Part 35 (1/2)

”Certainly,” was Hal's ready answer. ”I fancy that your men will soon be engaged, for this place is surrounded by bush, as you can see for yourself, and that is an ideal cover for Spanish irregulars, who, I may tell you, are masters at that particular form of fighting, having been taught many bitter lessons by the insurgents. There! Listen to that!”

They went outside the tent, and heard the distant rattle of musketry, and then the answering shots from their own pickets. Taking up a rifle, and filling his pockets with cartridges, Hal at once ran up the hill to join them.

”Keep yer noddle low thar,” a sergeant sang out to him. ”The Dons aer sendin' their bullets skimmin' over here, and it's odds yer don't quite see from where. That's the ticket. Get low down, and keep a lively look-out.”

Hal took the advice given him, and, copying the example of the sergeant, threw himself down behind a rock. Then, dropping his rifle for the moment, he commenced to build up a little breastwork, just like the schantzes used by the Boers in South Africa. Having obtained excellent cover in this way, he knelt up and stared into the bush.

Ping! thud! A rifle flashed three hundred yards away, and the bullet struck a foot or two to his right, sending chips of rock and a fine dust flying into the air. Ping! phit! Again the rifle cracked, and all that Hal could see was a dense ma.s.s of tangled green trailers and ferns.

”Wait a bit,” he murmured beneath his breath. ”I see that big fern moving. Why, as I live, it has crawled ten feet in the last half-minute.

There must be a man behind.”

He aimed carefully and fired. Instantly the waving fronds started high into the air, and, falling asunder, disclosed a Spanish guerrilla reeling blindly from side to side. Then he flung his arms wildly above his head, and, twisting round in his agony, fell p.r.o.ne to the earth.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ”HE AIMED CAREFULLY AND FIRED.”]

”That aer one for you, pard,” the sergeant cried. ”Guess it wur a mighty fluke.”

”Wrong, then,” Hal answered. ”The Spaniards have stuck ferns into their hats, coats, and belts, and that is the reason why you do not spot them.

It's a very old trick of theirs, and one that they learned from the Cubans. Watch for moving leaves, and pull your trigger with the sights leveled three feet beneath.”

”So! aer that it?” the sergeant answered wonderingly. ”You're mighty cute, young feller. Hillo! Durn me, but thar aer a fern on the walk.”

He rose to his knees, and, sighting carefully, pulled his trigger very gently. The report was followed instantly by a commotion amidst the leaves, which suddenly fell to the ground.

”That fetched home, I'm thinking,” he cried. ”Here goes for another.

Ah----”

Hal turned his head, to see the unfortunate American suddenly collapse, and lie motionless across the bowlder. A Spanish bullet had brought quick revenge for the death of a comrade.

”Poor beggar! The fortune of war,” Hal remarked sadly. ”Well, as he's gone, I must act for both.”

He placed a cartridge in the breech and went on firing. Then he pa.s.sed the news that the Spaniards were, like Malcolm's army of old, decked with boughs and leaves, along the lines of trenches which had been thrown up hastily for the protection of the outposts. Hour after hour the musketry duel continued, and so clever were the Spanish guerrillas at taking cover that they forced the American pickets back to the main body of the marines. About midnight Hal retired from the firing line for refreshment and sleep.

”What advice do you give about these fellows?” asked the officer.

”They're certainly clever at keeping out of sight, and there seems no way of getting alongside them. We've four killed already, including our surgeon, and if it wasn't for the bad shootin' of the enemy there'd be heaps more.”

”I should say, turn on the electric searchlight till morning, and then pound the bush with the guns of the s.h.i.+ps,” Hal answered. ”If that does not stop the firing, you'll have to choose between retiring and rus.h.i.+ng their cover.”

”We're not going to do the first, in any case,” the officer replied st.u.r.dily; ”but that is a good dodge--to turn on the light. I'll signal down for it,” and he went away at once.

Hal ate a meal of tinned meat and rusks, which he washed down with a big draught of coffee from the lid of his canteen. Then he rolled himself in a blanket which had been given to him, and quickly fell asleep, for he was worn out with his long day in the trenches. But all night long the musketry flickered along the hillside, and when morning dawned it was as active as ever. Early in the day a band of Cuban insurgents joined the invading Americans, and gave information of a Spanish camp four miles away.

”There's going to be a fight to-morrow,” said the marine officer to Hal.

”We've just had orders to march out and attack this Spanish encampment.