rouched over
the improvised bed of his chief.

"Sssshhhh," he warned, finger on lip. "Do not wake the others." Then
he pointed toward a spot where hoards of fireflies clustered around
one tree, twinkling and swerving to and fro. It was a beautiful sight,
but far from a novel one to these two.

"The fire-tree!" muttered Kali.

"Yes," answered Piang. "The rain has brought the blooms to the valley,
and we will be attacked to-morrow!" Silently they gazed at the strange
tree. Fireflies abandon every tree and shrub for the fire-tree the
moment it puts forth its buds, and nothing can coax them away until
the ominous scarlet blossoms have drooped and fallen to the ground.

"We dare not cross the river now, Kali," said Piang, "but we can
build rafts and float down to Cotabato."

And so it was decided. Early in the muggy dawn the warriors set to
work constructing rafts out of bamboo and ratan (palm), and soon the
siwaka was loaded and the journey continued by water.

Arrogantly Piang rode at the head of the procession, his proud little
head crowned with a wreath of fire-tree blooms, the corners of his
raft decorated with sprigs of the flaming buds. Cautiously they
poled down the swift stream, avoiding treacherous logs and snapping
crocodiles. Piang chuckled with delight as they stole along, for the
enemy would not discover the ruse until they were far away.

It was some time before Sicto was missed. His name was passed from
raft to raft, but none had seen him that morning. At first it was
feared that one of the crocodiles had pulled him from a raft, but
something seemed to tell Piang that the wily half-breed had stolen
away to warn the enemy of Kali's strategy. Once the news of the rich
booty to be captured and the prisoners to be taken had reached the
valley people, nothing could keep them from pursuing, now that their
fire-tree had bloomed. A solemn conclave was held.

The river is almost inaccessible from the jungle except at one point,
the Big Bend. This is a favorite camping-ground of the valley people
during the combat season; here their sacrifices are offered, their
victims thrown to the crocodiles; they exercise full control of the
river. If Sicto succeeded in warning the enemy before Kali reached
that point there would be little hope of escape. Another force would
surely be posted where he had embarked, cutting Kali off from his
reinforcements at home. It was too late to attempt a retreat, however,
hampered as