CHAPTER XIII "A Sight which I shall Never Forget"

JustasthesunwassettinguponthatmelancholynightIsawthelonelyfigureoftheIndianuponthevastplainbeneathme,andIwatchedhim,ouronefainthopeofsalvation,untilhedisappearedintherisingmistsofeveningwhichlay,rose-tintedfromthesettingsun,betweenthefar-offriverandme. ItwasquitedarkwhenIatlastturnedbacktoourstrickencamp,andmylastvisionasIwentwastheredgleamofZambo'sfire,theonepointoflightinthewideworldbelow,aswashisfaithfulpresenceinmyownshadowedsoul.AndyetIfelthappierthanIhaddonesincethiscrushingblowhadfallenuponme,foritwasgoodtothinkthattheworldshouldknowwhatwehaddone,sothatattheworstournamesshouldnotperishwithourbodies,butshouldgodowntoposterityassociatedwiththeresultofourlabors. Itwasanawesomethingtosleepinthatill-fatedcampandyetitwasevenmoreunnervingtodosointhejungle.Oneortheotheritmustbe.Prudence,ontheonehand,warnedmethatIshouldremainonguard,butexhaustedNature,ontheother,declaredthatIshoulddonothingofthekind.Iclimbedupontoalimbofthegreatgingkotree,buttherewasnosecureperchonitsroundedsurface,andIshouldcertainlyhavefallenoffandbrokenmyneckthemomentIbegantodoze.Igotdown,therefore,andponderedoverwhatIshoulddo.Finally,Iclosedthedoorofthezareba,litthreeseparatefiresinatriangle,andhavingeatenaheartysupperdroppedoffintoaprofoundsleep,fromwhichIhadastrangeandmostwelcomeawakening.Intheearlymorning,justasdaywasbreaking,ahandwaslaiduponmyarm,andstartingup,withallmynervesinatingleandmyhandfeelingforarifle,IgaveacryofjoyasinthecoldgraylightIsawLordJohnRoxtonkneelingbesideme. Itwashe—andyetitwasnothe.Ihadlefthimcalminhisbearing,correctinhisperson,priminhisdress.Nowhewaspaleandwild-eyed,gaspingashebreathedlikeonewhohasrunfarandfast.Hisgauntfacewasscratchedandbloody,hisclotheswerehanginginrags,andhishatwasgone.Istaredinamazement,buthegavemenochanceforquestions.Hewasgrabbingatourstoresallthetimehespoke. "Quick,youngfellah!Quick!"hecried."Everymomentcounts.Gettherifles,bothofthem.Ihavetheothertwo.Now,allthecartridgesyoucangather.Fillupyourpockets.Now,somefood.Halfadozentinswilldo.That'sallright!Don'twaittotalkorthink.Getamoveon,orwearedone!" Stillhalf-awake,andunabletoimaginewhatitallmightmean,Ifoundmyselfhurryingmadlyafterhimthroughthewood,arifleundereacharmandapileofvariousstoresinmyhands.Hedodgedinandoutthroughthethickestofthescrubuntilhecametoadenseclumpofbrush-wood.Intothisherushed,regardlessofthorns,andthrewhimselfintotheheartofit,pullingmedownbyhisside. "There!"hepanted."Ithinkwearesafehere.They'llmakeforthecampassureasfate.Itwillbetheirfirstidea.Butthisshouldpuzzle'em." "Whatisitall?"Iasked,whenIhadgotmybreath."Wherearetheprofessors?Andwhoisitthatisafterus?" "Theape-men,"hecried."MyGod,whatbrutes!Don'traiseyourvoice,fortheyhavelongears—sharpeyes,too,butnopowerofscent,sofarasIcouldjudge,soIdon'tthinktheycansniffusout.Wherehaveyoubeen,youngfellah?Youwerewelloutofit." InafewsentencesIwhisperedwhatIhaddone. "Prettybad,"saidhe,whenhehadheardofthedinosaurandthepit."Itisn'tquitetheplaceforarestcure.What?ButIhadnoideawhatitspossibilitieswereuntilthosedevilsgotholdofus.Theman-eatin'Papuanshadmeonce,buttheyareChesterfieldscomparedtothiscrowd." "Howdidithappen?"Iasked. "Itwasintheearlymornin'.Ourlearnedfriendswerejuststirrin'.Hadn'tevenbeguntoargueyet.Suddenlyitrainedapes.Theycamedownasthickasapplesoutofatree.Theyhadbeenassemblin'inthedark,Isuppose,untilthatgreattreeoverourheadswasheavywiththem.Ishotoneofthemthroughthebelly,butbeforeweknewwhereweweretheyhadusspread-eagledonourbacks.Icallthemapes,buttheycarriedsticksandstonesintheirhandsandjabberedtalktoeachother,andendedupbytyin'ourhandswithcreepers,sotheyareaheadofanybeastthatIhaveseeninmywanderin's.Ape-men—that'swhattheyare—Missin'Links,andIwishtheyhadstayedmissin'.Theycarriedofftheirwoundedcomrade—hewasbleedin'likeapig—andthentheysataroundus,andifeverIsawfrozenmurderitwasintheirfaces.Theywerebigfellows,asbigasamanandadealstronger.Curiousglassygrayeyestheyhave,underredtufts,andtheyjustsatandgloatedandgloated.Challengerisnochicken,butevenhewascowed.Hemanagedtostruggletohisfeet,andyelledoutatthemtohavedonewithitandgetitover.Ithinkhehadgoneabitoffhisheadatthesuddennessofit,forheragedandcursedatthemlikealunatic.IftheyhadbeenarowofhisfavoritePressmenhecouldnothaveslangedthemworse." "Well,whatdidtheydo?"Iwasenthralledbythestrangestorywhichmycompanionwaswhisperingintomyear,whileallthetimehiskeeneyeswereshootingineverydirectionandhishandgraspinghiscockedrifle. "Ithoughtitwastheendofus,butinsteadofthatitstartedthemonanewline.Theyalljabberedandchatteredtogether.ThenoneofthemstoodoutbesideChallenger.You'llsmile,youngfellah,but'ponmywordtheymighthavebeenkinsmen.Icouldn'thavebelieveditifIhadn'tseenitwithmyowneyes.Thisoldape-man—hewastheirchief—wasasortofredChallenger,witheveryoneofourfriend'sbeautypoints,onlyjustatriflemoreso.Hehadtheshortbody,thebigshoulder