THE RESULT OF AN AMBUSH
"Good gracious, do you mean to say we have been camping over a powder
magazine?" gasped Gilbert, as soon as he could speak.
"Sure, an' it's a wondher we wasn't all blowed to hivin!" came from
Dan Casey.
"Und I boil mine chocolate so calmly as you blease," put in Carl
Stummer, with a shudder. "Py chiminy, I ton't vos build no fire no
more bis I vos sure of mine ground."
For several minutes the excitement was intense, and all of the
soldiers retreated to a considerable distance from the hollow which
had proved such a comfortable shelter.
Presently, however, Ben, Gilbert, and several others mustered up
courage enough to go back and haul down the coverings put up. Then
came another heavy downpour of rain, which speedily extinguished the
fire; and the danger of an explosion was past.
An examination under the rocks proved that the Filipino gunner had
told the truth. The powder was there, in big cans bearing the old
Spanish stamp. Some was marked 1876, and was so old as to be
practically worthless.
"They ought to have shot that off in honor of our centennial,"
remarked the young captain. "I don't wonder the rebels can't hit
anything. This powder has no carrying power left to it."
Nevertheless the powder was carted off and added to the American
stock. Then General Lawton rode up and Major Morris told in detail
what had been accomplished.
With the fall of Maasin came another day of much-needed rest for the
majority of the troops under General Lawton. In the meantime, while
these soldiers were advancing from Angat upon San Isidro, the command
under General MacArthur was far from idle. The Filipino commissioners
wanted a three months' armistice, in order that the terms of a peace
might be discussed, but to this the Americans would not listen, as
they felt the enemy wished mainly to gain time in which to reorganize
their shattered forces.
MacArthur's command was now in possession of Calumpit on the
railroad, and Apalit, just above, on the Rio Grande; while the rebels
in this territory began to mass at St. Tomas and at San Fernando,
still further northward on the railroad. On May the 4th MacArthur's
division set out from Apalit, with Hale's command on the right wing
and Wheaton's on the left.
It was not supposed that the rebels would make a serious stand short
of San Fernando, but at St. Tomas they were developed in force, and a
running fight ensued, lasting several hours, but without great loss to
the Americans. Finding they could not hold St. Tomas, the Filipinos
set fire to the town and fled. They were pursued with vigor, and
attempted to burn San Fernando late that night, but failed to do so.
Early in the morning the fighting was renewed, and near San Fernando
another battle took place. But the rebels were disheartened by the
defeat at St. Tomas, and were soon on the run, and General Hale drove
them a mile beyond San Fernando. In taking possession of the town it
was found that several of the public buildings were in ruins. The
defensive works here were very strong, and had the Filipinos stood up
to their work like real fighters, they might have held the position
for a long time.
On Saturday, May the 6th, Ben's command moved forward again, down the
hill into Maasin, now patrolled by Americans, and then to the main
road beyond.
"I don't believe we are in for much of a fight to-day," remarked
the young captain to Gilmore, who had now been appointed first
lieutenant.
"I reckon you are right," answered Gilmore. "The scouts haven't found
any rebels within a mile."
"It would almost seem as if we could march straight through to San
Isidro," went on Ben, thoughtfully. "I must say I never heard of such
a campaign."
"They say General Lawton puts it down as a regular Indian campaign.
But then the rebels don't do much fighting in the dark."
"They are sick of it, Gilmore. I believe they would give up in a
minute if the leaders were only assured that they would come out
whole, as the saying goes."
"Well, they've gone too far to come out whole, captain. General
Aguinaldo may mean well, but he never went at this thing right. He
ought to know that he isn't dealing with some third-rate power."
On went the regiment, about four hundred and fifty strong now, for
men were dropping out every day on account of fever and other tropical
troubles. Ben had had a little fever himself, but had dosed himself
with quinine before it had a chance to permeate his system and bring
him down on his back.
The advance led the regiment along a small stream lined with fading
flowers and wild plantains and the ever present thorns and trailing
vines. Birds were numerous, and here and there a sporting soldier
could not resist the temptation to bring one of the feathered tribe
down, to be cooked at the next resting place. Once the regiment
stirred up a flock of wild turkeys, and a charge was made to capture
the prizes, a charge that was as enthusing as one on the rebels.
Soldiers are but human and must have their fun, no matter under what
difficulties.
"It's a fine turkey dinner we'll be afther havin' to-day," remarked
Dan Casey, as he hung one of the birds over his shoulder. He had
scarcely spoken, when pop-pop went several Mausers in a thicket
beyond, the bullets singing their strange tune in the leaves over the
advancers' heads.
"Forward!" shouted Major Morris, who was in temporary command of the
regiment, and away they went once more, to suddenly find themselves
on spongy soil which speedily let them down to their ankles. In the
meantime the insurgents' fire became thicker than ever, and it looked
as if they were caught in an ambush.
"Fire at will!" came the order. "To the left, boys, and make every
shot tell!"
A roar of musketry drowned out the words, and immediately Ben's
company found itself all but surrounded. To go into this quagmire had
certainly been a grave error, but all leaders make mistakes sometimes;
and Major Morris was suffering as greatly as his men.
The next half hour was one Ben never forgot. The rebels evidently
thought they had the Americans at their mercy and pushed in closer and
closer, until more than half of the contestants were fighting hand to
hand. Many had exhausted their ammunition, and were using their
bayonets or else handling their guns as clubs.
"Die!" cried one tall Tagal, as he flashed up before Ben with a bloody
bolo. "Die!" he repeated in bad English, and made a lunge at the young
captain. But Gilmore had his eye on the man, and the lieutenant's
sword cut the bolo from the rebel's grasp.
"Good for you!" cried Ben. Then he drew a long breath, to think of the
narrow escape he had had. The native, his hand flowing with blood,
retreated as suddenly as he had approached.
The tide of the battle was now taking Americans and insurgents toward
a cane-brake. The rebels still fought desperately, but they were
beginning to lose confidence, for the Americans were pushing them
hard.
But now came a cheer from the rear, and Company B rushed up to the aid
of Ben's command. To the young captain's astonishment, Gilbert was in
command, all the upper officers being either killed or wounded.
"Gilbert!" he called, but had no time to say more. But the young
Southerner heard and waved the sword he had picked up. Soon the two
companies were fighting shoulder to shoulder, and the enemy were
driven out into the cane-field, and then into a meadow. Here they
tried to make a stand, around an old rice-house, and it took another
half hour to dislodge them. But when they did retreat at last, they
went in great haste, many leaving their weapons and outfits behind
them.
The fighting over, Ben started to find the major. Gilbert accompanied
him. Their first hunt for the commander, however, was unsuccessful.
"It's queer," was Ben's comment. "I trust he isn't dead in the
bushes."
The hunt gradually brought them to a trail through the jungle, and
presently Gilbert heard a faint moan for help. Running in the
direction, they found a soldier of Company C lying on some moss, his
knee shattered from a Mauser bullet.
"Oh, the pain!" groaned the poor fellow. "Help me, won't you?"
"We'll do all we can for you," answered Ben, and while he went to
work, Gilbert ran back to bring up the hospital corps with a
stretcher.
"You want to go after Major Morris," said the wounded soldier, as soon
as he felt comfortable enough to talk.
"We are looking for Major Morris," replied Ben, much astonished.
"Where is he?"
"He was knocked over by one of the Dagos, and then three of 'em
carried him away."
This was certainly news, and Ben waited impatiently for Gilbert to get
back. As soon as the young Southerner returned, both asked the
wounded soldier in what direction the captured major had been taken.
"They went through the cane-brake," was the answer. "You'll find the
trail easily enough, I think, if you look for it. One of the rebs wore
boots with high heels, so you can't miss 'em."
The wounded man did his best to point out the right direction, and was
then taken back to the hospital tent. Without delay Ben called Ralph
Sorrel and half a dozen others to his aid.
"We must go after Major Morris, and at once," he said. "Are you ready
to undertake the work? It may be a dangerous proceeding."
"We're with yer, cap'n," answered Sorrel, and his sentiment was that
of all of the others.
The trail into the cane-brake was followed without much difficulty,
and the party of eight advanced as rapidly as the nature of the ground
permitted. The storm had cleared off the night before, and the sun
shone down hotly, making the air in the brake suffocating.
"This yere is a putty big cane-brake, an' no error," remarked Sorrel,
after a quarter of a mile had been covered. "Cap'n, it won't do fer us
to turn ourselves about an' git lost."
"We'll stick to the one trail," answered Ben. "As yet I've seen no
side trails, although I've been watching every foot of the ground that
we crossed."
"Nor I, cap'n,--an' don't wan't to, neither," added the tall
mountaineer.
A little further on was a clearing, in the centre of which stood a
small cane-house. Halting on the edge of the opening, they beheld
several Filipinos on guard outside the house. In the doorway, with his
back to the opening, stood Major Morris, his hands bound behind him.