Part 2 (2/2)
”We'd better rowled one old soldier
”They are worse nor the rebels ten tiree with hi would have been far ht came and went, and found the expedition still so, but theoff thethe cascos and launches froh and dry in the mud
Had it not been for the tinclads it is doubtful if the Laguna de Bay would have been gained at all bythe turnout But they caain, and so the expedition crawled along, until, at four o'clock, the clear sheet of water beyond was sighted
They were ained when the casco ahead of that steered by Larry went aground onceLarry's craft behind it The youth did all he could to back water, but in vain, and once more they heard the unwelcome slish of ain!” howled the lieutenant, leaping up froive me that oar” And he tried to wrench the blade froan the youth, when the officer forced the blade from him and hurled him back on one of the soldiers Then the lieutenant tried to do sohtly in the nation, Larry felt hiain At the saave him a shove which pitched hiainst the lieutenant with considerable force, and in a twinkle the officer went overboard, head first, into the water and mud where the casco had stuck fast
CHAPTER IV
THE GAP IN THE FIRING LINE
”Hullo, Lieutenant Horitz has fallen overboard!”
”Pull him out of the mud, before he smothers or drowns!”
Such were so the soldiers that filled the casco Then Larry was shoved back, and two of thes of the man who had disappeared, as for an instant they showed the pull, and a pull altogether,” and up came the lieutenant, minus his hat and with his face and neck well plastered with the black ooze of the river bottom
For a moment after he sank on the seat that was vacated to receive him, he could not speak One of the soldiers handed him a handkerchief, and with this he proceeded to clear his eyes and ears, at the saet back his breath At last he cleared his throat and glared angrily at Larry
”You--you young whelp!” he fumed ”You--you knocked me over on purpose!”
”No, sir, I did not,” answered the young tar, proainst you”
”I don't believe you,” roared the unreasonable one, as he continued to clean himself off ”You shall pay dearly for this assault,to one of the soldiers
”I shoved you off of my neck, yes,” answered the enlisted man ”But I didn't throw you into Lieutenant Horitz You did that yourself”
”Of course he did it himself,” said another soldier, who did not wish to see his tent-et into trouble ”You had it in for the lieutenant ever since he first spoke to you”
”I shall report you the first chance I get,” growled Lieutenant Horitz ”I reckon you'll find that General Laon't allow any such disgraceful conduct while he is in command”
”What's the row back there?” caet afloat, or we'll cut the rope and leave you to shi+ft for yourselves”
”Our officer was just shoved overboard,” answered Snapper, the soldier who had given Larry the unlucky push ”And we've lost our oar”
”No, I have the oar,” put in Larry,a clutch into the water for the article just as it was about to float out of reach He leaped into the bow once orously, and in a few seconds they were again afloat