my friends. I
could only think that here was proof of the greatness of the Ifugao, and
that the Americans were coming to take it away."

"But we said that the artifacts would remain here," Tony Briotti
reminded him. "We told Dr. Okola that we would not ask permission to
take them out of the country."

"Yes, but I was worried. I went to Lazada, to plead with him to forbid
you to take them under any circumstances, and he told me that he was
helpless, officially. He said that the American Government would insist
on getting the treasures of my people, and that our own government would
have to yield because we need American financial aid."

"Of all the rotten lies!" Rick exclaimed angrily.

"Yes. But he was an official of our government and I believed him. Then
he goaded me. He said that only an Ifugao would allow such a thing to
happen, because the Ifugaos were less than men. Men would protect their
treasures. I was emotionally upset already. His goading drove me
berserk. I was truly mad. So, I acted as I did."

"Tell them what happened at Banaue," Okola said gently.

"Dr. Briotti convinced me that he was not trying to steal our treasure.
That is, he almost convinced me, and he did convince our priests. But
Lazada came, and he said the American ambassador was already demanding
custody of the treasure as soon as it was found. You know what happened
then."

"We sure do," Scotty said.

"Then the jeep got away, and later the plane came. We did not keep
attacking, because many of our young men had lost heart. They couldn't
see the sense of rushing into the muzzles of your rifles over some
treasure they knew nothing about. I had worked them up to the point of
attacking once, but I could not do it again. Then the plane dropped the
sack. We did not know what was in it, except that it must be part of the
treasure. Lazada carried it to his car. I followed and demanded the bag.
He said he had no bag, although it was in plain sight. He was smiling.
He said the plane got all the bags; he didn't have any. I saw at once
what he was doing. He was going to take the bag and pretend that he had
never seen it, and it would be the word of a group of poor Ifugao
natives against the word of a great official. I saw red. I reached for
him, and Nast struck me with his gun."

Nangolat rubbed his head. "He knocked me out, and he knocked sense into
me. I walked to Bontoc and took the bus south. Now I am ready to be
punished."

Rick was de