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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¡¡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¡¡deserte

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