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"Here's their trail," he said. "If it's as plain as that all the way we won't be long in

overhauling them. Come along."

Before he had the words half out of his mouth the mucker was forging ahead

through the jungle along the well-marked spoor of the samurai.

Wot kind of men do you suppose they are?" asked Red Sanders.

Malaysian head-hunters, unquestionably," replied Theriere.

Red Sanders shuddered inwardly. The appellation had a most gruesome sound.

Come on!" cried Theriere, and started off after the mucker, who already was out

of sight in the thick forest.

Red Sanders and Wison took a few steps after the Frenchman. Theriere turned

once to see that they were following him, and then a turn in the trail hid them

from his view. Red Sanders stopped.

"Damme if I'm goin' to get my coconut hacked off on any such wild-goose chase

as this," he said to Wison.

"The girl's more'n likely dead long ago," said the other.

"Sure she is," returned Red Sanders, "an' if we go buttin' into that there thicket

we'll be dead too. Ugh! Poor Miller. Poor Swenson. It's orful. Did you see wot they

done to 'em beside cuttin' off their heads?"

Yes," whispered Wison, looking suddenly behind him.

Red Sanders gave a little start, peering in the direction that his companion had

looked.

Wot was it?" he whimpered. "Wot did you do that fer?"

I thought I seen something move there," replied Wison. "Fer Gawd's sake let's get

outen this," and without waiting for a word of assent from his companion the

sailor turned and ran at breakneck speed along the little path toward the spot

where Divine, Blanco, and Bony Sawyer were stationed. When they arrived Bony

was just on the point of setting out for the spring to fetch water, but at sight of

the frightened, breathless men he returned to hear their story.

What's up?" shouted Divine. "You men look as though you'd seen a ghost. Where

are the others?"

They're all murdered, and their heads cut off," cried Red Sanders. "We found the

bunch that got Miller, Swenson, and the girl. They'd killed 'em all and was eatin'

The Mucker