"Bududreen," said von Horn, when the two had reached a safe distance from the enclosures, "there is no need of mincing matters--something must be done at once.I do not know how much you know of the work that Professor Maxon has been engaged in since we reached this island;but it has been hellish enough and it must go no further.You have seen the creatures in the campong next to yours?""I have seen," replied Bududreen, with a shudder.
"Professor Maxon intends to wed one of these to his daughter," von Horn continued."She loves me and we wish to escape--can I rely on you and your men to aid us? There is a chest in the workshop which we must take along too, and I can assure you that you all will be well rewarded for your work.We intend merely to leave Professor Maxon here with the creatures he has created."Bududreen could scarce repress a smile--it was indeed too splendid to be true.
"It will be perilous work, Captain," he answered.
"We should all be hanged were we caught.""There will be no danger of that, Bududreen, for there will be no one to divulge our secret.""There will be the Professor Maxon," urged the Malay.
"Some day he will escape from the island, and then we shall all hang.""He will never escape," replied von Horn, "his own creatures will see to that.They are already commencing to realize the horrible crime he has committed against them, and when once they are fully aroused there will be no safety for any of us.If you wish to leave the island at all it will be best for you to accept my proposal and leave while your head yet remains upon your shoulders.Were we to suggest to the professor that he leave now he would not only refuse but he would take steps to make it impossible for any of us to leave, even to sinking the Ithaca.The man is mad--quite mad--Bududreen, and we cannot longer jeopardize our own throats merely to humor his crazy and criminal whims."The Malay was thinking fast, and could von Horn have guessed what thoughts raced through the tortuous channels of that semi-barbarous brain he would have wished himself safely housed in the American prison where he belonged.
"When do you wish to sail?" asked the Malay.
"Tonight," replied von Horn, and together they matured their plans.An hour later the second mate with six men disappeared into the jungle toward the harbor.
They, with the three on watch, were to get the vessel in readiness for immediate departure.
After the evening meal von Horn sat on the verandah with Virginia Maxon until the Professor came from the workshop to retire for the night.As he passed them he stopped for a word with von Horn, taking him aside out of the girl's hearing.
"Have you noticed anything peculiar in the actions of Thirteen?" asked the older man."He was sullen and morose this evening, and at times there was a strange, wild light in his eyes as he looked at me.Can it be possible that, after all, his brain is defective?
It would be terrible.My work would have gone for naught, for I can see no way in which I can improve upon him.""I will go and have a talk with him later," said von Horn, "so if you hear us moving about in the workshop, or even out here in the campong think nothing of it.
I may take him for a long walk.It is possible that the hard study and close confinement to that little building have been too severe upon his brain and nerves.
A long walk each evening may bring him around all right.""Splendid--splendid," replied the professor."You may be quite right.Do it by all means, my dear doctor,"and there was a touch of the old, friendly, sane tone which had been so long missing, that almost caused von Horn to feel a trace of compunction for the hideous act of disloyalty that he was on the verge of perpetrating.
As Professor Maxon entered the house von Horn returned to Virginia and suggested that they take a short walk outside the campong before retiring.The girl readily acquiesced to the plan, and a moment later found them strolling through the clearing toward the southern end of the camp.In the dark shadows of the gateway leading to the men's enclosure a figure crouched.
The girl did not see it, but as they came opposite it von Horn coughed twice, and then the two passed on toward the edge of the jungle.
