The Golden Skull: A Rick Brant Science-Adventure Story

by Harold L. Goodwin

  CHAPTER XII

  The Ifugao Village

  The terraced mountain wall fell away below to the valley floor. Halfwaybetween Rick and the dark sheen of the river was a level area whichChahda said was the village. However, it was too dark to see very much.

  "We'll break our necks if we try to climb around among these terraces,"Scotty whispered.

  Chahda admitted, "Good possibility. But what else is there? Later moonwill be up a little. We not go down yet. Study lay of land."

  They had left their jeeps on the roadway that passed above the village.So far as they knew, no one had seen them approach. Now, perhaps ahundred feet above the cluster of huts, they sat at the edge of aterrace and waited for the moon to rise.

  Rick studied the landscape below. His feet dangled over thirty feet ofvertical wall. He would have to make his way down that wall to the nextterrace, and then down the next and the next until he emerged at thevillage level. He would be very much like an ant climbing down the threestone steps at home, except that he wasn't as sure-footed as an ant onvertical surfaces.

  Then, once the bottom was reached, they had to find Tony, free him, andtake him up the terraces to the jeeps. Rick shook his head. Theyprobably would have to fight every inch of the way, and there was noassurance that they would make it.

  In the village below, someone was adding wood to a small open fire inthe central area that served as a village common. Rick could make outseveral figures. Scotty moved closer to him. "We need a way to cover ourretreat. Any ideas?"

  "No good ones. We could station a couple of the gang to heave rocksdown."

  "That's probably as good as anything."

  A shadowy figure approached, climbing down the terraces from above.Chahda whispered, "Dog Meat come. I go see what he finds out."

  Below, the fire was burning more brightly, and Rick could see severalpersons bringing wood. Apparently there was to be a large bonfire. Hegroaned softly. That meant light to make their task harder.

  Chahda consulted with his friend for a few moments, then rejoined Rickand Scotty. Angel, Pilipil, and Balaban were grouped at the rear of theterrace, waiting for instructions.

  "Dog Meat know which hut Tony is in. Has two guards. Nangolat gonesomewhere."

  "Why are they building up the fire?" Rick asked.

  "Not know. I think better we move. We climb down. Dog Meat will take usto Tony. We cut him loose and fight our way back."

  Suddenly they stiffened as a rhythmic metallic clanging sound floated upto them.

  Angel Manotok moved to their side. "Ifugao music," he whispered. "I'veheard it before. The instruments are _tinaklings_, like pans, suspendedfrom human jawbones. They're getting ready for some kind of ceremonydown there."

  "Then we'll wait," Scotty said. "If they get started on some kind ofceremony, we may have a chance to move in quietly."

  "That makes sense," Rick agreed, and Chahda nodded.

  They crouched on the edge of the terrace and watched as the fire belowgrew into a roaring blaze. Men and women could be seen clearly now. Themusicians--if the clanging could be called music--were next to the fire.Then, the people fell back, and six men and six women took their placesin two lines and began to dance. It was a stiff, formal sort of dancewith little body movement. Hands and arms made gestures which Rick couldnot interpret, while the feet shuffled slowly in the dust.

  Scotty touched his shoulder. "Let's go. Chahda, you, Rick, Dog Meat, andI will go. Angel, Pilipil, and Balaban will stay here to cover ourretreat. Angel, you can use a rifle. Have Pilipil and Balaban pry loosesome big rocks. Use your own judgment. We don't want a war, but we don'twant to lose our heads, either."

  "How about our truck?" Rick asked.

  Chahda replied. "It is not here. Nangolat took it. We get Tony, then wetake the road Nangolat took. Dog Meat knows."

  The fire was bright enough so Rick could see Dog Meat for the firsttime. The little Igorot was an older edition of Pilipil. He wore only abreechcloth and the little pillbox hat in which he kept his matches andtobacco. His face was wrinkled and gnomelike.

  "Lead on," Rick said.

  Dog Meat went to the edge of the terrace and slipped over. He climbeddown with incredible swiftness. Then Chahda followed. Rick made sure hiscarbine was slung tightly across his back, then followed. His feetgroped for toe holds in the rough stone wall of the terrace and foundthem without too much difficulty, but his descent was slower than DogMeat or Chahda's. He was painfully conscious that he was an excellenttarget. Below, chanting voices joined the rhythmic clanging. The soundof their descent would not be heard.

  Rick reached the bottom of the terrace and found Chahda and Dog Meatwaiting. There were two more terraces to descend before the villagelevel was reached. In a moment Scotty joined them. Dog Meat led the wayonce more. The party made its way down the face of the terrace andemerged on a level only thirty feet above the village floor.

  Rick was astonished that the villagers had not seen them. He felt verymuch exposed to view, even though he realized that the shadows were deepand that the villagers were not watching the terraces.

  Dog Meat led the way to the extreme end of the next terrace, choosing aplace where the huts would be between the climbers and the fire. Then hevanished over the edge of the terrace and Chahda followed. Rick pickedhis way carefully. There were gaps between the stones, but sometimes hehad to feel with his feet until he found an opening big enough toaccommodate the toe of his shoe. Dog Meat and Chahda had the advantage,because bare feet could find holds much more swiftly.

  He reached ground level behind a straw hut. Dog Meat and Chahda werewaiting. Chahda had unslung his rifle, and Dog Meat was holding arazor-edged bolo. Then Scotty was down, too, and they made a close filebehind Dog Meat as he showed them the way to the hut where Tony wasbeing held.

  The music and voices were loud, now, and the fire made yellow patternswhere they crossed open spaces. Then Dog Meat came to a halt behind astraw hut and gestured that this was the one.

  Chahda took the bolo from him and made a slit in the straw of the hut.Then he peered through the opening he had made. Rick and Scotty pushedclose and took turns looking.

  Tony was tied to a post in the center of the hut. The hut door openedonto the village common, and the only light was that of the fire.Blocking the light were two figures, Ifugao guards, clad only inbreechcloths. Both held spears. Unlike the Igorot spears, the Ifugaoweapons were tall with flared points.

  Chahda sliced through the straw of the hut with the bolo, parted it, andstepped through. Rick was close on his heels, rifle unslung and readyfor use. He felt Scotty crowding him.

  The Hindu boy ran to Tony, knelt, and cut his bonds. Rick lifted hisrifle and reached the front of the hut in three long strides. The barrelof his weapon descended on the head of the nearest Ifugao. Rick caughtthe man as he fell.

  The second Ifugao turned, mouth open to yell, and stepped right into avicious butt stroke from Scotty's rifle. Chahda was already usheringTony through the opening at the rear of the hut. The boys pushed throughand followed at a trot as Dog Meat guided them back the way they hadcome. The music was still loud. No one had seen the guards go down.

  The party reached the first terrace and stopped while Tony massaged hishands. The rope had cut off the circulation. Finally he motioned that hewas ready. He could climb, but slowly. At a whispered word from Chahda,Rick and Scotty went up the terrace wall and took stations with readyrifles, in case they should be spotted while Tony was helpless on thewall.

  Tony reached the top of the first terrace and whispered that he couldmove faster now. Chahda and Dog Meat took him to the easiest place toclimb the second wall, while Rick and Scotty waited as a rear guard.

  Tony was halfway up the second terrace when pandemonium broke loose inthe village below. The boys saw the dance break up, saw men rush intothe hut where Tony had been held prisoner and drag out the guards, oneof whom had regained consciousness. The men of the village scatteredinto various huts and came out with spears an
d bolos.

  Rick looked up in time to see Tony's legs disappear over the top of theterrace wall. He tugged Scotty's arm. "Let's go."

  They swarmed up the wall as fast as their groping hands and feet wouldallow, but not before a spear clanged off the stones between them. Theyhad been spotted!

  Chahda leaned over and grabbed Rick's hand. Rick went up in a hurry,then both of them pulled Scotty up. Ifugaos were already on the terracebelow!

  Rick realized that the Ifugaos had the advantage. They were used to theterraces. He also realized that they could be where he now stood beforeTony could get up to where Angel and the Igorots waited.

  He and Scotty unslung their rifles. Chahda joined them, bolo in hand.Dog Meat would help Tony up. The boys spread out, working by handsignals. They were a short distance back from the terrace edge, butclose enough to swing at any heads that appeared.

  The first Ifugao pursuer came up the wall near Chahda. The Hindu boyswung with the flat of his bolo and there was a _thunk_ as he connected.Then Rick saw a face appear and poked at it with the muzzle of hisrifle. The face vanished and there was a scream as the Ifugao fell.

  Rick winced. It was a long fall, but at least there was soft ground ofthe rice paddy at the bottom.

  Another face appeared and Rick swung his rifle barrel, felt it connect,then answered Angel's yell. "Come on!"

  Scotty triggered off half a dozen shots, then the three boys ran for thewall and started up. From above, Angel and Tony yelled encouragement.Angel's rifle blazed away. Pilipil, Tony, and Balaban threw rocks.

  A spear, badly thrown, came sideways through the air and caught Rickacross the legs. He almost lost his footing, but recovered and went upanother step. He didn't dare look down. He knew the Ifugaos were on theterrace below, but to look down was to lose time. He went up another fewfeet, then got stuck unable to find a handhold.

  A hand grabbed him by the ankle! He yelled and kicked. Angel appearedright over his head and dropped a rock. The rock brushed Rick and foundits target. There was a wild cry and the grip on his ankle was gone. Hemoved laterally along the wall until he could move upward again. Angeland Pilipil caught his arms and pulled him to the top. Chahda arrived atalmost the same moment, then Scotty appeared.

  Rick unslung 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 arm."Are you all right?"

  "Yes. Fine. Where do we go?"

  "Follow Chahda. Scotty and I will bring up the rear."

  Ifugaos poured over the terrace edge and were met by Pilipil andBalaban. Scotty and Rick joined in, rifles flailing, and in a moment theterrace was clear again. The temporary victors took to their heelsbefore the next wave of Ifugaos could arrive.

  Ahead, they heard the jeeps' motors. They would make it all right.

  A spear arched overhead and stuck quivering in the road. Rick snatchedit out of the ground as he passed. Then there was a gasp from Pilipil asa spear caught him in the thigh. 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 intoChahda's jeep. Rick tumbled in behind him.

  "All aboard!" Scotty yelled. "Take off!" he fired a last shot at theoncoming Ifugaos, then jeep wheels spun in the dirt, headlights flashedon, and they were on their way.

  Not until they had climbed to the safety of the mountain peaksoverlooking Banaue did they pull to a stop. Pilipil's leg was theirfirst concern. They examined the wound in the glare from the jeep'sheadlights. It was ugly, but not crippling, and it was already startingto clot. Rick bound it with a clean handkerchief. Then, their woundedtaken care of, the boys took time to exchange notes with Tony.

  "I walked right into it," Tony said. "Literally. I walked to theairport, expecting that I could ride back with Angel. I had a gravesuspicion, of course, that he was Nangolat, but I'm afraid it didn'toccur to me that there was any danger in charging him with it."

  Rick shook his head. "Did you expect him to give up without a struggle?"

  "I'm afraid I did. However, he wasn't there. There was no one on thefield at all, except a couple of workmen on the far side. I went over tosee if the plane was all right, and a sedan arrived. Nast was in it. Hedidn't waste words. He just thrust a pistol at me and ordered me in."

  "We have an idea of what happened then," Scotty said. "From Chahda. Hewas following Nast."

  "I hoped he was," Tony said. "I was afraid that unless Chahda knew mywhereabouts I probably would be completely cut off from help. Well, timeenough later for the rest of the story. You know I came from Baguio inour own truck?"

  "We know," Rick said. "Chahda again. Now Chahda is going to lead us tothe truck, and we're going to get our equipment back."

  "Do you know where the truck is?" Scotty asked Chahda.

  "Dog Meat does. Nangolat drove it to a village on the north side of thevalley. Nangolat is there now. Maybe we meet him on the road, maybe atthe village. We make flying raid, okay? Swoop down, take truck, andleave."

  "Sounds good to me," Scotty said. "We'll use one jeep to attack, withthe other standing by as a flying reserve. Angel, take the reserve jeepwith 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 willcarry. Pilipil and Balaban should stay here. The rest of us split upbetween the two jeeps. When we find the truck, I'll drive it, withChahda as guard. That will leave Rick and Tony in one jeep, and Angeland Dog Meat in the other. Sound all right?"

  It sounded fine. Angel spoke up. "I'd rather be in the first jeep, incase we meet Nangolat."

  Scotty shook his head. "Not tonight. Your turn will come later, Angel.The first thing is to get the truck back. Pilipil, will you be all righthere until we get back?"

  "I be fine. You go."

  They loaded into the jeeps while Pilipil and Balaban moved into a clumpof brush and prepared to wait.

  "Don't bother about silence," Scotty said. "We'll just hit and run. Ifthey hear us coming it won't matter, because they won't be sure whatwe're after."

  "How about those Ifugao natives from the village?" Tony asked. "They'reprobably swarming over the road like flies."

  "We not go near them," Chahda replied. "The truck is a different way.Come on, load rifles. We go."

  Rick was driving the lead jeep, Chahda on the seat next to him. Tony andDog Meat were in the rear seat. Scotty was with Angel in the other jeep.The road was reasonably good, although narrow and winding. Rick roareddown into the valley as fast as prudence and Newton's laws of motionallowed. Had he gone any faster the jeep would have tipped over on someunexpected corner.

  "Soon we there!" Chahda shouted.

  Rick kept a sharp watch ahead. The yellow cones of light seemed lost inthe vast darkness of Banaue. There were no other lights.

  "Watch for fork in road, go left," Chahda relayed Dog Meat'sinstructions.

  The fork appeared. Rick swung left--and almost bashed into the truck. Itwas parked with lights out, close to a village.

  Both jeeps slid to a stop. Scotty and Chahda jumped out, rifles ready,and ran to the truck. "The keys!" Rick yelled. "Are they in it?"

  "Don't need keys!" Scotty yelled back. "Turn around, quick!"

  Angel was already turning his jeep. Rick followed suit, and hisheadlights swung in an arc across the Ifugao village and reflected fromspear tips. The natives here had been alerted!

  The truck roared into life. Rick pulled to one side and motioned Scottyby. Then, as the truck went past, Rick triggered off a half-dozen shots,aiming high. Tony did the same with the shotgun, sending loads of birdshot whistling through the red leaves of the dangla bushes.

  A screaming madman leaped at them, spear extended. It was Nangolat, facedistorted with hatred and fury. He thrus
t at Tony, but the archaeologistknocked the spear aside. Then, as Nangolat's thrust carried him close,Tony let loose a roundhouse that caught the Ifugao squarely on the jaw,whirled him sideways, and dropped him like a log in the dust of theroad. Then Rick let out the clutch and the jeep leaped ahead. A spearwent through the windshield and showered glass on him, but he onlysquinted his eyes against the flying splinters and fed the jeep moregas.

  Ahead were the red taillights of the truck and the other jeep. The planhad worked, all right. He didn't know whether or not their supplies werein the truck, but they would soon find out.

  "I'll say one thing about being a Spindrift scientist," Tony said frombeside him. "It is never dull. Do you wild Indians go in for this sortof thing often?"

  "Only when necessary," Rick said. "Of course it has been necessarypretty often. So we're in practice, you might say."

  Tony chuckled. "I'm grateful. You know what Nangolat is working up to, Ipresume?"

  Rick didn't, and said so.

  "He planned to force me to locate the golden artifacts with the earthscanner. Then, the find was to be celebrated with the sacrifice of ahead. That was the part I objected to most. You see, the head was to bemine!"