The Yellow Spider (Paperback)

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1920. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XII Peter Gross Comes To Bulungan THE surf runs quite strongly at the mouth of the little creek a half-hour's journey to the north of Bulungan where Koyala had bidden Naioh to land Grace Coston and Peter Gross. Only a skillful jurumuddi can negotiate the passage when the sea is running, and none attempts it after nightfall. Thus Naioh and Peter Gross, both of whom were masters of the clumsy and heavy Bornean tambangan, had no fear of meeting other craft when they turned the nose of Naioh's boat shoreward. Passing the barrier of splinty, foam-crested shale was a delicate operation, and taxed the utmost strength of both men. But darkness concealed the perils of surf and rock as well as the almost superhuman strength and cleverness put forth by Naioh and Peter Gross. All that Grace knew of straining eyes searching the shore-line for the glint of a star on open water, and of the desperate struggle with tide and current, was a few moments of suspense as they shot through the giant breakers. She did not perceive that Peter Gross had purposely placed her next to him that he might seize her and shield her body from the rocks with his own in the event the frail craft was hurled against a blade of shale. Once the surf barrier was passed they glided swiftly and silently along the creek toward the agreed meetingplace, the kiosk which the Datoo Maholo had built for his ganeca idol in the shade of a great banyan. As their light craft grounded on the sands a vague form detached itself from the somber forest gloom. Naioh leaped nimbly out and there was a moment's whispered colloquy between him and the figure on the beach. He then drew the tambangan high on the shore. Not a word was spoken. Grace restrained her curiosity, for Peter Gross had emphatically warned her of the necessity for silen...