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Then Sing turned his attention to Bulan and his three savage assailants, but,

except for the dead body of a bull ourang outang upon the spot where he had last

seen the four struggling, there was no sign either of the white man or his

antagonists; nor, though he listened attentively, could he catch the slightest

sound within the jungle other than the rustling of the leaves and the raucous

cries of the brilliant birds that flitted among the gorgeous blooms about him.

For half an hour he searched in every direction, but finally, fearing that he might

become lost in the mazes of the unfamiliar forest he reluctantly turned his face

toward the river and the long-house that sheltered his party.

Here he found Professor Maxon much improved--the safe return of Virginia

having acted as a tonic upon him. The girl and her father sat with von Horn

upon the verandah of the long-house as Sing clambered up the notched log that

led to it from the ground. At sight of Sing's wrinkled old face Virginia Maxon

sprang to her feet and ran forward to greet him, for she had been very fond of the

shrewd and kindly Chinaman of whom she had seen so much during the dreary

months of her imprisonment within the campong.

Oh, Sing," she cried, "where have you been? We were all so worried to think that

no sooner was one of us rescued than another became lost."

"Sing takee walk, Linee, las all," said the grinning Chinaman. "Velly glad see

Linee black 'gain," and that was all that Sing Lee had to say of the adventures

through which he had just passed, and the strange sights that he had seen.

Again and again the girl and von Horn narrated the stirring scenes of the day, the

latter being compelled to repeat all that had transpired from the moment that he

had heard Virginia's cry, though it was apparent that he only consented to speak

of his part in her rescue under the most considerable urging. Very pretty

modesty, thought Sing when he had heard the doctor's version of the affair.

"You see," said von Horn, "when I reached the spot Number Three, the brute that

you thought was an ape, had just turned you over to Number Thirteen, or, as the

natives now call him, Bulan. You were then in a faint, and when I attacked

Bulan he dropped you to defend himself. I had expected a bitter fight from him

after the wild tales the natives have been telling of his ferocity, but it was soon

evident that he is an arrant coward, for I did not even have to fire my revolver--a

few thumps with the butt of it upon his brainless skull sent him howling into the

jungle with his pack at his heels."

"How fortunate it is, my dear doctor," said Professor Maxon, "that you were bright

enough to think of trailing the miscreant into the jungle. But for that Virginia

101

The Monster Men