d about a clay jug or something else he
uncovers. The archaeologist has nothing but old jugs or beetles or stuff
like that to get excited about. It's a peaceful profession, boys. That's
why I like it. Calm, quiet, orderly."

Pilipil didn't get the irony in Tony's voice, but the others laughed.

Scotty nodded agreement. "That's the popular idea of an archaeologist,
all right! Sounds like a recruiting ad, doesn't it? Be peaceful and
quiet. Live to a ripe old age. Be an archaeologist. Reminds me of the
recruiting poster that hooked me once. Join the Marines, it said. See
the world. Learn a trade. I joined. Saw the world while snaking on my
belly through the South Pacific. Learned a trade, too. How to fire a
rifle. Very few peacetime riflemen needed, however."

"We'll combine our trades," Tony said. "You might say we did, earlier
tonight."

As Rick put more wood on the fire he said, "We're together, for the
first time. Before, either Tony or Chahda was missing. Now what do we
do?"

Tony considered. "I must admit I was not giving much thought to the
purpose of the expedition when you came after me. I spent most of my
time imagining how my skull would look on the knick-knack shelf in the
hut."

"What knick-knack shelf?" Chahda asked.

"You wouldn't have noticed," Tony told them. "It was high in the rear of
the hut, above the opening you made. A shelf full of skulls. I kept
trying to flatter myself that surely my head would be prettier than
those. But I didn't really believe it."

"Do you really believe the Ifugaos would have taken your head?" Rick
asked.

"You bet I do! You should have seen Nangolat. He shed civilization with
his clothes. He got down to a breechcloth and he was all primitive. He's
got a bad case of bats in the belfry, believe me. I'd say he was a true
fanatic."

"Yes," Angel Manotok said positively. "You remember I tell you about
those eyes of his? The doctor is right. Nangolat is crazy. He is a
killer."

Rick remembered the crazed, distorted face of Nangolat rushing for the
jeep with spear extended. "I vote Nangolat for nuts, too. Insane and
dangerous."

"This being Mountain Province, Philippines, I don't think it would do
much good to call the men in white coats to bring a strait jacket,"
Scotty observed. "So, what do we do? We can ignore him, avoid him, or
shoot him. The first is hard, since he carries a sharp spear. The second
may be possible. The third I reject as being un-scientific and