the monster men-第2节

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Virginia　met　socially　several　of　the　men　with　whom　her　father　was　engaged　but　it　was　only　at　the　last　moment　that　one　of　them　let　drop　a　hint　of　the　purpose　of　the　month's　activity。　　When　Virginia　was　present　the　conversation　seemed　always　deftly　guided　from　the　subject　of　her　father's　immediate　future；　and　she　was　not　long　in　discerning　that　it　was　in　no　sense　through　accident　that　this　was　true。　　Thereafter　her　wounded　pride　made　easy　the　task　of　those　who　seemed　combined　to　keep　her　in　ignorance。

It　was　a　Dr。　von　Horn；　who　had　been　oftenest　with　her　father；　who　gave　her　the　first　intimation　of　what　was　forthcoming。　　Afterward；　in　recollecting　the　conversation；　it　seemed　to　Virginia　that　the　young　man　had　been　directed　to　break　the　news　to　her；　that　her　father　might　be　spared　the　ordeal。　　It　was　evident　then　that　he　expected　opposition；　but　the　girl　was　too　loyal　to　let　von　Horn　know　if　she　felt　other　than　in　harmony　with　the　proposal；　and　too　proud　to　evince　by　surprise　the　fact　that　she　was　not　wholly　conversant　with　its　every　detail。

〃You　are　glad　to　be　leaving　Singapore　so　soon？〃　he　had　asked；　although　he　knew　that　she　had　not　been　advised　that　an　early　departure　was　planned。

〃I　am　rather　looking　forward　to　it；〃　replied　Virginia。

〃And　to　a　protracted　residence　on　one　of　the　Pamarung　Islands？〃　continued　von　Horn。

〃Why　not？〃　was　her　rather　non…committal　reply；　though　she　had　not　the　remotest　idea　of　their　location。

Von　Horn　admired　her　nerve　though　he　rather　wished　that　she　would　ask　some　questionsit　was　difficult　making　progress　in　this　way。　　How　could　he　explain　the　plans　when　she　evinced　not　the　slightest　sign　that　she　was　not　already　entirely　conversant　with　them？

〃We　doubt　if　the　work　will　be　completed　under　two　or　three　years；〃　answered　the　doctor。　　〃That　will　be　a　long　time　in　which　to　be　isolated　upon　a　savage　little　speck　of　land　off　the　larger　but　no　less　savage　Borneo。　Do　you　think　that　your　bravery　is　equal　to　the　demands　that　will　be　made　upon　it？〃

Virginia　laughed；　nor　was　there　the　slightest　tremor　in　its　note。

〃I　am　equal　to　whatever　fate　my　father　is　equal　to；〃　she　said；　〃nor　do　I　think　that　a　life　upon　one　of　these　beautiful　little　islands　would　be　much　of　a　hardship　certainly　not　if　it　will　help　to　promote　the　success　of　his　scientific　experiments。〃

She　used　the　last　words　on　a　chance　that　she　might　have　hit　upon　the　true　reason　for　the　contemplated　isolation　from　civilization。　　They　had　served　their　purpose　too　in　deceiving　von　Horn　who　was　now　half　convinced　that　Professor　Maxon　must　have　divulged　more　of　their　plans　to　his　daughter　than　he　had　led　the　medical　man　to　believe。　　Perceiving　her　advantage　from　the　expression　on　the　young　man's　face；　Virginia　followed　it　up　in　an　endeavor　to　elicit　the　details。

The　result　of　her　effort　was　the　knowledge　that　on　the　second　day　they　were　to　sail　for　the　Pamarung　Islands　upon　a　small　schooner　which　her　father　had　purchased；　with　a　crew　of　Malays　and　lascars；　and　von　Horn；　who　had　served　in　the　American　navy；　in　command。　　The　precise　point　of　destination　was　still　undecidedthe　plan　being　to　search　out　a　suitable　location　upon　one　of　the　many　little　islets　which　dot　the　western　shore　of　the　Macassar　Strait。

Of　the　many　men　Virginia　had　met　during　the　month　at　Singapore　von　Horn　had　been　by　far　the　most　interesting　and　companionable。　　Such　time　as　he　could　find　from　the　many　duties　which　had　devolved　upon　him　in　the　matter　of　obtaining　and　outfitting　the　schooner；　and　signing　her　two　mates　and　crew　of　fifteen；　had　been　spent　with　his　employer's　daughter。

The　girl　was　rather　glad　that　he　was　to　be　a　member　of　their　little　company；　for　she　had　found　him　a　much　travelled　man　and　an　interesting　talker　with　none　of　the；　to　her；　disgusting　artificialities　of　the　professional　ladies'　man。　　He　talked　to　her　as　he　might　have　talked　to　a　man；　of　the　things　that　interest　intelligent　people　regardless　of　sex。

There　was　never　any　suggestion　of　familiarity　in　his　manner；　nor　in　his　choice　of　topics　did　he　ever　ignore　the　fact　that　she　was　a　young　girl。　　She　had　felt　entirely　at　ease　in　his　society　from　the　first　evening　that　she　had　met　him；　and　their　acquaintance　had　grown　to　a　very　sensible　friendship　by　the　time　of　the　departure　of　the　Ithacathe　rechristened　schooner　which　was　to　carry　them　away　to　an　unguessed　fate。

The　voyage　from　Singapore　to　the　Islands　was　without　incident。　　Virginia　took　a　keen　delight　in　watching　the　Malays　and　lascars　at　their　work；　telling　von　Horn　that　she　had　to　draw　upon　her　imagination　but　little　to　picture　herself　a　captive　upon　a　pirate　shipthe　half　naked　men；　the　gaudy　headdress；　the　earrings；　and　the　fierce　countenances　of　many　of　the　crew　furnishing　only　too　realistically　the　necessary　savage　setting。

A　week　spent　among　the　Pamarung　Islands　disclosed　no　suitable　site　for　the　professor's　camp；　nor　was　it　until　they　had　cruised　up　the　coast　several　miles　north　of　the　equator　and　Cape　Santang　that　they　found　a　tiny　island　a　few　miles　off　the　coast　opposite　the　mouth　of　a　small　riveran　island　which　fulfilled　in　every　detail　their　requirements。

It　was　uninhabited；　fertile　and　possessed　a　clear；　sweet　brook　which　had　its　source　in　a　cold　spring　in　the　higher　land　at　the　island's　center。　　Here　it　was　that　the　Ithaca　came　to　anchor　in　a　little　harbor；　while　her　crew　under　von　Horn；　and　the　Malay　first　mate；　Bududreen；　accompanied　Professor　Maxon　in　search　of　a　suitable　location　for　a　permanent　camp。

The　cook；　a　harmless　old　Chinaman；　and　Virginia　were　left　in　sole　possession　of　the　Ithaca。

Two　hours　after　the　departure　of　the　men　into　the　jungle　Virginia　heard　the　fall　of　axes　on　timber　and　knew　that　the　site　of　her　future　home　had　been　chosen　and　the　work　of　clearing　begun。　　She　sat　musing　on　the　strange　freak　which　had　prompted　her　father　to　bury　them　in　this　savage　corner　of　the　globe；　and　as　she　pondered　there　came　a　wistful　expression　to　her　eyes；　and　an　unwonted　sadness　drooped　the　corners　of　her　mouth。

Of　a　sudden　she　realized　how　wide　had　become　the　gulf　between　them　now。　　So　imperceptibly　had　it　grown　since　those　three　horrid　days　in　Ithaca　just　prior　to　their　departure　for　what　was　to　have　been　but　a　few　months'　cruise　that　she　had　not　until　now　comprehended　that　the　old　relations　of　open；　good…fellowship　had　gone；　possibly　forever。

Had　she　needed　proof　of　the　truth　of　her　sad　discovery　it　had　been　enough　to　point　to　the　single　fact　that　her　father　had　brought　her　here　to　this　little　island　without　making　the　slightest　attempt　to　explain　the　nature　of　his　expedition。　　She　had　gleaned　enough　from　von　Horn　to　understand　that　some　important　scientific　experiments　were　to　be　undertaken；　but　what　their　nature　she　could　not　imagine；　for　she　had　not　the　slightest　conception　of　the　success　that　had　crowned　her　father's　last　experiment　at　Ithaca；　although　she　had　for　years　known　of　his　keen　interest　in　the　subject。

The　girl　became　aware　also　of　other　subtle　changes　in　her　father。　　He　had　long　since　ceased　to　be　the　jovial；　carefree　companion　who　had　shared　with　her　her　every　girlish　joy　and　sorrow　and　in　whom　she　had　confided　both　the　trivial　and　momentous　secrets　of　her　childhood。　　He　had　become　not　exactly　morose；　but　rather　moody　and　absorbed；　so　that　she　had　of　late　never　found　an　opportunity　for　the　cozy　chats　that　had　formerly　meant　so　much　to　them　both。　　There　had　been　too；　recently；　a　strange　lack　of　consideration　for　herself　that　had　wounded　her　more　than　she　had　imagined。　　Today　there　had　been　a　glaring　example　of　it　in　his　having　left　her　alone　upon　the　boat　without　a　single　European　companionsomething　that　he　would　never　have　thought　of　doing　a　few　months　before。

As　she　sat　speculating　on　the　strange　change　which　had　come　over　her　father　her　eyes　had　wandered　aimlessly　along　the　harbor's　entrance；　the　low　reef　that　protected　it　from　the　sea；　and　the　point　of　land　to　the　south；　that　projected　far　out　into　the　strait　like　a　gigantic　index　finger　pointing　toward　the　mainland；　the　foliage　covered　heights　of　which　were　just　visible　above　the　western　horizon。

Presently　her　attention　was　arrested　by　a　tossing　speck　far　out　upon　the　rolling　bosom　of　the　strait。　　For　some　time　the　girl　watched　the　object　until　at　length　it　resolved　itself　into　a　boat　moving　head　on　toward　the　island。　　Later　she　saw　that　it　was　long　and　low；　propelled　by　a　single　sail　and　many　oars；　and　that　it　carried　quite　a　company。

Thinking　it　but　a　native　trading　boat；　so　many　of　which　ply　the　southern　seas；　Virginia　viewed　its　approach　with　but　idle　curiosity。　　When　it　had　come　to　within　half　a　mile　of　the　anchorage　of　the　Ithaca；　and　was　about　to　enter　the　mouth　of　the　harbor　Sing　Lee's　eyes　chanced　to　fall　upon　it。　　On　the　instant　the　old　Chinaman　was　electrified　into　sudden　and　astounding　action。

〃Klick！　　Klick！〃　he　cried；　running　toward　Virginia。　〃Go　b'low；　klick。〃

〃Why　should　I　go　below；　Sing？〃　queried　the　girl；　amazed　by　the　demeanor　of　the　cook。

〃Klick！　　Klick！〃　he　urged　grasping　her　by　the　armhalf　leading；　half　dragging　her　toward　the　companion…way。　〃Plilates！　　Mlalay　plilatesDyak　plilates。〃

〃Pirates！〃　gasped　Virginia。　　〃Oh　Sing；　what　can　we　do？〃

〃You　go　b'low。　　Mebbyso　Sing　flighten　'