Ralph Bonehill

“ Pull! pull!" came the command, and away the sailors pulled, while a bit of rope snapped down and hit me across the cheek, nearly blinding me. For the next few minutes I felt as if I was roller-coasting up one mountain side and down another.
When I was able to look around me another flash of lightning lit up the scene. Behind us rested the Dart, well over on her port side, as though getting ready to take her final plunge beneath the waves of the sea. To the left of us was one small boat and to the right the others.
"Are we away all right?" I asked of the second mate. ”

“ There is no gradual coming on of daylight. The sun came up in all of its fiery splendor, and day was at hand, hot, oppressive, and enervating. To look around one would have thought that it had not rained for a week, yet there was a steam in the air—a steam that by noon gave place to a peculiar vapor laden with that smell which, once experienced, is not easily forgotten, the smell of rank vegetation mingled with the delicious odor of spices. ”

“ Without a boat a journey by water was out of the question. If I tried to gain Manila by a trip overland I felt that I would either become lost in the mountains or else fall into the hands of the warlike Tagals. ”

“ Lying on the north shore I saw half a dozen ships at anchor, one of which, a two-masted schooner, flew the Stars and Stripes.
"If I can get to that craft I'll be safe," I said to myself. "I'll watch her and see if anybody comes ashore."
On the following morning I saw the schooner move slowly for the entrance to Subig Bay. Running with all speed for the point of land between the bay and the China Sea, I waved my hands frantically and was at last gratified to see that somebody on board had noticed me. Presently the schooner came to anchor again, and a small boat put out for the beach. ”

“ At the further side of the brush we came to a small stream, which we plunged into ere we had time to draw back.
"Look out, it may be over your head!" shouted Dawson; but the warning was not needed, as the watercourse proved to be less than a yard deep at any point. The bottom was of sand and small stones, and both sides were overhung with brush, moss, and the ever-present vines.
"Hold on," whispered my companion, as I was about to step out of the stream. "It may be safer here than anywhere, for water leaves no trail. Let us keep to the middle of the stream and see where it brings us." ”

“ We entered the jail yard through a gate to a tall iron fence. Beyond was a wide, gloomy corridor, the lower floor of the jail being on a level with the street. A guard passed us after hearing what the spy had to say, and we were conducted to a room in the rear.
"What a horrible place," were my first words to Dan, as I gazed around at our surroundings. The room was filled with the smoke of the ever-present cigarette, for it must be remembered that in the Philippines women as well as men smoke. ”

“ As the sun came up six warships, flying the Spanish flag, were discovered lying between Manila and Cavité. Several other warships were to the rear, half hidden by the arsenal just mentioned.
"There they are!" was the cry which swept from ship to ship. "Now for a fight to the death!"
The words had scarcely been uttered when the flagship opened fire. A second later the Boston belched forth with her forward guns. ”

“ He referred to the four sailors that had accompanied the captain in the first boat. Standing up as best he could, he waited for another flash of lightning and gazed around hurriedly. Not another soul was in sight.
"They are gone, I am afraid," he murmured. "Keep her head up, lads, and I'll take another look."
"Never mind the others," growled Captain Kenny, struggling to a seat. "We must save ourselves. Pull on, or we'll be swamped." ”

“ I burst out. "Maybe we had better go back."
"I think so myself," answered the first mate. "We count three and if there are three more that will give us six, and six white men ought to be able to subdue four times that number of such wretches."
We turned on our tracks, just as a crashing in the brush to our left came to our ears. Soon we were making for the beach with all of the strength left to us.
When we came out into the open we found Watt Brown, Vincent, and Sandram in a hand-to-hand fight with four natives that had been left to watch the wreck. ”

“ As long as the darkness served to hide us, we held up our heads for air, but with the first appearance of the electric lights of Manila, we dove out of sight.
"We are entering the town," whispered Dan, as the clumsy cart creaked over a bridge. "I think we'll be safe in ten minutes more."
He had scarcely finished when there came a loud command to halt, and the native brought his cart to a standstill. A brief parley followed, and a couple of Spanish guards came up to the cart and calmly confiscated several cocoanuts from the bag. ”

“ The second mate was right, and presently the sail flapped idly against the stumpy mast. Tom Dawson looked at the oars, picked up one of the blades, let it fall again, and shook his head. "Too blasted hot, no use of talking."
"I think I would rather lay under the shadow of yonder mountain than out here all day," said Brown. "What do you say, boys; shall we pull for the shore?"
A vote was taken, and it was found that even Captain Kenny preferred land to that boiling and sizzling sea. But he declined to row. "Let the boy take a hand," he said. ”

“ When we reached the bamboo hut a strange sight met our gaze. On his back lay a white man of at least seventy years of age. Kneeling on his breast was a Tagal with drawn knife, while another Tagal knelt at the old man's side, trying to pull a money bag from his grasp.
"Hi! stop that!" I called out, and, rushing in, kicked one of the Tagals so heavily in his side that he rolled over and over on the earthen floor.
At this the second native leaped up and rushed at me with his knife. But, before the blade could descend, Dan fired at him, and his arm fell helpless at his side. ”

“ On and on we went, the wet brush slashing in our faces. Often we sank into muddy holes up to our knees, but each time one would help the other out. Whenever a flash of lightning lit up the firmament we tried to look about us, but the forest cut off the view.
"I can't go much further," I gasped, at last, when Dawson announced a big cliff ahead. ”

“ I listened, but all was as silent as the grave, excepting for the snoring that came from Matt Gory's corner.
"Something is wrong," I thought, and turned over in the direction of the barred window, close to Longley's couch. There was a faint light, and the sight that I saw filled me with horror.
A man hung to the bars from the outside. In one hand he held a sharp dagger tied to a stout stick. The dagger had been passed into the room and the man was on the point of sticking the dangerous-looking blade into Longley's breast! ”

“ Soon it was a hand-to-hand encounter, and we found ourselves gradually forced back to the companion way.
"We can't stand up against 'em!" panted Matt Gory, as he shouldered up to me with the blood streaming from a cut in his cheek. "They are afther bein' too many for us, bad cess to 'em!"
"Let us take a final stand in the cabin," I answered. "Remember, possession is nine points of the law."
Matt Gory was willing and tumbled down the companion way, followed by Dan and myself. As we burst into the cabin we shut the door behind us and locked it. ”

“ The shock dazed me for an instant, and before I could recover the Chinaman had me by the throat.
"Let—let up!" I gasped, and as he did not I grabbed him by the ear, at which he let out a scream of pain. Then, in a twinkling, a dagger was flashed before my eyes, and I felt as if my last moment on earth had come. ”

“ What Captain Kenny would have done, had I refused to march as ordered, I never learned, for while he was speaking Dan made a rush forward and caught the pistol from his hand and sent him flat on his back, in the bargain. Then my companion stepped to my side, and both of us backed up toward the companion way.
For fully a minute Captain Kenny lay where he had fallen, nobody caring to go to his assistance. Then he cried loudly to the sailors to help him get up, and they did so. In the meantime Tom Dawson stood by, scratching his head in perplexity. ”

“ Here the boat ran up upon the sands, and, throwing down our oars, we all leaped out and hauled her up still further.
"Thank God we're safe!" murmured Watt Brown, and took off his cap reverently. I did the same, and offered up a silent prayer for my safe deliverance from the perils of the deep. The bay we had entered was pear-shaped and probably five hundred feet deep by a hundred and fifty feet wide. The sandy beach at either side was many yards wide, but at the inner end the rocks and trees overhung the water. ”

“ I laughed, when Tom Dawson asked me where I was bound. "I'm going to strike a bonanza."
"Look out that you don't stir up some wild animal big enough to chew you up," he yelled after me.
The canyon was filled with brushwood and vines, with here and there heavy clusters of tropical flowers, so odoriferous that they were positively sickening. Some of these flowers, I afterward learned, can readily put one to sleep if you sit by them long enough.
I found an easy path to the top of the canyon, at a point where the walls were fifty to sixty feet high and three times as far apart. ”

“ We also saw that our own deck was filled with fallen rigging and wooden splinters.
"Sound the pumps!" was the cry, coming from Tom Dawson. "Quigley, see if you can make out the damage"—the last words to the ship's carpenter.
"We got it pretty heavily," gasped Dan, who was about as much winded as myself. "Pray heaven we may outride the shock and the storm."
Several sailors had sprung to the pumps and were pumping up sea water in great quantities. "A foot and four inches," cried one. "And gaining rapidly!" ”

“ The next day was a busy one for Dan and an idle one for myself. In the afternoon I met several American sailors from the Boston, another of Commodore Dewey's squadron, and being in a talkative mood they filled me up with tales of gallantry on shipboard, and sent me back to Mr. Holbrook's place more determined than ever to enlist on the Olympia or the Boston. ”

“ An American is not safe here, no matter if he gives up all his arms and swears to remain neutral. The Dons hate the very sight of us. They never wanted us here in the first place and now they are bound to drive us out—if they can."
"But they can't," finished Dan. "I'll tell you all, Uncle Sam is bound to stay here. Mark my words and see if I am not right."
Since we had left him, Longley had had natives working at the offices, and each window was barred more heavily than ever, while some of those on the lower floor had been covered entirely. ”

“ A rush to the forecastle followed.
"Back, Dan, it's our only chance," I cried. "They won't grant us any mercy if they catch us!" and we flew back into the passageway and to the cabin, locking the second door and barricading it like the first.
The Chinamen followed us along the passage and we heard them pounding on the doors for several seconds. But then came a call from the deck and the dull booming of the cannon we had before heard.
"That shooting means something," said Dan. "Oh if only the Concord has arrived!" ”

“ We had been joined in pairs and were now made to march away from the sea-coast and toward the native village of Bumwoga, a collection of ramshackle bamboo huts, the same we had seen from the top of the hill at the time the Dart was located. We were in the custody of one-half of the chief's guard, the other natives moving off for the vessel, to loot her of whatever came handy.
At the village we met the first Tagal women, creatures by no means bad-looking. They were almost as simply dressed as their husbands and brothers. ”

“ For several seconds the Chinamen refused to recognize the return signal, but then the white handkerchief dropped and the second small boat came to a lazy roll on the long waves.
"Watch the woods!" sang out Watt Brown. "I'll keep these fellows at bay, never fear."
"I see some forms behind yonder trees," said Dan, a second later. "They are coming on as fast as they can, and each man has a pistol and a rifle! They mean fight!" ”

“ Captain Kenny collapsed and went sliding into the mainmast, and then toward the lee rail.
"Save me!" he yelled, when he felt that he could not help himself. "Save me!" And Dawson and the American sailor immediately ran to his assistance.
It was all I could do now to save myself from being thrown down the companion way, and for the time being I lost interest in Captain Kenny. "This is awful!" I said to Dan. "I believe we are in for another hurricane."
"The fools ought to take in every rag of canvas," was the reply. "Tom Dawson hasn't any backbone, or he'd take matters in his own hands." ”

“ At first I could not locate the sounds, but presently saw the thin white smoke ascending from a valley far to our east, a valley hedged in between two tall mountains.
"Can you make out who is fighting?" I asked, straining my eyes to the utmost.
"It looks to me like soldiers on one side and natives on the other," answered the first mate. "The soldiers are driving the other fellows up the valley. There must be about five hundred men fighting on each side."
"Can the Tagals be waging war on the Spaniards?" ”

“ By this time my blood was up, and, leaping in, I landed one blow on his chest and another on his mouth, which latter drew blood and loosened two of his teeth. I had taken several lessons in the art of self-defense and these now stood me in good stead. My blows sent him staggering up against a gun, where he stood gazing at me in bewildered astonishment. ”

“ We were running along during the night and all hands were utterly worn out and half asleep. Suddenly a wave as big as a church bore down on us and nearly swamped our craft. I went overboard and so did Dan Holbrook and Casey. All of us went under, and when I came up and clambered aboard again, Holbrook and Casey were missing."
"Yis, poor Casey was missing God rist his sowl!" murmured Matt Gory, who was the missing man's cousin. He turned to me. ”

“ Cockfighting, you know, is the national sport."
"And it is a wicked, cruel thing, Longley. I don't see how a man can call himself a man and put in his time looking at one rooster trying to tear another to death with steel spurs."
"It is all that you say of it, and so is bullfighting."
"I'm glad we haven't any such national sports," I went on. "Baseball and football are good enough for me."
"They laugh at baseball and call it baby's play."
"Never mind, it isn't inhuman, and their fights are."
"Fortunes are won and lost on bull- and cockfights. ”

“ The Spanish ships lay along the shore, riddled with shot and shell and burning fiercely. Hundreds of Spanish sailors had been either shot or drowned, and those who had escaped to land were hurrying, panic-stricken, toward Manila and the mountains. More than this, Cavité itself had surrendered, and the arms and ammunition at the arsenal were our own. ”

“ A shout went up when the carcass of the dead bull was discovered. A jabbering in a native dialect followed, and two Tagals left, presumably to find out what had become of the rest of the herd. While this hunt was made, two other natives cut off a number of juicy buffalo steaks and placed them in leaves bound with vines.
"I hope they don't go into camp here," murmured Dan to me.
"Or that they don't discover some trace of us," I returned.
"We had better hold ourselves in readiness for an attack," put in Matt Gory, and we thought this good advice and followed it. ”