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that the new river that he had come to was indeed the same that he had

traversed in the Prahu with Barunda.

It must have been close to noon when the young giant's ears caught the sound of

the movement of some animal in the jungle a short distance to his right and away

from the river. His experience with men had taught him to be wary, for it was

evident that every man's hand was against him, so he determined to learn at once

whether the noise he heard came from some human enemy lurking along his trail

ready to spring upon him with naked parang at a moment that he was least

prepared, or merely from some jungle brute.

Cautiously he threaded his way through the matted vegetation in the direction of

the sound. Although a parang from the body of a vanquished Dyak hung at his

side he grasped his bull whip ready in his right hand, preferring it to the less

accustomed weapon of the head hunter. For a dozen yards he advanced without

sighting the object of his search, but presently his efforts were rewarded by a

glimpse of a reddish, hairy body, and a pair of close set, wicked eyes peering at

him from behind a giant tree.

At the same instant a slight movement at one side attracted his attention to

where another similar figure crouched in the underbrush, and then a third,

fourth and fifth became evident about him. Bulan looked in wonderment upon

the strange, man-like creatures who eyed him threateningly from every hand.

They stood fully as high as the brown Dyak warriors, but their bodies were naked

except for the growth of reddish hair which covered them, shading to black upon

the face and hands.

The lips of the nearest were raised in an angry snarl that exposed wicked looking

fighting fangs, but the beasts did not seem inclined to initiate hostilities, and as

they were unarmed and evidently but engaged upon their own affairs Bulan

decided to withdraw without arousing them further. As he turned to retrace his

steps he found his three companions gazing in wide-eyed astonishment upon the

strange new creatures which confronted them.

Number Ten was grinning broadly, while Number Three advanced cautiously

toward one of the creatures, making a low guttural noise, that could only be

interpreted as peaceful and conciliatory--more like a feline purr it was than

anything else.

What are you doing?" cried Bulan. "Leave them alone. They have not offered to

harm us."

They are like us," replied Number Three. "They must be our own people. I am

going with them."

The Monster Men