CHAPTER XV
THE ESCAPE FROM THE BURNING HOUSE
"Hullo, that's a new wrinkle!" exclaimed Ben. "They are going to tryburning us out."
"Sure, an' thim haythins is up to all sorts av dodges," cried DanCasey. "It's meself as would like to git a squint at th' feller thatthrew that."
"I've got him, I reckon," whispered Sorrel, taking a ready aim at athin hedge to the left of the house. The report of his gun wasfollowed by a shriek of pain, and a Filipino fell into view, the bloodflowing freely from a wound in his neck. Soon his companions caughthim by the legs and dragged him back into cover.
After this brief exchange of "compliments," as the tall Tennesseeancalled it, there came a lull. Evidently the natives were disconcertedby the unexpected fall of the man who had thrown the fire-ball andknew not what to do.
"Do you suppose they have quitted the vicinity?" questioned Jeming,after listening vainly for some sound from without. From a distancecame a scattering fire, but around the native house was the silence ofdeath, for the man who had been shot by Sorrel had fainted from lossof blood.
"They are up to something, you can be certain of that," answered Ben."The Filipino is at his worst when he is silent."
"Right ye air, cap'n," put in Sorrel. "Yere she comes agin--an' ascorcher, too!"
From over the bushes came a huge fire-ball, blazing brightly. Itstruck the thatch of the cottage close to the edge of the roof, andbefore it fell to the ground had set fire to the abode, which began toburn as though no shower had wet it for a month.
"That settles it!" came from Jeming. "We've got to get out, or we'llbe burnt up like rats in a corn-crib."
"But the sergeant--" began Sorrel, when a low moan issued from thecorner.
"Never--mind--me, boys," came, with several gasps. "I'm--I'm going!Good--good--bye--to--to-- Tell mother--"
He said no more, but fell back exhausted. All rushed to him, but ereanybody could raise his form again he was gone from this earthforever.
Tears stood in the eyes of Ralph Sorrel, and Jeming was scarcely lessaffected, for both had known the sergeant intimately. "Anothervictim," murmured the tall Tennesseean. "How long is this yere blamedwar goin' ter last, anyhow?"
"Not much longer, I hope," answered Ben, in a low voice. "I, for one,have seen enough of bloodshed." Then the young captain straightenedup, for fear he might break down. "But we must attend to our duty, andget away if we can. See, the flames are eating in at the window."
"All right, cap'n, I'm ready," said Sorrel. "But we must carry thisyere body outside fust. We can't let it be burnt up, nohow."
He nodded to Jeming, who understood, and covering the form of the deadman with a blanket, they marched to the door with the stiffening form.The coast seemed clear, and they darted out and deposited theirgrewsome burden on the grass. They were just returning to the shelterof the doorway when two shots rang out, but neither was effective.
By this time the cottage was burning so fiercely that to remaininside longer would have proved highly dangerous. Accordingly, Bencalled a council of war.
"I think we had best strike out for the grove of trees on the right,"he announced. "The distance is shorter than to the other shelters, andthe grass is so high that perhaps we can get some benefit by stoopingdown as we run."
"Right ye air, cap'n," answered Sorrel, and Casey and Jeming nodded.
"Surrendor, you _Americanos_!" came in a shout from without."Surrendor, you beasts!"
"Let them burn up, they deserve it!" came in Spanish.
"All ready?" asked Ben, and receiving a nod, he hurried to a sidewindow. Below was a small bush, and in a moment he had dropped to theground. As he started through the long grass, Casey and the othersfollowed him.
A wild yell speedily showed that this new movement had beendiscovered, and a dozen shots rang out. But the Filipinos were tooexcited to shoot straight, and the bullets merely clipped their waythrough the mango and other trees, or buried themselves in the side ofthe burning building.
At first Ben thought to fire in return. But to find shelter was theprime consideration, and on he went, holding his pistol in readiness,but without pulling the trigger. Here and there a Filipino could beseen flitting from bush to tree, but these glimpses were short and farfrom satisfactory.
"They are coming!" came from Dan Casey, just as the nearest of thetrees was gained. "Back, ye rascals!" he shouted, and fired as quicklyas he could. Casey was right; the Tagals were surrounding them, andnow they had to fight back to back, in as hot a contest as the youngcaptain had ever seen. They were clearly outnumbered, but retreat wasimpossible, for the Filipinos surrounded them upon every side.
What happened during the next five minutes is almost impossible todescribe, for every movement was executed with lightning-likerapidity, the Filipinos bound to kill or capture the Americans, and atthe same time afraid that they would slip like eels through theirfingers. After a score of shots taken at a distance, they closed in,and Ben found himself confronted by two fierce-looking men, one armedwith a Mauser rifle and the other with a wicked-looking bolo. TheMauser was empty, and its owner evidently out of ammunition, for ashe advanced he used the weapon as a club.
Ben was hard pressed, for his pistol was now empty, and there was nochance to reload it. But his sword kept the two Tagals back, and hadit not been for his gun, one of the enemy would have had his headsplit open from the blade. But now the rascal with the bolo tried toattack the young captain from one side, while he with the gun swungaround to the other.
"His sword kept the two Tagals back."--_Page 147._]
Ben could expect no aid from his companions, for all were as hotlyengaged as himself; indeed, Sorrel more so, for he was fighting threemen, while Jeming and Dan Casey, side by side, and with their backsagainst a heavy thorn-bush, were fighting the balance of thedetachment.
The young captain felt that he could do little or nothing more, andexpected each instant to have his assailants hurl themselves directlyupon him, when a shout came from Sorrel which gave all of our friendshope.
"Some soldiers air comin'!" sang out the Tennesseean. "This way, boys,this way, an' be quick about it!"
"What's the matter?" came in a hoarse growl from the roadway, and ina few seconds a whole company of the North Dakota troops burst intoview. Their captain, a short, fat man, but one who was an excellentfighter, took in the situation at a glance, and ordered the Filipinossurrounded.
Taken by surprise, the Tagals were dumfounded, and for half a minuteknew not what to do. Then they started to run, but this movement cametoo late, and four went down at the first volley from the newlyarrived men. The others, realizing their helplessness, threw downtheir arms and surrendered.
"Had it hot, eh, captain," said the North Dakota man to Ben as he cameup with a quizzical smile on his round face, from which theperspiration was pouring in a stream.
"Yes," panted Ben. "You came up in the nick of time, and I must thankyou for--"
"That's all right, captain--no more than you would do for me, and Iknow it." The North Dakota man shook hands. "It's been a long runningfight to-day," he added. "Where is your command?"
"That remains to be found out," answered Ben. "Have you seen any ofthem during the last two hours? I and one of my men became separatedfrom them in the cane-brakes."
"I guess you'll find them up near Baliuag. Most of the troops are upthere. But I wouldn't try going around by this road, for the rebelsare scattered in small bands all over this territory. You'll find themain road all right."
"What will you do with these prisoners?"
"Take them up to the main road and send to the colonel for orders."
"Then I will go with you," said Ben, and spoke to the others about it.Soon the whole party was on the way, Sorrel and Jeming carrying thedead form of Sergeant Kaser between them, with Casey trudging near togive them a lift whenever necessary.
It was now growing dark, and looked as if a thunderstorm was athand. Seeing this, the detachment pushed forward rapi
dly, until atlast the main road was gained. Here, from one of the drivers of aquartermaster's turnout, they learned that Ben's regiment had goneinto temporary camp on the outskirts of the town of Baliuag, which wasa mile further on. A number of Americans were missing, havingbecome lost in a manner similar to Ben and Casey.
The young captain now lost no time in marching forward once more, andreached his regiment in less than half an hour. He found his companyin charge of Gilmore. Many had given him up for dead, and they weredelighted at his reappearance.
"We can't do without you," said the acting first lieutenant. And as heshook hands his honest face showed that he meant what he said.
"And I don't know that I can do without my company," replied Ben."Anyway, I'm awfully glad to be back. In the future, I must be alittle more careful about keeping the boys in sight."