Part 3 (1/2)
Major Lacson explained, ”Abaca is graded by color White is best, but that shade ood price” Then, as the command car topped a rise, the major pointed ahead ”There is Calinan”
The toas a sle e of town Lacson drew up in front of a house that flew the flag of the republic A sergeant ran out, came stiffly to attention, and saluted After a brief coeant ran to cliobo,” Lacson explained ”He can translate for us”
The two cars roup of colorfully arrayed people with flat turbans ”There are soobos 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 priled loops, and that the le 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 Philippineunder 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 corass while the boys held on to keep fro, 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 the trees cut off the sun and the air was heavy and darowth 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 warladly They had worn their tropical suits, and Lacson had rushed thee
The ave 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 fro
”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 rowth so thick one couldn't see more than five paces on either side of the trail Overhead the foliage reen 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 ain, 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 glie eyes
”A tarsier,” Zircon remarked ”Shannon had hoped to collect one”
Rick wondered whether Shannon and Briotti had hiked up this trail The heade had told Lacson that the Aht they have vanished on this trail?
He wiped his face and neck with a sodden handkerchief and plodded ahead through the green steam bath Insects formed a cloud around his head, flew into his eyes and even into his mouth He bore it stoically It was as bad for the others
Anyone alked off the beaten trails would be helplessly lost without a couide A rowth until death in some unpleasant form claimed him One couldn't even see a trail from more than a few feet away
Half an hour later, Rick saw that the groas giving way to a different kind of jungle forest, as the trail sloped upward In a short time they entered a more norh, with strange roots like flying buttresses
Soon the forest gave way to open plain, sparsely dotted with papaya trees and a lone o Lacson called that they were alrateful His clothes hung on hiht in a torrential rain In spite of the insect repellent, he had been chewed by assorted bugs
He forgot his discoe Apparently civilization had reached the Bagobos The huts were of sawed lu n