately,cautiouslygathereditshindquartersbehindit.
Inagonythemanwatched,fearfultolaunchhisspear,powerlesstofly.
Heheardanoiseinthetreeabovehim.
