him, but they said he must go alone or the charm would be broken. They
also told him to be careful himself and not cross the line between
the holes or he would be caught as easily as the Ongloc.

So Quicoy went home and kept very quiet all day. His mother was sorry
she had frightened him the night before, and was going to tell him
not to be afraid; but when she thought of the lubi lana spilled on
the ground, she resolved to punish him more by saying nothing to him.

Just at dark, when no one was looking, Quicoy took his father's bolo
and quietly slipped away to the grove down by the river. He was not
afraid of ladrones, but he needed the bolo because it is not easy
to open a cocoanut, and it takes some time, even with a bolo, to get
the husk chopped from the fruit.

Quicoy felt a little frightened when he saw all the big trees around
him. The wind made strange noises in the branches high above him,
and all the trees seemed to be leaning over and trying to speak to
him. He felt somewhat sorry that he had come, but when he thought of
the Ongloc he mustered up courage and went on until he found an open
space between two high trees.

He stopped here and dug a hole under each of the trees. Then he put his
feet in the notches and climbed one of the trees. It was hard work,
for the notches were far apart; but at last he reached the branches
and climbed to the top. The wind rocked the tree and made him dizzy,
but he reached the highest cocoanut, threw it to the ground, and then
'started down the tree. It was easy to come down, though he went
too fast and slipped and slid some distance, skinning his arms and
legs. He did not mind that, however, for he knew he had the cocoanut