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Chapter 17 - 999 PRISCILLA

As the cutter touched the bank the entire party from the long-house, whites and

natives, were gathered on the shore to meet it. At first the officers held off as

though fearing a hostile demonstration, but when they saw the whites among the

throng, a command was given to pull in, and a moment later one of the officers

stepped ashore.

"I am Lieutenant May," he said, "of the U.S.S. New Mexico, flagship of the Pacific

Fleet. Have I the honor to address Professor Maxon?"

The scientist nodded. "I am delighted," he said.

"We have been to your island, Professor," continued the officer, "and judging from

the evidences of hasty departure, and the corpses of several natives there, I feared

that some harm had befallen you. We therefore cruised along the Bornean coast

making inquiries of the natives until at last we found one who had heard a rumor

of a party of whites being far in the interior searching for a white girl who had

been stolen from them by pirates.

The farther up this river we have come the greater our assurance that we were

on the right trail, for scarcely a native we interrogated but had seen or heard of

some of your party. Mixed with the truth they told us were strange tales of

terrible monsters led by a gigantic white man."

The imaginings of childish minds," said the professor. "However, why, my dear

lieutenant, did you honor me by visiting my island?"

The officer hesitated a moment before answering, his eyes running about over the

assembly as though in search of someone.

"Well, Professor Maxon, to be quite frank," he said at length, "we learned at

Singapore the personnel of your party, which included a former naval officer

whom we have been seeking for many years. We came to your island to arrest

this man--I refer to Doctor Carl von Horn."

When the lieutenant learned of the recent disappearance of the man he sought,

he expressed his determination to push on at once in pursuit; and as Professor

Maxon feared again to remain unprotected in the heart of the Bornean wilderness

his entire party was taken aboard the cutter.

A few miles up the river they came upon one of the Dyaks who had accompanied

von Horn, a few hours earlier. The warrior sat smoking beside a beached prahu.

When interrogated he explained that von Horn and the balance of his crew had

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The Monster Men