red trousers, a red and
blue turban on his head, and a tight jeweled tunic, covered with pearl
buttons. His sash was green, dotted with purple spots. He had purple
parrot feathers at his waist and in his turban.

His feet were bare, as is the custom in his native wilds in the south
island. The round shield that he carried, glistened. He waved two
terrible kriss-knives, with jeweled handles. Over his shoulder he
carried a spear. How he drummed on that shield! He hurled his knives
into the air, and cleverly caught them before they fell. He seemed to
pursue a foe; to crouch like a boy scout; to listen; to follow the
track; to meet the foe; to battle for his life and country. At last
he seemed to conquer with a wild yell, just as he was hurled backward
and his shield was thrown aside. All this, while we held our breath
in excitement, he acted in his strange, barbaric dance, keeping time
with the wind-like, volcano-like music of his native Moro islands.

The fiesta and the dances were over at last. The dancers and the
guests departed.

Next morning, as we stood on the coconut wharf waiting for the boat
to come in, Fil perhaps noticed that I looked sad. I saw by his smile
that he was preparing one of his jokes to cheer me up.

"Father," said he, "may I take our friend back to America, so as to
see that he arrives all right?"

"Wait till you grow bigger," replied Fil's father.

"Then don't blame me if he gets lost," laughed little Fil, as he tried
to stand on his tiptoes, and lifted his hand high above his head,
so as to appear as tall as a man.

After all this courtesy, all this happy, laughing time, in these sunny
summer islands of the purple Philippine seas, it almost broke my heart,
as I left for home, to answer Fil, Filippa, their kind parents, Moro,
the good Padre, and little Favra who were calling from the wharf:
"Adios, amigo" (a de os' a me'go)--"To God we commend you, our friend."

THE END

Printed in the United States of America.

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