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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¡£

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