INTO SAVAGE BORNEO
Von Horn the that had the girl from him, but he to himself with the that the still rested in the of the Ithaca, where Bududreen was to have deposited it. He that the Dyaks would take themselves off so that he the and the to it against the time that should provide a means for it to Singapore.
In the water him the Ithaca's masts, their still to their sides. Bududreen there, his set in a of death which up at the man he would have cheated, as though of the that the white man would have him had the opportunity come, the while he in the other's in the of the girl and the treasure.
The was now, and presently the Ithaca to float. No sooner was it that she was free than the Dyaks into the water and to her side. Like monkeys they aboard, in search, Horn, of pillage. He prayed that they would not the chest.
Presently a dozen of them and to the of and which the beach. Selecting what they they returned to the vessel, and a minutes later Horn was to see them a mast—he the in the Ithaca's cabin.
Before dark the moved slowly out of the harbor, setting a across the in the direction that the had taken. When it was that there was no that the would return, the came from his place, and dancing up and upon the and at the enemy.
Von Horn also came forth, much to the sailor's surprise, and in the two the ship. At length they and their way up the toward camp—there was no longer to there. Von Horn if the he had upon Professor Maxon had done their work they left, or if they had all to as had Number Thirteen.
Once at the his questions were answered, for he saw a light in the bungalow, and as he the steps there were Sing and Professor Maxon just from the room.
"Von Horn!" the professor. "You, then, are not dead; but where is Virginia? Tell me that she is safe."
"She has been away," was the answer. "Your creatures, under the thing you to her to, have taken her to Borneo with a of Malay and Dyak pirates. I was alone and do nothing to prevent them."
"God!" the old man. "Why did I not kill the thing when it my power to do so. Only last night he was here me, and now it is too late."
"I you," said Horn, coldly.
"I was mad," the professor. "Could you not see that I was mad? Oh, why did you not stop me? You were enough. You at least might have me to the which has my for all these terrible months. I am now, but it is too late—too late."
"Both you and your only have any such action on my part as by self-interest, for you that I wanted to make her my wife," the other. "My hands were tied. I am sorry now that I did not act, but you can see the position in which I was placed."
"Can nothing be done to her back?" the father. "There must be some way to save her. Do it Horn, and not only is my yours but my as well—every thing that I shall be yours if you will but save her from those creatures."
"The Ithaca is gone, too," the doctor. "There is only a small that I in the for some such emergency. It will us to Borneo, but what can we four do against five hundred and the dozen you have into the world? No, Professor Maxon, I there is little hope, though I am to give my life in an attempt to save Virginia. You will not your promise should we succeed?"
"No, doctor," the old man. "I that you shall have Virginia as your wife, and all my property shall be over to you if she is rescued."
Sing Lee had been a to this conversation. An odd look came into his as he Horn exact a from the professor, but what passed in his mind only he say.
It was too late to attempt to make a start that day for Borneo, as had already fallen. Professor Maxon and Horn walked over to the and the to what had been done there.
On their return Sing was setting the table on the for the meal. The two men were talking, and without making his presence the Chinaman about ear shot.
"I cannot make it out, Horn," Professor Maxon was saying. "Not a broken, and the doors opened by someone familiar with and bolts. Who have done it?"
"You Number Thirteen," the doctor.
"But the chest!" the other. "What in the world would he want of that and chest?"
"He might have that it treasure," Horn, in an of voice.
"Bosh, my dear man," Professor Maxon. "He nothing of treasures, or money, or the need or value of either. I tell you the was opened, and the as well by some one who the value of money and wanted that chest, but why they should have the from the is me."
"And I tell you Professor Maxon that it have been none other than Number Thirteen," Horn. "Did I not myself see him leading his eleven as easily as a captain his company? The is than we have imagined. He has learned much from us both, he has reasoned, and he has many that he not have through experience."
"But his object?" asked the professor.
"That is simple," returned Horn. "You have out to him that soon he should come to live under your with Virginia. The has been with her since the day he took her from Number One, and you have his until yesterday. Then you your and put him in his place. What is the result? Denied the easy he he to take it by force, and with that end in view, and taking of the series of which played into his hands, he his fellows, and with them to the beach in search of Virginia and in of being able to with her upon the Ithaca. There he met the Malay pirates, and together they an under terms of which Number Thirteen is to have the girl, and the the in return for him and his to Borneo. Why it is all perfectly and logical, Professor Maxon; do you not see it now?"
"You may be right, doctor," answered the old man. "But it is to conjecture. Tomorrow we can be up and doing, so let us what sleep we can tonight. We shall need all our if we are to save my poor, dear girl, from the of that horrid, thing."
At the very moment that he spoke the object of his was entering the dark mouth of a river that from out of the of Borneo. In the with him his eleven now to their with efficiency. Before them the leader saw a fire upon a in the center of the stream. Toward this they their way. Grimly the with its closer to the bank.
At last Number Thirteen out the of men about the fire, and as they came still closer he was sure that they were members of the very party he had been across the for hours. The were up upon the bank and the were preparing to eat.
Just as the giants' came the circle of a Malay approached the fire, a white girl by the arm. No more was needed to Number Thirteen of the identity of the party. With a low to his he them to speed. At the same a Dyak of the as it into the full of the light.
At of the the for their own prahus. The of the enemy their to water, no in their souls.
So they moved that as the touched the bank all the nearer had been launched, and the were across the little for those which upon the opposite side. Among these was the Malay who the girl, but he had not been quick to prevent Virginia Maxon the in the of the craft.
As he her away toward the of Muda Saffir she out to the white man who her self-appointed protector.
"Help! Help!" she called. "This way! Across the island!" And then the hand of her closed over her mouth. Like a she to free herself, or to her until the party should catch up with them, but the was like a bull, and when the girl he her across his and into a run.
Rajah Muda Saffir had no for a himself, but he was to the prize he had but just won, and that his men were panic-stricken he saw no but to them for a that would give the little moment to away in his own with the girl.
Calling for those around him to come to his support he fifty yards from his just as Number Thirteen with his fierce, up from the opposite of the in the wake of him who Virginia Maxon. The old succeeded in some fifty about him from the of the two which near his. His own men he to their in his that they might be to away the moment that he and the were aboard.
The Dyak presented an in the light of the fire. The of their was by the upturned, tiger cat's teeth which from every ear; while the long of the Argus from their war-caps, the colors of their war-coats with the black and white of the hornbill, and the upon their but added to the of their as they and howled, and intimidating, in the path of the foe.
A single was all that Virginia Maxon it possible to in the direction of the party, and in that she saw a that in her memory. At the of his hideous, pack the into the of the of the savages. To right and left the men with all the and of a saber. The Dyaks, by the presence of Muda Saffir in their rear, their ground; and the infuriated, that the of the themselves upon the with hands and fangs.
Number Ten a from an adversary, and acting upon his example the other were not long in themselves in a manner. Cutting and they their way through the solid ranks of the enemy, until Muda Saffir, that was and toward his prahu.
Four of his as the last of the Dyaks to from the white man who with only a whip. In panic the a wild for the two prahus, for Muda Saffir had succeeded in away from the in safety.
Number Thirteen the water's but a moment after the of the rajah's had the and was up under the of its fifty oarsmen. For an he upon the bank as though to after the prahu, but the knowledge that he not swim him back—it was to away his life when the need of it was so great if Virginia Maxon was to be saved.
Turning to the other he saw that one was already launched, but that the of the other was in a with the seven members of his for of the boat. Leaping among the he his the which was already with Dyaks. Then he the out into the river, jumping himself as its the beach.
For minutes that long, was a of savage, men locked in battle. The of the were no match for the of the that them about; now one high above his and using the as a to those nearby; again an arm or leg as one might a pipe stem; or a above the of his to the dark of the river. And above them all in the of the fight, above his own giants, rose the of the terrible white man, very presence with the of the warriors.
Two more of Number Thirteen's had been cut in the prahu, but the among the Dyaks had been greater, and to it was now added the of the terror who to the of their as much as they did their prowess.
There but a of in one end of the when the of their knowledge of the river and of to Number Thirteen. Calling to his men he them to killing, making of those who instead. So had his pack now to and acting upon his orders that they their immediately, and one by one the Dyaks were overpowered, and held.
With Number Thirteen with them, for among them there was but a single who had had with an Englishman, but at last by means of and the that were common to them he the native that he would the of himself and his if they would help him in of Muda Saffir and the girl.
The Dyaks but little for the Malay they served, since in common with all their they and theirs had for at the hands of the cruel, and that had the administration of their land. So it was not difficult to secure from them the promise of in return for their lives.
Number Thirteen noticed that when they him it was always as Bulan, and upon them he that they had him this title of in view of his ability and the of his white from out of the of the river into the of their fire had to their minds a of the moon which they and reverenced. Both the name and the idea to Number Thirteen and from that time he Bulan as his cognomen.
The of time resulting from the in the and the peace permitted Muda Saffir to put himself and his pursuers. The Malay's was now alone, for of the eight that of the original it was the only one which had taken this branch of the river, the others having into a smaller arm after the upon the island, that they might the more easily their foemen.
Only Barunda, the headman, which Rajah Muda Saffir following, and Muda why it was that the two that were to have Barunda's men did not catch up with his. While he had left Barunda and his in with the he did not for an that they would any loss, and that one of their should be was belief. But this was what had happened, and the second boat, the direction taken by the enemy, had the more surely to them.
So it was that while Rajah Muda Saffir moved up the river toward his waiting for the other of his to overtake him, Barunda, the headman, the white enemy after him. Barunda had that it was the girl alone this white man wanted. Evidently he either nothing of the in the of Muda Saffir's boat, or, knowing, was indifferent. In either event Barunda that he saw a to himself of the rich of the box, and so his new master with much than he had the old.
Beneath the of the and the five members of his pack Bulan up the dark river after the single with its freight. Already six of the of Professor Maxon's had up their in the service of his daughter, and the six were pushing through the of the night into the of Borneo to her from her though they their own in the endeavor.
Far ahead of them in the of the great the girl they sought. Her were of the man she to the strength, and ability to overcome every and her at last. Would he come in time? Ah, that was the question. The of the to her. A thousand times she had to solve the question of his on the at the very moment that his were needed to her from the of her father's creation. Then there was his for weeks; there was Horn's and as to the which the man to the island, or his after having her from Number One. And now, when she herself in need of protection, here was the same man up in a most fashion, and at the of the terrible of the campong.
The was too for her—she not solve it; and then her were by the thin, hand of Rajah Muda Saffir as it her and her toward him. Upon the were of passion. The girl herself from the man's embrace, and, with a little of terror, to her feet, and as Muda Saffir to her again she him full in the with one small, fist.
Directly the Malay the of Professor Maxon. As the man to his the obstacle. For an he with arms in an to his balance, then, with a upon his lips, he across the box and over the of the into the dark of the river.
