the monster men-第23节

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as　almost　upon　her　nowthere　was　a　shout　from　a　man　in　the　bowshe　had　been　seen。

Like　a　flash　she　dove　once　more　and；　turning；　struck　out　rapidly　straight　back　beneath　the　oncoming　boat。　When　she　came　to　the　surface　again　it　was　to　find　herself　as　far　from　shore　as　she　had　been　when　she　first　quitted　the　prahu；　but　the　craft　was　now　circling　far　below　her；　and　she　set　out　once　again　to　retrace　her　way　toward　the　inky　mass　of　shore　line　which　loomed　apparently　near　and　yet；　as　she　knew；　was　some　considerable　distance　from　her。

As　she　swam；　her　mind；　filled　with　the　terrors　of　the　night；　conjured　recollection　of　the　stories　she　had　heard　of　the　fierce　crocodiles　which　infest　certain　of　the　rivers　of　Borneo。　Again　and　again　she　could　have　sworn　that　she　felt　some　huge；　slimy　body　sweep　beneath　her　in　the　mysterious　waters　of　this　unknown　river。

Behind　her　she　saw　the　prahu　turn　back　up　stream；　but　now　her　mind　was　suddenly　engaged　with　a　new　danger；　for　the　girl　realized　that　the　strong　current　was　bearing　her　down　stream　more　rapidly　than　she　had　imagined。　　Already　she　could　hear　the　increasing　roar　of　the　river　as　it　rushed；　wild　and　tumultuous；　through　the　entrance　to　the　narrow　gorge　below　her。　　How　far　it　was　to　shore　she　could　not　guess；　or　how　far　to　the　certain　death　of　the　swirling　waters　toward　which　she　was　being　drawn　by　an　irresistible　force；　but　of　one　thing　she　was　certain；　her　strength　was　rapidly　waning；　and　she　must　reach　the　bank　quickly。

With　redoubled　energy　she　struck　out　in　one　last　mighty　effort　to　reach　the　shore。　　The　tug　of　the　current　was　strong　upon　her；　like　a　giant　hand　reaching　up　out　of　the　cruel　river　to　bear　her　back　to　death。　　She　felt　her　strength　ebbing　quicklyher　strokes　now　were　feeble　and　futile。　　With　a　prayer　to　her　Maker　she　threw　her　hands　above　her　head　in　the　last　effort　of　the　drowning　swimmer　to　clutch　at　even　thin　air　for　supportthe　current　caught　and　swirled　her　downward　toward　the　gorge；　and；　at　the　same　instant　her　fingers　touched　and　closed　upon　something　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