the monster men-第22部分

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　been　disposed　of。　It　would　be　but　a　question　of　time　before　the　inexperienced　creatures　perished　in　the　dense　forest　that　they　ever　could　retrace　their　steps　to　the　river　was　most　unlikely；　and　the　chances　were　that　one　by　one　they　would　be　dispatched　by　head　hunters　while　they　slept。

Again　the　party　embarked；　reinforced　by　the　two　Dyaks　who　were　only　too　glad　to　renew　their　allegiance　to　Muda　Saffir　while　he　was　backed　by　the　guns　of　the　white　men。　　On　and　on　they　paddled　up　the　river；　gleaning　from　the　dwellers　in　the　various　long…houses　information　of　the　passing　of　the　two　prahus　with　Barunda；　Ninaka；　and　the　white　girl。

Professor　Maxon　was　impatient　to　hear　every　detail　that　von　Horn　obtained　from　Muda　Saffir　and　the　various　Dyaks　that　were　interviewed　at　the　first　long…house　and　along　the　stretch　of　river　they　covered。　　The　doctor　told　him　that　Number　Thirteen　still　had　Virginia　and　was　fleeing　up　the　river　in　a　swift　prahu。　　He　enlarged　upon　the　valor　shown　by　Muda　Saffir　and　his　men　in　their　noble　attempt　to　rescue　his　daughter；　and　through　it　all　Sing　Lee　sat　with　half　closed　eyes；　apparently　oblivious　to　all　that　passed　before　him。　　What　were　the　workings　of　that　intricate　celestial　brain　none　can　say。


Far　in　the　interior　of　the　jungle　Bulan　and　his　five　monsters　stumbled　on　in　an　effort　to　find　the　river。　Had　they　known　it　they　were　moving　parallel　with　the　stream；　but　a　few　miles　from　it。　　At　times　it　wound　in　wide　detours　close　to　the　path　of　the　lost　creatures；　and　again　it　circled　far　away　from　them。

As　they　travelled　they　subsisted　upon　the　fruits　with　which　they　had　become　familiar　upon　the　island　of　their　creation。　　They　suffered　greatly　for　lack　of　water；　but　finally　stumbled　upon　a　small　stream　at　which　they　filled　their　parched　stomachs。　　Here　it　occurred　to　Bulan　that　it　would　be　wise　to　follow　the　little　river；　since　they　could　be　no　more　completely　lost　than　they　now　were　no　matter　where　it　should　lead　them；　and　it　would　at　least　insure　them　plenty　of　fresh　water。

As　they　proceeded　down　the　bank　of　the　stream　it　grew　in　size　until　presently　it　became　a　fair　sized　river；　and　Bulan　had　hopes　that　it　might　indeed　prove　the　stream　that　they　had　ascended　from　the　ocean　and　that　soon　he　would　meet　with　the　prahus　and　possibly　find　Virginia　Maxon　herself。　　The　strenuous　march　of　the　six　through　the　jungle　had　torn　their　light　cotton　garments　into　shreds　so　that　they　were　all　practically　naked；　while　their　bodies　were　scratched　and　bleeding　from　countless　wounds　inflicted　by　sharp　thorns　and　tangled　brambles　through　which　they　had　forced　their　way。

Bulan　still　carried　his　heavy　bull　whip　while　his　five　companions　were　armed　with　the　parangs　they　had　taken　from　the　Dyaks　they　had　overpowered　upon　the　island　at　the　mouth　of　the　river。　　It　was　upon　this　strange　and　remarkable　company　that　the　sharp　eyes　of　a　score　of　river　Dyaks　peered　through　the　foliage。　The　head　hunters　had　been　engaged　in　collecting　camphor　crystals　when　their　quick　ears　caught　the　noisy　passage　of　the　six　while　yet　at　a　considerable　distance；　and　with　ready　parangs　the　savages　crept　stealthily　toward　the　sound　of　the　advancing　party。

At　first　they　were　terror　stricken　at　the　hideous　visages　of　five　of　the　creatures　they　beheld；　but　when　they　saw　how　few　their　numbers；　and　how　poorly　armed　they　were；　as　well　as　the　awkwardness　with　which　they　carried　their　parangs；　denoting　their　unfamiliarity　with　the　weapons；　they　took　heart　and　prepared　to　ambush　them。

What　prizes　those　terrible　heads　would　be　when　properly　dried　and　decorated！　　The　savages　fairly　trembled　in　anticipation　of　the　commotion　they　would　cause　in　the　precincts　of　their　long…house　when　they　returned　with　six　such　magnificent　trophies。

Their　victims　came　blundering　on　through　the　dense　jungle　to　where　the　twenty　sleek　brown　warriors　lay　in　wait　for　them。　Bulan　was　in　the　lead；　and　close　behind　him　in　single　file　lumbered　his　awkward　crew。　　Suddenly　there　was　a　chorus　of　savage　cries　close　beside　him　and　simultaneously　he　found　himself　in　the　midst　of　twenty　cutting；　slashing　parangs。

Like　lightning　his　bull　whip　flew　into　action；　and　to　the　astonished　warriors　it　was　as　though　a　score　of　men　were　upon　them　in　the　person　of　this　mighty　white　giant。　Following　the　example　of　their　leader　the　five　creatures　at　his　back　leaped　upon　the　nearest　warriors；　and　though　they　wielded　their　parangs　awkwardly　the　superhuman　strength　back　of　their　cuts　and　thrusts　sent　the　already　blood　stained　blades　through　many　a　brown　body。

The　Dyaks　would　gladly　have　retreated　after　the　first　surprise　of　their　initial　attack；　but　Bulan　urged　his　men　on　after　them；　and　so　they　were　forced　to　fight　to　preserve　their　lives　at　all。　　At　last　five　of　them　managed　to　escape　into　the　jungle；　but　fifteen　remained　quietly　upon　the　earth　where　they　had　fallenthe　victims　of　their　own　over　confidence。　　Beside　them　lay　two　of　Bulan's　five；　so　that　now　the　little　party　was　reduced　to　fourand　the　problem　that　had　faced　Professor　Maxon　was　so　much　closer　to　its　own　solution。

From　the　bodies　of　the　dead　Dyaks　Bulan　and　his　three　companions；　Number　Three；　Number　Ten；　and　Number　Twelve；　took　enough　loin　cloths；　caps；　war…coats；　shields　and　weapons　to　fit　them　out　completely；　after　discarding　the　ragged　remnants　of　their　cotton　pajamas；　and　now；　even　more　terrible　in　appearance　than　before；　the　rapidly　vanishing　company　of　soulless　monsters　continued　their　aimless　wandering　down　the　river's　brim。

The　five　Dyaks　who　had　escaped　carried　the　news　of　the　terrible　creatures　that　had　fallen　upon　them　in　the　jungle；　and　of　the　awful　prowess　of　the　giant　white　man　who　led　them。　They　told　of　how；　armed　only　with　a　huge　whip；　he　had　been　a　match　and　more　than　a　match　for　the　best　warriors　of　the　tribe；　and　the　news　that　they　started　spread　rapidly　down　the　river　from　one　long…house　to　another　until　it　reached　the　broad　stream　into　which　the　smaller　river　flowed；　and　then　it　travelled　up　and　down　to　the　headwaters　above　and　the　ocean　far　below　in　the　remarkable　manner　that　news　travels　in　the　wild　places　of　the　world。

So　it　was　that　as　Bulan　advanced　he　found　the　long…houses　in　his　path　deserted；　and　came　to　the　larger　river　and　turned　up　toward　its　head　without　meeting　with　resistance　or　even　catching　a　glimpse　of　the　brown…skinned　people　who　watched　him　from　their　hiding　places　in　the　brush。

That　night　they　slept　in　the　long…house　near　the　bank　of　the　greater　stream；　while　its　rightful　occupants　made　the　best　of　it　in　the　jungle　behind。　　The　next　morning　found　the　four　again　on　the　march　ere　the　sun　had　scarcely　lighted　the　dark　places　of　the　forest；　for　Bulan　was　now　sure　that　he　was　on　the　right　trail　and　that　the　new　river　that　he　had　come　to　was　indeed　the　same　that　he　had　traversed　in　the　Prahu　with　Barunda。

It　must　have　been　close　to　noon　when　the　young　giant's　ears　caught　the　sound　of　the　movement　of　some　animal　in　the　jungle　a　short　distance　to　his　right　and　away　from　the　river。　　His　experience　with　men　had　taught　him　to　be　wary；　for　it　was　evident　that　every　man's　hand　was　against　him；　so　he　determined　to　learn　at　once　whether　the　noise　he　heard　came　from　some　human　enemy　lurking　along　his　trail　ready　to　spring　upon　him　with　naked　parang　at　a　moment　that　he　was　least　prepared；　or　merely　from　some　jungle　brute。

Cautiously　he　threaded　his　way　through　the　matted　vegetation　in　the　direction　of　the　sound。　　Although　a　parang　from　the　body　of　a　vanquished　Dyak　hung　at　his　side　he　grasped　his　bull　whip　ready　in　his　right　hand；　preferring　it　to　the　less　accustomed　weapon　of　the　head　hunter。　　For　a　dozen　yards　he　advanced　without　sighting　the　object　of　his　search；　but　presently　his　efforts　were　rewarded　by　a　glimpse　of　a　reddish；　hairy　body；　and　a　pair　of　close　set；　wicked　eyes　peering　at　him　from　behind　a　giant　tree。

At　the　same　instant　a　slight　movement　at　one　side　attracted　his　attention　to　where　another　similar　figure　crouched　in　the　underbrush；　and　then　a　third；　fourth　and　fifth　became　evident　about　him。　　Bulan　looked　in　wonderment　upon　the　strange；　man…like　creatures　who　eyed　him　threateningly　from　every　hand。　　They　stood　fully　as　high　as　the　brown　Dyak　warriors；　but　their　bodies　were　naked　except　for　the　growth　of　reddish　hair　which　covered　them；　shading　to　black　upon　the　face　and　hands。

The　lips　of　the　nearest　were　raised　in　an　angry　snarl　that　exposed　wicked　looking　fighting　fangs；　but　the　beasts　did　not　seem　inclined　to　initiate　hostilities；　and　as　they　were　unarmed　and　evidently　but　engaged　upon　their　own　affairs　Bulan　decided　to　withdraw　without　arousing　them　further。　　As　he　turned　to　retrace　his　steps　he　found　his　three　companions　gazing　in　wide…eyed　astonishment　upon　the　strange　new　creatures　which　confronted　them。

Number　Ten　was　grinning　broadly；　while　Number　Three　advanced　cautiously　toward　one　of　the　creatures；　making　a　low　guttural　noise；　that　could　only　be　interpreted　as　peaceful　and　conciliatorymore　like　a　feline　purr　it　was　than　anything　else。

〃What　are　you　doing？〃　cried　Bulan。　　〃Leave　them　alone。　They　have　not　offered　to　harm　us。〃

〃They　are　like　us；〃　replied　Number　Three。　　〃They　must　be　our　own　people。　　I　am　going　with　them。〃

〃And　I；〃　said　Number　Ten。

〃And　I；〃　echoed　Number　Twelve。　　〃At　last　we　have　found　our　own；　let　us　all　go　with　them　and　live　with　them；　far　away　from　the　men　who　would　beat　us　with　great　whips；　and　cut　us　with　their　sharp　swords。〃

〃They　are　not　human　beings；〃　exclaimed　Bulan。　　〃We　cannot　live　with　them。〃

〃Neither　are　we　human　beings；〃　retorted　Number　Twelve。　〃Has　not　von　Horn　told　us　so　many　times？〃

〃If　I　am　not　now　a　human　being；〃　replied　Bulan；　〃I　intend　to　be　one；　and　so　I　shall　act　as　a　human　being　should　act。　I　shall　not　go　to　live　with　savage　beasts；　nor　shall　you。　Come　with　me　as　I　tell　you；　or　you　shall　again　taste　the　bull　whip。〃

〃We　shall　do　as　we　please；〃　growled　Number　Ten；　baring　his　fangs。　　〃You　are　not　our　master。　　We　have　followed　you　as　long　as　we　intend　to。　　We　are　tired　of　forever　walking；　walking；　walking　through　the　bushes　that　tear　our　flesh　and　hurt　us。　　Go　and　be　a　human　being　if　you　think　you　can；　but　do　not　longer　interfere　with　us　or　we　shall　kill　you；〃　and　he　looked　first　at　Number　Three　and　then　at