cussing the situation.

"I will not now proceed until we have buried poor Babu," said Van der
Kemp. "Besides, Baderoon will be sure to return. I will meet him now."

"I do not agree viz you, mine frond," said the professor. "Zee man is
not a fool zough he is a villain. He knows vat avaits him if he comes."

"He will not come openly," returned the hermit, "but he will not now
rest till he has killed me."

Even as he spoke a loud shouting, mingled with shrieks and yells, was
heard at the other end of the main street. The sounds of uproar appeared
to approach, and soon a crowd of people was seen rushing towards the
market-place, uttering cries of fear in which the word "a-mok" was
heard. At the sound of that word numbers of people--specially women and
children--turned and fled from the scene, but many of the men stood
their ground, and all of them drew their krisses. Among the latter of
course were the white men and their native companions.

We have already referred to that strange madness, to which the Malays
seem to be peculiarly liable, during the paroxysms of which those
affected by it rush in blind fury among their fellows, slaying right and
left. From the terrified appearance of some of the approaching crowd and
the maniac shouts in rear, it was evident that a man thus possessed of
the spirit of amok was venting his fury on them.

Another minute and he drew near, brandishing a kriss that dripped with
the gore of those whom he had already stabbed. Catching sight of the
white men he made straight for them. He was possessed of only one eye,
but that one seemed to concentrate and flash forth the fire of a dozen
eyes, while his dishevelled hair and blood-stained face and person gave
him an appalling aspect.

"It is Baderoon!" said Van der Kemp in a subdued but stern tone.

Nigel, who stood next to him, glanced at the hermit. His face was deadly
pale; his eyes gleamed with a strange, almost unearthly light, and his
lips were firmly compressed. With a sudden nervous motion, unlike his
usually calm demeanour, he drew his long knife, and to Nigel's surprise
cast it away from him. At that moment a woman who came in the madman's
way was stabbed by him to the heart and rent the air with her dying
shriek as she fell. No one could have saved her, the act was so quickly
done. Van der Kemp would have leaped to her rescue, but it was too late;
besides, there was no need to do so now, for the maniac, recognising
his enemy, rus