: "Did you notice how hard the affair got him? Of course it
was a pretty stiff sight."

"It wasn't that," said the Major, slowly. "From something he said to
me to-day I know that he has had a horror of some day being compelled
to kill a man--and the day came. I'm very sorry I didn't stop that
Moro devil--yet I hit him three times."

The Governor walked the short distance to his residence. Wade dropped
the Major at his bungalow, and sat oblivious to the Major's
outstretched hand, musing.

"Major," he said finally, "Matak's selecting Terry for his
master--queer, isn't it?"

"Huh!" growled the Major, "I would go with him myself--anywhere!"

CHAPTER V

NEW FRIENDS, AND AN ENEMY

The _Francesca_, no slower and no dirtier than most of the other
steamers which ply the inter-island trade routes, had waddled all
night and all day through the Celebes Sea. Afternoon found her
laboring over a becalmed mirror of sea, past rippled reefs, through
clusters of little coral islands from which straggle-plumed palms
raised wry fronds in anemic defiance of inhospitable, root resisting
soil. Mindanao lay to the west and south, vast, mysterious.

Terry stood alone at the forward end of the small promenade deck
watching the third class passengers, who, though still manifesting the
uneasiness of the Malay landsman at sea, were comfortably sprawled
upon the dirty hatch covers enjoying the seven-mile breeze created by
the movement of the vessel through the still atmosphere. Upon the
cooler side of the upper deck the first class passengers had disposed
themselves under the once-white awning. Two natives, a Tagalog planter
named Ledesma and his big-eyed, full-bosomed daughter, had withdrawn
themselves from the whites and were seated in conscious dignity near
the aft rail. Four Americans were grouped up forward, stretched out in
full length steamer chairs in the complete physical comfort born of a
cooling evening after a blistering day.

Lindsey reached out to pull up an extra chair, beckoned Terry to join
them and introduced him to the fourth member of the group, naming him
as Sears.

He was a big man, heavy-set, a bit untidy of dress and beard: his face
was flushed, and he answered Terry's pleasant salutation with a
mattered growl. Lindsey moved in his chair, uneasily.

"Lieutenant," he said, "we want to get acquainted with you. We shall
see much of each other in Davao."

Before Terry could respond a harsh voice broke in: "