Chapter 29 missing treasure

The "expedition team" tried their best to rescue Dianot, but found nothing.After returning, Captain Dufferin was anxious to get out of here as soon as possible.Everyone except Jenny agrees. "No," he said obstinately, "even if you all leave here, I will not go. For there are two friends of ours in the jungle. They will come back some day, and hope to see us waiting for them. "Captain Dajarin, one of these men is an officer under your command, and the other is 'The Stranger of the Woods', who saved the lives of these men brought by my father. "Two days ago he left me in a hurry on the edge of the bush to rescue my father and Mr. Clayton - thought they were in danger in the woods. He did not come back to save Lieutenant D'Arnot, You should believe that.

"If he had gone too late to save the lieutenant, he would have returned by now. In my opinion, his failure to return can only be proved by the delay of Lieutenant D'Arnot's injury; Somewhere beyond that village that the sailors attacked." "But D'Arnot's military uniform and everything on his body were found in that village, Miss Potter," the captain argued, "and when they asked about his whereabouts, the natives seemed to panic." "Yes, Captain. But they did not admit that he was dead. As for his clothes and other things in their hands, it is not surprising. People who are more civilized than these poor blacks don't care whether they want to take it or not." Kill the captives, first looting all the valuables on them? Even the soldiers in the American South don’t care about life and death, looting all the things on the captives? So, I admit your words There’s some truth to it, but it’s not enough.”

"Perhaps that 'wizard of the woods' you speak of was caught and killed by those niggers himself," said Captain Dufferin. The girl laughed. "You don't know him," she replied.Thinking that she was expressing her thoughts, a kind of comfort and pride flowed through her body. "I admit that the 'Superman' you mentioned is worthy of our waiting." The captain laughed, "I really want to meet him." "Wait for him then, dear captain," said the girl eagerly, "because I wish so." The Frenchman would be amazed if he understood the true meaning of the girl's words.

They walked from the beach to the cottage as they talked.Under a big tree next to the hut, several people were sitting on military pony horses and chatting. Professor Porter was there, along with Mr. Philander, Clayton, Lieutenant Carpenter, and two other officers.Esmeralda walked up and down behind them, now and then daring to make comments and "comments," with the air of freedom and indifference that only senior and indulgent servants have. When the officers saw the captain approaching, they all stood up and saluted him.Clayton handed Jenny the ponytail he was sitting on. "We were talking about Paul," said Captain Dufferin. "Miss Potter insisted that we didn't have enough evidence to prove his death. We didn't. On the other hand, she thought your The delay of an all-powerful jungle friend shows that D'Arnot is still inseparable from his help; or that he is still a prisoner in a black village farther away."

"It has been suggested," ventured Carpenter, "that the Woodman might be a member of the Negro tribe who attacked us. He was in a hurry to help his own." Jenny shot Clayton a quick glance. "I don't agree with you," objected Mr. Philander. "He had plenty of opportunities of his own to do us harm, or lead his men against us. But we've been here so long, and he's done his best to protect us." We, and give us food." "That's true," put in Clayton, "but we mustn't lose sight of the fact that, for hundreds of miles around, all but one, if any, were wild men eating human flesh. He Armed exactly as they looked, it suggested that he had at least some kind of connection with them.

And the fact that he alone could deal with perhaps thousands of savages was enough to show that his relations with them could only be of a friendly kind. " "Then it is impossible for him not to be connected with them," said the captain. "Perhaps he is a member of some tribe." "Otherwise," said another officer, "how could he have lived in the jungle for so long? He was completely surrounded by savage forest dwellers. Man and beast together have mastered all kinds of knowledge in the forest, And also skillfully wields African weapons." "Gentlemen, you measure him in your own mold," said Jenny, "and I assure you that an ordinary white man like you—forgive me not referring to any of you—or, A white man with extraordinary physical strength and intelligence would never live a year naked in a tropical jungle. This person's physical strength and flexibility not only surpassed ordinary whites, but far surpassed those of our well-trained Athlete and strongman. As they surpass a newborn baby. As for the courage and ferocity with which he fought, he was by no means inferior to any beast."

"He has clearly won an infinitely loyal supporter, Miss Potter." Captain Dufferin said with a smile, "I'm sure we'd all face the most horrific death, a hundred times, for the admiration of a girl who's only half loyal, or half pretty, like you." The girl said: "If you, like me, saw with your own eyes how he fought that furry monster to save me, you wouldn't be surprised why I defended him like this. "If you had seen with your own eyes how he attacked the grizzly like a bullfighter, and without hesitation or fear, and pounced on the monster, you would have believed that he was an extraordinary superman.

"If you saw how his hilly muscles bulged under his dark skin, if you saw how he avoided the terrible fangs with all his strength, you would admit that he was invincible. "If you see how he treats a strange girl of a strange race with lofty chivalry, you will have absolute confidence in him as I do." "Your 'defence' has been won, dear advocate," cried the captain, "the 'court' acquitted the 'defendant'. The cruiser will wait a few more days. He may be back in time to report to your Thank you, the extraordinary Portia." "For God's sake, dear!" Esmeralda cried, "Why are you staying in this damn place when you have the chance to escape by boat?

There are beasts eating human flesh everywhere!Come on, dear. " "Ah! Esmeralda, are you not impatient?" Jenny exclaimed, "is this ① Portia (Portia): The heroine in Shakespeare's famous play. Is it your reward for the man who saved your life twice? " "Oh, Miss Jenny, you're right. But this 'Wonder of the Woods' didn't save us to keep us here. He saved us to get us out of here as quickly as possible. He would be furious if he stayed here foolishly when he had the chance to escape! "Besides, I don't even want to sleep in that shabby house for a night. When it gets dark, I have to listen to the lonely and desolate sound coming from the forest."

"I don't blame you at all, Esmeralda," said Clayton. "You mean something when you say that the howling of wild animals in the forest makes people feel 'lonely and forlorn.' You don't You know, I've been trying to find an accurate word to describe this sound, but I can't find it. 'Lonely, desolate' is so appropriate." "You and Esmeralda better live on a cruiser." Jenny said mockingly, "If you have to live in the jungle for the rest of your life like our 'Wonder of the Woods', I don't know you What will it be like?"

"I'm afraid I should turn out to be quite a savage, a savage," said Clayton, laughing ruefully, "and the noises of the jungle at night are indeed frightening. It shames me to admit it.But it's true.I can't deny it. " "I don't know," said Lieutenant Carpenter. "I've never given much thought to being afraid, and that sort of thing, and never trying to figure out if I'm a coward or a brave man. But poor D'Arnot was kidnapped." I realized for the first time what a coward I was that night when the wild animals in the jungle roared and howled all around us. Of course the growling and howling of those big beasts scares you, but the creepiest thing is That sneaky, sneaky sound. You suddenly feel that the sound is right next to you, but when you listen carefully, it disappears without a trace. The incomprehensible sound is like a huge beast It's creeping towards you. You don't know how far it is from you, or if it will come again after the noise disappears? Anyway, the sound, and the eyes of those beasts, scare you out of your mind. "My God, in the dark, I'll always see those eyes—those eyes you can see, or feel if you can't see. Oh, that's the most terrible thing." There was a silence for a while, and then Jenny said, "But he's still in the jungle." She said, in a voice that seemed to be muffled by fear, "And those evil eyes will be on him tonight, Stare at your comrade, Lieutenant D'Arnot. Gentlemen, don't you have the heart to not even give this kind of passive assistance-wait for them here for a few more days-and just walk away?" "Tsk tsk, boy!" said Mr. Porter, "Hasn't Captain Flynn agreed to stay? As for me, I'm in favor of it, and I'm in favor of it. I've always satisfied your childish whims Well!" "We just use tomorrow's time to find that box, Professor." Mr. Philander suggested. "Very true, very true, Mr. Philander. I almost forgot about this precious box." Professor Porter shouted, "Maybe Captain Dufferin can lend us a few people to help, and send another captured The crew of the crew pointed us to the place where the box was hidden." "No problem, dear Professor Potter, we are always at your disposal," said the captain. So it was decided that the next day Lieutenant Carpenter would lead ten sailors, guided by a rebel from the "Arrow", to dig the treasure chest, and the cruiser would stay in the little bay for another week.After a week, if D'Arnot and the "Weird of the Woods" hadn't returned, it would mean that the Lieutenant was indeed dead, and the "Weird" didn't want to show up here during their stay.Then, both boats and everyone left the coast. The next day, Professor Peter did not go to the box with the sailors. Near noon, the treasure hunters came back empty-handed.Professor Porter ran out quickly, contrary to his usual absent-mindedness, he seemed flustered. "Where's the treasure?" he asked Clayton aloud, a hundred feet from the returning man. Clayton shook his head. "No more." He walked up to the professor and said. "It's gone? It's impossible! Who can take it away?" cried Professor Porter. "Only God knows how it happened, Professor," Clayton replied. "Of course we have reason to suspect that the fellow who acted as a guide was deceiving us. But it was found under the body of Snapas they killed." His look of astonishment and terror without the box would not have made you suspect he was faking it. We dug further and saw that something had indeed been sorted under the body. For there was a pit under there, and it was now filled. A new land." "But who can take it?" said Professor Porter again. "Of course there will be suspicion on the heads of the cruiser's sailors," said Lieutenant Carpenter, "but, Ensign Jewells assured me, no one on the cruiser has asked for leave to go ashore. That is to say, since the cruiser broke down, except for one Except for the officers leading the team to carry out missions, no one went ashore. I don’t know if you are the ones who doubt us, but I am very happy that there is no longer any premise or basis for doubting them.” He said as if he came to a conclusion. "Even if I doubt my dear Clayton, or Mr. Philander, I will never doubt the French soldiers we owe so much to." Professor Porter replied very seriously. The French officers and sailors laughed.Professor Peter's words obviously removed a stone from their hearts. "Actually, the box has been taken away long ago," Clayton continued. "The body fell apart as soon as we lifted it up. This shows that whoever stole the treasure in the box, it was here." It was done before the body had decayed. Because when we first saw it, it was intact." Jenny also came over at this time and said, "There is more than one treasure thief. You should remember that four people can move that box." "Ah!" exclaimed Clayton, "yes! It must have been done by some niggers. Maybe one of them found out the secret when the sailors were hiding the chests, and brought some of his My friend, I stole the box." "Any speculation is useless." Professor Porter said sadly. "The box is gone. We can no longer see it, nor the treasure inside." Only Jenny understood what this loss meant to his father, and what it meant to her. Six days later, Captain Dufferin announced that they were sailing early the next morning. If she had not herself come to believe that her forest lover would never return, Jenny would have again asked for a postponement of her departure. All kinds of doubts and fears were involuntarily churning in her heart.Especially the well-founded analyzes of the unbiased French officers began to shake her decision and conviction. She never believed that he was a cannibal.But it seemed to her quite possible that he was an adopted member of some savage tribe. She does not admit that he will die too.She couldn't imagine that such a perfect, vibrant body would no longer burst into life—unless eternity and immortality were nothing more than a cup of loess. Jenny planted these "roots of disease" in her mind, and other messy thoughts followed one after another. If he belonged to some tribe of savages, he would have a savage wife--perhaps a dozen of them--and a whole lot of half-breeds.Oh-- The girl shivered involuntarily.She was therefore almost delighted when she was told that the cruiser was to sail the next day. But she suggested leaving weapons, ammunition, food, and other things that would make life a little more comfortable in the hut.Ostensibly it was reserved for the never-seen Tarzan of the Apes and Dearnot, who was still alive.But in fact, she was left to her "sylvan"-even if it turned out that he was nothing more than a "sylvan"-even if it turned out that he was just a mud-footed giant. In the end, she left a letter to Tarzan the ape, hoping that he would pass it on to her "God of the Forest". She was the last to leave the cabin.When others were walking towards the boat, she found an excuse to go back. She knelt by the bed where he had spent so many nights and prayed for her primal being.Kissing the locket he gave her with warm lips, she murmured: "I love you, and I believe in you because I love you. And yet I love you even if I don't believe in you. If you come back here for me, and if there's no way we can go, I'll go with you into the jungle— forever!"