female twin, so she rode along, after promising she would do as he ordered.
When they reached the lake, Julie remained hidden in the reeds near shore, and watched through binoculars as her brother quietly approached the houseboat. Then Julie saw the captive missionary tied to a post. He was young and handsome, and she could see that he looked tired and hungry, and needed a bath. Bandages on his head and arm were evidence that he hadn't been taken without a struggle. Julie's heart went out to him. Missionaries weren't supposed to know how to fight, even young, handsome ones.
Her brother, meanwhile, was making his way to the houseboat in those dangerous waters. Julie's heart sank as the snout of a crocodile appeared near him. The jaws snapped loudly, but missed as the Seventeenth dived and veered away. A quick movement of her binoculars assured Julie that he was safe and no one on deck had noticed. Now, in the twilight, he reached deck, and, waiting his chance, climbed up. The bandits were below deck eating and drinking boisterously. The young missionary stared as the strange masked figure climbed onto deck. By the stealthy approach, he guessed this was a friend, a rescuer despite his forbidding appearance. But in spite of his caution, the Seventeenth hadn't boarded unseen. A hidden sentry had watched and waited to see what this stranger was up to.
When he saw the masked man starting to cut the prisoner's bonds, he pressed the trigger of his rifle.
The Seventeenth fell to the deck and the feasting bandits rushed up from below at the gunshot. On shore, Julie watched, terrified for her twin.
He was badly wounded, and the bandits looked at him curiously. They knew him by his costume, and his reputation. One bandit even bore a skull mark on his jaw, from a previous encounter years before.
This would have been in the fight with the twins' father, but, to these ruffians, the Phantom was the Phantom.
The bandit bearing the mark kicked the fallen masked man, then kicked him again, and tramped on him. On shore, the watching Julie shuddered, feeling the pain herself.
"I've waited twenty years to get back at you," the bandit shouted, hurling obscenities at the helpless figure.
"Stop that, you miserable cowards," cried the young missionary, straining at his ropes. A bandit struck him hard in the face to silence him.
The bandit leader was a large, fat, bearded ruffian. He laughed at the missionary.
"Some hero . .. tried to save you ... couldn't save himself. Phantom, Ghost Who Walks! Man Who Cannot Die!"
The bandit with the skull mark on his jaw aimed his pistol at the unconscious Phantom's head.
"Cannot die? Let's see if it's true!"
39
Story of the Phantom
The leader stopped him.
"Of course it's not true, stupid," he said. "That's too easy. Tie his hands and legs."
This was done. The bandits looked at their leader. What now?
"Let the crocodiles have a taste of this ghost, this Man Who Cannot Die." The bandits roared their approval, and shouting and laughing lifted the unconscious man and hurled him overboard.
"Wait, not yet," shouted the leader, but it was too late. The figure disappeared below the surface. The leader had intended to delay this until dawn so they might watch, for it was now dark. They watched for a time. A few crocodiles moved through the water, then dived under the surface. Most of the bandits returned to their feast, but a few, including the leader, remained on deck, staring into the dark, hoping to see some action in the water.
The moment her brother went overboard, Julie dived into the dark lake. On a belt at her waist was a long knife, her only weapon. Both twins swam like fish, and she moved swiftly through the lake, coming briefly up for a gulp of air, then going under again.
She reached her brother quickly near the lake bottom where his slight movements told her he was still alive. She moved him along a short distance from the boat, then carefully brought his face to the
When they reached the lake, Julie remained hidden in the reeds near shore, and watched through binoculars as her brother quietly approached the houseboat. Then Julie saw the captive missionary tied to a post. He was young and handsome, and she could see that he looked tired and hungry, and needed a bath. Bandages on his head and arm were evidence that he hadn't been taken without a struggle. Julie's heart went out to him. Missionaries weren't supposed to know how to fight, even young, handsome ones.
Her brother, meanwhile, was making his way to the houseboat in those dangerous waters. Julie's heart sank as the snout of a crocodile appeared near him. The jaws snapped loudly, but missed as the Seventeenth dived and veered away. A quick movement of her binoculars assured Julie that he was safe and no one on deck had noticed. Now, in the twilight, he reached deck, and, waiting his chance, climbed up. The bandits were below deck eating and drinking boisterously. The young missionary stared as the strange masked figure climbed onto deck. By the stealthy approach, he guessed this was a friend, a rescuer despite his forbidding appearance. But in spite of his caution, the Seventeenth hadn't boarded unseen. A hidden sentry had watched and waited to see what this stranger was up to.
When he saw the masked man starting to cut the prisoner's bonds, he pressed the trigger of his rifle.
The Seventeenth fell to the deck and the feasting bandits rushed up from below at the gunshot. On shore, Julie watched, terrified for her twin.
He was badly wounded, and the bandits looked at him curiously. They knew him by his costume, and his reputation. One bandit even bore a skull mark on his jaw, from a previous encounter years before.
This would have been in the fight with the twins' father, but, to these ruffians, the Phantom was the Phantom.
The bandit bearing the mark kicked the fallen masked man, then kicked him again, and tramped on him. On shore, the watching Julie shuddered, feeling the pain herself.
"I've waited twenty years to get back at you," the bandit shouted, hurling obscenities at the helpless figure.
"Stop that, you miserable cowards," cried the young missionary, straining at his ropes. A bandit struck him hard in the face to silence him.
The bandit leader was a large, fat, bearded ruffian. He laughed at the missionary.
"Some hero . .. tried to save you ... couldn't save himself. Phantom, Ghost Who Walks! Man Who Cannot Die!"
The bandit with the skull mark on his jaw aimed his pistol at the unconscious Phantom's head.
"Cannot die? Let's see if it's true!"
39
Story of the Phantom
The leader stopped him.
"Of course it's not true, stupid," he said. "That's too easy. Tie his hands and legs."
This was done. The bandits looked at their leader. What now?
"Let the crocodiles have a taste of this ghost, this Man Who Cannot Die." The bandits roared their approval, and shouting and laughing lifted the unconscious man and hurled him overboard.
"Wait, not yet," shouted the leader, but it was too late. The figure disappeared below the surface. The leader had intended to delay this until dawn so they might watch, for it was now dark. They watched for a time. A few crocodiles moved through the water, then dived under the surface. Most of the bandits returned to their feast, but a few, including the leader, remained on deck, staring into the dark, hoping to see some action in the water.
The moment her brother went overboard, Julie dived into the dark lake. On a belt at her waist was a long knife, her only weapon. Both twins swam like fish, and she moved swiftly through the lake, coming briefly up for a gulp of air, then going under again.
She reached her brother quickly near the lake bottom where his slight movements told her he was still alive. She moved him along a short distance from the boat, then carefully brought his face to the
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