the monster men-第24章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　in　a　most　miraculous　fashion；　and　at　the　head　of　the　terrible　creatures　of　the　inner　campong。　

The　riddle　was　too　deep　for　hershe　could　not　solve　it；　and　then　her　thoughts　were　interrupted　by　the　thin；　brown　hand　of　Rajah　Muda　Saffir　as　it　encircled　her　waist　and　drew　her　toward　him。　　Upon　the　evil　lips　were　hot　words　of　passion。　　The　girl　wrenched　herself　from　the　man's　embrace；　and；　with　a　little　scream　of　terror；　sprang　to　her　feet；　and　as　Muda　Saffir　arose　to　grasp　her　again　she　struck　him　full　in　the　face　with　one　small；　clenched　fist。

Directly　behind　the　Malay　lay　the　heavy　chest　of　Professor　Maxon。　　As　the　man　stepped　backward　to　recover　his　equilibrium　both　feet　struck　the　obstacle。　For　an　instant　he　tottered　with　wildly　waving　arms　in　an　endeavor　to　regain　his　lost　balance；　then；　with　a　curse　upon　his　lips；　he　lunged　across　the　box　and　over　the　side　of　the　prahu　into　the　dark　waters　of　the　river。



10

DESPERATE　CHANCE


The　great　chest　in　the　bottom　of　Rajah　Muda　Saffir's　prahu　had　awakened　in　other　hearts　as　well　as　his；　blind　greed　and　avarice；　so　that　as　it　had　been　the　indirect　cause　of　his　disaster　it　now　proved　the　incentive　to　another　to　turn　the　mishap　to　his　own　profit；　and　to　the　final　undoing　of　the　Malay。

The　panglima　Ninaka　of　the　Signana　Dyaks　who　manned　Muda　Saffir's　war　prahu　saw　his　chief　disappear　beneath　the　swift　waters　of　the　river；　but　the　word　of　command　that　would　have　sent　the　boat　hurriedly　back　to　pick　up　the　swimmer　was　not　given。　　Instead　a　lusty　cry　for　greater　speed　ahead　urged　the　sinuous　muscles　gliding　beneath　the　sleek　brown　hides；　and　when　Muda　Saffir　rose　to　the　surface　with　a　cry　for　help　upon　his　lips　Ninaka　shouted　back　to　him　in　derision；　consigning　his　carcass　to　the　belly　of　the　nearest　crocodile。

In　futile　rage　Muda　Saffir　called　down　the　most　terrible　curses　of　Allah　and　his　Prophet　upon　the　head　of　Ninaka　and　his　progeny　to　the　fifth　generation；　and　upon　the　shades　of　his　forefathers；　and　upon　the　grim　skulls　which　hung　from　the　rafters　of　his　long…house。　Then　he　turned　and　swam　rapidly　toward　the　shore。

Ninaka；　now　in　possession　of　both　the　chest　and　the　girl；　was　rich　indeed；　but　with　Muda　Saffir　dead　he　scarce　knew　to　whom　he　could　dispose　of　the　white　girl　for　a　price　that　would　make　it　worth　while　to　be　burdened　with　the　danger　and　responsibility　of　retaining　her。　He　had　had　some　experience　of　white　men　in　the　past　and　knew　that　dire　were　the　punishments　meted　to　those　who　wronged　the　white　man's　women。　　All　through　the　remainder　of　the　long　night　Ninaka　pondered　the　question　deeply。　　At　last　he　turned　to　Virginia。

〃Why　does　the　big　white　man　who　leads　the　ourang　outangs　follow　us？〃　he　asked。　　〃Is　it　the　chest　he　desires；　or　you？〃

〃It　is　certainly　not　the　chest；〃　replied　the　girl。　〃He　wishes　to　take　me　back　to　my　father；　that　is　all。　If　you　will　return　me　to　him　you　may　keep　the　chest；　if　that　is　what　you　wish。〃

Ninaka　looked　at　her　quizzically　for　a　moment。　Evidently　then　she　was　of　some　value。　　Possibly　should　he　retain　her　he　could　wring　a　handsome　ransom　from　the　white　man。　　He　would　wait　and　see；　it　were　always　an　easy　matter　to　rid　himself　of　her　should　circumstances　require。　　The　river　was　there；　deep；　dark　and　silent；　and　he　could　place　the　responsibility　for　her　loss　upon　Muda　Saffir。

Shortly　after　day　break　Ninaka　beached　his　prahu　before　the　long…house　of　a　peaceful　river　tribe。　　The　chest　he　hid　in　the　underbrush　close　by　his　boat；　and　with　the　girl　ascended　the　notched　log　that　led　to　the　verandah　of　the　structure；　which；　stretching　away　for　three　hundred　yards　upon　its　tall　piles；　resembled　a　huge　centipede。

The　dwellers　in　the　long…house　extended　every　courtesy　to　Ninaka　and　his　crew。　　At　the　former's　request　Virginia　was　hidden　away　in　a　dark　sleeping　closet　in　one　of　the　windowless　living　rooms　which　opened　along　the　verandah　for　the　full　length　of　the　house。　Here　a　native　girl　brought　her　food　and　water；　sitting；　while　she　ate；　in　rapt　contemplation　of　the　white　skin　and　golden　hair　of　the　strange　female。

At　about　the　time　that　Ninaka　pulled　his　prahu　upon　the　beach　before　the　long…house；　Muda　Saffir　from　the　safety　of　the　concealing　underbrush　upon　the　shore　saw　a　familiar　war　prahu　forging　rapidly　up　the　stream。　　As　it　approached　him　he　was　about　to　call　aloud　to　those　who　manned　it；　for　in　the　bow　he　saw　a　number　of　his　own　men；　but　a　second　glance　as　the　boat　came　opposite　him　caused　him　to　alter　his　intention　and　drop　further　into　the　engulfing　verdure；　for　behind　his　men　squatted　five　of　the　terrible　monsters　that　had　wrought　such　havoc　with　his　expedition；　and　in　the　stern　he　saw　his　own　Barunda　in　friendly　converse　with　the　mad　white　man　who　had　led　them。

As　the　boat　disappeared　about　a　bend　in　the　river　Rajah　Muda　Saffir　arose；　shaking　his　fist　in　the　direction　it　had　vanished　and；　cursing　anew　and　volubly；　damned　each　separate　hair　in　the　heads　of　the　faithless　Barunda　and　the　traitorous　Ninaka。　　Then　he　resumed　his　watch　for　the　friendly　prahu；　or　smaller　sampan　which　he　knew　time　would　eventually　bring　from　up　or　down　the　river　to　his　rescue；　for　who　of　the　surrounding　natives　would　dare　refuse　succor　to　the　powerful　Rajah　of　Sakkan！

At　the　long…house　which　harbored　Ninaka　and　his　crew；　Barunda　and　Bulan　stopped　with　theirs　to　obtain　food　and　rest。　　The　quick　eye　of　the　Dyak　chieftain　recognized　the　prahu　of　Rajah　Muda　Saffir　where　it　lay　upon　the　beach；　but　he　said　nothing　to　his　white　companion　of　what　it　auguredit　might　be　well　to　discover　how　the　land　lay　before　he　committed　himself　too　deeply　to　either　faction。

At　the　top　of　the　notched　log　he　was　met　by　Ninaka；　who；　with　horror…wide　eyes；　looked　down　upon　the　fearsome　monstrosities　that　lumbered　awkwardly　up　the　rude　ladder　in　the　wake　of　the　agile　Dyaks　and　the　young　white　giant。

〃What　does　it　mean？〃　whispered　the　panglima　to　Barunda。

〃These　are　now　my　friends；〃　replied　Barunda。　〃Where　is　Muda　Saffir？〃

Ninaka　jerked　his　thumb　toward　the　river。　〃Some　crocodile　has　feasted　well；〃　he　said　significantly。　Barunda　smiled。

〃And　the　girl？〃　he　continued。　　〃And　the　treasure？〃

Ninaka's　eyes　narrowed。　　〃They　are　safe；〃　he　answered。

〃The　white　man　wants　the　girl；〃　remarked　Barunda。　　〃He　does　not　suspect　that　you　are　one　of　Muda　Saffir's　people。　If　he　guessed　that　you　knew　the　whereabouts　of　the　girl　he　would　torture　the　truth　from　you　and　then　kill　you。　He　does　not　care　for　the　treasure。　　There　is　enough　in　that　great　chest　for　two；　Ninaka。　　Let　us　be　friends。　Together　we　can　divide　it；　otherwise　neither　of　us　will　get　any　of　it。　　What　do　you　say；　Ninaka？〃

The　panglima　scowled。　　He　did　not　relish　the　idea　of　sharing　his　prize；　but　he　was　shrewd　enough　to　realize　that　Barunda　possessed　the　power　to　rob　him　of　it　all；　so　at　last　he　acquiesced；　though　with　poor　grace。

Bulan　had　stood　near　during　this　conversation；　unable；　of　course；　to　understand　a　single　word　of　the　native　tongue。

〃What　does　the　man　say？〃　he　asked　Barunda。　　〃Has　he　seen　anything　of　the　prahu　bearing　the　girl？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　the　Dyak。　　〃He　says　that　two　hours　ago　such　a　war　prahu　passed　on　its　way　up　riverhe　saw　the　white　girl　plainly。　　Also　he　knows　whither　they　are　bound；　and　how；　by　crossing　through　the　jungle　on　foot；　you　may　intercept　them　at　their　next　stop。〃

Bulan；　suspecting　no　treachery；　was　all　anxiety　to　be　off　at　once。　　Barunda　suggested　that　in　case　of　some　possible　emergency　causing　the　quarry　to　return　down　the　river　it　would　be　well　to　have　a　force　remain　at　the　long…house　to　intercept　them。　　He　volunteered　to　undertake　the　command　of　this　party。　　Ninaka；　he　said；　would　furnish　guides　to　escort　Bulan　and　his　men　through　the　jungle　to　the　point　at　which　they　might　expect　to　find　Muda　Saffir。

And　so；　with　the　girl　he　sought　lying　within　fifty　feet　of　him；　Bulan　started　off　through　the　jungle　with　two　of　Ninaka's　Dyaks　as　guidesguides　who　had　been　well　instructed　by　their　panglima　as　to　their　duties。　Twisting　and　turning　through　the　dense　maze　of　underbrush　and　close…growing；　lofty　trees　the　little　party　of　eight　plunged　farther　and　farther　into　the　bewildering　labyrinth。

For　hours　the　tiresome　march　was　continued；　until　at　last　the