the monster men(魔鬼一样的人)-第29章
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away his life when the need of it was so great if Virginia Maxon was to be
saved。
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THE MONSTER MEN
Turning to the other prahus he saw that one was already launched； but
that the crew of the other was engaged in a desperate battle with the seven
remaining members of his crew for possession of the boat。 Leaping
among the combatants he urged his fellows aboard the prahu which was
already half filled with Dyaks。 Then he shoved the boat out into the river；
jumping aboard himself as its prow cleared the gravelly beach。
For several minutes that long； hollowed log was a veritable floating
hell of savage； screaming men locked in deadly battle。 The sharp
parangs of the head hunters were no match for the superhuman muscles of
the creatures that battered them about； now lifting one high above his
fellows and using the body as a club to beat down those nearby； again
snapping an arm or leg as one might break a pipe stem； or hurling a living
antagonist headlong above the heads of his fellows to the dark waters of
the river。 And above them all in the thickest of the fight； towering even
above his own giants； rose the mighty figure of the terrible white man；
whose very presence wrought havoc with the valor of the brown warriors。
Two more of Number Thirteen's creatures had been cut down in the
prahu； but the loss among the Dyaks had been infinitely greater； and to it
was now added the desertions of the terror stricken savages who seemed to
fear the frightful countenances of their adversaries even as much as they
did their prowess。
There remained but a handful of brown warriors in one end of the boat
when the advantage of utilizing their knowledge of the river and of
navigation occurred to Number Thirteen。 Calling to his men he
commanded them to cease killing； making prisoners of those who
remained instead。 So accustomed had his pack now become to receiving
and acting upon his orders that they changed their tactics immediately； and
one by one the remaining Dyaks were overpowered； disarmed and held。
With difficulty Number Thirteen communicated with them； for among
them there was but a single warrior who had ever had intercourse with an
Englishman； but at last by means of signs and the few words that were
common to them both he made the native understand that he would spare
the lives of himself and his companions if they would help him in pursuit
of Muda Saffir and the girl。
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The Dyaks felt but little loyalty for the rascally Malay they served；
since in common with all their kind they and theirs had suffered for
generations at the hands of the cruel； crafty and unscrupulous race that had
usurped the administration of their land。 So it was not difficult to secure
from them the promise of assistance in return for their lives。
Number Thirteen noticed that when they addressed him it was always
as Bulan； and upon questioning them he discovered that they had given
him this title of honor partly in view of his wonderful fighting ability and
partly because the sight of his white face emerging from out of the
darkness of the river into the firelight of their blazing camp fire had
carried to their impressionable minds a suggestion of the tropic moon
which they admired and reverenced。 Both the name and the idea
appealed to Number Thirteen and from that time he adopted Bulan as his
rightful cognomen。
The loss of time resulting from the fight in the prahu and the ensuing
peace parley permitted Muda Saffir to put considerable distance between
himself and his pursuers。 The Malay's boat was now alone； for of the
eight prahus that remained of the original fleet it was the only one which
had taken this branch of the river； the others having scurried into a smaller
southerly arm after the fight upon the island； that they might the more
easily escape their hideous foemen。
Only Barunda； the headman； knew which channel Rajah Muda Saffir
intended following； and Muda wondered why it was that the two boats that
were to have borne Barunda's men did not catch up with his。 While he
had left Barunda and his warriors engaged in battle with the strangers he
did not for an instant imagine that they would suffer any severe loss； and
that one of their boats should be captured was beyond belief。 But this was
precisely what had happened； and the second boat； seeing the direction
taken by the enemy； had turned down stream the more surely to escape
them。
So it was that while Rajah Muda Saffir moved leisurely up the river
toward his distant stronghold waiting for the other boats of his fleet to
overtake him； Barunda； the headman； guided the white enemy swiftly after
him。 Barunda had discovered that it was the girl alone this white man
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wanted。 Evidently he either knew nothing of the treasure chest lying in
the bottom of Muda Saffir's boat； or； knowing； was indifferent。 In either
event Barunda thought that he saw a chance to possess himself of the rich
contents of the heavy box； and so served his new master with much greater
enthusiasm than he had the old。
Beneath the paddles of the natives and the five remaining members of
his pack Bulan sped up the dark river after the single prahu with its
priceless freight。 Already six of the creatures of Professor Maxon's
experiments had given up their lives in the service of his daughter； and the
remaining six were pushing forward through the inky blackness of the
jungle night into the untracked heart of savage Borneo to rescue her from
her abductors though they sacrificed their own lives in the endeavor。
Far ahead of them in the bottom of the great prahu crouched the girl
they sought。 Her thoughts were of the man she felt intuitively to possess
the strength； endurance and ability to overcome every obstacle and reach
her at last。 Would he come in time？ Ah； that was the question。 The
mystery of the stranger appealed to her。 A thousand times she had
attempted to solve the question of his first appearance on the island at the
very moment that his mighty muscles were needed to rescue her from the
horrible creature of her father's creation。 Then there was his unaccountable
disappearance for weeks； there was von Horn's strange reticence and
seeming ignorance as to the circumstances which brought the young man
to the island； or his equally unaccountable disappearance after having
rescued her from Number One。 And now； when she suddenly found herself
in need of protection； here was the same young man turning up 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
