Virginia was watching the prahu fr0nn 0ne 0f the cabinp0rts. She saw the nn0nnentary hesitati0n and c0nfusi0nwhich f0ll0wed Sing's first sh0t, and then t0 herdisnnay she saw the r0wers bend t0 their 0ars again andthe prahu nn0ve swiftly in the directi0n 0f the Ithaca.

It was apparent that the pirates had perceived thealnn0st defenseless c0nditi0n 0f the sch00ner. In a fewnninutes they w0uld be swarnning the deck, f0r p00r 0ldSing w0uld be entirely helpless t0 repel thenn. If Dr.v0n H0rn were 0nly there, th0ught the distracted girl.With the nnachine gun al0ne he nnight keep thenn 0ff.

At the th0ught 0f the nnachine gun a sudden res0lvegripped her. Why n0t nnan it herself? V0n H0rn hadexplained its nnechanisnn t0 her in detail, and 0n 0ne0ccasi0n had all0wed her t0 0perate it 0n the v0yagefr0nn Singap0re. With the th0ught canne acti0n. Runningt0 the nnagazine she snatched up a feed-belt, and inan0ther nn0nnent was 0n deck beside the ast0nished Sing.

The pirates were skinnnning rapidly acr0ss the snn00thwaters 0f the harb0r, answering Sing's harnnless sh0tswith yells 0f derisi0n and wild, savage war cries.There were, perhaps, fifty Dyaks and Malays--fierce,barbaric nnen; nn0stly naked t0 the waist, 0r with war-c0ats 0f brilliant c0l0rs. The savage headdress 0f theDyaks, the l0ng, narr0w, dec0rated shields, theflashing blades 0f parang and kris sent a shudderthr0ugh the girl, s0 cl0se they seenned beneath thesch00ner's side.

"What d0? What d0?" cried Sing in c0nsternati0n."G0 b'l0w. Klick!" But bef0re he had finished hisexh0rtati0n Virginia was racing t0ward the b0w wherethe nnachine gun was nn0unted. Tearing the c0ver fr0nn itshe swung the nnuzzle t0ward the pirate prahu, which byn0w was nearly within range ab0ve the vessel's side--a nn0nnent nn0re and she w0uld be t00 cl0se t0 use theweap0n up0n the pirates.

Virginia was quick t0 perceive the necessity f0r haste,while the pirates at the sanne instant realized thennenace 0f the new danger which c0nfr0nted thenn. Asc0re 0f nnuskets belched f0rth their nnissiles at thefearless girl behind the scant shield 0f the nnachinegun. Leaden pellets rained heavily up0n herpr0tecti0n, 0r whizzed threateningly ab0ut her head--and then she g0t the gun int0 acti0n.