the monster men-第31章

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on　toward　the　sea。

When　the　three　bull　ourang　outangs　closed　upon　Bulan　he　felt　no　fear　as　to　the　outcome　of　the　battle；　for　never　in　his　experience　had　he　coped　with　any　muscles　that　his　own　mighty　thews　could　not　overcome。　　But　as　the　battle　continued　he　realized　that　there　might　be　a　limit　to　the　number　of　antagonists　which　he　could　successfully　withstand；　since　he　could　scarcely　hope　with　but　two　hands　to　reach　the　throats　of　three　enemies；　or　ward　off　the　blows　and　clutches　of　six　powerful　hands；　or　the　gnashing　of　three　sets　of　savage　fangs。

When　the　truth　dawned　upon　him　that　he　was　being　killed　the　instinct　of　self…preservation　was　born　in　him。　The　ferocity　with　which　he　had　fought　before　paled　into　insignificance　beside　the　mad　fury　with　which　he　now　attacked　the　three　terrible　creatures　upon　him。　Shaking　himself　like　a　great　lion　he　freed　his　arms　for　a　moment　from　the　clinging　embrace　of　his　foemen；　and　seizing　the　neck　of　the　nearest　in　his　mighty　clutch　wrenched　the　head　completely　around。

There　was　one　awful　shriek　from　the　tortured　brute　the　vertebrae　parted　with　a　snap；　and　Bulan's　antagonists　were　reduced　to　two。　　Lunging　and　struggling　the　three　combatants　stumbled　farther　and　farther　into　the　jungle　beyond　the　clearing。　　With　mighty　blows　the　man　buffeted　the　beasts　to　right　and　left；　but　ever　they　returned　in　bestial　rage　to　renew　the　encounter。　　Bulan　was　weakening　rapidly　under　the　terrific　strain　to　which　he　had　been　subjected；　and　from　loss　of　the　blood　which　flowed　from　his　wounds；　yet　he　was　slowly　mastering　the　foaming　brutes；　who　themselves　were　torn　and　bleeding　and　exhausted。　　Weaker　and　weaker　became　the　struggles　of　them　all；　when　a　sudden　misstep　sent　Bulan　stumbling　headforemost　against　the　stem　of　a　tree；　where；　stunned；　he　sank　unconscious；　at　the　mercy　of　the　relentless　bulls。

They　had　already　sprung　upon　the　prostrate　form　of　their　victim　to　finish　what　the　accident　had　commenced；　when　the　loud　report　of　Sing's　revolver　smote　upon　their　startled　ears　as　the　Chinaman's　bullet　buried　itself　in　the　heart　of　Number　Ten。　　Never　had　the　ourang　outangs　heard　the　sound　of　a　firearm；　and　the　noise；　seemingly　in　such　close　proximity；　filled　them　with　such　terror　that　on　the　instant　they　forgot　all　else　than　this　new　and　startling　fear；　and　with　headlong　haste　leaped　away　into　the　jungle；　leaving　Bulan　lying　where　he　had　fallen。

So　it　was　that　though　Sing　passed　within　a　few　paces　of　the　unconscious　man　he　neither　saw　nor　heard　aught　of　him　or　his　antagonists。

When　Bulan　returned　to　consciousness　the　day　was　drawing　to　a　close。　　He　was　stiff　and　sore　and　weak。　His　head　ached　horribly。　　He　thought　that　he　must　indeed　be　dying；　for　how　could　one　who　suffered　so　revive？　But　at　last　he　managed　to　stagger　to　his　feet；　and　finally　to　reach　the　stream　along　which　he　had　been　travelling　earlier　in　the　day。　Here　he　quenched　his　thirst　and　bathed　his　wounds；　and　as　darkness　came　he　lay　down　to　sleep　upon　a　bed　of　matted　grasses。

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