“What did Theodoor say?” asked Verstork. “Could you make it out?”
“Not a word,” replied van Nerekool, “he was much too far off; but something strange seems to have happened.”
“Come let us hurry on,” said Verstork.
The little party then began to toil up the steep. They were not, however, fired by the same enthusiasm which had inspired their friends, and thus they took thrice as long to accomplish the ascent. When they at length reached the summit, they could, in the distance, see Grenits and Grashuis running at the top of their speed between the rice-fields. The latter turned for an instant and waved his arm as if to urge his comrades to greater speed.
“Help! help! toean!” was heard again, but this time the cry was so faint as to be barely audible.
The two European gentlemen had, however, by this time, got much nearer to the hut.
“Come on, come on,” shouted Grenits, hoping that he would urge his friends to greater speed.
“Are you sure,” asked Grashuis, “that we are going in the right direction? It appears to me as if we were getting further away from the sound.”
But they had no time for considering the matter, for, at that moment a female form was seen rushing from the hut and running to meet them.
“Help, toean, help!” she cried, as she fell down at their feet.