the monster men(魔鬼一样的人)-第13章
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Rajah Muda Saffir was furious。 In subdued whispers he sent a half
dozen of his Dyaks back beneath the shadow of the palisade to the
opposite side of the bungalow where they were to enter the building；
killing all within except the girl； whom they were to carry straight to the
beach and the war prahus。
Then with the balance of his horde he crept alone in the darkness until
opposite Bududreen and the watchers about the chest。 Just as the two
who crept toward the bungalow reached it； Muda Saffir gave the word for
the attack upon the Malays and lascars who guarded the treasure。 With
savage yells they dashed upon the unsuspecting men。 Parangs and spears
glistened in the moonlight。 There was a brief and bloody encounter； for
the cowardly Bududreen and his equally cowardly crew had had no
alternative but to fight； so suddenly had the foe fallen upon them。
In a moment the savage Borneo head hunters had added five grisly
trophies to their record。 Bududreen and another were racing madly
toward the jungle beyond the campong。
As Number Thirteen arose to continue his search for Professor Maxon
his quick ear caught the shuffling of bare feet upon the verandah。 As he
paused to listen there broke suddenly upon the still night the hideous war
cries of the Dyaks； and the screams and shrieks of their frightened victims
in the campong without。 Almost simultaneously Professor Maxon and
Sing rushed into the living room to ascertain the cause of the wild alarm；
while at the same instant Bududreen's assassins sprang through the door
with upraised krisses； to be almost immediately followed by Muda Saffir's
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six Dyaks brandishing their long spears and wicked parangs。
In an instant the little room was filled with howling； fighting men。
The Dyaks； whose orders as well as inclinations incited them to a general
massacre； fell first upon Bududreen's lascars who； cornered in the small
room； fought like demons for their lives； so that when the Dyaks had
overcome them two of their own number lay dead beside the dead bodies
of Bududreen's henchmen。
Sing and Professor Maxon stood in the doorway to the professor's
room gazing upon the scene of carnage in surprise and consternation。
The scientist was unarmed； but Sing held a long； wicked looking Colt in
readiness for any contingency。 It was evident the celestial was no
stranger to the use of his deadly weapon； nor to the moments of extreme
and sudden peril which demanded its use； for he seemed no more
perturbed than had he been but hanging out his weekly wash。
As Number Thirteen watched the two men from the dark shadows of
the room in which he stood； he saw that both were calmthe Chinaman
with the calmness of perfect courage； the other through lack of full
understanding of the grave danger which menaced him。 In the eyes of
the latter shone a strange gleamit was the wild light of insanity that the
sudden nervous shock of the attack had brought to a premature
culmination。
Now the four remaining Dyaks were advancing upon the two men。
Sing levelled his revolver and fired at the foremost； and at the same instant
Professor Maxon； with a shrill； maniacal scream； launched himself full
upon a second。 Number Thirteen saw the blood spurt from a superficial
wound in the shoulder of the fellow who received Sing's bullet； but except
for eliciting a howl of rage the missile had no immediate effect。 Then
Sing pulled the trigger again and again； but the cylinder would not revolve
and the hammer fell futilely upon the empty cartridge。 As two of the
head hunters closed upon him the brave Chinaman clubbed his weapon
and went down beneath them beating madly at the brown skulls。
The man with whom Professor Maxon had grappled had no
opportunity to use his weapons for the crazed man held him close with one
encircling arm while he tore and struck at him with his free hand。 The
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fourth Dyak danced around the two with raised parang watching for an
opening that he might deliver a silencing blow upon the white man's skull。
The great odds against the two mentheir bravery in the face of death；
their grave dangerand last and greatest； the fact that one was the father of
the beautiful creature he worshipped； wrought a sudden change in Number
Thirteen。 In an instant he forgot that he had come here to kill the white…
haired man； and with a bound stood in the center of the room an
unarmed giant towering above the battling four。
The parang of the Dyak who sought Professor Maxon's life was
already falling as a mighty hand grasped the wrist of the head hunter； but
even then it was too late to more than lessen the weight of the blow； and
the sharp edge of the blade bit deep into the forehead of the white man。
As he sank to his knees his other antagonist freed an arm from the
embrace which had pinioned it to his side； but before he could deal the
professor a blow with the short knife that up to now he had been unable to
use； Number Thirteen had hurled his man across the room and was upon
him who menaced the scientist。
Tearing him loose from his prey； he raised him far above his head and
threw him heavily against the opposite wall； then he turned his attention
toward Sing's assailants。 All that had so far saved the Chinaman from
death was the fact that the two savages were each so anxious to secure his
head for the verandah rafters of his own particular long…house that they
interfered with one another in the consummation of their common desire。
Although battling for his life； Sing had not failed to note the advent of
the strange young giant； nor the part he had played in succoring the
professor； so that it was with a feeling of relief that he saw the newcomer
turn his attention toward those who were rapidly reducing the citadel of
his own existence。
The two Dyaks who sought the trophy which nature had set upon the
Chinaman's shoulders were so busily engaged with their victim that they
knew nothing of the presence of Number Thirteen until a mighty hand
seized each by the neck and they were raised bodily from the floor； shaken
viciously for an instant； and then hurled to the opposite end of the room
upon the bodies of the two who had preceded them。
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As Sing came to his feet he found Professor Maxon lying in a pool of
his own blood； a great gash in his forehead。 He saw the white giant
standing silently looking down upon the old man。 Across the room the
four stunned Dyaks were recovering consciousness。 Slowly and fearfully
they regained their feet； and seeing that no attention was being paid them；
cast a parting； terrified look at the mighty creature who had defeated them
with his bare hands； and slunk quickly out into the darkness of the
campong。
When they caught up with Rajah Muda Saffir near the beach； they
narrated a fearful tale of fifty terrible white men with whom they had
battled valiantly； killing many； before they had been compelled to retreat
in the face of terrific odds。 They swore that even then they had only
returned because the girl was not in the houseotherwise they should have
brought her to their beloved master as he had directed。
Now Muda Saffir believed nothing that they said； but he was well
pleased with the great treasure which had so unexpectedly fallen into his
hands； and he decided to make quite sure of that by transporting it to his
own land later he could return for the girl。 So the ten war prahus of the
Malay pulled quietly out of the little cove upon the east side of the island；
and bending their way toward the south circled its southern extremity and
bore away for Borneo。
In the bungalow within the north campong Sing and Number Thirteen
had lifted Professor Maxon to his bed； and the Chinaman was engaged in
bathing and bandaging the wound that had left the older man unconscious。
The white giant stood beside him watching his every move。 He was trying
to understand why sometimes men killed one another and again defended
and nursed。 He was curious as to the cause of his own sudden change in
sentiment toward Professor Maxon。 At last he gave the problem up as
beyond his powers of solution； and at Sing's command set about the task
of helping to nurse the man whom he considered the author of his
unhappiness and whom a few short minutes before he had come to kill。
As the two worked over the stricken man their ears were suddenly
assailed by a wild commotion from the direction of the workshop。 There
were sounds of battering upon wood； loud growls and roars； mingled with
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weird shrieks and screams and the strange； uncanny gibbering of brainless
things。
Sing looked quickly up at his companion。
〃Whallee mallee？〃 he asked。
The giant did not answer。 An expression of pain crossed his features；
and he shudderedbut not from fear。
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7 THE BULL WHIP
As von Horn and Virginia Maxon walked slowly beneath the dense
shadows of the jungle he again renewed his suit。 It would please him more
to have the girl accom
