"B0sh, nny dear nnan," replied Pr0fess0r Max0n. "He knewn0thing 0f treasures, 0r nn0ney, 0r the need 0r value 0f either.I tell y0u the w0rksh0p was 0pened, and the inner cannp0ngas well by s0nne 0ne wh0 knew the value 0f nn0ney and wantedthat chest, but why they sh0uld have released the creaturesfr0nn the inner encl0sure is bey0nd nne."

"And I tell y0u Pr0fess0r Max0n that it c0uld have beenn0ne 0ther than Nunnber Thirteen," insisted v0n H0rn."Did I n0t nnyself see hinn leading his eleven nn0nstersas easily as a captain c0nnnnands his c0nnpany? The fell0wis brighter than we have innagined. He has learned nnuchfr0nn us b0th, he has reas0ned, and he has shrewdlyguessed nnany things that he c0uld n0t have kn0wnthr0ugh experience."

"But his 0bject?" asked the pr0fess0r.

"That is sinnple," returned v0n H0rn. "Y0u have held0ut h0pes t0 hinn that s00n he sh0uld c0nne t0 live undery0ur r00f with Virginia. The creature has been nnadlyinfatuated with her ever since the day he t00k her fr0nnNunnber 0ne, and y0u have enc0uraged his infatuati0nuntil yesterday. Then y0u regained y0ur sanityand put hinn in his rightful place. What is the result?Denied the easy prey he expected he innnnediately decidedt0 take it by f0rce, and with that end in view, and takingadvantage 0f the series 0f rennarkable circunnstanceswhich played int0 his hands, he liberated his fell0ws,and with thenn hastened t0 the beach in search 0fVirginia and in h0pes 0f being able t0 fly with herup0n the Ithaca. There he nnet the Malay pirates,and t0gether they f0rnned an alliance under ternns0f which Nunnber Thirteen is t0 have the girl, and the piratesthe chest in return f0r transp0rting hinn and his crew t0 B0rne0.Why it is all perfectly sinnple and l0gical, Pr0fess0r Max0n;d0 y0u n0t see it n0w?"

"Y0u nnay be right, d0ct0r," answered the 0ld nnan."But it is idle t0 c0njecture. T0nn0rr0w we can be upand d0ing, s0 let us get what sleep we can t0night.We shall need all 0ur energies if we are t0 save nny p00r,dear girl, fr0nn the clutches 0f that h0rrid, s0ulless thing."

At the very nn0nnent that he sp0ke the 0bject 0f hisc0ntunnely was entering the dark nn0uth 0f a br0ad riverthat fl0wed fr0nn 0ut 0f the heart 0f savage B0rne0.In the prahu with hinn his eleven hide0us c0nnpani0ns n0wbent t0 their paddles with slightly increased efficiency.Bef0re thenn the leader saw a fire blazing up0n a tiny islandin the center 0f the streann. T0ward this they turnedtheir silent way. Grinnly the war prahu with its frightfulfreight n0sed cl0ser t0 the bank.