The chug-chug of the engine was the only sound as the trim littlegunboat _Sabah_ slipped along. Lewis had been given command of asquad of cavalry and ordered to proceed to Basilan to put down anyoutbreak that might threaten. "Juramentado," was whispered, and hisorders were not to allow the troops to become involved but to quellany trouble that was brewing.
"A pretty big order for a shave-tail (greenhorn) Lewis," GeneralBeech had said at parting, "but I bet you and that dark shadow ofyours will make good." The hearty handclasp and kind smile warmed theyoung officer's heart. General Beech was unusually young for his postas division commander, and he had endeared himself to his followersby his kindly manner and dignified directness, and Lewis would havefaced death for him.
"Thank you, sir," was all that he said, and "the dark shadow" salaamedaccording to his custom.
That night as the Americans swung along under the dome of brilliantstars, a question arose as to the meaning of juramentado.
"Piang," Lieutenant Lewis said, "tell us about this custom of yourpeople, won't you?"
Bashfully the boy hung his head and wriggled his toes. He was ashamedof his fierce people since the good American had taken him into hishome, but they prevailed upon him to explain, and among them theygathered the following story from his funny, broken English:
When a Moro wearies of life and wishes to take a short cut to paradise,he bathes in a holy spring, shaves his eyebrows, clothes himselfin white and is blessed by the pandita. The oath he takes is called_juramentar_ (die killing Christians), and he arms himself with hiswicked knife and starts forth. Selecting a gathering, well sprinkledwith Christians, he begins his deadly work, and as long as he breathes,he hews right and left. Piang told them that he had seen one strongMoro juramentado pierced by a bayonet, drive the steel further intohimself, in order to reach the soldier at the other end of the gun,whom he cut in two before he died.
The horror on the faces of his listeners made Piang pause, but theyurged him on.
"Since we are headed toward Jekiri's sanctum, I guess it behooves usto get all the dope goin' about these fellows," interjected a recruit.
Piang's big, black eyes filled with mystery when he described howthe juramentado rides to the abode of the blessed on a shadowy,white horse, taller than a carabao, just as dusk is falling. Indeed,he assured them that he had seen this very phenomenon himself andshivered at the recollection of the unnatural chill and damp thatcrept through the jungle while the spirit was passing.
"Bosh, Piang, you mustn't believe those fairy tales now. You are agood American."
"Sure, me good American, now," grinned the boy.
Adventures of Piang the Moro Jungle Boy Page 24
