CHAPTER XIII "A Sight which I shall Never Forget"

s,theroundchest,noneck,agreatruddyfrillofabeard,thetuftedeyebrows,the'Whatdoyouwant,damnyou!'lookabouttheeyes,andthewholecatalogue.Whentheape-manstoodbyChallengerandputhispawonhisshoulder,thethingwascomplete.Summerleewasabithysterical,andhelaughedtillhecried.Theape-menlaughedtoo—oratleasttheyputupthedevilofacacklin'—andtheysettoworktodragusoffthroughtheforest.Theywouldn'ttouchthegunsandthings—thoughtthemdangerous,Iexpect—buttheycarriedawayallourloosefood.SummerleeandIgotsomeroughhandlin'ontheway—there'smyskinandmyclothestoproveit—fortheytookusabee-linethroughthebrambles,andtheirownhidesarelikeleather.ButChallengerwasallright.Fourofthemcarriedhimshoulderhigh,andhewentlikeaRomanemperor.What'sthat?" Itwasastrangeclickingnoiseinthedistancenotunlikecastanets. "Theretheygo!"saidmycompanion,slippingcartridgesintotheseconddoublebarrelled"Express.""Loadthemallup,youngfellahmylad,forwe'renotgoingtobetakenalive,anddon'tyouthinkit!That'stherowtheymakewhentheyareexcited.ByGeorge!they'llhavesomethingtoexcitethemiftheyputusup.The'LastStandoftheGrays'won'tbeinit.'Withtheirriflesgraspedintheirstiffenedhands,midaringofthedeadanddyin','assomefatheadsings.Canyouhearthemnow?" "Veryfaraway." "Thatlittlelotwilldonogood,butIexpecttheirsearchpartiesarealloverthewood.Well,Iwastellingyoumytaleofwoe.Theygotussoontothistownoftheirs—aboutathousandhutsofbranchesandleavesinagreatgroveoftreesneartheedgeofthecliff.It'sthreeorfourmilesfromhere.Thefilthybeastsfingeredmeallover,andIfeelasifIshouldneverbecleanagain.Theytiedusup—thefellowwhohandledmecouldtielikeabosun—andtherewelaywithourtoesup,beneathatree,whileagreatbrutestoodguardoveruswithaclubinhishand.WhenIsay'we'ImeanSummerleeandmyself.OldChallengerwasupatree,eatin'pinesandhavin'thetimeofhislife.I'mboundtosaythathemanagedtogetsomefruittous,andwithhisownhandsheloosenedourbonds.Ifyou'dseenhimsittingupinthattreehob-nobbin'withhistwinbrother—andsingin'inthatrollin'bassofhis,'Ringout,wildbells,'causemusicofanykindseemedtoput'eminagoodhumor,you'dhavesmiledbutweweren'tinmuchmoodforlaughin',asyoucanguess.Theywereinclined,withinlimits,tolethimdowhatheliked,buttheydrewthelineprettysharplyatus.Itwasamightyconsolationtousalltoknowthatyouwererunnin'looseandhadthearchivesinyourkeepin'. "Well,now,youngfellah,I'lltellyouwhatwillsurpriseyou.Yousayyousawsignsofmen,andfires,traps,andthelike.Well,wehaveseenthenativesthemselves.Poordevilstheywere,down-facedlittlechaps,andhadenoughtomakethemso.Itseemsthatthehumansholdonesideofthisplateau—overyonder,whereyousawthecaves—andtheape-menholdthisside,andthereisbloodywarbetweenthemallthetime.That'sthesituation,sofarasIcouldfollowit.Well,yesterdaytheape-mengotholdofadozenofthehumansandbroughttheminasprisoners.Youneverheardsuchajabberin'andshriekin'inyourlife.Themenwerelittleredfellows,andhadbeenbittenandclawedsothattheycouldhardlywalk.Theape-menputtwoofthemtodeaththereandthen—fairlypulledthearmoffoneofthem—itwasperfectlybeastly.Pluckylittlechapstheyare,andhardlygaveasqueak.Butitturnedusabsolutelysick.Summerleefainted,andevenChallengerhadasmuchashecouldstand.Ithinktheyhavecleared,don'tyou?" Welistenedintently,butnothingsavethecallingofthebirdsbrokethedeeppeaceoftheforest.LordRoxtonwentonwithhisstory. "Ithinkyouhavehadtheescapeofyourlife,youngfellahmylad.Itwascatchin'thoseIndiansthatputyoucleanoutoftheirheads,elsetheywouldhavebeenbacktothecampforyouassureasfateandgatheredyouin.Ofcourse,asyousaid,theyhavebeenwatchin'usfromthebeginnin'outofthattree,andtheyknewperfectlywellthatwewereoneshort.However,theycouldthinkonlyofthisnewhaulsoitwasI,andnotabunchofapes,thatdroppedinonyouinthemorning.Well,wehadahorridbusinessafterwards.MyGod!whatanightmarethewholethingis!YourememberthegreatbristleofsharpcanesdownbelowwherewefoundtheskeletonoftheAmerican?Well,thatisjustunderape-town,andthat'sthejumpin'-offplaceoftheirprisoners.Iexpectthere'sheapsofskeletonsthere,ifwelookedfor'em.Theyhaveasortofclearparade-groundonthetop,andtheymakeaproperceremonyaboutit.Onebyonethepoordevilshavetojump,andthegameistoseewhethertheyaremerelydashedtopiecesorwhethertheygetskeweredonthecanes.Theytookusouttoseeit,andthewholetribelinedupontheedge.FouroftheIndiansjumped,andthecaneswentthrough'emlikeknittin'needlesthroughapatofbutter.NowonderwefoundthatpoorYankee'sskeletonwiththecanesgrowin'betweenhisribs.Itwashorrible—butitwasdoocedlyinterestin'too.Wewereallfascinatedtoseethemtakethedive,evenwhenwethoughtitwouldbeourturnnextonthespring-board. "Well,itwasn't.TheykeptsixoftheIndiansupforto-day—that'showIunderstoodit—butIfancyweweretobethestarperformersintheshow.Challengermightgetoff,butSummerleeandIwereinthebill.Theirlanguageismorethanhalfsigns,anditwasnothardtofollowthem.SoIthoughtitwastimewemadeabreakforit.Ihadbeenplottin'itoutabit,andhadoneortwothingsclearinmymind.Itwasallonme,forSummerl