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charge was not a direct one; but what he did not know was of the heavy chest

and Bududreen's desire to win the price of the girl and yet be able to save for

himself a chance at the far greater fortune which he knew lay beneath that heavy

oaken lid.

Both men had arisen now and were walking across the beach toward a small,

native canoe in which Muda Saffir had come to the meeting place. They were out

of earshot before either spoke again, so that what further passed between them

Sing could not even guess, but he had heard enough to confirm the suspicions he

had entertained for a long while.

He did not fish for gulls that day. Bududreen and Muda Saffir stood talking upon

the beach, and the Chinaman did not dare venture forth for fear they might

suspect that he had overheard them. If old Sing Lee knew his Malays, he was

also wise enough to give them credit for knowing their Chinamen, so he waited

quietly in hiding until Muda Saffir had left, and Bududreen returned to camp.

Professor Maxon and von Horn were standing over one of the six vats that were

arranged in two rows down the center of the laboratory. The professor had been

more communicative and agreeable today than for some time past, and their

conversation had assumed more of the familiarity that had marked it during the

first month of their acquaintance at Singapore.

"And what of these first who are so imperfect?" asked von Horn. "You cannot

take them into civilization, nor would it be right to leave them here upon this

island. What will you do with them?"

Professor Maxon pondered the question for a moment.

"I have given the matter but little thought," he said at length. "They are but the

accidents of my great work. It is unfortunate that they are as they are, but

without them I could have never reached the perfection that I am sure we are to

find here," and he tapped lovingly upon the heavy glass cover of the vat before

which he stood. "And this is but the beginning. There can be no more mistakes

now, though I doubt if we can ever improve upon that which is so rapidly

developing here." Again he passed his long, slender hand caressingly over the

coffin-like vat at the head of which was a placard bearing the words, NUMBER

THIRTEEN.

But the others, Professor!" insisted von Horn. "We must decide. Already they

have become a problem of no small dimensions. Yesterday Number Five desired

some plantains that I had given to Number Seven. I tried to reason with him,

but, as you know, he is mentally defective, and for answer he rushed at Number

Seven to tear the coveted morsel from him. The result was a battle royal that

The Monster Men