www.freeclassicebooks.com

uneven fangs of the latter had found his breast and neck a half dozen times.

Blood covered them both. Number Three threw his enormous weight into the

conflict with the frenzy of a mad bull.

Again and again he got a hold upon the young giant's throat only to be shaken

loose by the mighty muscles. The excitement of the conflict was telling upon the

malformed minds of the spectators. Presently one who was almost brainless,

acting upon the impulse of suggestion, leaped in among the fighters, striking and

biting at Number Thirteen. It was all that was needed--another second found the

whole monstrous crew upon the single man.

His mighty strength availed him but little in the unequal conflict--eleven to one

were too great odds even for those powerful thews. His great advantage lay in his

superior intelligence, but even this seemed futile in the face of the enormous

weight of numbers that opposed him. Time and again he had almost shaken

himself free only to fall once more--dragged down by hairy arms about his legs.

Hither and thither about the campong the battle raged until the fighting mass

rolled against the palisade, and here, at last, with his back to the structure,

Number Thirteen regained his feet, and with the heavy stock of the bull whip beat

off, for a moment, those nearest him. All were winded, but when those who were

left of the eleven original antagonists drew back to regain their breath, the young

giant gave them no respite, but leaped among them with the long lash they had

such good reason to hate and fear.

The result was as his higher intelligence had foreseen--the creatures scattered to

escape the fury of the lash and a moment later he had them at his mercy. About

the campong lay four who had felt the full force of his heavy fist, while not one

but bore some mark of the battle.

Not a moment did he give them to recuperate after he had scattered them before

he rounded them up once more near the outer gate--but now they were docile and

submissive. In pairs he ordered them to lift their unconscious comrades to their

shoulders and bear them into the jungle, for Number Thirteen was setting out

into the world with his grim tribe in search of his lady love.

Once well within the jungle they halted to eat of the more familiar fruit which had

always formed the greater bulk of their sustenance. Thus refreshed, they set out

once more after the leader who wandered aimlessly beneath the shade of the tall

jungle trees amidst the gorgeous tropic blooms and gay, songless birds--and of

the twelve only the leader saw the beauties that surrounded them or felt the

strange, mysterious influence of the untracked world they trod. Chance took

them toward the west until presently they emerged upon the harbor's edge, where

The Monster Men