oked trail.

At noon he drew up at Sears' plantation to freshen men and beasts.
Sears tore out to meet them, greeted Terry enthusiastically and ran
inside again to hurry his cook while Terry superintended the care of
the ponies. When Sears' foreman bore the soldiers into the cookshack
for a hot dinner of rice and fish Terry passed up the high stairway
and into the cool house, there to sink into a big chair, faint.

Sears was energetically speeding his boy in the laying of his
"company" linens and silver. He lumbered over to Terry and in his
enthusiasm shook hands again. Feeling the hand hot to his touch, he
glanced keenly down into the burning eyes.

"Man, you're sick! You shouldn't be out in the sun in this
condition!"

Terry mustered a weak laugh but Sears insisted: he poured out a stiff
drink of Scotch and when Terry refused this he half wrecked his
medicine chest in search of aspirin. He found only two tablets, and
these Terry swallowed obligingly, finding almost instant relief as the
perspiration cooled his parched skin.

Sears' anxious hospitality suffered during lunch as despite a brave
show of appetite Terry ate nothing, but briefly outlined the situation
that was taking him into the foothills.

"So they are coming this way?" Sears exclaimed. "I hadn't heard it yet
but I knew something was up. Last night some Bogobos--they are fine to
me since you--since I--" he floundered a moment, "I mean they're fine
to me. Well, anyway, last night they came to tell me that two strange
natives, both armed, had ridden past here toward the foothills: didn't
know who the pair were--you may, though, as they described one as
havin' a white eye."

Terry nodded: "That is Malabanan, Sears."

Sears whistled: "Pwhew! I am gettin' some likely neighbors--probably
the other was his side-kicker, that laughin' devil of a Sakay! Well,
anyway, that's not all, Lieutenant. About two hours ago my foreman saw
your Moro boy, Matak. He was ridin' that black pony of yours and
stopped to ask my foreman if he had seen two natives ridin' by,
describin' Malabanan. Then he beat it after 'em."

Terry was watching through the open window and when he saw his men
emerge from the shack he rose apologetically, listening attentively
while Sears told him the best trail to the three abandoned shacks
that Terry sought. Sears, distressed in the helpless way of physically
big men, detained him while he refilled his canteen with fresh water
and sought Ter