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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 men--their bravery in the face of death, their grave

danger--and 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.

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

The Monster Men