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Professor Maxon was too ill to accompany the expedition, and von Horn set out

alone with his Dyak allies. For a time after they departed Sing Lee fretted and

fidgeted upon the verandah of the long-house. He wholly distrusted von Horn,

and from motives of his own finally decided to follow him. The trail of the party

was plainly discernible, and the Chinaman had no difficulty in following them, so

that they had gone no great way before he came within hearing distance of them.

Always just far enough behind to be out of sight, he kept pace with the little

column as it marched through the torrid heat of the morning, until a little after

noon he was startled by the sudden cry of a woman in distress, and the

answering shout of a man.

The voices came from a point in the jungle a little to his right and behind him,

and without waiting for the column to return, or even to ascertain if they had

heard the cries, Sing ran rapidly in the direction of the alarm. For a time he saw

nothing, but was guided by the snapping of twigs and the rustling of bushes

ahead, where the authors of the commotion were evidently moving swiftly through

the jungle.

Presently a strange sight burst upon his astonished vision. It was the hideous

Number Three in mad pursuit of a female ourang outang, and an instant later he

saw Number Twelve and Number Ten in battle with two males, while beyond he

heard the voice of a man shouting encouragement to some one as he dashed

through the jungle. It was in this last event that Sing's interest centered, for he

was sure that he recognized the voice as that of Bulan, while the first cry for help

which he had heard had been in a woman's voice, and Sing knew that its author

could be none other than Virginia Maxon.

Those whom he pursued were moving rapidly through the jungle which was now

becoming more and more open, but the Chinaman was no mean runner, and it

was not long before he drew within sight of the object of his pursuit.

His first glimpse was of Bulan, running swiftly between two huge bull ourang

outangs that snapped and tore at him as he bounded forward cutting and

slashing at his foes with his heavy whip. Just in front of the trio was another

bull bearing in his arms the unconscious form of Virginia Maxon who had fainted

at the first response to her cry for help. Sing was armed with a heavy revolver

but he dared not attempt to use it for fear that he might wound either Bulan or

the girl, and so he was forced to remain but a passive spectator of what ensued.

Bulan, notwithstanding the running battle the two bulls were forcing upon him,

was gaining steadily upon the fleeing ourang outang that was handicapped by the

weight of the fair captive he bore in his huge, hairy arms. As they came into a

The Monster Men