ARRIVAL OF THE AMERICAN TROOPS--ARCHIE THE HERO OF THE REGIMENT.
ARCHIE descended from the roof, and found everything below in a state of
wild disorder. The fleeing rebels had taken with them all they had time
to get together, but in their haste they had left behind many of their
most useful belongings. In a cupboard of the dining-room Archie found a
supply of food and wines sufficient to feed several people for a week,
so he supposed that it had been the intention of the occupants of the
house to remain for some days. The news that the Americans were coming
upset all their plans, however, and now, as often before, they were
obliged to flee before them, leaving behind most of their creature
comforts in the way of food and furniture.
“What a life they must be leading,” thought Archie to himself, “going
from one place to another, constantly endeavouring to hide from the
Americans. Now in some town, now in the wilderness, and again venturing
as near as possible to the boundaries of Manila.” And he could scarcely
help admiring their courage, or recklessness, rather, in camping so
near the head of the American government, where they might expect to be
caught in a trap at any moment. But Archie realised, too, that such an
army can get away in a very short time, and he began to have serious
doubts as to whether the Americans would ever be able to capture
Aguinaldo and his men. For knowing the islands perfectly, and being able
to get from one point to another in the easiest and quickest way, the
rebels have a great deal in their favour.
Selecting some canned beef and some native bread and cheese, Archie
managed to make a very good meal for himself, though he ate hurriedly
for fear some of the rebels might return. As soon as he had finished he
returned to his position on the roof, for there he knew that he would be
safe in case the building was entered by the townspeople. From his high
perch he looked down into the streets, and was surprised to find them as
quiet and as much deserted as they had been the night before. The
news of the coming of the Americans had been effective in quieting the
enthusiasm of the morning, and all the townsfolk had again entered their
homes and put the shutters up before their windows. One would have taken
the place for a deserted village, judging from appearances. But Archie
knew that within the shuttered windows and barred doors there were
hundreds of people waiting anxiously for the arrival of the American
troops, and making ready to come out, when required to do so, and again
declare their allegiance to the stars and stripes. The cowardly wretches
were diplomatic enough to be always on the side of the victorious.
When the rebels occupied the town they were loyal to them, and when the
Americans came, as they often did, they came out into the square and
cheered loudly for Uncle Sam. But of course the Americans knew very well
that their sympathies were with the rebels, and the rebels knew it, too,
or they would never have dared to venture so near Manila.
About five in the afternoon, there was a sound of many men marching
along the road, and in a little while Archie was able to see the
Americans coming down the street. It was a sight to cheer his heart
after all his experiences of the last day and night. The column was
marching at double-quick, and the handsome colonel rode a great gray
horse at the head of the regiment. Archie saw that they would reach the
square in two or three minutes, and, throwing discretion to the winds,
he descended from the roof, almost fell down the stairways in his haste,
and was soon running toward the administration building. He mounted the
great steps leading up to the portico, just as the colonel rode into the
square, and the expression of surprise on the faces of all the men was
funny to see. In a minute every hat was off, and the regiment was
giving “three cheers for the boy reporter,” while the colonel, rapidly
dismounting, hurried up to speak with Archie.
“Why, how did you come here?” he demanded. “Haven’t the rebels been
here, and how did you escape them? Which way did they go, and was
Aguinaldo with them? For pity’s sake, say something.”
Archie wasn’t long explaining things, and his news was so explicit and
so valuable that the colonel grasped his hand and said, almost with
tears in his eyes, “God bless you, lad. You may have aided us to catch
the gang, and anyhow you’ve proved your bravery.”
By this time the regiment was standing at ease, and all the men were
watching Archie and the colonel with great interest. Knowing that they
were all curious to learn how the lad happened to have escaped the
rebels, the good colonel made a short speech in which he explained
everything. He dwelt particularly upon the bravery of Bill Hickson, and
held him up as a model for all the men to follow. “And now three cheers
for Bill Hickson and our boy reporter again,” he cried, when he had
finished, and they were given with a will by all the men.
The regimental officers held a short consultation, and it was decided,
on the strength of the news brought by Archie, to push on after the
rebels as fast as was possible. But it was now sunset, and there was no
use trying to go farther to-night, so it was agreed that the best plan
would be to give the men a good rest overnight, as they had made the
entire march from Manila since five o’clock in the morning. “They will
do all the better to-morrow for the rest,” said the colonel. Archie was
valuable in being able to guide the officers to the building where he
had been confined, assuring them that they would find everything needful
there in the way of food, and a place to sleep. Some of the soldiers
were quartered in various houses of the town, for the people had soon
turned out into the street again, and had expressed their friendship for
their “masters,” as they called them. Archie could hardly refrain from
laughing as he saw some of those who in the morning had bowed down to
Aguinaldo vowing everlasting allegiance to our flag, and he assured
the colonel that he couldn’t be too careful while in the town to guard
against surprises. “No one knows the beasts better than I do,” was the
answer. “I know they can’t be trusted.”
Archie was invited to remain in the building with the officers, and
while they prepared and ate a lunch he busied himself in writing a
description of his last two days’ experiences. He knew that a messenger
would soon start for Manila, and that a boat would leave that city on
the next day for Hong Kong, so he wanted to get his narrative written
in order to send it to Mr. Van Bunting at once. He felt that he had
some very interesting things to write about, for it wasn’t every
correspondent who had seen Aguinaldo, and had been captured by the rebel
army. He knew that most of them were content to remain in Manila, and
send only what they could get from the general in command, and that this
description of the rebels would be something new, at any rate. So he
wrote it very carefully, and succeeded in getting it ready in time to
send, so that it would be in the office of the Enterprise in less than
a month. As he sat at the table writing, Archie thought of the great
changes which can take place in one’s surroundings in a few weeks. It
seemed ages to him since the day when he left home for the first time,
and the experiences he had on his way to New York seemed now to belong
to the far-away period of his boyhood. He was beginning to feel very old
now, because he had been through so much of late, and he could hardly
realise that he was still eighteen.
He wrote a short note to his mother at home, telling her not to worry,
and assuring her that he was in good health and in no danger whatever
of being captured by the rebels, for Archie felt quite safe after his
experience with the insurgent leaders. He knew that no one of their
prisoners was ever likely to come to a very bad end. They were far too
slipshod in their methods of holding prisoners. He was sorry not to be
able to send a longer letter home, but he knew that this note was much
better than sending nothing at all, and that it would make his mother
very happy to hear from him at all.
The officers, when Archie returned to the dining-room, if such it could
be called, were engaged in making a very good meal from the provisions
in the cupboard, and they thanked Archie warmly for leading them to such
a good place. “By Jove,” said one of the captains, “we sha’n’t want to
return to Manila at all, when we can get such grub as this is outside.”
But the colonel assured them all that they needn’t expect to find such
accommodations everywhere in the interior of the country. “No doubt
we’ll all be living on plantains in a day or two, if we don’t catch that
fox of an Aguinaldo. And I’m willin’ to bet now that we won’t find him.
That feller’s too slick for us. He’s proved it many a time before.”
“And to think that he was here only this morning! The nerve of him, to
come within twenty-five miles of Manila!” said another.
“I’ll be mighty well satisfied if we can catch a few of his ragged men,”
continued the colonel. “That will be something to have accomplished,
anyhow, and more than some other regiments have done, when they were
sent after him. He’s the cutest feller I’ve heard of in a long while. If
it wasn’t for Bill Hickson we’d never hear tell of him, even. He could
enter Manila, I believe, and go out again without us ever knowin’ it at
all.”
Archie was now called on to tell something of the rebel leader’s
appearance, and how he had acted while in the town.
“I didn’t see very much of him,” said Archie, “because he spent most of
the morning with the big-bugs of the town, over in the administration
building. But when he rode into town on his horse he looked mighty
dignified, though he fell some in my estimation when I saw him standing
up. He looked rather dumpy then. He carried himself with a lot of
dignity, a little more than was becoming, I thought, and he received the
cheers of the people as a matter of course, and hardly took the trouble
to acknowledge them, even by a bow. The officers of the town treated
him with great deference, and I guess there’s no doubt but what the
Filipinos look upon him as their leader.”
“Oh, there’s no doubt of that,” said the colonel. “We’ve learned that
long ago. They stand up for him whenever he needs them, and they give
him all they’ve got to help carry on the war.”
The meal finished, the officers smoked awhile, and then went to bed, for
they were to be up at four in the morning.