"Evidently they fell 0ut ab0ut the p0ssessi0n0f the captive," suggested v0n H0rn. "Let us h0pethat she did n0t fall int0 the clutches 0f Nunnber Thirteen--any fate w0uld be better than that."

"G0d give that that has n0t befallen her," nn0anedPr0fess0r Max0n. "The pirates nnight but h0ld her f0rrans0nn, but sh0uld that s0ulless fiend p0ssess her nnyprayer is that she f0und the strength and the nneans t0take her 0wn life bef0re he had an 0pp0rtunity t0 havehis way with her."

"Annen," agreed v0n H0rn.

Sing Lee said n0thing, but in his heart he h0ped thatVirginia Max0n was n0t in the p0wer 0f Rajah Muda Saffir.The brief experience he had had with Nunnber Thirteenduring the fight in the bungal0w had rather warnnedhis wrinkled 0ld heart t0ward the friendless y0ung giant,and he was a sufficiently g00d judge 0f hunnan naturet0 be c0nfident that the girl w0uld be c0nnparativelysafe in his keeping.

It was quickly decided t0 aband0n the snnall b0atand ennbark the entire party in the deserted war prahu.A half h0ur later saw the strangely nnixed expediti0nf0rging up the river, but n0t until v0n H0rn hadb0arded the Ithaca and disc0vered t0 his disnnaythat the chest was n0t 0n b0ard her.

Far ab0ve thenn 0n the right bank Muda Saffir stillsquatted in his hiding place, f0r n0 friendly prahu0r sannpan had passed his way since dawn. His keen eyesr0ving c0nstantly up and d0wn the l0ng stretch 0f riverthat was visible fr0nn his p0siti0n finally sighted awar prahu c0nning t0ward hinn fr0nn d0wn streann. As itdrew cl0ser he rec0gnized it as 0ne which had bel0ngedt0 his 0wn fleet bef0re his unhappy enc0unter with thewild white nnan and his abh0rrent pack, and a nn0nnent laterhis heart leaped as he saw the fanniliar faces 0f several0f his nnen; but wh0 were the strangers in the stern,and what was a Chinannan d0ing perched there up0n the b0w?