the monster men-第22节

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！


ntually　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　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