d brandished them. Probably the savages would not have surrendered a
guest on any terms; but this demonstration provoked them. In howling
tumult they dispersed, seized their ready weapons, and formed line. The
war-cry was not yet raised, but spears were levelled by furious hands. The
issue depended on any chance movement. Suddenly from a distance came the
blast of a cow-horn--a muffled bellow, but full of threat. The savages
paused, turned, and rushed out, shouting. Roebelin caught a word, familiar
by this time--'Bagabos.' He followed; but Sam Choon seized his arm. 'They
put _ranjows_,' he said breathlessly. 'You cut foot, you die!' And in the
moonlight Roebelin saw boys running hither and thither with an armful of
bamboo spikes sharp as knives at each end, which they drove into the
earth.

Men unacquainted with the plan of this defence can only stand aside when
ranjows are laid down. Roebelin waited with the Chinamen, tame and quiet
enough now. The Subanos had all vanished in the forest, which rose, misty
and still, across the clearing. Hours they watched, expecting each moment
to hear the yell of savage fight. But no sound reached them. At length a
long line of dusky figures emerged, with arms and ornaments sparkling in
the moonlight. It was half the warriors returning.

They still showed sullenness towards the Chinamen; but the chief took
Roebelin by the hand, led him to the foot of a tree upon which stood the
largest house, and smilingly showed him the way up. It was not a pleasant
climb. The ladder, a notched trunk, dripped with dew; it was old and
rotten besides. Roebelin went up gingerly; the chief returned with a torch
to light his steps before he had got half way. But the interior was
comfortable enough--far above the mosquito realm anyhow. Roebelin felt
that an indefinite number of eyes were watching from the darkness as he
made his simple preparations for turning in; but he saw none of them, and
heard only a rustling. 'What a day I've had!' he thought, and fell asleep.

It was a roar and a rush like the crack of doom which woke him; shrieking
and shouting, clang of things that fell, boom of great waves, and thunder
such as mortal never heard dominating all. A multitude of naked bodies
stumbled over him and fell, a struggling, screaming heap. In an instant
they were gone. He started up, but pitched headlong. The floor rolled
elastic as a spring-board. It was black night. Dimly he saw clearer
patches where a f