CHAPTER XXII
THE RESULT OF AN AMBUSH
"Good gracious, do you mean to say we have been camping over a powdermagazine?" gasped Gilbert, as soon as he could speak.
"Sure, an' it's a wondher we wasn't all blowed to hivin!" came fromDan Casey.
"Und I boil mine chocolate so calmly as you blease," put in CarlStummer, with a shudder. "Py chiminy, I ton't vos build no fire nomore bis I vos sure of mine ground."
For several minutes the excitement was intense, and all of thesoldiers retreated to a considerable distance from the hollow whichhad proved such a comfortable shelter.
Presently, however, Ben, Gilbert, and several others mustered upcourage enough to go back and haul down the coverings put up. Thencame another heavy downpour of rain, which speedily extinguished thefire; and the danger of an explosion was past.
An examination under the rocks proved that the Filipino gunner hadtold the truth. The powder was there, in big cans bearing the oldSpanish stamp. Some was marked 1876, and was so old as to bepractically 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 hitanything. This powder has no carrying power left to it."
Nevertheless the powder was carted off and added to the Americanstock. Then General Lawton rode up and Major Morris told in detailwhat had been accomplished.
With the fall of Maasin came another day of much-needed rest for themajority of the troops under General Lawton. In the meantime, whilethese soldiers were advancing from Angat upon San Isidro, the commandunder General MacArthur was far from idle. The Filipino commissionerswanted a three months' armistice, in order that the terms of a peacemight be discussed, but to this the Americans would not listen, asthey felt the enemy wished mainly to gain time in which to reorganizetheir shattered forces.
MacArthur's command was now in possession of Calumpit on therailroad, and Apalit, just above, on the Rio Grande; while the rebelsin this territory began to mass at St. Tomas and at San Fernando,still further northward on the railroad. On May the 4th MacArthur'sdivision set out from Apalit, with Hale's command on the right wingand Wheaton's on the left.
It was not supposed that the rebels would make a serious stand shortof San Fernando, but at St. Tomas they were developed in force, and arunning fight ensued, lasting several hours, but without great loss tothe Americans. Finding they could not hold St. Tomas, the Filipinosset fire to the town and fled. They were pursued with vigor, andattempted to burn San Fernando late that night, but failed to do so.
Early in the morning the fighting was renewed, and near San Fernandoanother battle took place. But the rebels were disheartened by thedefeat at St. Tomas, and were soon on the run, and General Hale drovethem a mile beyond San Fernando. In taking possession of the town itwas found that several of the public buildings were in ruins. Thedefensive works here were very strong, and had the Filipinos stood upto their work like real fighters, they might have held the positionfor a long time.
On Saturday, May the 6th, Ben's command moved forward again, down thehill into Maasin, now patrolled by Americans, and then to the mainroad beyond.
"I don't believe we are in for much of a fight to-day," remarkedthe young captain to Gilmore, who had now been appointed firstlieutenant.
"I reckon you are right," answered Gilmore. "The scouts haven't foundany rebels within a mile."
"It would almost seem as if we could march straight through to SanIsidro," went on Ben, thoughtfully. "I must say I never heard of sucha 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 aminute if the leaders were only assured that they would come outwhole, as the saying goes."
"Well, they've gone too far to come out whole, captain. GeneralAguinaldo may mean well, but he never went at this thing right. Heought to know that he isn't dealing with some third-rate power."
On went the regiment, about four hundred and fifty strong now, formen were dropping out every day on account of fever and other tropicaltroubles. Ben had had a little fever himself, but had dosed himselfwith quinine before it had a chance to permeate his system and bringhim down on his back.
The advance led the regiment along a small stream lined with fadingflowers and wild plantains and the ever present thorns and trailingvines. Birds were numerous, and here and there a sporting soldiercould not resist the temptation to bring one of the feathered tribedown, to be cooked at the next resting place. Once the regimentstirred up a flock of wild turkeys, and a charge was made to capturethe prizes, a charge that was as enthusing as one on the rebels.Soldiers are but human and must have their fun, no matter under whatdifficulties.
"It's a fine turkey dinner we'll be afther havin' to-day," remarkedDan Casey, as he hung one of the birds over his shoulder. He hadscarcely spoken, when pop-pop went several Mausers in a thicketbeyond, the bullets singing their strange tune in the leaves over theadvancers' heads.
"Forward!" shouted Major Morris, who was in temporary command of theregiment, and away they went once more, to suddenly find themselveson spongy soil which speedily let them down to their ankles. In themeantime the insurgents' fire became thicker than ever, and it lookedas if they were caught in an ambush.
"Fire at will!" came the order. "To the left, boys, and make everyshot tell!"
A roar of musketry drowned out the words, and immediately Ben'scompany found itself all but surrounded. To go into this quagmire hadcertainly 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 evidentlythought they had the Americans at their mercy and pushed in closer andcloser, until more than half of the contestants were fighting hand tohand. Many had exhausted their ammunition, and were using theirbayonets or else handling their guns as clubs.
"Die!" cried one tall Tagal, as he flashed up before Ben with a bloodybolo. "Die!" he repeated in bad English, and made a lunge at the youngcaptain. But Gilmore had his eye on the man, and the lieutenant'ssword cut the bolo from the rebel's grasp.
"Good for you!" cried Ben. Then he drew a long breath, to think of thenarrow 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 towarda cane-brake. The rebels still fought desperately, but they werebeginning to lose confidence, for the Americans were pushing themhard.
But now came a cheer from the rear, and Company B rushed up to the aidof Ben's command. To the young captain's astonishment, Gilbert was incommand, all the upper officers being either killed or wounded.
"Gilbert!" he called, but had no time to say more. But the youngSoutherner heard and waved the sword he had picked up. Soon the twocompanies were fighting shoulder to shoulder, and the enemy weredriven out into the cane-field, and then into a meadow. Here theytried to make a stand, around an old rice-house, and it took anotherhalf hour to dislodge them. But when they did retreat at last, theywent in great haste, many leaving their weapons and outfits behindthem.
The fighting over, Ben started to find the major. Gilbert accompaniedhim. Their first hunt for the commander, however, was unsuccessful.
"It's queer," was Ben's comment. "I trust he isn't dead in thebushes."
The hunt gradually brought them to a trail through the jungle, andpresently Gilbert heard a faint moan for help. Running in thedirection, they found a soldier of Company C lying on some moss, hisknee 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 towork, Gilbert ran back to bring up the hospital corps with astretcher.
"You want to go after Major Morris," said the wounded soldier, as soonas he felt comfortable enough to talk.
r /> "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 'emcarried him away."
This was certainly news, and Ben waited impatiently for Gilbert to getback. As soon as the young Southerner returned, both asked thewounded soldier in what direction the captured major had been taken.
"They went through the cane-brake," was the answer. "You'll find thetrail easily enough, I think, if you look for it. One of the rebs woreboots with high heels, so you can't miss 'em."
The wounded man did his best to point out the right direction, and wasthen taken back to the hospital tent. Without delay Ben called RalphSorrel and half a dozen others to his aid.
"We must go after Major Morris, and at once," he said. "Are you readyto undertake the work? It may be a dangerous proceeding."
"We're with yer, cap'n," answered Sorrel, and his sentiment was thatof 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 groundpermitted. The storm had cleared off the night before, and the sunshone 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 usto turn ourselves about an' git lost."
"We'll stick to the one trail," answered Ben. "As yet I've seen noside trails, although I've been watching every foot of the ground thatwe crossed."
"Nor I, cap'n,--an' don't wan't to, neither," added the tallmountaineer.
A little further on was a clearing, in the centre of which stood asmall cane-house. Halting on the edge of the opening, they beheldseveral Filipinos on guard outside the house. In the doorway, with hisback to the opening, stood Major Morris, his hands bound behind him.