the stories she had heard of the fierce crocodiles
which infest certain of the rivers of Borneo. Again and again she
could have sworn that she felt some huge, slimy body sweep beneath her
in the mysterious waters of this unknown river.

Behind her she saw the prahu turn back up stream, but now her mind was
suddenly engaged with a new danger, for the girl realized that the
strong current was bearing her down stream more rapidly than she had
imagined. Already she could hear the increasing roar of the river as
it rushed, wild and tumultuous, through the entrance to the narrow
gorge below her. How far it was to shore she could not guess, or how
far to the certain death of the swirling waters toward which she was
being drawn by an irresistible force; but of one thing she was certain,
her strength was rapidly waning, and she must reach the bank quickly.

With redoubled energy she struck out in one last mighty effort to reach
the shore. The tug of the current was strong upon her, like a giant
hand reaching up out of the cruel river to bear her back to death. She
felt her strength ebbing quickly--her strokes now were feeble and
futile. With a prayer to her Maker she threw her hands above her head
in the last effort of the drowning swimmer to clutch at even thin air
for support--the current caught and swirled her downward toward the
gorge, and, at the same instant her fingers touched and closed upon
something which swung low above the water.

With the last flickering spark of vitality that remained in her poor,
exhausted body Virginia Maxon clung to the frail support that a kind
Providence had thrust into her hands. How long she hung there she
never knew, but finally a little strength returned to her, and
presently she realized that it was a pendant creeper hanging low from a
jungle tree upon the bank that had saved her from the river's rapacious
maw.

Inch by inch she worked herself upward toward the bank, and at last,
weak and panting, sunk exhausted to the cool carpet of grass that grew
to the water's edge. Almost immediately tired, Nature plunged her into
a deep sleep. It was daylight when she awoke, dreaming that the tall
young giant had rescued her from a band of demons and was lifting her
in his arms to carry her back to her father.

Through half open lids she saw the sunlight filtering through the leafy
canopy above her--she wondered at the realism of her dream; full
consciousness returned and with it the c