CHAPTER XIV "Those Were the Real Conquests"

dy.Aswestartedtherebrokefromthethicksilentwoodsbehindusasuddengreatululationoftheape-men,whichmayhavebeenacheeroftriumphatourdepartureorajeerofcontemptatourflight.Lookingbackwesawonlythedensescreenoftrees,butthatlong-drawnyelltoldushowmanyofourenemieslurkedamongthem.Wesawnosignofpursuit,however,andsoonwehadgotintomoreopencountryandbeyondtheirpower. AsItrampedalong,therearmostofthefour,Icouldnothelpsmilingattheappearanceofmythreecompanionsinfront.WasthistheluxuriousLordJohnRoxtonwhohadsatthateveningintheAlbanyamidsthisPersianrugsandhispicturesinthepinkradianceofthetintedlights?AndwasthistheimposingProfessorwhohadswelledbehindthegreatdeskinhismassivestudyatEnmorePark?And,finally,couldthisbetheaustereandprimfigurewhichhadrisenbeforethemeetingattheZoologicalInstitute?NothreetrampsthatonecouldhavemetinaSurreylanecouldhavelookedmorehopelessandbedraggled.Wehad,itistrue,beenonlyaweekorsouponthetopoftheplateau,butallourspareclothingwasinourcampbelow,andtheoneweekhadbeenasevereoneuponusall,thoughleasttomewhohadnottoendurethehandlingoftheape-men.Mythreefriendshadalllosttheirhats,andhadnowboundhandkerchiefsroundtheirheads,theirclotheshunginribbonsaboutthem,andtheirunshavengrimyfaceswerehardlytoberecognized.BothSummerleeandChallengerwerelimpingheavily,whileIstilldraggedmyfeetfromweaknessaftertheshockofthemorning,andmyneckwasasstiffasaboardfromthemurderousgripthatheldit.Wewereindeedasorrycrew,andIdidnotwondertoseeourIndiancompanionsglancebackatusoccasionallywithhorrorandamazementontheirfaces. Inthelateafternoonwereachedthemarginofthelake,andasweemergedfromthebushandsawthesheetofwaterstretchingbeforeusournativefriendssetupashrillcryofjoyandpointedeagerlyinfrontofthem.Itwasindeedawonderfulsightwhichlaybeforeus.Sweepingovertheglassysurfacewasagreatflotillaofcanoescomingstraightfortheshoreuponwhichwestood.Theyweresomemilesoutwhenwefirstsawthem,buttheyshotforwardwithgreatswiftness,andweresoonsonearthattherowerscoulddistinguishourpersons.Instantlyathunderousshoutofdelightburstfromthem,andwesawthemrisefromtheirseats,wavingtheirpaddlesandspearsmadlyintheair.Thenbendingtotheirworkoncemore,theyflewacrosstheinterveningwater,beachedtheirboatsupontheslopingsand,andrusheduptous,prostratingthemselveswithloudcriesofgreetingbeforetheyoungchief.Finallyoneofthem,anelderlyman,withanecklaceandbraceletofgreatlustrousglassbeadsandtheskinofsomebeautifulmottledamber-coloredanimalslungoverhisshoulders,ranforwardandembracedmosttenderlytheyouthwhomwehadsaved.Hethenlookedatusandaskedsomequestions,afterwhichhesteppedupwithmuchdignityandembracedusalsoeachinturn.Then,athisorder,thewholetribelaydownuponthegroundbeforeusinhomage.PersonallyIfeltshyanduncomfortableatthisobsequiousadoration,andIreadthesamefeelinginthefacesofRoxtonandSummerlee,butChallengerexpandedlikeaflowerinthesun. "Theymaybeundevelopedtypes,"saidhe,strokinghisbeardandlookingroundatthem,"buttheirdeportmentinthepresenceoftheirsuperiorsmightbealessontosomeofourmoreadvancedEuropeans.Strangehowcorrectaretheinstinctsofthenaturalman!" Itwasclearthatthenativeshadcomeoutuponthewar-path,foreverymancarriedhisspear—alongbambootippedwithbone—hisbowandarrows,andsomesortofcluborstonebattle-axeslungathisside.Theirdark,angryglancesatthewoodsfromwhichwehadcome,andthefrequentrepetitionoftheword"Doda,"madeitclearenoughthatthiswasarescuepartywhohadsetforthtosaveorrevengetheoldchief'sson,forsuchwegatheredthattheyouthmustbe.Acouncilwasnowheldbythewholetribesquattinginacircle,whilstwesatnearonaslabofbasaltandwatchedtheirproceedings.Twoorthreewarriorsspoke,andfinallyouryoungfriendmadeaspiritedharanguewithsucheloquentfeaturesandgesturesthatwecouldunderstanditallasclearlyasifwehadknownhislanguage. "Whatistheuseofreturning?"hesaid."Soonerorlaterthethingmustbedone.Yourcomradeshavebeenmurdered.WhatifIhavereturnedsafe?Theseothershavebeendonetodeath.Thereisnosafetyforanyofus.Weareassemblednowandready."Thenhepointedtous."Thesestrangemenareourfriends.Theyaregreatfighters,andtheyhatetheape-menevenaswedo.Theycommand,"herehepointeduptoheaven,"thethunderandthelightning.Whenshallwehavesuchachanceagain?Letusgoforward,andeitherdienoworliveforthefutureinsafety.Howelseshallwegobackunashamedtoourwomen?" Thelittleredwarriorshunguponthewordsofthespeaker,andwhenhehadfinishedtheyburstintoaroarofapplause,wavingtheirrudeweaponsintheair.Theoldchiefsteppedforwardtous,andaskedussomequestions,pointingatthesametimetothewoods.LordJohnmadeasigntohimthatheshouldwaitforananswerandthenheturnedtous. "Well,it'suptoyoutosaywhatyouwilldo,"saidhe"formypartIhaveascoretosettlewiththesemonkey-folk,andifitendsbywipingthemoffthefaceoftheearthIdon'tseethattheearthneedfretaboutit.I'mgoin'withourlittleredpalsandImeantoseethemthroughthescrap.Whatdoyousay,youngfellah?" "OfcourseIwillcome." "Andyou,Challenger?" "Iwillassuredlyco-operate."