d not take
it but continued to regard him steadily out of brooding eyes, the
Governor returned the commission to the basket and fell to drumming
his desk.

He broke the long silence: "Major, you really think you should go?" It
was hardly a question.

"Governor, I must go!"

The older man studied his inkwell: "Major, it was over three weeks ago
that Sergeant Mercado sent you his report: it seems rather--rather--"
he was loath, to say it--"rather hopeless."

He remained in contemplation of his uninspiring inkwell for a long
minute then delved into his basket for a letter received that morning
from the Lieutenant Governor of Davao, a letter he had read many
times. He scanned it again.

"Major, Terry has been missing over three weeks, was ill when he was
last seen. It seems certain that he either succumbed to fever or
else--you know he entered the woods right at the edge of the Hill
Country, and if he strayed off his course he is almost certainly--"

Bronner broke in upon him, frantically unwilling to hear the word
spoken. He was furious in his grief.

"Yes, they wait three weeks before reporting his disappearance--the
best officer in the Service--sick--alone in the woods!--no rations,
no--nothing, except a canteen and a pistol! If I were governor I'd
fire the whole damned crew down there!"

The Governor regarded him with wise patience till he choked into
silence. "No, Major. There was no fault. The Sergeant reported in
Davao that Terry had gone to Dalag to see the doctor, so it was not
until Merchant finished his work there that they learned from him that
Terry had not reached him. It was no fault of any one, Major; just
hard, hard luck. Now, I have been thinking over your request to go in
search of Terry's--in search of Terry, and I have decided. The
despatch boat is now at the wharf subject to your orders. She makes
something over twenty knots."

"Governor, I'm--I appreciate your--Governor, it means a good deal to
me!"

"I will not detain you, Major. You do as you find best when you reach
Davao. Pacify the planters first--this report says that they are wild
with grief and rage. Of course you will take temporary command of
Terry's Macabebes. The entire company is there now and with them you
could doubtless smash your way up into the Hills. I had other hopes,
hopes of winning them peaceably--hopes in which Terry figured....
Well, I know you are anxious--so run along."

He rose and came around the big desk t