CHAPTER XV
IN A CLINCH WITH COLD STEEL
Then came the Moro rush!
All soldiers cheer in the charge, but these brown men had their own kindof battle-cry--a deafening, blood-curdling din.
Yet the regulars made a noise that was heard even over the Moro yelling.There was a smart sound of firing as the magazines of the soldiers'rifles were once more emptied.
The slaughter by men coolly firing at this close range, even in thedarkness, was a heavy one. It testified to the courage of these Morosthat they could take such punishment and not run.
True, many of the brown-skinned foe did waver, yet through their linesrushed groups of yelling fanatics, armed now only with straight orcurved swords and knives. These men of cold steel rushed valiantly intoclose quarters.
To the soldiers the order to fix bayonets was never given; the men fixedtheir bayonets by instinct as they emptied their magazines.
Now steel met steel, in a cold, ringing, deadly clash. Occasionally thecry of a stricken man rent the air, though the majority bore their hurtswith grunts or in stoical silence.
The greater part of the regulars leaped to the top of the trench wall tomeet the shock. That move, however, soon carried them beyond theentrenchments.
Some of the regulars found themselves fighting three or more of theenemy at once. Lieutenant Prescott shot one Moro dead, but as he did soSergeant Hal saw another Moro, armed with a sword, rush at thelieutenant from behind.
Overton leaped forward, cracking the fellow's head with the butt of hisclubbed gun. Just as he did so Prescott fired squarely over Hal's leftshoulder, knocking over a Moro bent on stabbing the sergeant frombehind. The noise of that explosion, so close to his ear, deafened theyoung sergeant temporarily.
Both officer and sergeant realized that each in turn had saved theother's life, but there was no time for acknowledgments. The foe had yetto be met and worsted in that furious conflict.
At last it was over. The Moro men had broken and fled, their yells dyingout in the distance.
Fully two dozen of the soldiers started to pursue. Prescott turned,bawling an order to the bugler over the din. The notes of the buglerecalled the soldiers.
"Men," shouted Lieutenant Prescott, "the first duty is to get thewounded behind the trench and then into the house. Every man badly hurtmust have prompt attention."
Then, indeed, came the time to take account of what had happened.
Three of the soldiers already lay dead, their heads and bodiesfrightfully gashed. Another, Bender, was dying from two knife thruststhrough his lungs.
Four more men were too badly hurt to help themselves. A dozen others hadwounds of varying degrees of seriousness but were able to reach shelterunaided.
Uncle Sam had won the victory for the moment, but he had paid dearly forit.
"I'm glad you gave me that word when you did, Sergeant," murmuredPrivate Hunter. "It steadied me. If it hadn't been for that I guess I'dhave been a goner by this time."
It was after three o'clock in the morning when Sergeant Overton feltthat he finally had a moment for free breathing.
"Sergeant," said the lieutenant, "your watch tour is long past. Lie downand get some sleep."
"You're sure that I can be spared, sir?"
"Certainly; you can be called if you're needed."
To one not accustomed to war it might seem strange, but thirty secondsafter Hal had wrapped himself in his blanket he was deep in dreamlessslumber. He slept until the sun was fairly high. Then Prescott awokehim.
"Kelly--Slosson--are they back, sir?" were Hal's first words, as hethrew aside his blanket.
"Back nearly three hours ago, Sergeant," smiled the officer. "It'shalf-past eight. I've been occupied, and have missed my breakfast. Comeinto the house and breakfast with me, Sergeant Overton. SergeantDinsmore will look after things outdoors."
"Did--have you buried the Moros who fell?" questioned Hal, looking outbeyond the trench.
"The rascals sent over men with two lanterns, and asked permission tocarry off their casualties," explained the officer. "I let them do it."
"It must have given them a lot of work to do," muttered Hal.
"It did. I estimate their dead at thirty, and their badly hurt at fortyor more. We made it an expensive night for them."
"We paid a big price on our own part, sir," returned the young sergeant,"for we paid in good Americans."
"We can't have war without death, can we?" half sighed the West Pointer.
Once inside the house Hal's first care was to visit the wounded men.
"Bender's gone, sir?" asked Hal.
"Yes," nodded Lieutenant Prescott gravely.
Then they went to breakfast, for the soldier must eat or presently stopfighting.
"You'll want to know my orders from Captain Cortland," said LieutenantPrescott, filling his cup with coffee.
"Yes, sir; if you feel at liberty to tell me."
"The captain's instructions are few. He tells me that, as commander inthe field, I will have to use my own judgment to a great degree. But thecaptain urges me, as soon as I may be satisfied that the Moros havewithdrawn, to leave Sergeant Dinsmore here with a guard of twelve men,and to bring the white people from this plantation into town with me.Then Dinsmore, if he sees no more of the Moros within three days, is tomarch his men back to Bantoc. With the limited number of men at hisdisposal Captain Cortland recognizes the impossibility of keeping amilitary guard regularly at each plantation."
"But, sir, if Dinsmore and a dozen men had to brave such a charge as wemet last night he would stand a very good chance of having hisdetachment wiped out, wouldn't he?"
"No; for the Moros would attempt such a charge only in the night time.Captain Cortland has sent me a supply of various-colored rockets, and acode by which they are to be used. So, if attacked by a rush at night,Sergeant Dinsmore will withdraw with his men to the house, and send uprockets that will be seen in Bantoc and at Fort Franklin. Then a columnwill be sent out to overtake and punish any brown rascals who mayattack."
"Have you seen any signs of the Moros lately, sir?"
"No, Sergeant. Later in the forenoon, however, I think I shall order youto take about twenty men out in skirmish line. You will try to draw theenemy's fire, returning if you succeed. If you do not succeed, you willsearch the woods, always keeping an alert eye open for the possibilityof running into an ambushed party of cold steel men in the woods."
"I shall be delighted to have charge of that reconnaissance, sir," Halreplied promptly.
"Yes; it is work cut out for just such a cool head as yours, Sergeant."
"Thank you, sir."
"Well, you are cool-headed, so why should I not say it?" laughedLieutenant Prescott. "Sergeant, your presence here has made my own workhalf as heavy as it would have been without you. I shall so report toCaptain Cortland on my return."
"Thank you, sir. May I ask if Captain Cortland reports trouble with theMoros in any other locality?"
"Nothing has as yet broken out anywhere else. Captain Cortland writes methat Bantoc, while apparently quiet, is really a seething volcano, readyto break out into insurrection, riot and pillage. Lieutenant Holmes isstill in personal command over in Bantoc, so I fancy your friend,Sergeant Terry, is there with him."
As Hal followed the lieutenant out after breakfast, the first man theysaw was Slosson, busily smoking the pipe that he had tramped twenty-fourmiles to obtain.
Then, as the officer walked away, Kelly sauntered up.
"Did you two have any trouble on the way in or back, Kelly?" askedSergeant Overton.
"Not the least bit, though we stepped pretty close to some of the'goo-goos' in getting away from here, Sarge. But we got by withouttelling 'em we were there."
"You two must be tired."
"We've had the bit of a nap," replied Kelly.
An hour later Lieutenant Prescott again approached Sergeant Hal.
"Count off your twenty men, Sergeant. Line 'em up for instruction. I'mgoin
g to send you over yonder, now, to make that scoutingreconnaissance. Don't fall into any traps, Sergeant."
Hal quickly detailed his men, ordering them to fall in.
"Why am I not picked, Sarge?" whispered Kelly.
"Man, you've done enough."
Lieutenant Prescott's instructions were few, though to the point.
Then, in line of skirmishers, Sergeant Hal Overton ordered his menforward. Over the trench they went, then advanced steadily toward thewoods from which had come the rush of the night before.
Those left behind watched anxiously. Would the issue mean another savagefight--or what?