the monster men-第21部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


ing　which　swung　low　above　the　water。

With　the　last　flickering　spark　of　vitality　that　remained　in　her　poor；　exhausted　body　Virginia　Maxon　clung　to　the　frail　support　that　a　kind　Providence　had　thrust　into　her　hands。　How　long　she　hung　there　she　never　knew；　but　finally　a　little　strength　returned　to　her；　and　presently　she　realized　that　it　was　a　pendant　creeper　hanging　low　from　a　jungle　tree　upon　the　bank　that　had　saved　her　from　the　river's　rapacious　maw。

Inch　by　inch　she　worked　herself　upward　toward　the　bank；　and　at　last；　weak　and　panting；　sunk　exhausted　to　the　cool　carpet　of　grass　that　grew　to　the　water's　edge。　Almost　immediately　tired；　Nature　plunged　her　into　a　deep　sleep。　　It　was　daylight　when　she　awoke；　dreaming　that　the　tall　young　giant　had　rescued　her　from　a　band　of　demons　and　was　lifting　her　in　his　arms　to　carry　her　back　to　her　father。

Through　half　open　lids　she　saw　the　sunlight　filtering　through　the　leafy　canopy　above　hershe　wondered　at　the　realism　of　her　dream；　full　consciousness　returned　and　with　it　the　conviction　that　she　was　in　truth　being　held　close　by　strong　arms　against　a　bosom　that　throbbed　to　the　beating　of　a　real　heart。

With　a　sudden　start　she　opened　her　eyes　wide　to　look　up　into　the　hideous　face　of　a　giant　ourang　outang。



11

〃I　AM　COMING！〃


The　morning　following　the　capture　of　Virginia　Maxon　by　Muda　Saffir；　Professor　Maxon；　von　Horn；　Sing　Lee　and　the　sole　surviving　lascar　from　the　crew　of　the　Ithaca　set　out　across　the　strait　toward　the　mainland　of　Borneo　in　the　small　boat　which　the　doctor　had　secreted　in　the　jungle　near　the　harbor。　　The　party　was　well　equipped　with　firearms　and　ammunition；　and　the　bottom　of　the　boat　was　packed　full　with　provisions　and　cooking　utensils。　　Von　Horn　had　been　careful　to　see　that　the　boat　was　furnished　with　a　mast　and　sail；　and　now；　under　a　good　breeze　the　party　was　making　excellent　time　toward　the　mysterious　land　of　their　destination。

They　had　scarcely　cleared　the　harbor　when　they　sighted　a　ship　far　out　across　the　strait。　　Its　erratic　movements　riveted　their　attention　upon　it；　and　later；　as　they　drew　nearer；　they　perceived　that　the　strange　craft　was　a　good　sized　schooner　with　but　a　single　short　mast　and　tiny　sail。　　For　a　minute　or　two　her　sail　would　belly　with　the　wind　and　the　vessel　make　headway；　then　she　would　come　suddenly　about；　only　to　repeat　the　same　tactics　a　moment　later。　　She　sailed　first　this　way　and　then　that；　losing　one　minute　what　she　had　gained　the　minute　before。

Von　Horn　was　the　first　to　recognize　her。

〃It　is　the　Ithaca；〃　he　said；　〃and　her　Dyak　crew　are　having　a　devil　of　a　time　managing　hershe　acts　as　though　she　were　rudderless。〃

Von　Horn　ran　the　small　boat　within　hailing　distance　of　the　dismasted　hulk　whose　side　was　now　lined　with　waving；　gesticulating　natives。　　They　were　peaceful　fishermen；　they　explained；　whose　prahus　had　been　wrecked　in　the　recent　typhoon。　　They　had　barely　escaped　with　their　lives　by　clambering　aboard　this　wreck　which　Allah　had　been　so　merciful　as　to　place　directly　in　their　road。　Would　the　Tuan　Besar　be　so　good　as　to　tell　them　how　to　make　the　big　prahu　steer？

Von　Horn　promised　to　help　them　on　condition　that　they　would　guide　him　and　his　party　to　the　stronghold　of　Rajah　Muda　Saffir　in　the　heart　of　Borneo。　　The　Dyaks　willingly　agreed；　and　von　Horn　worked　his　small　boat　in　close　under　the　Ithaca's　stern。　　Here　he　found　that　the　rudder　had　been　all　but　unshipped；　probably　as　the　vessel　was　lifted　over　the　reef　during　the　storm；　but　a　single　pintle　remaining　in　its　gudgeon。　　A　half　hour's　work　was　sufficient　to　repair　the　damage；　and　then　the　two　boats　continued　their　journey　toward　the　mouth　of　the　river　up　which　those　they　sought　had　passed　the　night　before。

Inside　the　river's　mouth　an　anchorage　was　found　for　the　Ithaca　near　the　very　island　upon　which　the　fierce　battle　between　Number　Thirteen　and　Muda　Saffir's　forces　had　occurred。　From　the　deck　of　the　larger　vessel　the　deserted　prahu　which　had　borne　Bulan　across　the　strait　was　visible；　as　were　the　bodies　of　the　slain　Dyaks　and　the　misshapen　creatures　of　the　white　giant's　forces。

In　excited　tones　the　head　hunters　called　von　Horn's　attention　to　these　evidences　of　conflict；　and　the　doctor　drew　his　boat　up　to　the　island　and　leaped　ashore；　followed　by　Professor　Maxon　and　Sing。　　Here　they　found　the　dead　bodies　of　the　four　monsters　who　had　fallen　in　an　attempt　to　rescue　their　creator's　daughter；　though　little　did　any　there　imagine　the　real　truth。

About　the　corpses　of　the　four　were　the　bodies　of　a　dozen　Dyak　warriors　attesting　to　the　ferocity　of　the　encounter　and　the　savage　prowess　of　the　unarmed　creatures　who　had　sold　their　poor　lives　so　dearly。

〃Evidently　they　fell　out　about　the　possession　of　the　captive；〃　suggested　von　Horn。　　〃Let　us　hope　that　she　did　not　fall　into　the　clutches　of　Number　Thirteen　any　fate　would　be　better　than　that。〃

〃God　give　that　that　has　not　befallen　her；〃　moaned　Professor　Maxon。　　〃The　pirates　might　but　hold　her　for　ransom；　but　should　that　soulless　fiend　possess　her　my　prayer　is　that　she　found　the　strength　and　the　means　to　take　her　own　life　before　he　had　an　opportunity　to　have　his　way　with　her。〃

〃Amen；〃　agreed　von　Horn。

Sing　Lee　said　nothing；　but　in　his　heart　he　hoped　that　Virginia　Maxon　was　not　in　the　power　of　Rajah　Muda　Saffir。　The　brief　experience　he　had　had　with　Number　Thirteen　during　the　fight　in　the　bungalow　had　rather　warmed　his　wrinkled　old　heart　toward　the　friendless　young　giant；　and　he　was　a　sufficiently　good　judge　of　human　nature　to　be　confident　that　the　girl　would　be　comparatively　safe　in　his　keeping。

It　was　quickly　decided　to　abandon　the　small　boat　and　embark　the　entire　party　in　the　deserted　war　prahu。　A　half　hour　later　saw　the　strangely　mixed　expedition　forging　up　the　river；　but　not　until　von　Horn　had　boarded　the　Ithaca　and　discovered　to　his　dismay　that　the　chest　was　not　on　board　her。

Far　above　them　on　the　right　bank　Muda　Saffir　still　squatted　in　his　hiding　place；　for　no　friendly　prahu　or　sampan　had　passed　his　way　since　dawn。　　His　keen　eyes　roving　constantly　up　and　down　the　long　stretch　of　river　that　was　visible　from　his　position　finally　sighted　a　war　prahu　coming　toward　him　from　down　stream。　　As　it　drew　closer　he　recognized　it　as　one　which　had　belonged　to　his　own　fleet　before　his　unhappy　encounter　with　the　wild　white　man　and　his　abhorrent　pack；　and　a　moment　later　his　heart　leaped　as　he　saw　the　familiar　faces　of　several　of　his　men；　but　who　were　the　strangers　in　the　stern；　and　what　was　a　Chinaman　doing　perched　there　upon　the　bow？

The　prahu　was　nearly　opposite　him　before　he　recognized　Professor　Maxon　and　von　Horn　as　the　white　men　of　the　little　island。　　He　wondered　how　much　they　knew　of　his　part　in　the　raid　upon　their　encampment。　　Bududreen　had　told　him　much　concerning　the　doctor；　and　as　Muda　Saffir　recalled　the　fact　that　von　Horn　was　anxious　to　possess　himself　of　both　the　treasure　and　the　girl　he　guessed　that　he　would　be　safe　in　the　man's　hands　so　long　as　he　could　hold　out　promises　of　turning　one　or　the　other　over　to　him；　and　so；　as　he　was　tired　of　squatting　upon　the　uncomfortable　bank　and　was　very　hungry；　he　arose　and　hailed　the　passing　prahu。

His　men　recognized　his　voice　immediately　and　as　they　knew　nothing　of　the　defection　of　any　of　their　fellows；　turned　the　boat's　prow　toward　shore　without　waiting　for　the　command　from　von　Horn。　　The　latter；　fearing　treachery；　sprang　to　his　feet　with　raised　rifle；　but　when　one　of　the　paddlers　explained　that　it　was　the　Rajah　Muda　Saffir　who　hailed　them　and　that　he　was　alone　von　Horn　permitted　them　to　draw　nearer　the　shore；　though　he　continued　to　stand　ready　to　thwart　any　attempted　treachery　and　warned　both　the　professor　and　Sing　to　be　on　guard。

As　the　prahu's　nose　touched　the　bank　Muda　Saffir　stepped　aboard　and　with　many　protestations　of　gratitude　explained　that　he　had　fallen　overboard　from　his　own　prahu　the　night　before　and　that　evidently　his　followers　thought　him　drowned；　since　none　of　his　boats　had　returned　to　search　for　him。　　Scarcely　had　the　Malay　seated　himself　before　von　Horn　began　questioning　him　in　the　rajah's　native　tongue；　not　a　word　of　which　was　intelligible　to　Professor　Maxon。　　Sing；　however；　was　as　familiar　with　it　as　was　von　Horn。

〃Where　are　the　girl　and　the　treasure？〃　he　asked。

〃What　girl；　Tuan　Besar？〃　inquired　the　wily　Malay　innocently。　〃And　what　treasure？　　The　white　man　speaks　in　riddles。〃

〃Come；　come；〃　cried　von　Horn　impatiently。　　〃Let　us　have　no　foolishness。　　You　know　perfectly　well　what　I　mean　it　will　go　far　better　with　you　if　we　work　together　as　friends。　　I　want　the　girlif　she　is　unharmedand　I　will　divide　the　treasure　with　you　if　you　will　help　me　to　obtain　them；　otherwise　you　shall　have　no　part　of　either。　What　do　you　say？　　Shall　we　be　friends　or　enemies？〃

〃The　girl　and　the　treasure　were　both　stolen　from　me　by　a　rascally　panglima；　Ninaka；〃　said　Muda　Saffir；　seeing　that　it　would　be　as　well　to　simulate　friendship　for　the　white　man　for　the　time　being　at　leastthere　would　always　be　an　opportunity　to　use　a　kris　upon　him　in　the　remote　fastness　of　the　interior　to　which　Muda　Saffir　would　lead　them。

〃What　became　of　the　white　man　who　led　the　strange　monsters？〃　asked　von　Horn。

〃He　killed　many　of　my　men；　and　the　last　I　saw　of　him　he　was　pushing　up　the　river　after　the　girl　and　the　treasure；〃　replied　the　Malay。

〃If　another　should　ask　you；〃　continued　von　Horn　with　a　meaningful　glance　toward　Professor　Maxon；　〃it　will　be　well　to　say　that　the　girl　was　stolen　by　this　white　giant　and　that　you　suffered　defeat　in　an　attempt　to　rescue　her　because　of　your　friendship　for　us。　Do　you　understand？〃

Muda　Saffir　nodded。　　Here　was　a　man　after　his　own　heart；　which　loved　intrigue　and　duplicity。　　Evidently　he　would　be　a　good　ally　in　wreaking　vengeance　upon　the　white　giant　who　had　caused　all　his　discomfiture　afterward　there　was　always　the　kris　if　the　other　should　become　inconvenient。

At　the　long…house　at　which　Barunda　and　Ninaka　had　halted；　Muda　Saffir　learned　all　that　had　transpired；　his　informants　being　the　two　Dyaks　who　had　led　Bulan　and　his　pack　into　the　jungle。　　He　imparted　the　information　to　von　Horn　and　both　men　were　delighted　that　thus　their　most　formidable　enemy　had　been　disposed　of。　It　would　be　but　a　question　of　time　before　the　inexperienced　creatures　perished　in