Amidst deathly silence the little company of white men filed out of the throne room with Gonfala the queen of the Kaji. Tarzan carried the Gonfal so that all might see it. Van Eyk bore the great emerald of the Zuli concealed beneath a wrapping of skin.
In the main street of the city a little group of black men and white awaited them, summoned by Tarzan through the necromancy of the Gonfal. They were the slaves and prisoners of the Kaji.
"We are leaving this country," he told them; "any who wish to may accompany us."
"Mafka will kill us," objected one.
Shrill screams issued from the interior of the palace only to be drowned by savage yells of rage and hatred.
"Mafka will never kill again," said the ape-man.
Chapter 11. Treachery
IN PEACE THEY marched through the country of the Kaji under the protection of Tarzan and the Gonfal. Those who had been prisoners and slaves for years were filled with nervous apprehension. They could not believe this miracle that had seemingly snatched them from the clutches of the old magician who had dominated and terrorized them for so long. Momentarily they expected to be killed or dragged back to certain torture and death; but nothing happened, and they came at last to the valley of the Neubari.
"I'll leave you here," said Tarzan. "You will be going south. I go north." He handed the Gonfal to van Eyk. "Keep it until morning; then give it to one of these women." He indicated the three warrior women who had accompanied them from Kaji; then he turned to them. "Take the stone back; and if any among you can use it, use it for good and not for evil.
"Wood, take the great emerald of the Zuli in trust for Gonfala. I hope it will bring her happiness, but the chances are that it will not. At least, however, she need never want."
"Where do we come in?" demanded Spike.
The ape-man shook his head. "You don't; you go out-you go out with your lives. That's a lot more than you could have hoped for a few days ago."
"You mean to say you're goin' to give the big rock back to the niggers and we don't get no split? It ain't fair. Look what we been through. You can't do it."
"It's already done."
Spike turned toward the others. "Are you fellows goin' to stand for this?" he shouted angrily. "Them two rocks belongs to all of us. We ought to take 'em back to London and sell 'em and divide up equal."
"I'm glad enough to get out with my life," said van Eyk. "I think Gonfala has a right to one of the stones; the other will be plenty for both the Kaji and the Zuli to carry out their plans to go out into the world. They'll be cheated out of most of it anyway, but they'll get their wish."
"I think they ought to be divided," said Troll. "We ought to get something out of this."
Some of the white men who had been liberated agreed with him. Others said they only wanted to get home alive and the sooner they saw the last of the two stones the better they'd be satisfied.
"They're evil," said one of the men. "They'll bring no good to anyone."
"I'd take the chance," growled Spike.
Tarzan regarded him coldly. "You won't get it. I've told you all what to do; see that you do it. I'll be travelling south again before you get out of the country. I'll know if you've pulled anything crooked. See that you don't."
Night had fallen. The little band of fugitives, perhaps a hundred strong, were making camp, such as it was, and preparing the food they had brought from Kaji. The blacks, who had been slaves, fell naturally into positions of porters and personal servants to the whites. There had been some slight attempt toward organization, Wood and van Eyk acting as lieutenants to the man they knew only as Clayton, who had assumed the leadership as naturally as the others had accepted the arrangement.
He stood among them now noting the preparations for the night; then he turned to Wood. "You and van Eyk will take charge. You will have no trouble unless it be from Spike. Watch him. Three marches to the south you will find friendly villages. After that it will be easy."
That was all. He turned and was gone into the night. There were no farewells, long-drawn and useless.
"Well," said van Eyk, "that was casual enough."
Wood shrugged. "He is like that."
Gonfala strained her eyes out into the darkness. "He has gone? You think he will not come back?"
"When he finishes whatever business he is on, perhaps. By that time we may be out of the country."
"I felt so safe when he was with us." The girl came and stood close to Wood. "I feel safe with you, too, Stanlee; but him-he seemed a part of Africa."
The man nodded and put an arm about her. "We'll take care of you, dear; but I know how you feel. I felt the same way when he was around. I had no sense of responsibility at all, not even for my own welfare. I just took it for granted that he'd look after everything."
"I often wonder about him," said van Eyk musingly-"who he is, where he comes from, what he is doing in Africa. I wonder-I wonder if there could be-if-"
"If what?"
"If there could be a Tarzan."
Wood laughed. "You know, the same thought came to me. Of course, there is no such person; but this fellow, Clayton, sure would fill the bill."
The black boy who was cooking for them called them then to the evening meal. It was not much, and they decided that Spike and Troll would have to do some hunting the following day.
Suddenly Wood laughed-a bit ruefully. "What with?" he demanded. "We've got spears and knives. What could any of us kill with those?"
Van Eyk nodded. "You're right. What are we going to do? We've got to have meat. All the way to those first friendly villages we've got to depend on game. There won't be anything else."
"If we raise any game, we'll have to send out beaters and chase it toward the spears. We ought to get something that way."
Van Eyk grinned. "If we're lucky enough to raise something with angina pectoris, the excitement might kill it."
"Well, they do kill big game with spears," insisted Wood.
Van Eyk's face brightened. He snapped his fingers. "I've got it! Bows and arrows! Some of our blacks must be good at making them and using them. Hey, Kamudi! Come here!"
One of the black boys arose from the two calloused black heels he had been squatting upon and approached. "Yes, Bwana-you call?"
"Say, can any of you boys kill game with a bow and arrow?"
Kamudi grinned. "Yes, Bwana."
"How about making them? Can any of you make bows and arrows?"
"Yes, Bwana-all can make."
"Fine! Any of the stuff you use grow around here?" Van Eyk's tones were both eager and apprehensive.
"Down by the river-plenty."
"Gee! That's bully. When the boys have finished supper take 'em down there and get enough stuff to make bows for every one and lots of arrows. Make a few tonight. If we don't have 'em, we don't eat tomorrow Sabe?"
"Yes, Bwana-after supper."
The night was velvet soft. A full moon shone down upon the camp, paling the embers of dying fires where the men had cooked their simple meal. The blacks were busy fashioning crude bows and arrows, roughly hewn but adequate.
The whites were gathered in little groups. A shelter had been fashioned for Gonfala; and before this she and Wood and van Eyk lay upon skins that had been brought from Kaji and talked of the future. Gonfala of the wonders that awaited her in unknown civilization, for she was going to London. The men spoke of America, of their families, and old friends, who must long ago have given them up as dead.
"With the proceeds from the great emerald of the Zuli you will be a very rich woman, Gonfala." Wood spoke a little regretfully. "You will have a beautiful home, wonderful gowns and furs, automobiles, and many servants; and there will be men-oh, lots of men."
"Why should I have men? I do not want but just one."