earch of new support.

At any moment Piang expected to be seized by this supernatural
monster, and yet he could not cry out or move. Where did it hide
its victims? Did it inhale life or suck it into its trunk? Scarcely
realizing what he was doing, the boy focused his gaze upon two dazzling
points of light that gradually came nearer, nearer. A peacefulness
came over him, and he wondered why he had been so terrified a moment
before. Slowly a numbness crept up his limbs; a giddiness attacked
him. On came the hypnotic, icy lights, until they were within a few
feet of his face.

"Le le li li!" crashed through the stillness. With the dim past Piang
connected the disturbing sounds. The gleaming lights were beautiful,
compelling.

"Le le li li!" A memory of some duty faintly stirred Piang's
subconsciousness, and his senses tried to respond to the call. Bright
and intense grew the twin fires. One instant they seemed as minute
as fireflies, the next as large as moons. Yes, the tree was alive;
it was moving. A giant creeper was swaying toward him, would grasp
him in its toils.

"Le le li li!" persistently the call was repeated. "Le le li li!" A
duty! What was it? Charm boy? Who was charm boy? Involuntarily Piang's
hand sought the charm on his breast and grasped it. He was saved! With
a shriek he darted back just in time. The vine lunged out, quivered,
and recoiled.

Asin, who had been curiously watching Piang for some time, rushed
toward him and caught the fainting boy in his arms.

Quietly Piang gave his orders; unquestioningly he was obeyed. After his
mishap he had not regained consciousness for two days, and during his
illness he had prated senselessly about trees that were alive and vines
that had eyes, much to the disturbance of Kali Pandapatan and Asin. But
when he whispered his suspicions to his chief, Kali gave a low whistle.

Asin and Tooloowee were taken into the secret, and they set to work
to develop Piang's plan. A wild boar, which had been captured for
crocodile bait, was fastened to a pole in the middle of the _campong_
(clearing). Around it was built a bamboo pen, opened at one end, from
which extended a low, fenced-in lane about forty feet long. Arranged
in this lane, at intervals, were slip nooses of ratan, which, rising
above the structure, looked like skeleton arches.

Impatiently the Moros waited for night; fearfully they watched the
mango-tree. There was no tom-tom serenade such as usually heral