s hovering near.

All eyes turned toward the charm boy.

"La ilaha illa llahoe," softly prayed Piang, scrutinizing the frowning
jungle, as it closed in on all sides.

"Kali Pandapatan," finally announced the boy, "it is given that we
act as brave men. If it is Bal-Bal who has been swooping upon us,
have no fear; he can come no more with Piang, the charm boy, prepared
to meet him. If it is something else that is hovering near, we must
go boldly forth and slay our enemy."

A relieved sigh from the listeners greeted this speech.

"Bravely spoken, little brother," said Kali Pandapatan.

Another boat load arrived from the sea, and when the nature of
the calamity had been explained, all volunteered to aid in the
search. Each man bearing a torch, they went in pairs, scattering
through the jungle. At given intervals, Piang who remained in the
barrio at the entreaty of the aged, was to respond to the clan call.

"Le le li li!" echoed through the somber night, giving courage to the
faint of heart and keeping the searching party's spirits up. Stealthily
the charm boy crept around the edge of the clearing, examining every
possible opening; cautiously he peered into nooks and crannies.

The mango-tree! What was there about that old jungle veteran that
drew the boy toward it? The babe had disappeared from under its
shelter; the fawn had been whisked from its protection. A cry from
the circle around the fire arrested him as he approached the tree, but
he reassured them, exposing the charm, and bravely went forward. Dew
on the heavy, dark foliage glistened in the firelight, and the golden
fruit peeped forth temptingly. Piang reached up on tiptoe to pluck a
ripe mango, supporting his body against a large vine that hung from the
tree. The vine stirred, trembled, and disappeared. With a low cry the
boy recoiled. The tree was bewitched, was alive. Would its huge limbs
enfold him in its embrace as it had done the other two victims? Piang
was unable to move. Fascinated, he stared wide-eyed at the tree
with its wealth of parasite life sapping its vitality. Trailing
orchids and tree-ferns festooned its limbs; _liana_ and _bajuca_
vines smothered it in death-like embrace. Coil upon coil of these
serpent-like jungle creepers, ignoring or circumventing the smudge
platform halfway up the trunk, ascended to the tree's very crest,
only to return, dangling and swinging like the ragged draperies of
a slattern, reaching out tenacious arms in s