ne away from him, he
shouted a command to his misshapen crew, and without waiting to see if
they would follow him leaped into the nearer of the two boats beneath.

It was already half filled with Dyaks, some of whom were hastily
manning the oars. Others of the head hunters were scrambling over the
gunwale. In an instant pandemonium reigned in the little vessel.
Savage warriors sprang toward the tall figure towering above them.
Parangs flashed. The bull whip hissed and cracked, and then into the
midst of it all came a horrid avalanche of fearful and grotesque
monsters--the young giant's crew had followed at his command.

The battle in the prahu was short and fierce. For an instant the Dyaks
attempted to hold their own, but in the face of the snarling, rending
horde that engulfed them terror got the better of them all, so that
those who were not overcome dived overboard and swam rapidly toward
shore.

The other prahu had not waited to assist its companion, but before it
was entirely filled had gotten under way and was now rapidly
overhauling the balance of the fleet.

Von Horn had been an excited witness to all that had occurred upon the
tranquil bosom of the little harbor. He had been filled with
astonishment at sight of the inhabitants of the court of mystery
fighting under the leadership of Number Thirteen, and now he watched
interestedly the outcome of the adventure.

The sight of the girl being borne away in the prahu of the Malay rajah
to a fate worse than death, had roused in him both keen regret and
savage rage, but it was the life of ease that he was losing that
concerned him most. He had felt so sure of winning Professor Maxon's
fortune through either a forced or voluntary marriage with the girl
that his feelings now were as of one whose rightful heritage has been
foully wrested from him. The thought of the girl's danger and
suffering 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