s, which afford warmth as well
as protection from the unhealthy dew. Quickly Piang sank into an
untroubled slumber. All night long creatures fought below him for the
few remaining drops of moisture in the discarded shells, but he knew
that he was safe, and their snarls and bickerings did not alarm him.

Piang started guiltily. He must have overslept. The sun was high, but
for some reason the heat had not awakened him. Sitting up, he rubbed
his eyes, sniffed the air, and uttered a shout of joy. A gentle rain
was trickling through the foliage; the spell was broken; the jungle
would live again. After hastily gathering a few nuts he climbed down
the tree and prepared for his journey, thankful that the drought
was to be broken by the gentle "liquid sunshine," as it is called,
instead of by a violent typhoon. Eating what he wanted of the soft,
green cocoanut meat, he tied two nuts to the ends of a ratan strip,
and, slinging them across his shoulder, was off again, darting here
and there to avoid the stinging vines and treacherous pitfalls.

How many days was he from Lake Lanao? He counted the suns that must
rise and set before he should arrive. There were four, if he should be
fortunate enough to find the Ganassi trail. Piang had not lost time by
returning to the coast to pick up the trail, but had trusted to his
instinct to lead him aright. Surely, if he followed the sun by day,
and the big bright evening star by night, he would come upon the
trail the second day. He must avoid the lake people at all costs;
they were not to be trusted, and his life would pay the penalty if
they caught him spying. Silently the jungle child sped along. Nothing
escaped his watchful eye; no sound eluded his trained ear. Once he
darted aside just in time to escape the toils of the dread python as
it swooped from above to claim its victim. Another time his bolo saved
him, and a wild civet-cat lay at his feet. Chuckling at his prowess,
Piang drew his knife across the animal's belly, and slipped off the
skin, almost whole. It would be useful to him, and maybe he could
find the herb that is used to cure pelts.

It was very difficult traveling. The sun was not visible during the
afternoon, and Piang lost his direction. Blundering here and there,
he often came back to the same place. It was no use; he could not find
the trail without the assistance of sun or stars. Sometimes it was
days before either could penetrate the dense mist that accompanie