The right hand was raised and in the act of poising3 a javelin4 to hurl5 at the white man; but the latter, with an incredibly quick movement, brought his Winchester to a level and fired.
The bronze skull6 was shattered as though it were a rotten apple, and the Murhapa, with a resounding7 shriek8, went backward in the darkness.
A slight rustling9 at the other window drew the white man's attention thither10, and, without lowering his weapon, he let fly at a group who were simply peering within, evidently believing there was no call to use their javelins11.
Another screech12 told that the bullet had found its mark, and the other faces vanished.
Then Grimcke stepped out from the wall to gain a view of the opening which answered for a door. A rustling there told him a crowd were gathering13, but they had taken warning just in time to avoid a third shot. Then he slipped a couple more cartridges14 from his belt into the magazine, so as to keep it full, and awaited the next step in this extraordinary business.
"I've about a hundred left," he reflected, "and that's enough to keep things on a jump, if I can dodge15 their javelins."
Meanwhile, Jared Long was not idle. He had but the opening at the rear to watch, and he did the duty well. Almost at the moment that his comrade fired his first shot, he descried16 the figure of a Murhapa trying to steal into the apartment without detection; but just enough of the moonlight that was shut from the front doors and windows, reached the rear of the building, to disclose the outlines of the head and shoulders, as he began stealthily creeping into the building.
Bippo had discovered the peril17 at the same moment, and clutched the arm of his master with a nervous intensity18 of terror. Long impatiently shook him off, and, with the same cool quickness of Professor Grimcke, drove a bullet through the head of the dusky miscreant19, who was slain20 so suddenly that he rolled convulsively backward, without any outcry.
Almost at the same instant, a second native emitted a wild shout. He was directly behind the first and the latter lurched against him, causing such fright that he leaped back several feet with the involuntary cry fully21 understood by all whose ears it reached.
Long stood as rigid22 as a statue for several minutes, waiting for another chance, but none presented. Then he reflected that his position was much more favorable than Grimcke's, for not only had he but the single opening to guard, but his apartment was so shrouded23 in gloom that the sharpest-eyed warrior24 could not locate him from the outside.
The New Englander stepped to the door communicating with the front apartment and, barely showing himself, spoke25:
"I can attend to the window on the right, Professor; leave that to me, while you watch the door and the other one."
"Thanks," returned his friend; "I think there is a little too much light in this part of the house."
Moving quickly to the hearth26 he heaped the ashes with his foot upon the blazing embers, until they were so smothered27 that only a few tiny twists of flame struggled through the covering. This left the place in such darkness that a sense of security instantly came to him.
"Good!" called the New Englander, who could no longer be discerned; "that makes matters more nearly equal!"
Although, as we have said, the moonlight was substantially shut off from the front of the heavy structure, yet the moon itself, being full, so illumined the surroundings that it was quite easy to distinguish the head and figure of any one of their enemies the instant he presented himself at one of the openings.
What both the defenders28 feared was, that the savages29 would make a sudden rush and force themselves within the cabin in spite of the disastrous31 reception they were sure to be given. Such an essay was certain to result in the overthrow32 of the whites, but the Murhapas must have realized the cost it would be to them. Brave as they were, they hesitated to incur33 the consequences until other means had failed.
Professor Ernest Grimcke now did a most daring thing. The fierce welcome he had given the attacking Murhapas resulted in their temporary demoralization. Knowing they would speedily recover, he decided34 to take advantage of the panic by an attempt to intensify35 it.
Striding to the door he paused on the very threshold and peered out upon the large space in his field of vision.
Fully a hundred savages were in sight. Apparently36 they had been crowding around the entrance when the shots from within caused a hasty scattering37. They had halted a dozen yards or so away, where they were talking excitedly, still frightened and enraged38, and with no thought of relinquishing39 the fight.
They had withdrawn40 so far from the front of the building that they were in the strong moonlight, and consequently in full view of the white man, who saw others of the natives hurrying from the right and left. Among them were women and children and the confusion and excitement were fearful.
Standing thus, Grimcke again raised his repeater and deliberately42 opened fire on the crowd. It seemed cruel, but it was an act of self-defence, for those people were clamoring for the lives of the two men within, and would not be satisfied until they were at their mercy.
It was a strange scene that followed. The interior of the building being dark, while the moonlight failed to touch the front, the figure of the white man was invisible to the dusky wretches44 howling on the outside.
All at once, from the black opening of the building, came the crash of the repeating Winchester. Spouts45 of fire shot out into the gloom in terrific succession, as if fiery46 serpents were darting47 their heads in different directions; for the marksman aimed, quickly to the right, to the left and to the front, never pausing until he had discharged half a score of shots.
The panic for a minute or two was indescribable. Men, women and children shrieked48 and scattered49 for the nearest available shelter. Behind the buildings and down the river bank they dashed, stumbled and rolled, until, but for the tragic50 nature of the scene, the white man would have smiled.
But he had done enough, and he stepped back within the room to replenish51 the magazine of his rifle.
Jared Long had been drawn41 into the room by the furious fusillade, and now put the startling question whether advantage could not be taken of the panic to make a sudden dash for the woods. It would never do to make for the boat still resting against the shore, for it would be filled with poisoned javelins before they could shove out into the Xingu.
"I believe we can," replied the Professor; "it will take them some minutes to get over their panic and that will be enough for us."
"Let us leave by the rear," said Long, "for I don't think that is so well guarded."
The two turned to attempt the dash for freedom, when a cry from Bippo struck them.
"Stay here," exclaimed the New Englander, fearing that a diversion was on foot; "and I'll attend to him!"
He was back in the apartment in an instant. The light on the hearth having been extinguished, the gloom in this portion of the building was impenetrable, but a fearful struggle of some kind was going on. Some animal or person had got within and grappled Bippo who was fighting like a tiger.
Had the New Englander been able to distinguish the combatants, he would have ended the contest in a twinkling, but though the two rolled against his feet, he dared not fire through fear of hurting his friend.
"Are you under or on top?" he asked, bending downward at the moment he knew from the peculiar52 sounds the foes53 had become stationary54.
"He on top," was the doleful response.
Long extended his right hand to learn precisely55 how matters stood, or rather lay, when it came in contact with the arm of a Murhapa in the act of raising it aloft to bury his knife in the body of the helpless Bippo, who was at the mercy of the savage30, holding him inextricably in his grasp.
The American secured a firm hold of the forearm, and with a powerful wrench56, not only jerked the miscreant free, but flung him from one side of the room clean to the door, where he was visible in the faint light beyond.
Evidently concluding that his mission in that place was over, he nimbly came to his feet and shot like a rocket through the opening.
The New Englander was in no mood for sentimentality, and, he levelled his weapon with the intention to kill; but quick as he was, he was just a fraction of a minute too late, and, much to his chagrin57, the dusky wretch43 got away unharmed.
Long darted58 into the front room, ready for the proposal he had made just before.
The Professor was peering out, seemingly debating whether it was not advisable to re-open his bombardment.
"It beats creation," he remarked, as his friend appeared at his elbow, "how quickly those fellows rally; their heads are popping up in every direction, and it won't do to try to steal out this way."
"But I suggested the rear," reminded Long.
"Let's see how matters look there."
The survey from the other opening was disappointing. Although all the Murhapas had been affected59 in a greater or less degree by the panic, yet it was more incomplete at the rear, because the confusing volley had not come from that direction.
There seemed to be fully as many warriors60 on this side, which, with the exception of the river, was quite similar in appearance to the other. The shadowy figures were observed moving noiselessly in a dozen different directions, their heads bent61 down and their bodies crouching62, as if in expectation of a shot, but, at the same time, they were not to be frightened off by any fusilade from within.
"We're just too late," remarked the Professor, quick to take in every point of the situation; "we might have done it a minute ago, but they are watching too closely now."
"Let's open again," suggested the New Englander.
"Better wait awhile; they can be stampeded easier then than now," was the reply of the Professor.
During this lull63, when it may be said the defenders were becoming accustomed to the siege, they had time to give a few minutes' thought to their absent friends, Fred Ashman and Ziffak, regarding whom it was natural to feel great curiosity.
They believed themselves warranted in hoping for the best, so far as Ashman was concerned. He had probably strolled some distance, and must have been warned by the firing of the Professor's Winchester from the front, of the serious danger in which his friends were involved. If all had gone well with the youth up to that time, he ought to be wise enough to get away without an instant's delay. What was feared was, that in his anxiety to help his comrades, he would run into a peril from which he could not extricate64 himself.
The real hope for the youth was centered on Ziffak. Believing he had gone forth65 to look after Ashman, they were confident he would speedily get upon his track. If so, he would not permit him to return to the village.
From what the reader has been told, it will be seen that the defenders were not far off in their conjectures66.
But, when they came to speculate upon the part that the head chieftain was likely to take, affecting Grimcke and Long, they were all at sea. It would ever be a source of wonder that he had been transformed from a relentless67 enemy into the strongest of friends, but they fully realized that such friendship must have its bounds.
Ziffak might not shrink from using very plain speech when talking face to face with his brother, but it was hardly to be supposed that he would raise his arm against his authority. At the time Ziffak made known the probability that the explorers might be compelled to take their departure that evening, he gave no intimation of any purpose of helping68 them to resist such an order.
Accustomed as he was to lead the warlike Murhapas in battle, he might well hesitate to ask them to turn their weapons against the king, and if he should presume on such treason, all the probabilities were that such weapons would be turned against the head chieftain himself.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
bead
|
|
| n.念珠；(pl.)珠子项链；水珠 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
poising
|
|
| 使平衡( poise的现在分词 )； 保持（某种姿势）； 抓紧； 使稳定 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
javelin
|
|
| n.标枪，投枪 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
hurl
|
|
| vt.猛投，力掷，声叫骂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
skull
|
|
| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
resounding
|
|
| adj. 响亮的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
shriek
|
|
| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
rustling
|
|
| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
thither
|
|
| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
javelins
|
|
| n.标枪( javelin的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
screech
|
|
| n./v.尖叫；(发出)刺耳的声音 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
gathering
|
|
| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
cartridges
|
|
| 子弹( cartridge的名词复数 )； （打印机的）墨盒； 录音带盒； （唱机的）唱头 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
dodge
|
|
| v.闪开，躲开，避开；n.妙计，诡计 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
descried
|
|
| adj.被注意到的，被发现的，被看到的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
peril
|
|
| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
intensity
|
|
| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
miscreant
|
|
| n.恶棍 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
slain
|
|
| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
fully
|
|
| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
rigid
|
|
| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
shrouded
|
|
| v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 )；保密 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
warrior
|
|
| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
spoke
|
|
| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
hearth
|
|
| n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
smothered
|
|
| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
defenders
|
|
| n.防御者( defender的名词复数 )；守卫者；保护者；辩护者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
savages
|
|
| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
savage
|
|
| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
disastrous
|
|
| adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
overthrow
|
|
| v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
incur
|
|
| vt.招致，蒙受，遭遇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
intensify
|
|
| vt.加强；变强；加剧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
apparently
|
|
| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
scattering
|
|
| n.[物]散射；散乱，分散；在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的；分散在不同范围的；广泛扩散的；（选票）数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式)；散布；驱散 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
enraged
|
|
| 使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
relinquishing
|
|
| 交出，让给( relinquish的现在分词 )； 放弃 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
withdrawn
|
|
| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
drawn
|
|
| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
deliberately
|
|
| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
wretch
|
|
| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
wretches
|
|
| n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 )；可怜的人；恶棍；坏蛋 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
spouts
|
|
| n.管口( spout的名词复数 )；（喷出的）水柱；（容器的）嘴；在困难中v.（指液体）喷出( spout的第三人称单数 )；滔滔不绝地讲；喋喋不休地说；喷水 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
fiery
|
|
| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
darting
|
|
| v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
shrieked
|
|
| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
scattered
|
|
| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
tragic
|
|
| adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
replenish
|
|
| vt.补充；(把…)装满；(再)填满 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
peculiar
|
|
| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
foes
|
|
| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
stationary
|
|
| adj.固定的，静止不动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
precisely
|
|
| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
wrench
|
|
| v.猛拧；挣脱；使扭伤；n.扳手；痛苦，难受 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
chagrin
|
|
| n.懊恼；气愤；委屈 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
darted
|
|
| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
affected
|
|
| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
warriors
|
|
| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
bent
|
|
| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
crouching
|
|
| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
lull
|
|
| v.使安静，使入睡，缓和，哄骗；n.暂停，间歇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
extricate
|
|
| v.拯救，救出；解脱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
conjectures
|
|
| 推测，猜想( conjecture的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
relentless
|
|
| adj.残酷的，不留情的，无怜悯心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
helping
|
|
| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |