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"I must go back there to my father," she said, "and so must you. Our place is
there--God give that we be not too late," and before von Horn could stop her she
turned and ran through the darkness of the jungle in the direction of the camp.
Von Horn dashed after her, but so black was the night beneath the overhanging
trees, festooned with their dark myriad creepers, that the girl was out of sight in
an instant, and upon the soft carpet of the rotting vegetation her light footfalls
gave no sound.
The doctor made straight for the camp, but Virginia, unused to jungle trailing
even by day, veered sharply to the left. The sounds which had guided her at first
soon died out, the brush became thicker, and presently she realized that she had
no conception of the direction of the camp. Coming to a spot where the trees
were less dense, and a little moonlight filtered to the ground, she paused to rest
and attempt to regain her bearings.
As she stood listening for some sound which might indicate the whereabouts of
the camp, she detected the noise of a body approaching through the underbrush.
Whether man or beast she could but conjecture and so she stood with every
nerve taut waiting the thing that floundered heavily toward her. She hoped it
might be von Horn, but the hideous war cries which had apprised her of enemies
at the encampment made her fear that fate might be directing the footsteps of one
of these upon her.
Nearer and nearer came the sound, and the girl stood poised ready to fly when
the dark face of Bududreen suddenly emerged into the moonlight beside her.
With an hysterical cry of relief the girl greeted him.
"
Oh, Bududreen," she exclaimed, "what has happened at camp? Where is my
father? Is he safe? Tell me."
The Malay could scarce believe the good fortune which had befallen him so
quickly following the sore affliction of losing the treasure. His evil mind worked
quickly, so that he grasped the full possibilities that were his before the girl had
finished her questioning.
"
The camp was attacked by Dyaks, Miss Maxon," he replied. "Many of our men
were killed, but your father escaped and has gone to the ship. I have been
searching for you and Doctor von Horn. Where is he?"
"
He was with me but a moment ago. When we heard the cries at camp I hastened
on to discover what calamity had befallen us--we became separated."
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