ized that he was ill. He sank
back, dazed with the sudden force of a fever that coursed through his
body achingly, that throbbed in his head with a tumultuous roar. He
tried again, but fell back, dizzy. He rested till his head cleared,
then sat up and called Mercado to him. His voice came weak.

"Sergeant," he explained, "I do not feel--like going in to-night. You
push on--rest at Sears' to-night. Keep the prisoners in his corral
under guard. He will look after Senorita Ledesma and the men. Tell him
that I request that he come here and dynamite this pool--thoroughly.
Push on to Davao next morning and send for Ledesma to get his
daughter; and if I am not there by that time, you send a brief report
of this affair to Zamboanga. Understand?"

"Yes, sir, but you look sick, sir!" A quick concern flooded the
Macabebe's heavy face.

"Yes--I do not feel--very well. I am going to cut across country to
get to Doctor Merchant tonight. It is only six miles straight through
the woods."

The Macabebe led his charges across the ford, then, worried, returned
to Terry's side. Reassured somewhat by the brave smile, he mounted
after receiving a final injunction to take Matak in with him if they
overtook him. As the Macabebes herded their cowed prisoners into the
woods across from where he lay, Terry lay prone in another of the
intermittent surges of mounting fever that robbed him of his strength
and faculties.

When the wave of fever subsided he rose weakly, took his bearings by
the low sun and crossing the ford struck straight into the woods in
the direction he knew Dalag to lie. Entrance into the deep woods
brought instant twilight. He had covered a mile when a resurgent tide
of fever brought him down on the thick carpet of dead leaves that
covered the darkening forest floor, and for several minutes he lay
gripped in the sickening spasm that rioted through his veins and
robbed him of all reason. When it passed he rose dizzily to stumble on
under the trees, which reached up toward a sky glorious with the
flaming reds and deep pinks that mark the passing of a hot day over
the Celebes Sea.

He staggered on, conscious only of the necessity of getting to the
doctor and of the agonizing explosions in his head which threatened to
rend his skull asunder at each jarring footfall. The sky grayed,
darkened. Dusk found him a short quarter-mile further on, where
another surge of raging temperature brought him low. Another followed
swiftly. W