the monster men-第20章

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ad　reached　the　harbor　after　she　sailed。　　The　other　was　von　Horn　himself。　　And　both　were　looking　out　upon　the　dismantled　wreck　of　the　Ithaca　where　it　lay　in　the　sand　near　the　harbor's　southern　edge。

Neither　ventured　forth　from　his　place　of　concealment；　for　beyond　the　Ithaca　ten　prahus　were　pulling　gracefully　into　the　quiet　waters　of　the　basin。

Rajah　Muda　Saffir；　caught　by　the　hurricane　the　preceding　night　as　he　had　been　about　to　beat　across　to　Borneo；　had　scurried　for　shelter　within　one　of　the　many　tiny　coves　which　indent　the　island's　entire　coast。　It　happened　that　his　haven　of　refuge　was　but　a　short　distance　south　of　the　harbor　in　which　he　knew　the　Ithaca　to　be　moored；　and　in　the　morning　he　decided　to　pay　that　vessel　a　visit　in　the　hope　that　he　might　learn　something　of　advantage　about　the　girl　from　one　of　her　lascar　crew。

The　wily　Malay　had　long　refrained　from　pillaging　the　Ithaca　for　fear　such　an　act　might　militate　against　the　larger　villainy　he　purposed　perpetrating　against　her　white　owner；　but　when　he　rounded　the　point　and　came　in　sight　of　the　stranded　wreck　he　put　all　such　thoughts　from　him　and　made　straight　for　the　helpless　hulk　to　glean　whatever　of　salvage　might　yet　remain　within　her　battered　hull。

The　old　rascal　had　little　thought　of　the　priceless　treasure　hidden　beneath　the　Ithaca's　clean　swept　deck　as　he　ordered　his　savage　henchmen　up　her　sides　while　he　lay　back　upon　his　sleeping　mat　beneath　the　canopy　which　protected　his　vice…regal　head　from　the　blistering　tropic　sun。

Number　Thirteen　watched　the　wild　head　hunters　with　keenest　interest　as　they　clambered　aboard　the　vessel。　With　von　Horn　he　saw　the　evident　amazement　which　followed　the　opening　of　the　hatch；　though　neither　guessed　its　cause。　　He　saw　the　haste　with　which　a　half　dozen　of　the　warriors　leaped　down　the　companionway　and　heard　their　savage　shouts　as　they　pursued　their　quarry　within　the　bowels　of　the　ship。

A　few　minutes　later　they　emerged　dragging　a　woman　with　them。　　Von　Horn　and　Number　Thirteen　recognized　the　girl　simultaneously；　but　the　doctor；　though　he　ground　his　teeth　in　futile　rage；　knew　that　he　was　helpless　to　avert　the　tragedy。　　Number　Thirteen　neither　knew　nor　cared。

〃Come！〃　he　called　to　his　grotesque　horde。　　〃Kill　the　men　and　save　the　girlthe　one　with　the　golden　hair；〃　he　added　as　the　sudden　realization　came　to　him　that　none　of　these　creatures　ever　had　seen　a　woman　before。　Then　he　dashed　from　the　shelter　of　the　jungle；　across　the　beach　and　into　the　water；　his　fearful　pack　at　his　heels。

The　Ithaca　lay　now　in　about　five　feet　of　water；　and　the　war　prahus　of　Muda　Saffir　rode　upon　her　seaward　side；　so　that　those　who　manned　them　did　not　see　the　twelve　who　splashed　through　the　water　from　land。　　Never　before　had　any　of　the　rescuers　seen　a　larger　body　of　water　than　the　little　stream　which　wound　through　their　campong；　but　accidents　and　experiments　in　that　had　taught　them　the　danger　of　submerging　their　heads。　They　could　not　swim；　but　all　were　large　and　strong；　so　that　they　were　able　to　push　their　way　rapidly　through　the　water　to　the　very　side　of　the　ship。

Here　they　found　difficulty　in　reaching　the　deck；　but　in　a　moment　Number　Thirteen　had　solved　the　problem　by　requiring　one　of　the　taller　of　his　crew　to　stand　close　in　by　the　ship　while　the　others　clambered　upon　his　shoulders　and　from　there　to　the　Ithaca's　deck。

Number　Thirteen　was　the　first　to　pull　himself　over　the　vessel's　side；　and　as　he　did　so　he　saw　some　half　dozen　Dyaks　preparing　to　quit　her　upon　the　opposite　side。　They　were　the　last　of　the　boarding　partythe　girl　was　nowhere　in　sight。　　Without　waiting　for　his　men　the　young　giant　sprang　across　the　deck。　　His　one　thought　was　to　find　Virginia　Maxon。

At　the　sound　of　his　approach　the　Dyak　turned；　and　at　the　sight　of　a　pajama　clad　white　man　armed　only　with　a　long　whip　they　emitted　savage　cries　of　anticipation；　counting　the　handsome　trophy　upon　the　white　one's　shoulders　as　already　theirs。　　Number　Thirteen　would　have　paid　no　attention　whatever　to　them　had　they　not　molested　him；　for　he　wished　only　to　reach　the　girl's　side　as　quickly　as　possible；　but　in　another　moment　he　found　himself　confronted　by　a　half　dozen　dancing　wild　men；　brandishing　wicked　looking　parangs；　and　crying　tauntingly。

Up　went　the　great　bull　whip；　and　without　abating　his　speed　a　particle　the　man　leaped　into　the　midst　of　the　wicked　blades　that　menaced　him。　　Right　and　left　with　the　quickness　of　thought　the　heavy　lash　fell　upon　heads；　shoulders　and　sword　arms。　　There　was　no　chance　to　wield　a　blade　in　the　face　of　that　terrific　onslaught；　for　the　whip　fell；　not　with　the　ordinary　force　of　a　man…held　lash；　but　with　all　the　stupendous　power　of　those　giant　shoulders　and　arms　behind　it。

A　single　blow　felled　the　foremost　head　hunter；　breaking　his　shoulder　and　biting　into　the　flesh　and　bone　as　a　heavy　sword　bites。　　Again　and　again　the　merciless　leather　fell；　while　in　the　boats　below　Muda　Saffir　and　his　men　shouted　loud　cries　of　encouragement　to　their　companions　on　the　ship；　and　a　wide…eyed　girl　in　the　stern　of　Muda　Saffir's　own　prahu　looked　on　in　terror；　hope　and　admiration　at　the　man　of　her　own　race　whom　she　felt　was　battling　against　all　these　odds　for　her　alone。

Virginia　Maxon　recognized　her　champion　instantly　as　he　who　had　fought　for　her　and　saved　her　once　before；　from　the　hideous　creature　of　her　father's　experiments。　With　hands　tight　pressed　against　her　bosom　the　girl　leaned　forward；　tense　with　excitement；　watching　every　move　of　the　lithe；　giant　figure；　as；　silhouetted　against　the　brazen　tropic　sky；　it　towered　above　the　dancing；　shrieking　head　hunters　who　writhed　beneath　the　awful　lash。

Muda　Saffir　saw　that　the　battle　was　going　against　his　men；　and　it　filled　him　with　anger。　　Turning　to　one　of　his　headmen　he　ordered　two　more　boatloads　of　warriors　to　the　Ithaca's　deck。　As　they　were　rushing　to　obey　their　leader's　command　there　was　a　respite　in　the　fighting　on　the　ship；　for　the　three　who　had　not　fallen　beneath　the　bull　whip　had　leaped　overboard　to　escape　the　fate　which　had　overtaken　their　comrades。

As　the　reinforcements　started　to　scale　the　vessel's　side　Number　Thirteen's　searching　eyes　found　the　girl　in　Muda　Saffir's　prahu；　where　it　lay　a　little　off　from　the　Ithaca；　and　as　the　first　of　the　enemy　clambered　over　the　rail　she　saw　a　smile　of　encouragement　light　the　clear　cut　features　of　the　man　above　her。　　Virginia　Maxon　sent　back　an　answering　smilea　smile　that　filled　the　young　giant's　heart　with　pride　and　happiness　such　a　smile　as　brave　men　have　been　content　to　fight　and　die　for　since　woman　first　learned　the　art　of　smiling。

Number　Thirteen　could　have　beaten　back　many　of　the　reinforcing　party　before　they　reached　the　deck；　but　he　did　not　care　to　do　so。　　In　the　spontaneous　ethics　of　the　man　there　seemed　no　place　for　an　unfair　advantage　over　an　enemy；　and　added　to　this　was　his　newly　acquired　love　of　battle；　so　he　was　content　to　wait　until　his　foes　stood　on　an　even　footing　with　him　before　he　engaged　them。　But　they　never　came　within　reach　of　his　ready　lash。　Instead；　as　they　came　above　the　ship's　side　they　paused；　wide…eyed　and　terror　stricken；　and　with　cries　of　fear　and　consternation　dropped　precipitately　back　into　the　sea；　shouting　warnings　to　those　who　were　about　to　scale　the　hull。

Muda　Saffir　arose　in　his　prahu　cursing　and　reviling　the　frightened　Dyaks。　　He　did　not　know　the　cause　of　their　alarm；　but　presently　he　saw　it　behind　the　giant　upon　the　Ithaca's　deck　eleven　horrible　monstrosities　lumbering　forward；　snarling　and　growling；　to　their　leader's　side。

At　the　sight　his　own　dark　countenance　went　ashen；　and　with　trembling　lips　he　ordered　his　oarsmen　to　pull　for　the　open　sea。　　The　girl；　too；　saw　the　frightful　creatures　that　surrounded　the　man　upon　the　deck。　She　thought　that　they　were　about　to　attack　him；　and　gave　a　little　cry　of　warning；　but　in　another　instant　she　realized　that　they　were　his　companions；　for　with　him　they　rushed　to　the　side　of　the　ship　to　stand　for　a　moment　looking　down　upon　the　struggling　Dyaks　in　the　water　below。

Two　prahus　lay　directly　beneath　them；　and　into　these　the　head　hunters　were　scrambling。　　The　balance　of　the　flotilla　was　now　making　rapid　headway　under　oars　and　sail　toward　the　mouth　of　the　harbor；　and　as　Number　Thirteen　saw　that　the　girl　was　be