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were of but secondary consideration to him, for the man was incapable of either

deep love or true chivalry.

Quite the contrary were the emotions which urged on the soulless creature who

now found himself in undisputed possession of a Dyak war prahu. His only

thought was of the girl being rapidly borne away across the glimmering waters of

the strait. He knew not to what dangers she was exposed, or what fate

threatened her. All he knew was that she had been taken by force against her

will. He had seen the look of terror in her eyes, and the dawning hope die out as

the boat that carried her had turned rapidly away from the Ithaca. His one

thought now was to rescue her from her abductors and return her to her father.

Of his own reward or profit he entertained no single thought--it was enough if he

could fight for her. That would be reward sufficient.

Neither Number Thirteen nor any of his crew had ever before seen a boat, and

outside of the leader there was scarcely enough brains in the entire party to

render it at all likely that they could ever navigate it, but the young man saw that

the other prahus were being propelled by the long sticks which protruded from

their sides, and he also saw the sails bellying with wind, though he had but a

vague conception of their purpose.

For a moment he stood watching the actions of the men in the nearest boat, and

then he set himself to the task of placing his own men at the oars and instructing

them in the manner of wielding the unfamiliar implements. For an hour he

worked with the brainless things that constituted his party. They could not seem

to learn what was required of them. The paddles were continually fouling one

another, or being merely dipped into the water and withdrawn without the

faintest semblance of a stroke made.

The tiresome maneuvering had carried them about in circles back and forth

across the harbor, but by it Number Thirteen had himself learned something of

the proper method of propelling and steering his craft. At last, more through

accident than intent, they came opposite the mouth of the basin, and then

chance did for them what days of arduous endeavor upon their part might have

failed to accomplish.

As they hung wavering in the opening, the broad strait before them, and their

quarry fast diminishing to small specks upon the distant horizon, a vagrant land

breeze suddenly bellied the flapping sail. The prahu swung quickly about with

nose pointed toward the sea, the sail filled, and the long, narrow craft shot out of

the harbor and sped on over the dancing waters in the wake of her sisters.

The Monster Men