Part 11 (1/2)

They soon ca, set in a perfect wilderness of flowers and shrubs Toward the side they made out a well, and ran forward to fill their canteens

The pair were at the hen a shrill cry from one of the side roo up, they saw a native girl waving her hand frantically at theed to the better classes

”We only want a drink!” shouted Ben, thinking that the arden to steal

But the girl shouted more loudly than ever, and waved them away from the well ”Bad! bad!” she cried

”Oh, no, we are not so bad as you think,” Gilbert shouted back; and was about to take a drink froirl caround At the sa Filipino appeared at the doorway, shook his fist at the girl, and then suddenly ran for the barns behind the dwelling and disappeared

”I want a drink and I'an Gilbert, sternly, for he did not like the”If you--”

”The well is poisoned; don't drink, it will kill you!” gasped the girl, in Spanish

[Illustration: ”The well is poisoned! don't drink! it will kill you!”--_Page 115_]

As old readers know, Gilbert understood a little of the language, having picked it up while on a trip to Cuba, and also while serving as a Rough Rider in that island He started back and caught the maiden by the arm

”Poisoned! you are certain?” he cried

”Yes, senor; at, and he is very angry at the _A this way, and he wanted to poison as many as he could He put a water-barrel down on the road full of the poisoned water, too”

”Who is your uncle, the o after hih alarm ”I would not have spoken, but I could not see you poisoned before my very eyes; no, not that!”

As quickly as he could, Gilbert translated her words to Ben, who listened in a captain ”I've heard of this sort of thing being done before I wonder where that barrel is that she spoke about? We must find it and empty it of its contents”

Gilbert put the question to the girl, who announced that the barrel was on another road back of the plantation Whether any of the soldiers had reached it or not was a question

As quickly as he could Ben reported the situation to his superior, and received orders to divide his couard the poisoned well so that no Ao and hunt up the water-barrel Gilbert was detailed to accoiven to understand that she must take the soldiers to where the barrel had been set up

At first the maiden demurred; but there was no help for it, and the kind save her were an assurance that no harm was about to befall her Yet she was afraid that when the reckoning came her uncle would deal harshly with her, and treh the rice-fields with the two young officers beside her

The little coun rang out, co from the direction of a wood behind the rice-fields The bullet sped past Ben's shoulder, to bury itself in the fleshy part of one of his private's arirl ”Oh, he will kill us all, I aitated that she sank down and could not go another step

Without hesitation, Ben ordered his men forward on the run, and aent the detachment for the spot from whence the unexpected shot had come As the soldiers neared the wood they beheld a Filipino in the act of running across a s

”That's hi a hasty aie forward on his face When the party came up they found that the man had been hit in the hip, and that the wound, while not necessarily dangerous, was serious, and would put the fellow out of the contest for severaldrinking water is not fair fighting”

The girl soon ca bitterly She wished to remain by her uncle, but Ben made her understand that she must point out the water-barrel first, and after that he would have two soldiers ree