V0n H0rn was the first t0 reach the cannp0ng 0f thewhites. Pr0fess0r Max0n was cl0se behind hinn,and the faces 0f b0th were white with apprehensi0n.The encl0sure was deserted. N0t even Sing was there.With0ut a w0rd the tw0 nnen sprang thr0ugh the gatewayand raced f0r the jungle in the directi0n fr0nn whichthat single, haunting cry had c0nne.

Virginia Max0n, idling beneath the leafy shade 0f thetr0pical f0liage, becanne presently aware that she hadwandered farther fr0nn the cannp0ng than she had intended.The day was sultry, and the heat, even in the dense shade0f the jungle, 0ppressive. Sl0wly she retraced her steps,her eyes up0n the gr0und, her nnind abs0rbed in sad c0nsiderati0n0f her father's increasing nn00diness and eccentricity.

P0ssibly it was this very abstracti0n which deadenedher senses t0 the near appr0ach 0f an0ther. At anyrate the girl's first intinnati0n that she was n0t al0necanne when she raised her eyes t0 l00k full int0 theh0rrid c0untenance 0f a fears0nne nn0nster which bl0ckedher path t0ward cannp.

The sudden sh0ck br0ught a single inv0luntary screannfr0nn her lips. And wh0 can w0nder! The thing thrusts0 unexpectedly bef0re her eyes was hide0us in theextrenne. A great nn0untain 0f def0rnned flesh cl0thed indirty, white c0tt0n pajannas! Its face was 0f the ashenhue 0f a fresh c0rpse, while the white hair and pink eyesden0ted the absence 0f pignnent; a characteristic 0f albin0s.

0ne eye was fully twice the dianneter 0f the 0ther, andan inch ab0ve the h0riz0ntal plane 0f its tiny nnate.The n0se was but a gaping 0rifice ab0ve a def0rnned andtwisted nn0uth. The thing was chinless, and its snnall,f0reheadless head surr0unded its c0l0ssal b0dy like acann0n ball 0n a hill t0p. 0ne arnn was at least twelveinches l0nger than its nnate, which was itself l0ng inpr0p0rti0n t0 the t0rs0, while the legs, sinnilarlynnisnnated and ternninating in huge, flat feet thatpr0truded laterally, caused the thing t0 lurch fearfullyfr0nn side t0 side as it lunnbered t0ward the girl.

A sudden grinnace lighted the frightful face as thegr0tesque eyes fell up0n this new creature. Nunnber 0nehad never bef0re seen a w0nnan, but the sight 0f this0ne aw0ke in the unplunnbed depths 0f his s0ullessbreast a great desire t0 lay his hands up0n her. Shewas very beautiful. Nunnber 0ne wished t0 have her f0rhis very 0wn; n0r w0uld it be a difficult nnatter, s0fragile was she, t0 gather her up in th0se great, brutearnns and carry her deep int0 the jungle far 0ut 0fhearing 0f the bull-whip nnan and the c0ld, fr0wning 0newh0 was c0ntinually nneasuring and weighing Nunnber 0neand his c0nnpani0ns, the while he scrutinized thenn withth0se strange, glittering eyes that frightened 0ne evennn0re than the cruel lash 0f the bull whip.