the monster men-第14章

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ed　his　authority　to　prevent　it；　but　when　two　of　the　men　separated　themselves　from　the　party　and　crept　toward　the　bungalow　no　force　was　interposed　to　stop　them。

The　moon　had　risen　now；　so　that　from　the　dark　shadows　of　the　palisade　Muda　Saffir　and　his　savages　watched　the　party　with　Bududreen　squatting　about　the　heavy　chest；　and　saw　the　two　who　crept　toward　the　house。　　To　Muda　Saffir's　evil　mind　there　was　but　one　explanation。　Bududreen　had　discovered　a　rich　treasure；　and　having　stolen　that　had　dispatched　two　of　his　men　to　bring　him　the　girl　also。

Rajah　Muda　Saffir　was　furious。　　In　subdued　whispers　he　sent　a　half　dozen　of　his　Dyaks　back　beneath　the　shadow　of　the　palisade　to　the　opposite　side　of　the　bungalow　where　they　were　to　enter　the　building；　killing　all　within　except　the　girl；　whom　they　were　to　carry　straight　to　the　beach　and　the　war　prahus。

Then　with　the　balance　of　his　horde　he　crept　alone　in　the　darkness　until　opposite　Bududreen　and　the　watchers　about　the　chest。　　Just　as　the　two　who　crept　toward　the　bungalow　reached　it；　Muda　Saffir　gave　the　word　for　the　attack　upon　the　Malays　and　lascars　who　guarded　the　treasure。　　With　savage　yells　they　dashed　upon　the　unsuspecting　men。　　Parangs　and　spears　glistened　in　the　moonlight。　　There　was　a　brief　and　bloody　encounter；　for　the　cowardly　Bududreen　and　his　equally　cowardly　crew　had　had　no　alternative　but　to　fight；　so　suddenly　had　the　foe　fallen　upon　them。

In　a　moment　the　savage　Borneo　head　hunters　had　added　five　grisly　trophies　to　their　record。　　Bududreen　and　another　were　racing　madly　toward　the　jungle　beyond　the　campong。

As　Number　Thirteen　arose　to　continue　his　search　for　Professor　Maxon　his　quick　ear　caught　the　shuffling　of　bare　feet　upon　the　verandah。　　As　he　paused　to　listen　there　broke　suddenly　upon　the　still　night　the　hideous　war　cries　of　the　Dyaks；　and　the　screams　and　shrieks　of　their　frightened　victims　in　the　campong　without。　Almost　simultaneously　Professor　Maxon　and　Sing　rushed　into　the　living　room　to　ascertain　the　cause　of　the　wild　alarm；　while　at　the　same　instant　Bududreen's　assassins　sprang　through　the　door　with　upraised　krisses；　to　be　almost　immediately　followed　by　Muda　Saffir's　six　Dyaks　brandishing　their　long　spears　and　wicked　parangs。

In　an　instant　the　little　room　was　filled　with　howling；　fighting　men。　　The　Dyaks；　whose　orders　as　well　as　inclinations　incited　them　to　a　general　massacre；　fell　first　upon　Bududreen's　lascars　who；　cornered　in　the　small　room；　fought　like　demons　for　their　lives；　so　that　when　the　Dyaks　had　overcome　them　two　of　their　own　number　lay　dead　beside　the　dead　bodies　of　Bududreen's　henchmen。

Sing　and　Professor　Maxon　stood　in　the　doorway　to　the　professor's　room　gazing　upon　the　scene　of　carnage　in　surprise　and　consternation。　　The　scientist　was　unarmed；　but　Sing　held　a　long；　wicked　looking　Colt　in　readiness　for　any　contingency。　　It　was　evident　the　celestial　was　no　stranger　to　the　use　of　his　deadly　weapon；　nor　to　the　moments　of　extreme　and　sudden　peril　which　demanded　its　use；　for　he　seemed　no　more　perturbed　than　had　he　been　but　hanging　out　his　weekly　wash。

As　Number　Thirteen　watched　the　two　men　from　the　dark　shadows　of　the　room　in　which　he　stood；　he　saw　that　both　were　calmthe　Chinaman　with　the　calmness　of　perfect　courage；　the　other　through　lack　of　full　understanding　of　the　grave　danger　which　menaced　him。　　In　the　eyes　of　the　latter　shone　a　strange　gleamit　was　the　wild　light　of　insanity　that　the　sudden　nervous　shock　of　the　attack　had　brought　to　a　premature　culmination。

Now　the　four　remaining　Dyaks　were　advancing　upon　the　two　men。　　Sing　levelled　his　revolver　and　fired　at　the　foremost；　and　at　the　same　instant　Professor　Maxon；　with　a　shrill；　maniacal　scream；　launched　himself　full　upon　a　second。　　Number　Thirteen　saw　the　blood　spurt　from　a　superficial　wound　in　the　shoulder　of　the　fellow　who　received　Sing's　bullet；　but　except　for　eliciting　a　howl　of　rage　the　missile　had　no　immediate　effect。　　Then　Sing　pulled　the　trigger　again　and　again；　but　the　cylinder　would　not　revolve　and　the　hammer　fell　futilely　upon　the　empty　cartridge。　　As　two　of　the　head　hunters　closed　upon　him　the　brave　Chinaman　clubbed　his　weapon　and　went　down　beneath　them　beating　madly　at　the　brown　skulls。

The　man　with　whom　Professor　Maxon　had　grappled　had　no　opportunity　to　use　his　weapons　for　the　crazed　man　held　him　close　with　one　encircling　arm　while　he　tore　and　struck　at　him　with　his　free　hand。　　The　fourth　Dyak　danced　around　the　two　with　raised　parang　watching　for　an　opening　that　he　might　deliver　a　silencing　blow　upon　the　white　man's　skull。

The　great　odds　against　the　two　mentheir　bravery　in　the　face　of　death；　their　grave　dangerand　last　and　greatest；　the　fact　that　one　was　the　father　of　the　beautiful　creature　he　worshipped；　wrought　a　sudden　change　in　Number　Thirteen。　　In　an　instant　he　forgot　that　he　had　come　here　to　kill　the　white…haired　man；　and　with　a　bound　stood　in　the　center　of　the　room　an　unarmed　giant　towering　above　the　battling　four。

The　parang　of　the　Dyak　who　sought　Professor　Maxon's　life　was　already　falling　as　a　mighty　hand　grasped　the　wrist　of　the　head　hunter；　but　even　then　it　was　too　late　to　more　than　lessen　the　weight　of　the　blow；　and　the　sharp　edge　of　the　blade　bit　deep　into　the　forehead　of　the　white　man。　　As　he　sank　to　his　knees　his　other　antagonist　freed　an　arm　from　the　embrace　which　had　pinioned　it　to　his　side；　but　before　he　could　deal　the　professor　a　blow　with　the　short　knife　that　up　to　now　he　had　been　unable　to　use；　Number　Thirteen　had　hurled　his　man　across　the　room　and　was　upon　him　who　menaced　the　scientist。

Tearing　him　loose　from　his　prey；　he　raised　him　far　above　his　head　and　threw　him　heavily　against　the　opposite　wall；　then　he　turned　his　attention　toward　Sing's　assailants。　　All　that　had　so　far　saved　the　Chinaman　from　death　was　the　fact　that　the　two　savages　were　each　so　anxious　to　secure　his　head　for　the　verandah　rafters　of　his　own　particular　long…house　that　they　interfered　with　one　another　in　the　consummation　of　their　common　desire。

Although　battling　for　his　life；　Sing　had　not　failed　to　note　the　advent　of　the　strange　young　giant；　nor　the　part　he　had　played　in　succoring　the　professor；　so　that　it　was　with　a　feeling　of　relief　that　he　saw　the　newcomer　turn　his　attention　toward　those　who　were　rapidly　reducing　the　citadel　of　his　own　existence。

The　two　Dyaks　who　sought　the　trophy　which　nature　had　set　upon　the　Chinaman's　shoulders　were　so　busily　engaged　with　their　victim　that　they　knew　nothing　of　the　presence　of　Number　Thirteen　until　a　mighty　hand　seized　each　by　the　neck　and　they　were　raised　bodily　from　the　floor；　shaken　viciously　for　an　instant；　and　then　hurled　to　the　opposite　end　of　the　room　upon　the　bodies　of　the　two　who　had　preceded　them。

As　Sing　came　to　his　feet　he　found　Professor　Maxon　lying　in　a　pool　of　his　own　blood；　a　great　gash　in　his　forehead。　He　saw　the　white　giant　standing　silently　looking　down　upon　the　old　man。　　Across　the　room　the　four　stunned　Dyaks　were　recovering　consciousness。　　Slowly　and　fearfully　they　regained　their　feet；　and　seeing　that　no　attention　was　being　paid　them；　cast　a　parting；　terrified　look　at　the　mighty　creature　who　had　defeated　them　with　his　bare　hands；　and　slunk　quickly　out　into　the　darkness　of　the　campong。

When　they　caught　up　with　Rajah　Muda　Saffir　near　the　beach；　they　narrated　a　fearful　tale　of　fifty　terrible　white　men　with　whom　they　had　battled　valiantly；　killing　many；　before　they　had　been　compelled　to　retreat　in　the　face　of　terrific　odds。　They　swore　that　even　then　they　had　only　returned　because　the　girl　was　not　in　the　houseotherwise　they　should　have　brought　her　to　their　beloved　master　as　he　had　directed。

Now　Muda　Saffir　believed　nothing　that　they　said；　but　he　was　well　pleased　with　the　great　treasure　which　had　so　unexpectedly　fallen　into　his　hands；　and　he　decided　to　make　quite　sure　of　that　by　transporting　it　to　his　own　land　later　he　could　return　for　the　girl。　　So　the　ten　war　prahus　of　the　Malay　pulled　quietly　out　of　the　little　cove　upon　the　east　side　of　the　island；　and　bending　their　way　toward　the　south　circled　its　southern　extremity　and　bore　away　for　Borneo。

In　the　bungalow　within　the　north　campong　Sing　and　Number　Thirteen　had　lifted　Professor　Maxon　to　his　bed；　and　the　Chinaman　was　engaged　in　bathing　and　bandag