" grinned the boy,
and when he delivered that message to his majesty, a smile nearly
destroyed the immobility of his features. A slave handed Lewis a
package done up in green leaves, and when he curiously loosened the
wrappings, a handful of seed-pearls, beautiful in luster and coloring
fell in his palm.

"Thank him for the _Sabah_, Piang. I guess this will ease her restless
spirit, all right. Tell him it will also serve as a balm for the
wounds of the men who were attacked by the juramentados."

Regally the old potentate rose to take leave. Lewis wanted to slap
him on the back in that "bully-for-you-old-top" manner, but the farce
must be completed. When the sultan paused opposite Lewis, measuring
him with those cruel, steely eyes, Lewis's only indiscretion was a
wavering of the eyelid, just one little waver, but it was very much
like a wink. There was undoubtedly a response in the other's eyes,
but that is between the sultan and Lewis.

As solemnly as they had come, the procession disappeared into the
jungle. The giant trees, smothered by vines and noxious growths,
swallowed the brilliant throng and seemed to symbolize the union
of the savage and the jungle. The sergeant's great, brawny hand was
extended and grasped by Lewis in appreciation of what they had been
through together.

Excitement reigned everywhere. The bedlam of fowls about to be
decapitated and the shrieks of the troopers vied with each other for
supremacy. Piang was being lionized by the men, toasted and praised
in high fashion.

When Lewis inspected the Christmas dinner, the old Irishman winked
a solemn wink, as he reminded the lieutenant of the discarded menu.

"You knew it all the time, sor; why didn't you put me on?" With a
noncommittal smile, Lewis proceeded on his usual inspection tour. After
he had returned to his tent and was settling himself to enjoy the
hard-earned meal, he was startled by an unusually loud outburst among
the men. It gradually dawned upon him what it was. "Three cheers
for the lieutenant! Three cheers for Piang!" was the cry that was
disturbing the jungle twilight.

NINTH ADVENTURE

THE BICHARA [1]

Piang was about to land for the first time at Zamboanga. His tribe
had looked with distrust upon the overtures made by Governor Findy,
and although they obeyed his command to appear at the _bichara_, they
were prepared to fight if necessary. Pagans, Mohammedans, Catholics,
and Protestants were ordered to assembl