Piang grinned, but instantly went on his knees, head touching the ground as a sullen, dark face, a white scar slashed across the cheek, appeared at the opening.
"What does the beggar mean by that grunt, Sergeant?" asked Lewis.
"That"s the old boy himself, sir, wanting to know why you have disturbed his royal sleep."
Lewis was dumfounded! This dirty, insignificant creature the sultan! He wanted to laugh, but the solemn little figure, prostrate before the man, made him say quietly:
"Piang, get up, I want you to talk to him."
Timidly the boy raised his eyes to his august lord; another grunt seemed to give Piang permission, for he rose and faced Lewis.
"What you want Piang to say? Be careful. He not like joke and might chop off Americanos."
Lewis realized it was no trifling matter to meet this scoundrel alone in the jungle, far from reinforcements. His message was simple, short, and impressive:
"Ask him why the devil he allowed those juramentados to invade my camp?"
With much ceremony Piang addressed the sultan, bowing and sc.r.a.ping before him. The low, ugly growls in response made Lewis furious, but he refrained from showing his anger. The sultan"s reply amazed him.
He expressed his regrets indifferently, that the camp had been disturbed. But (he threw up his hands to indicate his helplessness) who could stop the sacred juramentado? Not he, powerful sultan that he was. To-day was a feast of the Mohammedans. To-day was a most holy day, and, of course, the sultan could not be held responsible if some of his men had become excited. True, many good Americans had met their death in this way; it was most unfortunate, but how could it be stopped? Did the Christians not have their Christmas, and did they not kill turkeys and cut trees? The Moros are a fierce people and celebrate their feast days in a more violent manner.
Poor Lewis! Thoroughly exasperated, he tried to argue through Piang, but finding it hopeless, he told the boy to finish Kali Pandapatan"s business with the sultan as quickly as possible.
Discouraged, he started back through the jungle, wondering how many more fanatics had broken loose during his absence. The sultan was deliberately picking the troops off, a few at a time, always insisting that he was at peace with the Americans. The war department, many miles away, was unable to understand the situation. Orders required that the Moro receive humane treatment, and forbade any drastic measures being taken against the juramentados, saying time would cure it. It was outrageous, and intelligent men were being made fools of by the sultan, who understood the state of affairs perfectly.
The jungle began to irritate Lewis; it was a constant fight. The terrible heat, the tenacity of the vines and undergrowth seemed directed toward him personally, as he stumbled and fought his way along. How impossible to deal with the crafty sultan according to Christian standards! He should be given treatment that would bring him to terms quickly, and Lewis longed to get a chance at him.
Suddenly an idea flashed into his head. He hurried Piang, bidding him find a shorter cut home, as night was gathering.
"Sergeant Greer, come to my tent immediately," ordered the lieutenant when he had looked over the camp and found everything safe.
"Allow no one to enter, orderly," he said and closed the flaps.
"Sergeant, I have a plan and I need your experience and advice to carry it out. That old sultan is a fiend, and I am going to get him!"
"That"s been tried many times, sir, and he is still ahead of the game."
But after Lewis had talked rapidly for a few minutes, disclosing the plan that was slated to best his majesty, a smile broke over the weather-beaten features of the sergeant, and he slapped his thighs in appreciation.
"Well, sir, we can try it, and if it does work, headquarters will flood you with thanks; if it fails, and I warn you it might, you will be cut into hash either by the sultan or the war department." This was good advice from the old soldier.
"I know it, Sergeant, but I am going to take the risk if you are with me." The enthusiastic young man dashed out of the tent to make the necessary preparations for the great event.
Christmas morning dawned sultry and heavy. The mist lifted after reveille and the troops were astonished that the _Sabah_ had disappeared. Their surprise was greater to find a corporal in charge of the camp. There was a positive order that no trooper should enter the barrio, and an air of mystery hung over the whole camp. Where was the gunboat, the lieutenant, the sergeant, and the interpreter, Piang? The corporal shook his head to all these questions.
Suddenly rapid firing was heard in the direction of the barrio, and every soldier seized his gun and ran into the company streets, but the corporal, calm and undisturbed, dismissed them.
Nervously the men wandered about; the two wounded men became the center of attraction and related for the hundredth time their sensations when the juramentado had struck them down. They were not seriously wounded, but the cruel cuts were displayed, and they did not prove an antidote to the tenseness of the situation.
The firing had ceased after about ten minutes, and new sounds took its place: wails and shrieks, the crackling of bamboo, told the story of the burning village. But who had attacked the town? The corporal smiled to himself, quietly.
Cheerily a whistle rang out, sending the men running to the beach; there was the _Sabah_, tripping jauntily through the water toward her recent mooring-place, and on her deck, smiling and waving, were the missing men.
"Merry Christmas," Lewis greeted the men, as he walked down the company street. Stopping at the cook"s tent, he inquired what there was for dinner.
"Beans, bacon, and hardbread," was the reply.
"Tough menu for Christmas, eh, cook?"
Since their arrival, every turkey and duck had disappeared, and the barrio offered nothing to enhance their limited ration. It was an old trick; the natives objected to sharing their food with soldiers, and as soon as any troops landed on the island, ever possible article was spirited away into the jungle.
It was a bad day for every one. Most of the men were homesick, and they all felt the shadow of impending disaster; only Lewis and his confidants realized the seriousness of the situation, however.
"Corporal, take four men with bolos and cut six banana trees," called Lewis. "Plant them in a row down the company street."
Curiosity and amus.e.m.e.nt were mingled with indifference as the men started toward the thicket to execute the order. What had come over the lieutenant? Obediently the trees were brought, and Lewis superintended the planting. The squad was kept busy cutting ferns and palms, and it began to dawn on the astonished men that they were preparing for a holiday. The spirit was taken up generally, and the gloom was gradually dispelled.
"Here, Jake, hang this mistletoe up over the folding doors," commanded the corporal, handing him a bamboo shoot, and pointing to the tent door. "Now when she comes asailin" in to dinner, all unaware of your presence, smack her a good one, right on the bull"s eye."
Laughter and shouts greeted this order, and when Kid Conner offered to impersonate a lovely damsel and, with mincing step and bashful mien, appeared at the opening, Jake was game, and a skuffle ensued. Shrieks of merriment coming from the cook tent aroused Lewis"s curiosity, and even his weighty matters were forgotten when he beheld Irish cooky on his knees before the incinerator arranging a row of well-worn socks. Solemnly folding his hands he raised his eyes in supplication:
"Dear Santa, don"t forget your children in this far-away jungle. We are minus a chimney on this insinuator, but we are bettin" on you and the reindeers just the same, to slip one over on us and come shinnin"
down a cocoanut-tree with your pack. Never mind the trimmin"s and holly, just bring plenty of cut plug and dry matches."
And so the day worn on. Toward noon the storm broke; runners announced the approach of the sultan, and Lewis was far from calm when he gave the order to admit him to camp.
"Piang," he said, "there is the deuce to pay, I know, but you stick by your uncle, and we will pull through."
No insignificant n.i.g.g.e.r greeted Lewis this time. The sultan had come in state. Where he had gathered his train, the men could not imagine, but there he was, garbed in royal raiment, attended by slaves and retainers. Solemnly the procession advanced. Advisers, wives, slaves, and boys with buyo-boxes followed his majesty, who was arrayed in a red silk sarong, grotesquely embroidered with gla.s.s beads, colored stones, and real pearls. His hair was festooned with trinkets strung on wire, and on his fingers were fastened tiny bells that jingled and tinkled incessantly. They got on Lewis"s nerves, and he quaked inwardly when he realized why he was honored by this visit.
Finally when the members of the court had arranged themselves around their master, he loftily signaled for his buyo; Lewis, nothing daunted, motioned to his striker. Amid smothered laughter he produced the lieutenant"s pipe and tobacco, using a tin wash-basin for a tray. Mimicking the actions of the royal slave the man salaamed before Lewis and proffered the pipe. Lest the sultan should despise his barren state, minus slaves, advisers, and wives, Lewis summoned Sergeant Greer and directed him to remain beside him to share the honor of the visit.
When Lewis caught Irish cooky, arrayed in ap.r.o.n and undershirt, with a basting spoon and a meat ax held at attention, making faces at his old sergeant, the humor of the situation came over him, and he smiled to himself as he looked at the scene before him: the banana-trees, loosely flapping their wilted leaves, the socks idly waiting to be the center of merriment again, the troop drawn up at attention, regardless of the variety of uniform, and beyond, the _Sabah_, sole reminder of civilization, bobbing at anchor.
Never removing his eyes from Lewis"s face, the sultan completed the ceremony of the buyo, and after deliberately rolling a quid of betel-nut, lime-dust, and tobacco leaves, the august person stuffed it into his mouth.
The trees rang with silence. Lewis thought his ears would burst as he strained them to catch the first sound that was to decide his fate. Faithfully Piang remained by his friend"s side, despite the angry glances directed toward him from the sultan"s party; the lad was fearful of the outcome of this tangle.
Finally the spell was broken. Women giggled, slaves flitted about, administering to the wants of the party, and the interpreter rose to deliver the complaint.
Had there not been a treaty of peace signed between Moroland and America?
"Yes," replied Lewis. "And I am happy to serve a government that greets the Moro as brother." The sultan stirred, perplexed by the reply.
"Then what right had that boat," asked the interpreter, pointing to the _Sabah_, "to sh.e.l.l the barrio, destroying property and killing?"