999 priscilla
as the cutter touched the bank the entire party from the long-house, whites and natives, were gathered on the shore to meet it.at first the officers held off as though fearing a hostile demonstration, but when they saw the whites among the throng, a command was given to pull in, and a moment later one of the officers stepped ashore.
"i am lieutenant may," he said, "of the u.s.s.new mexico, flagship of the pacific fleet.have i the honor to address professor maxon?"the scientist nodded."i am delighted," he said.
"we have been to your island, professor," continued the officer, "and judging from the evidences of hasty departure, and the corpses of several natives there, i feared that some harm had befallen you.we therefore cruised along the bornean coast making inquiries of the natives until at last we found one who had heard a rumor of a party of whites being far in the interior searching for a white girl who had been stolen from them by pirates.
"the farther up this river we have come the greater our assurance that we were on the right trail, for scarcely a native we interrogated but had seen or heard of some of your party.mixed with the truth they told us were strange tales of terrible monsters led by a gigantic white man.""the imaginings of childish minds," said the professor.
"however, why, my dear lieutenant, did you honor me by visiting my island?"the officer hesitated a moment before answering, his eyes running about over the assembly as though in search of someone.