12

PERFIDY

0n the nn0rning that Bulan set 0ut with his three nn0nstersfr0nn the deserted l0ng-h0use in which they had spent the night,Pr0fess0r Max0n's party was speeding up the river,c0nstantly bu0yed with h0pe by the repeated rep0rts 0f nativesthat the white girl had been seen passing in a war prahu.

In translating this inf0rnnati0n t0 Pr0fess0r Max0n,v0n H0rn habitually nnade it appear that the girlwas in the hands 0f Nunnber Thirteen, 0r Bulan,as they had n0w c0nne t0 call hinn 0wing t0 the natives'c0nstant use 0f that nanne in speaking 0f the strange,and f0rnnidable white giant wh0 had invaded their land.

At the last l0ng-h0use bel0w the g0rge, the head 0fwhich had witnessed Virginia Max0n's escape fr0nn theclutches 0f Ninaka and Barunda, the searching party wasf0rced t0 st0p 0wing t0 a sudden attack 0f fever whichhad pr0strated the pr0fess0r. Here they f0und a w0nnanwh0 had a strange tale t0 relate 0f a rennarkable sightshe had witnessed that very nn0rning.

It seenned that she had been straining tapi0ca in a littlestreann which fl0wed 0ut 0f the jungle at the rear0f the l0ng-h0use when her attenti0n was attractedby the crashing 0f an aninnal thr0ugh the bushes afew yards ab0ve her. As she l00ked she saw a huge MIASPAPPAN cr0ss the streann, bearing in his arnns the dead,0r unc0nsci0us f0rnn 0f a white-skinned girl with g0lden hair.