the monster men-第18部分

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〃I　cannot　make　it　out；　von　Horn；〃　Professor　Maxon　was　saying。　　〃Not　a　board　broken；　and　the　doors　both　apparently　opened　intentionally　by　someone　familiar　with　locks　and　bolts。　　Who　could　have　done　it？〃

〃You　forget　Number　Thirteen；〃　suggested　the　doctor。

〃But　the　chest！〃　expostulated　the　other。　　〃What　in　the　world　would　he　want　of　that　enormous　and　heavy　chest？〃

〃He　might　have　thought　that　it　contained　treasure；〃　hazarded　von　Horn；　in　an　innocent　tone　of　voice。

〃Bosh；　my　dear　man；〃　replied　Professor　Maxon。　　〃He　knew　nothing　of　treasures；　or　money；　or　the　need　or　value　of　either。　I　tell　you　the　workshop　was　opened；　and　the　inner　campong　as　well　by　some　one　who　knew　the　value　of　money　and　wanted　that　chest；　but　why　they　should　have　released　the　creatures　from　the　inner　enclosure　is　beyond　me。〃

〃And　I　tell　you　Professor　Maxon　that　it　could　have　been　none　other　than　Number　Thirteen；〃　insisted　von　Horn。　〃Did　I　not　myself　see　him　leading　his　eleven　monsters　as　easily　as　a　captain　commands　his　company？　　The　fellow　is　brighter　than　we　have　imagined。　　He　has　learned　much　from　us　both；　he　has　reasoned；　and　he　has　shrewdly　guessed　many　things　that　he　could　not　have　known　through　experience。〃

〃But　his　object？〃　asked　the　professor。

〃That　is　simple；〃　returned　von　Horn。　　〃You　have　held　out　hopes　to　him　that　soon　he　should　come　to　live　under　your　roof　with　Virginia。　　The　creature　has　been　madly　infatuated　with　her　ever　since　the　day　he　took　her　from　Number　One；　and　you　have　encouraged　his　infatuation　until　yesterday。　　Then　you　regained　your　sanity　and　put　him　in　his　rightful　place。　　What　is　the　result？　Denied　the　easy　prey　he　expected　he　immediately　decided　to　take　it　by　force；　and　with　that　end　in　view；　and　taking　advantage　of　the　series　of　remarkable　circumstances　which　played　into　his　hands；　he　liberated　his　fellows；　and　with　them　hastened　to　the　beach　in　search　of　Virginia　and　in　hopes　of　being　able　to　fly　with　her　upon　the　Ithaca。　　There　he　met　the　Malay　pirates；　and　together　they　formed　an　alliance　under　terms　of　which　Number　Thirteen　is　to　have　the　girl；　and　the　pirates　the　chest　in　return　for　transporting　him　and　his　crew　to　Borneo。　Why　it　is　all　perfectly　simple　and　logical；　Professor　Maxon；　do　you　not　see　it　now？〃

〃You　may　be　right；　doctor；〃　answered　the　old　man。　〃But　it　is　idle　to　conjecture。　　Tomorrow　we　can　be　up　and　doing；　so　let　us　get　what　sleep　we　can　tonight。　We　shall　need　all　our　energies　if　we　are　to　save　my　poor；　dear　girl；　from　the　clutches　of　that　horrid；　soulless　thing。〃


At　the　very　moment　that　he　spoke　the　object　of　his　contumely　was　entering　the　dark　mouth　of　a　broad　river　that　flowed　from　out　of　the　heart　of　savage　Borneo。　In　the　prahu　with　him　his　eleven　hideous　companions　now　bent　to　their　paddles　with　slightly　increased　efficiency。　Before　them　the　leader　saw　a　fire　blazing　upon　a　tiny　island　in　the　center　of　the　stream。　　Toward　this　they　turned　their　silent　way。　　Grimly　the　war　prahu　with　its　frightful　freight　nosed　closer　to　the　bank。

At　last　Number　Thirteen　made　out　the　figures　of　men　about　the　fire；　and　as　they　came　still　closer　he　was　sure　that　they　were　members　of　the　very　party　he　had　been　pursuing　across　the　broad　waters　for　hours。　The　prahus　were　drawn　up　upon　the　bank　and　the　warriors　were　preparing　to　eat。

Just　as　the　young　giants'　prahu　came　within　the　circle　of　firelight　a　swarthy　Malay　approached　the　fire；　dragging　a　white　girl　roughly　by　the　arm。　　No　more　was　needed　to　convince　Number　Thirteen　of　the　identity　of　the　party。　　With　a　low　command　to　his　fellows　he　urged　them　to　redoubled　speed。　　At　the　same　instant　a　Dyak　warrior　caught　sight　of　the　approaching　boat　as　it　sped　into　the　full　glare　of　the　light。

At　sight　of　the　occupants　the　head　hunters　scattered　for　their　own　prahus。　　The　frightful　aspect　of　the　enemy　turned　their　savage　hearts　to　water；　leaving　no　fight　in　their　ordinarily　warlike　souls。

So　quickly　they　moved　that　as　the　pursuing　prahu　touched　the　bank　all　the　nearer　boats　had　been　launched；　and　the　remaining　pirates　were　scurrying　across　the　little　island　for　those　which　lay　upon　the　opposite　side。　　Among　these　was　the　Malay　who　guarded　the　girl；　but　he　had　not　been　quick　enough　to　prevent　Virginia　Maxon　recognizing　the　stalwart　figure　standing　in　the　bow　of　the　oncoming　craft。

As　he　dragged　her　away　toward　the　prahu　of　Muda　Saffir　she　cried　out　to　the　strange　white　man　who　seemed　her　self…appointed　protector。

〃Help！　　Help！〃　she　called。　　〃This　way！　　Across　the　island！〃　And　then　the　brown　hand　of　her　jailer　closed　over　her　mouth。　Like　a　tigress　she　fought　to　free　herself；　or　to　detain　her　captor　until　the　rescue　party　should　catch　up　with　them；　but　the　scoundrel　was　muscled　like　a　bull；　and　when　the　girl　held　back　he　lifted　her　across　his　shoulder　and　broke　into　a　run。

Rajah　Muda　Saffir　had　no　stomach　for　a　fight　himself；　but　he　was　loathe　to　lose　the　prize　he　had　but　just　won；　and　seeing　that　his　men　were　panic…stricken　he　saw　no　alternative　but　to　rally　them　for　a　brief　stand　that　would　give　the　little　moment　required　to　slip　away　in　his　own　prahu　with　the　girl。

Calling　aloud　for　those　around　him　to　come　to　his　support　he　halted　fifty　yards　from　his　boat　just　as　Number　Thirteen　with　his　fierce；　brainless　horde　swept　up　from　the　opposite　side　of　the　island　in　the　wake　of　him　who　bore　Virginia　Maxon。　　The　old　rajah　succeeded　in　gathering　some　fifty　warriors　about　him　from　the　crews　of　the　two　boats　which　lay　near　his。　　His　own　men　he　hastened　to　their　posts　in　his　prahu　that　they　might　be　ready　to　pull　swiftly　away　the　moment　that　he　and　the　captive　were　aboard。

The　Dyak　warriors　presented　an　awe　inspiring　spectacle　in　the　fitful　light　of　the　nearby　camp　fire。　The　ferocity　of　their　fierce　faces　was　accentuated　by　the　upturned；　bristling　tiger　cat's　teeth　which　protruded　from　every　ear；　while　the　long　feathers　of　the　Argus　pheasant　waving　from　their　war…caps；　the　brilliant　colors　of　their　war…coats　trimmed　with　the　black　and　white　feathers　of　the　hornbill；　and　the　strange　devices　upon　their　gaudy　shields　but　added　to　the　savagery　of　their　appearance　as　they　danced　and　howled；　menacing　and　intimidating；　in　the　path　of　the　charging　foe。

A　single　backward　glance　was　all　that　Virginia　Maxon　found　it　possible　to　throw　in　the　direction　of　the　rescue　party；　and　in　that　she　saw　a　sight　that　lived　forever　in　her　memory。　　At　the　head　of　his　hideous；　misshapen　pack　sprang　the　stalwart　young　giant　straight　into　the　heart　of　the　flashing　parangs　of　the　howling　savages。　　To　right　and　left　fell　the　mighty　bull　whip　cutting　down　men　with　all　the　force　and　dispatch　of　a　steel　saber。　The　Dyaks；　encouraged　by　the　presence　of　Muda　Saffir　in　their　rear；　held　their　ground；　and　the　infuriated；　brainless　things　that　followed　the　wielder　of　the　bull　whip　threw　themselves　upon　the　head　hunters　with　beating　hands　and　rending　fangs。

Number　Ten　wrested　a　parang　from　an　adversary；　and　acting　upon　his　example　the　other　creatures　were　not　long　in　arming　themselves　in　a　similar　manner。　Cutting　and　jabbing　they　hewed　their　way　through　the　solid　ranks　of　the　enemy；　until　Muda　Saffir；　seeing　that　defeat　was　inevitable　turned　and　fled　toward　his　prahu。

Four　of　his　creatures　lay　dead　as　the　last　of　the　Dyaks　turned　to　escape　from　the　mad　white　man　who　faced　naked　steel　with　only　a　rawhide　whip。　　In　panic　the　head　hunters　made　a　wild　dash　for　the　two　remaining　prahus；　for　Muda　Saffir　had　succeeded　in　getting　away　from　the　island　in　safety。

Number　Thirteen　reached　the　water's　edge　but　a　moment　after　the　prow　of　the　rajah's　craft　had　cleared　the　shore　and　was　swinging　up　stream　under　the　vigorous　strokes　of　its　fifty　oarsmen。　　For　an　instant　he　stood　poised　upon　the　bank　as　though　to　spring　after　the　retreating　prahu；　but　the　knowledge　that　he　could　not　swim　held　him　backit　was　useless　to　throw　away　his　life　when　the　need　of　it　was　so　great　if　Virginia　Maxon　was　to　be　saved。

Turning　to　the　other　prahus　he　saw　that　one　was　already　launched；　but　that　the　crew　of　the　other　was　engaged　in　a　desperate　battle　with　the　seven　remaining　members　of　his　crew　for　possession　of　the　boat。　　Leaping　among　the　combatants　he　urged　his　fellows　aboard　the　prahu　which　was　already　half　filled　with　Dyaks。　　Then　he　shoved　the　boat　out　into　the　river；　jumping　aboard　himself　as　its　prow　cleared　the　gravelly　beach。

For　several　minutes　that　long；　hollowed　log　was　a　veritable　floating　hell　of　savage；　screaming　men　locked　in　deadly　battle。　　The　sharp　parangs　of　the　head　hunters　were　no　match　for　the　superhuman　muscles　of　the　creatures　that　battered　them　about；　now　lifting　one　high　above　his　fellows　and　using　the　body　as　a　club　to　beat　down　those　nearby；　again　snapping　an　arm　or　leg　as　one　might　break　a　pipe　stem；　or　hurling　a　living　antagonist　headlong　above　the　heads　of　his　fellows　to　the　dark　waters　of　the　river。　　And　above　them　all　in　the　thickest　of　the　fight；　towering　even　above　his　own　giants；　rose　the　mighty　figure　of　the　terrible　white　man；　whose　very　presence　wrought　havoc　with　the　valor　of　the　brown　warriors。

Two　more　of　Number　Thirteen's　creatures　had　been　cut　down　in　the　prahu；　but　the　loss　among　the　Dyaks　had　been　infinitely　greater；　and　to　it　was　now　added　the　desertions　of　the　terror　stricken　savages　who　seemed　to　fear　the　frightful　countenances　of　their　adversaries　even　as　much　as　they　did　their　prowess。

There　remained　but　a　handful　of　brown　warriors　in　one　end　of　the　boat　when　the　advantage　of　utilizing　their　knowledge　of　the　river　and　of　navigation　occurred　to　Number　Thirteen。　　Calling　to　his　men　he　commanded　them　to　cease　killing；　making　prisoners　of　those　who　remained　instead。　　So　accustomed　had　his　pack　now　become　to　receiving　and　acting　upon　his　orders　that　they　changed　their　tactics　immediately；　and　one　by　one　the　remaining　Dyaks　were　overpowered；　disarmed　and　held。

With　difficulty　Number　Thirteen　communicated　with　them；　for　among　them　there　was　but　a　single　warrior　who　had　ever　had　intercourse　with　an　Englishman；　but　at　last　by　means　of　signs　and　the　few　words　that　were　common　to　them　both　he　made　the　native　understand　that　he　would　spare　the　lives　of　himself　and　his　companions　if　they　would　help　him　in　pursuit　of　Muda　Saffir　and　the　girl。

The　Dyaks　felt　but　lit