flat turbans. "There are some Bagobos now," Lacson said.
"They come to town to shop."

Rick looked with interest. In the few seconds before the car sped out of
sight he saw that the primitives were light of skin, had pierced ears
from which dangled loops, and that the men wore trousers formed of a
single piece of cloth put on like a skirt, then pulled between the legs
and fastened to an ornate belt. Their clothes were brightly colored.

As Calinan dropped behind, the country turned to tropical forest, with
tall lauan and tanguile trees, the source of so-called Philippine
mahogany. Once Rick saw coffee bushes growing under the trees.

Then, only a short distance from Calinan, the paved road came to an
abrupt end and narrowed to little more than a dirt trail. The command
car bucked over hummocks of cogon grass while the boys held on to keep
from being tossed out. Finally, in a small clearing, the road petered
out entirely.

This was the glade, Lacson explained, in which the truck driver had left
Briotti and Shannon. No one had seen them since.

Towering trees cut off the sun and the air was heavy and damp with the
smell of tropic growth. Mosquitoes whined.

Lacson handed around a small bottle of insect repellent. "Rub in well,"
he directed. "You can leave your coats in the car. It will be a warm
hike."

Rick shed his coat gladly. They had worn their tropical suits, and
Lacson had rushed them off so fast there had been no chance to change.

The major gave orders in Chebucano. Two troopers saluted and fell back.
They would stay with the cars. Juan, the trooper from Calinan, took the
lead as the rest started up the trail that led into the jungle from the
clearing.

"Juan knows the trail," Lacson said. "Also, he is good at spotting
snakes and animals."

Rick fell into line behind Zircon and Lacson. Scotty walked at his side
while the two enlisted men brought up the rear.

It was an eerie hike, through growth so thick one couldn't see more than
five paces on either side of the trail. Overhead the foliage met, and
the group walked through a kind of steaming green tunnel. The sun never
penetrated to the jungle floor, where pale plants grew in profusion.

There was life in the trees overhead, heard but unseen. Once Rick
recognized the howl of monkeys. Again, by the side of the trail, there
was a sudden chittering and a tiny furry form made a fantastic leap to
the safety of a rattan vine. Rick caught a glimpse of a m