amiliar forest he
reluctantly turned his face toward the river and the long-house that
sheltered his party.

Here he found Professor Maxon much improved--the safe return of
Virginia having acted as a tonic upon him. The girl and her father sat
with von Horn upon the verandah of the long-house as Sing clambered up
the notched log that led to it from the ground. At sight of Sing's
wrinkled old face Virginia Maxon sprang to her feet and ran forward to
greet him, for she had been very fond of the shrewd and kindly Chinaman
of whom she had seen so much during the dreary months of her
imprisonment within the campong.

"Oh, Sing," she cried, "where have you been? We were all so worried to
think that no sooner was one of us rescued than another became lost."

"Sing takee walk, Linee, las all," said the grinning Chinaman. "Velly
glad see Linee black 'gain," and that was all that Sing Lee had to say
of the adventures through which he had just passed, and the strange
sights that he had seen.

Again and again the girl and von Horn narrated the stirring scenes of
the day, the latter being compelled to repeat all that had transpired
from the moment that he had heard Virginia's cry, though it was
apparent that he only consented to speak of his part in her rescue
under the most considerable urging. Very pretty modesty, thought Sing
when he had heard the doctor's version of the affair.

"You see," said von Horn, "when I reached the spot Number Three, the
brute that you thought was an ape, had just turned you over to Number
Thirteen, or, as the natives now call him, Bulan. You were then in a
faint, and when I attacked Bulan he dropped you to defend himself. I
had expected a bitter fight from him after the wild tales the natives
have been telling of his ferocity, but it was soon evident that he is
an arrant coward, for I did not even have to fire my revolver--a few
thumps with the butt of it upon his brainless skull sent him howling
into the jungle with his pack at his heels."

"How fortunate it is, my dear doctor," said Professor Maxon, "that you
were bright enough to think of trailing the miscreant into the jungle.
But for that Virginia would still be in his clutches and by this time
he would have been beyond all hope of capture. How can we ever repay
you, dear friend?"

"That you were generous enough to arrange when we first embarked upon
the search for your daughter," replied von Horn.

"Just so, just so," said the pr