the monster men-第25章

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er　into　the　bewildering　labyrinth。

For　hours　the　tiresome　march　was　continued；　until　at　last　the　guides　halted；　apparently　to　consult　each　other　as　to　the　proper　direction。　　By　signs　they　made　known　to　Bulan　that　they　did　not　agree　upon　the　right　course　to　pursue　from　there　on；　and　that　they　had　decided　that　it　would　be　best　for　each　to　advance　a　little　way　in　the　direction　he　thought　the　right　one　while　Bulan　and　his　five　creatures　remained　where　they　were。

〃We　will　go　but　a　little　way；〃　said　the　spokesman；　〃and　then　we　shall　return　and　lead　you　in　the　proper　direction。〃

Bulan　saw　no　harm　in　this；　and　without　a　shade　of　suspicion　sat　down　upon　a　fallen　tree　and　watched　his　two　guides　disappear　into　the　jungle　in　opposite　directions。　　Once　out　of　sight　of　the　white　man　the　two　turned　back　and　met　a　short　distance　in　the　rear　of　the　party　they　had　desertedin　another　moment　they　were　headed　for　the　long…house　from　which　they　had　started。

It　was　fully　an　hour　thereafter　that　doubts　began　to　enter　Bulan's　head；　and　as　the　day　dragged　on　he　came　to　realize　that　he　and　his　weird　pack　were　alone　and　lost　in　the　heart　of　a　strange　and　tangled　web　of　tropical　jungle。

No　sooner　had　Bulan　and　his　party　disappeared　in　the　jungle　than　Barunda　and　Ninaka　made　haste　to　embark　with　the　chest　and　the　girl　and　push　rapidly　on　up　the　river　toward　the　wild　and　inaccessible　regions　of　the　interior。　　Virginia　Maxon's　strong　hope　of　succor　had　been　gradually　waning　as　no　sign　of　the　rescue　party　appeared　as　the　day　wore　on。　　Somewhere　behind　her　upon　the　broad　river　she　was　sure　a　long；　narrow　native　prahu　was　being　urged　forward　in　pursuit；　and　that　　in　command　of　it　was　the　young　giant　who　was　now　never　for　a　moment　absent　from　her　thoughts。

For　hours　she　strained　her　eyes　over　the　stern　of　the　craft　that　was　bearing　her　deeper　and　deeper　into　the　wild　heart　of　fierce　Borneo。　　On　either　shore　they　occasionally　passed　a　native　long…house；　and　the　girl　could　not　help　but　wonder　at　the　quiet　and　peace　which　reigned　over　these　little　settlements。　　It　was　as　though　they　were　passing　along　a　beaten　highway　in　the　center　of　a　civilized　community；　and　yet　she　knew　that　the　men　who　lolled　upon　the　verandahs；　puffing　indolently　upon　their　cigarettes　or　chewing　betel　nut；　were　all　head　hunters；　and　that　along　the　verandah　rafters　above　them　hung　the　grisly　trophies　of　their　prowess。

Yet　as　she　glanced　from　them　to　her　new　captors　she　could　not　but　feel　that　she　would　prefer　captivity　in　one　of　the　settlements　they　were　passingthere　at　least　she　might　find　an　opportunity　to　communicate　with　her　father；　or　be　discovered　by　the　rescue　party　as　it　came　up　the　river。　　The　idea　grew　upon　her　as　the　day　advanced　until　she　spent　the　time　in　watching　furtively　for　some　means　of　escape　should　they　but　touch　the　shore　momentarily；　and　though　they　halted　twice　her　captors　were　too　watchful　to　permit　her　the　slightest　opportunity　for　putting　her　plan　into　action。

Barunda　and　Ninaka　urged　their　men　on；　with　brief　rests；　all　day；　nor　did　they　halt　even　after　night　had　closed　down　upon　the　river。　　On；　on　the　swift　prahu　sped　up　the　winding　channel　which　had　now　dwindled　to　a　narrow　stream；　at　intervals　rushing　strongly　between　rocky　walls　with　a　current　that　tested　the　strength　of　the　strong；　brown　paddlers。

Long…houses　had　become　more　and　more　infrequent　until　for　some　time　now　no　sign　of　human　habitation　had　been　visible。　　The　jungle　undergrowth　was　scantier　and　the　spaces　between　the　boles　of　the　forest　trees　more　open。　Virginia　Maxon　was　almost　frantic　with　despair　as　the　utter　helplessness　of　her　position　grew　upon　her。　Each　stroke　of　those　slender　paddles　was　driving　her　farther　and　farther　from　friends；　or　the　possibility　of　rescue。　Night　had　fallen；　dark　and　impenetrable；　and　with　it　had　come　the　haunting　fears　that　creep　in　when　the　sun　has　deserted　his　guardian　post。

Barunda　and　Ninaka　were　whispering　together　in　low　gutturals；　and　to　the　girl's　distorted　and　fear　excited　imagination　it　seemed　possible　that　she　alone　must　be　the　subject　of　their　plotting。　　The　prahu　was　gliding　through　a　stretch　of　comparatively　quiet　and　placid　water　where　the　stream　spread　out　into　a　little　basin　just　above　a　narrow　gorge　through　which　they　had　just　forced　their　way　by　dint　of　the　most　laborious　exertions　on　the　part　of　the　crew。

Virginia　watched　the　two　men　near　her　furtively。　They　were　deeply　engrossed　in　their　conversation。　Neither　was　looking　in　her　direction。　　The　backs　of　the　paddlers　were　all　toward　her。　　Stealthily　she　rose　to　a　stooping　position　at　the　boat's　side。　　For　a　moment　she　paused；　and　then；　almost　noiselessly；　dove　overboard　and　disappeared　beneath　the　black　waters。

It　was　the　slight　rocking　of　the　prahu　that　caused　Barunda　to　look　suddenly　about　to　discover　the　reason　for　the　disturbance。　　For　a　moment　neither　of　the　men　apprehended　the　girl's　absence。　　Ninaka　was　the　first　to　do　so；　and　it　was　he　who　called　loudly　to　the　paddlers　to　bring　the　boat　to　a　stop。　　Then　they　dropped　down　the　river　with　the　current；　and　paddled　about　above　the　gorge　for　half　an　hour。

The　moment　that　Virginia　Maxon　felt　the　waters　close　above　her　head　she　struck　out　beneath　the　surface　for　the　shore　upon　the　opposite　side　to　that　toward　which　she　had　dived　into　the　river。　　She　knew　that　if　any　had　seen　her　leave　the　prahu　they　would　naturally　expect　to　intercept　her　on　her　way　toward　the　nearest　shore；　and　so　she　took　this　means　of　outwitting　them；　although　it　meant　nearly　double　the　distance　to　be　covered。

After　swimming　a　short　distance　beneath　the　surface　the　girl　rose　and　looked　about　her。　　Up　the　river　a　few　yards　she　caught　the　phosphorescent　gleam　of　water　upon　the　prahu's　paddles　as　they　brought　her　to　a　sudden　stop　in　obedience　to　Ninaka's　command。　　Then　she　saw　the　dark　mass　of　the　war…craft　drifting　down　toward　her。

Again　she　dove　and　with　strong　strokes　headed　for　the　shore。　The　next　time　that　she　rose　she　was　terrified　to　see　the　prahu　looming　close　behind　her。　　The　paddlers　were　propelling　the　boat　slowly　in　her　direction　it　was　almost　upon　her　nowthere　was　a　shout　from　a　man　in　the　bowshe　had　been　seen。

Like　a　flash　she　dove　once　more　and；　turning；　struck　out　rapidly　straight　back　beneath　the　oncoming　boat。　When　she　came　to　the　surface　again　it　was　to　find　herself　as　far　from　shore　as　she　had　been　when　she　first　quitted　the　prahu；　but　the　craft　was　now　circling　far　below　her；　and　she　set　out　once　again　to　retrace　her　way　toward　the　inky　mass　of　shore　line　which　loomed　apparently　near　and　yet；　as　she　knew；　was　some　considerable　distance　from　her。

As　she　swam；　her　mind；　filled　with　the　terrors　of　the　night；　conjured　recollection　of　the　stories　she　had　heard　of　the　fierce　crocodiles　which　infest　certain　of　the　rivers　of　Borneo。　Again　and　again　she　could　have　sworn　that　she　felt　some　huge；　slimy　body　sweep　beneath　her　in　the　mysterious　waters　of　this　unknown　river。

Behind　her　she　saw　the　prahu　turn　back　up　stream；　but　now　her　mind　was　suddenly　engaged　with　a　new　danger；　for　the　girl　realized　that　the　strong　current　was　bearing　her　down　stream　more　rapidly　than　she　had　imagined。　　Already　she　could　hear　the　increasing　roar　of　the　river　as　it　rushed；　wild　and　tumultuous；　through　the　entrance　to　the　narrow　gorge　below　her。　　How　far　it　was　to　shore　she　could　not　guess；　or　how　far　to　the　certain　death　of　the　swirling　waters　toward　which　she　was　being　drawn　by　an　irresistible　force；　but　of　one　thing　she　was　certain；　her　strength　was　rapidly　waning；　and　she　must　reach　the　bank　quickly。

With　redoubled　energy　she　struck　out　in　one　last　mighty　effort　to　reach　the　shore。　　The　tug　of　the　current　was　strong　upon　her；　like　a　giant　hand　reaching　up　out　of　the　cruel　river　to　bear　her　back　to　death。　　She　felt　her　strength　ebbing　quicklyher　strokes　now　were　feeble　and　futile。　　With　a　prayer　to　her　Maker　she　threw　her　hands　above　her　head　in　the　last　effort　of　the　drowning　swimmer　to　clutch　at　even　thin　air　for　supportthe　current　caught　and　swirled　her　downward　toward　the　gorge；　and；　at　the　same　instant　her　fingers　touched　and　closed　upon　something　which　swung　low　above　the　water。

With　the　last　flickering　spark　of　vitality　that　remained　in