f here and there a natty, nervous, little brown man
who appeared in the more formal black frock coat. But few, even of
these, had the courage to come out in sun-up hours wearing the silk hat
that is the usual accompaniment of the long-tailed frock coat.

Despite the heat, the faces of most of the people in the crowded streets
appeared cheerful, even happy. Life is not taken too seriously in the
Orient. The natives always find plenty of time for laughter; the
stranger soon acquires the trick.

Banks, stores, restaurants, mineral water kiosks--all the places of
resort along the Escolta--were abundantly patronized, yet none save the
_cocheros_ perched up on the little seats of the _quilez_ appeared to be
at all in a hurry.

Yet one man in particular appeared to be devoid of hurry. In fact, he
paused or halted whenever the two boyish young sergeants did. He
invariably kept about a hundred feet behind them in this queerly
bustling yet ever leisurely crowd that thronged the sidewalks of the
Escolta.

While Hal and Noll were curiously noting the fact--that the Escolta
seems always so busy, but the individuals who make up the life there
seem never in a hurry--the man who was plainly following them never
glanced at them directly, yet never once lost sight of them.

Neither Hal nor Noll had yet noted the man, about whom there were some
points that would have been amusing to the American youngsters.

This man was a Filipino. At first glance one would have believed him to
be a Tagalo, or member of the most warlike and ambitious of all the
eighty-odd tribes that make up the peoples of these islands. The Tagalos
are the tribe most frequently found in and around Manila, and in the
provinces nearest to that city. In apearance the Tagalos look a
good deal like underfed Japanese. It was to the Tagalos that the
_insurrecto_ leader, Aguinaldo, belonged.

These Tagalos, however, consider themselves in every way the equals and
match for any white man. The Tagalos have absorbed much of the Spanish
civilization. Many of them are wealthy and the sons of such families
generally hold degrees from Philippine colleges. Well-to-do Tagalos,
despite their undersized stature and dark-brown skins, affect all the
culture--and the vices--of well-to-do white people. They conduct banks,
engage in commerce, mingle with white society, and consider themselves
as bright lights of civilization. Above all, every Tagalo takes keen
interest in politics. Yet