Part 21 (1/2)
A hand grabbed hiht over his head and dropped a rock The rock brushed Rick and found its target There was a wild cry and the grip on his ankle was gone He ain Angel and Pilipil caught his arms and pulled him to the top Chahda arrived at al his rifle ”Let's go! Make a run for it”
Scotty called, ”Angel! Chahda! Go get the jeeps started”
They had Chahda's jeep as well as their own Rick caught Tony's aro?”
”Follow Chahda Scotty and I will bring up the rear”
Ifugaos poured over the terrace edge and were met by Pilipil and Balaban Scotty and Rick joined in, rifles flailing, and in a ain The temporary victors took to their heels before the next wave of Ifugaos could arrive
Ahead, they heard the jeeps' ht
A spear arched overhead and stuck quivering in the road Rick snatched it out of the ground as he passed Then there was a gasp froh Instantly Scotty knelt, rifle blazing
Rick and Balaban helped Pilipil while Dog Meat yanked the spear free
They rushed the wounded Igorot to the waiting jeeps
”Let's go,” Chahda yelled ”What's the delay?”
”Lend a hand,” Rick called, and willing hands helped lift Pilipil into Chahda's jeep Rick tumbled in behind him
”All aboard!” Scotty yelled ”Take off!” he fired a last shot at the oncohts flashed on, and they were on their way
Not until they had cli Banaue did they pull to a stop Pilipil's leg was their first concern They exahts It was ugly, but not crippling, and it was already starting to clot Rick bound it with a clean handkerchief Then, their wounded taken care of, the boys took tiht into it,” Tony said ”Literally I walked to the airport, expecting that I could ride back with Angel I had a grave suspicion, of course, that he was Nangolat, but I'er in charging him with it”
Rick shook his head ”Did you expect hile?”
”I'm afraid I did However, he wasn't there There was no one on the field at all, except a couple of workmen on the far side I went over to see if the plane was all right, and a sedan arrived Nast was in it He didn't waste words He just thrust a pistol at me and ordered me in”
”We have an idea of what happened then,” Scotty said ”Fro Nast”
”I hoped he was,” Tony said ”I was afraid that unless Chahda knehereabouts I probably would be coh later for the rest of the story You know I cauio in our own truck?”
”We know,” Rick said ”Chahda again Now Chahda is going to lead us to the truck, and we're going to get our equipment back”
”Do you knohere the truck is?” Scotty asked Chahda
”Dog Meat does Nangolat drove it to a village on the north side of the valley Nangolat is there now Maybe weraid, okay? Swoop down, take truck, and leave”
”Sounds good to me,” Scotty said ”We'll use one jeep to attack, with the other standing by as a flying reserve Angel, take the reserve jeep with Pilipil and Balaban No, I've a better idea We have too many men
We need the extra jeep in case of a breakdown, not for the men it will carry Pilipil and Balaban should stay here The rest of us split up between the two jeeps When we find the truck, I'll drive it, with Chahda as guard That will leave Rick and Tony in one jeep, and Angel and Dog Meat in the other Sound all right?”