the monster men-第28节

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The　next　morning　found　him　refreshed　and　in　considerably　less　pain；　for　the　powers　of　recuperation　which　belonged　to　his　perfect　health　and　mighty　physique　had　already　worked　an　almost　miraculous　transformation　in　him。　While　he　was　hunting　in　the　jungle　for　his　breakfast　he　came　suddenly　upon　Number　Three　and　Number　Twelve　similarly　employed。

At　sight　of　him　the　two　creatures　started　to　run　away；　but　he　called　to　them　reassuringly　and　they　returned。　On　closer　inspection　Bulan　saw　that　both　were　covered　with　terrible　wounds；　and　after　questioning　them　learned　that　they　had　fared　almost　as　badly　at　the　hands　of　the　ourang　outangs　as　had　he。

〃Even　the　beasts　loathe　us；〃　exclaimed　Number　Twelve。　〃What　are　we　to　do？〃

〃Leave　the　beasts　alone；　as　I　told　you；〃　replied　Bulan。

〃Human　beings　hate　us　also；〃　persisted　Number　Twelve。

〃Then　let　us　live　by　ourselves；〃　suggested　Number　Three。

〃We　hate　each　other；〃　retorted　the　pessimistic　Number　Twelve。　〃There　is　no　place　for　us　in　the　world；　and　no　companionship。　We　are　but　soulless　things。〃

〃Stop！〃　cried　Bulan。　　〃I　am　not　a　soulless　thing。　I　am　a　man；　and　within　me　is　as　fine　and　pure　a　soul　as　any　man　may　own；〃　and　to　his　mind's　eye　came　the　vision　of　a　fair　face　surmounted　by　a　mass　of　loosely　waving；　golden　hair；　but　the　brainless　ones　could　not　understand　and　only　shook　their　heads　as　they　resumed　their　feeding　and　forgot　the　subject。

When　the　three　had　satisfied　the　cravings　of　their　appetites　two　of　them　were　for　lying　down　to　sleep　until　it　should　be　time　to　feed　again；　but　Bulan；　once　more　master；　would　not　permit　it；　and　forced　them　to　accompany　him　in　his　seemingly　futile　search　for　the　girl　who　had　disappeared　so　mysteriously　after　he　had　rescued　her　from　the　ourang　outangs。

Both　Number　Twelve　and　Number　Three　had　assured　him　that　the　beasts　had　not　recaptured　her；　for　they　had　seen　the　entire　band　flee　madly　through　the　jungle　after　hearing　the　report　of　the　single　shot　which　had　so　terrorized　Bulan's　antagonists。　　Bulan　did　not　know　what　to　make　of　this　occurrence　which　he　had　not　himself　heard；　the　shot　having　come　after　he　had　lost　consciousness　at　the　foot　of　the　tree；　but　from　the　description　of　the　noise　given　him　by　Number　Twelve　he　felt　sure　that　it　must　have　been　the　report　of　a　gun；　and　hoped　that　it　betokened　the　presence　of　Virginia　Maxon's　friends；　and　that　she　was　now　safe　in　their　keeping。

Nevertheless　he　did　not　relinquish　his　determination　to　continue　his　search　for　her；　since　it　was　quite　possible　that　the　gun　had　been　fired　by　a　native；　many　of　whom　possessed　firearms。　　His　first　concern　was　for　the　girl's　welfare；　which　spoke　eloquently　for　the　chivalry　of　his　character；　and　though　he　wished　to　see　her　for　the　pleasure　that　it　would　give　him；　the　hope　of　serving　her　was　ever　the　first　consideration　in　his　mind。

He　was　now　confident　that　he　was　following　the　wrong　direction；　and　with　the　intention　in　view　of　discovering　the　tracks　of　the　party　which　had　rescued　or　captured　Virginia　after　he　had　been　forced　to　relinquish　her；　he　set　out　in　a　totally　new　direction　away　from　the　river。　His　small　woodcraft　and　little　experience　in　travelling　resulted　in　his　becoming　completely　confused；　so　that　instead　of　returning　to　the　spot　where　he　had　last　seen　the　girl；　as　he　wished　to　do；　he　bore　far　to　the　northeast　of　the　place；　and　missed　entirely　the　path　which　von　Horn　and　his　Dyaks　had　taken　from　the　long…house　into　the　jungle　and　back。

All　that　day　he　urged　his　reluctant　companions　on　through　the　fearful　heat　of　the　tropics　until；　almost　exhausted；　they　halted　at　dusk　upon　the　bank　of　a　river；　where　they　filled　their　stomachs　with　cooling　draughts；　and　after　eating　lay　down　to　sleep。　　It　was　quite　dark　when　Bulan　was　aroused　by　the　sound　of　something　approaching　from　up　the　river；　and　as　he　lay　listening　he　presently　heard　the　subdued　voices　of　men　conversing　in　whispers。　He　recognized　the　language　as　that　of　the　Dyaks；　though　he　could　interpret　nothing　which　they　said。

Presently　he　saw　a　dozen　warriors　emerge　into　a　little　patch　of　moonlight。　　They　bore　a　huge　chest　among　them　which　they　deposited　within　a　few　paces　of　where　Bulan　lay。　Then　they　commenced　to　dig　in　the　soft　earth　with　their　spears　and　parangs　until　they　had　excavated　a　shallow　pit。　　Into　this　they　lowered　the　chest；　covering　it　over　with　earth　and　sprinkling　dead　grass；　twigs　and　leaves　above　it；　that　it　might　present　to　a　searcher　no　sign　that　the　ground　had　recently　been　disturbed。　　The　balance　of　the　loose　earth　which　would　not　go　back　into　the　pit　was　thrown　into　the　river。

When　all　had　been　made　to　appear　as　it　was　before；　one　of　the　warriors　made　several　cuts　and　scratches　upon　the　stem　of　a　tree　which　grew　above　the　spot　where　the　chest　was　buried；　then　they　hastened　on　in　silence　past　Bulan　and　down　the　river。


As　von　Horn　stood　by　the　river's　bank　after　his　conversation　with　Virginia；　he　saw　a　small　sampan　approaching　from　up　stream。　　In　it　he　made　out　two　natives；　and　the　stealthiness　of　their　approach　caused　him　to　withdraw　into　the　shadow　of　a　large　prahu　which　was　beached　close　to　where　he　had　been　standing。

When　the　men　had　come　close　to　the　landing　one　of　them　gave　a　low　signal；　and　presently　a　native　came　down　from　the　long…house。

〃Who　is　it　comes　by　night？〃　he　asked。　　〃And　what　want　you？〃

〃News　has　just　reached　us　that　Muda　Saffir　is　alive；〃　replied　one　of　the　men　in　the　boat；　〃and　that　he　sleeps　this　night　in　your　long…house。　　Is　it　true？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　the　man　on　shore。　　〃What　do　you　wish　of　the　Rajah　Muda　Saffir？〃

〃We　are　men　of　his　company　and　we　have　news　for　him；〃　returned　the　speaker　in　the　sampan。　　〃Tell　him　that　we　must　speak　to　him　at　once。〃

The　native　on　shore　returned　to　the　long…house　without　replying。　　Von　Horn　wondered　what　the　important　news　for　Muda　Saffir　might　be；　and　so　he　remained　as　he　had　been；　concealed　behind　the　prahu。

Presently　the　old　Malay　came　down　to　the　water's　edge　very　warily　thoughand　asked　the　men　whom　they　might　be。　When　they　had　given　their　names　he　seemed　relieved。

〃Ninaka；〃　they　said；　〃has　murdered　Barunda　who　was　taking　the　rajah's　treasure　up　to　the　rajah's　strongholdthe　treasure　which　Ninaka　had　stolen　after　trying　to　murder　the　rajah　and　which　Barunda　had　recaptured。　　Now　Ninaka；　after　murdering　Barunda；　set　off　through　the　jungle　toward　the　river　which　leads　to　Gunung　Tebor；　and　Barunda's　uncle　followed　him　with　what　few　men　he　had　with　him；　but　he　sent　us　down　river　to　try　and　find　you；　master；　and　beg　of　you　to　come　with　many　men　and　overtake　Ninaka　and　punish　him。〃

Muda　Saffir　thought　for　a　moment。

〃Hasten　back　to　the　uncle　of　Barunda　and　tell　him　that　as　soon　as　I　can　gather　the　warriors　I　shall　come　and　punish　Ninaka。　　I　have　another　treasure　here　which　I　must　not　lose；　but　I　can　arrange　that　it　will　still　be　here　when　I　return　for　it；　and　then　Barunda's　uncle　can　come　back　with　me　to　assist　me　if　assistance　is　needed。　Also；　be　sure　to　tell　Barunda's　uncle　never　to　lose　sight　of　the　treasure；〃　and　Muda　Saffir　turned　and　hastened　back　to　the　long…house。

As　the　men　in　the　sampan　headed　the　boat's　bow　up　stream　again；　von　Horn　ran　along　the　jungle　trail　beside　the　river　and　abreast　of　the　paddlers。　　When　he　thought　that　they　were　out　of　hearing　of　the　long…house　he　hailed　the　two。　　In　startled　surprise　the　men　ceased　paddling。

〃Who　are　you　and　what　do　you　want？〃　asked　one。

〃I　am　the　man　to　whom　the　chest　belongs；〃　replied　von　Horn。　〃If　you　will　take　me　to　Barunda's　uncle　before　Muda　Saffir　reaches　him　you　shall　each　have　the　finest　rifles　that　the　white　man　makes；　with　ammunition　enough　to　last　you　a　year。　All　I　ask　is　that　you　guide　me　within　sight　of　the　party　that　pursues　Ninaka；　then　you　may　leave　me　and　tell　no　one　what　you　have　done；　nor　will　I　tell　any。　　What　say　you？〃

The　two　natives　consulted　together　in　low　tones。　At　last　they　drew　nearer　the　shore。

〃Will　you　give　us　each　a　bracelet　of　brass　as　well　as　the　rifles？〃　asked　the　spokesman。

Von　Horn　hesitated。　　He　knew　the　native　nature　well。　To　have　acquiesced　too　readily　would　have　been　to　have　invited　still　further　demands　from　them。

〃Only　the　rifles　and　ammunition；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃unless　you　succeed　in　keeping　the　knowledge　of　my　presence　from　both　Barunda's　uncle　and　Muda　Saffir。　If　you　do　that　you　shall　have　the　bracelets　also。〃

The　prow　of　the　sampan　touched　the　bank。

〃Come！〃　said　one　of　the　warriors。

Von　Horn　stepped　aboard。　　He　was　armed　only　with　a　brace　of　Colts；　and　he　was　going　into　the　heart　of　the　wild　country　of　the　head　hunters；　to　pit　his　wits　against　those　of　the　wily　Muda　Saffir。　　His　guides　were　two　savage　head　hunting　warriors　of　a　pirate　crew　from　whom　he　hoped　to　steal　what　they　considered　a　fabulously　rich　treasure。　　Whatever　sins　might　be　laid　to　the　door　of　the　doctor；　there　could　be　no　question　but　that　he　was　a　very　brave　man！

Von　Horn's　rash　adventure　had　been　suggested　by　the　hope　that　he　might；　by　bribing　some　of　the　natives　with　Barunda's　uncle；　make　way　with　the　treasure　before　Muda　Saffir　arrived　to　claim　it；　or；　failing　that；　learn　its　exact　whereabouts　that　he　might　return　for　it　with　an　adequate　force　later。　　That　he　was　taking　his　life　in　his