Part 21 (1/2)
Word soon came back from General Lawton that the battalion should hold the hill until further orders The situation was not a pleasant one, but orders must be obeyed, and the various companies proceeded to make the much, since the top of the hill afforded little or no shelter One co soon proved that the rebels were a mile or more distant
When the main body of the troops under General Lawton marched into Maasin, they found the pretty little town all but deserted In a few of the huts the inhabitants res to show that they were _aos_ Here were also numerous ”Chinos”
or Chinese, so for the American soldiers, provided they were paid for it Natives and ”Chinos” went about bared to the waist, casting fearful eyes at those who had so suddenly disturbed the peace of their homesteads, for the inhabitants of Maasin were peaceably inclined, and took but little interest in the war Aguinaldo and his followers had instituted
”Well, we are one step nearer to San Isidro,” reot the chance to talk to Ben ”I suppose we can't get there any too quick for you”
”I don't know, Gilbert You must remember that while Larry may be near San Isidro now, he e their capital and their prisons as quickly as a flea jumps”
”Never mind, we'll keep the Southerner ”They can't stand up before us forever”
”To , I don't believe this ill come to definite end, Gilbert”
”What do you ot to stop”
”These Filipinos are not pulling together--on the contrary, they are split up into half a dozen factions If we defeat one faction, the others will still keep on, and, besides that, the worst of the rebels are of Malayan blood, pirates and bandits I believe after we have whipped the in sands in Mexico and northern Africa With thean American army for years”
”Possibly; but when the main body of the natives see ant to do for theands, and with their own people after theer To be sure, there will always be robbers, just as there are outlaws and train-wreckers in the western states of our own country”
So between the rocks, and over this had hung their tents, lad to share with them In the croere Casey and Stu to s found in the shelter The attempt was hardly a success, yet the drink was better for the convalescent than either water or liquor would have been
”Sure, an' if this shtorm kapes up, we'll all be dhrowned out,” was Casey's co puddle ”Noould think the water would rise on the top av a hill Things do be hty peculiar in Luzon, an' that's a fact”
”Never et back home some day,” put in another soldier ”And in years to cohter you were out in the state of Luzon, recently annexed to the United States, along with the state of Hawaii” And a laugh went up over the conceit
”Sure an' you ton't haf nodding to gruit shot,” said Stuet taken doith disease,” put in another ”My, but I pity the felloith fever and chills and s that are just as bad I believe about one-fifth of the ar to send a petition to General Otis for relief They say they can't stand it er”
So the talk went on, both Ben and Gilbert saying but little Presently Major Morris poked his nose into the opening
”I think you boys had better coan several
”Are we to advance?” asked others
”No, we are not going to advance, unless it's skyward,” continued the major ”Either cohty careful about it”
”The fire ain't doing no harrumbled a private, under his breath
”I don't believe the eneested another, thinking that this was the cause of their being disturbed
”I' of you Better come out, and then we'll put out that fire as carefully as we can”
Seeing that so unusual was in the wind, one after another of the officers and privates ca the fire a kick as he passed As soon as they were outside they surrounded the commander of the first battalion