Part 31 (1/2)
”And you live to tell it? Ie tree, and that broke my fall But I was badly scratched up, and my ankle was sprained”
”A rare fall truly, boy It would have been better, though, if you had been killed”
”Thank you; I like that!”
”I say it because you are a prisoner who has tried to escape from us
Do you know the fate of all such?”
At these words Larry could not help but shi+ver He knehat the officer up at the cave prison had said,--that any prisoner trying to escape would be shot at the first opportunity which presented itself
”Surely, you would not kill et away?” he cried quickly
The under-officer shrugged his shoulders ”It is not for ulations of war, boy Your words prove that you knew beforehand the risk you were running”
”Yes, yes--but-- You would try to get away too, if our soldiers caught you”
”Possibly--I understand you treat your prisoners very badly”
”Our prisoners are treated as well as yours And ould not kill a Filipino for having tried to escape,--unless, of course, he was shot in the attempt”
”It is you who say that--I have heard vastly different stories; how our men were starved and shot doithout mercy,--not one man, but hundreds of them I have it from friends in Manila that your General Otis is a monster ould rather kill than save at any time”
”Your friends have told you that which is not true!” exclai, General Otis is too kind-hearted, especially with those who have done their best to put the city in a state of rebellion and those who have tried to burn it to the ground I suppose your friends had a purpose in telling you as not true”
”I take ry answer ”Who are you that come to take our country away from us--the country that we tried so hard to liberate frorasp of Spain? The land is ours, and no Aht to the last,--froes, and then to the mountains, from one island to another,--and you shall never conquer us, no e an ar to aon his heel the under-officer strode away, out of humor with himself as well as with Larry
The youth felt utterly crushed, and sitting down on a rock, with a heart as heavy as lead, he wondered as going to happen next
Would they really shoot hiony itself
There were no other prisoners in the cah several soldiers kept their eyes upon hiht not wander away Soon supper was served, and one of the Tagals brought him a bowl of rice and ry, and ate all of as given him, despite his down-heartedness
Thearound their camp-fires, when a certain General Drueneral revieith satisfaction The newcoht before hieneral had his head full of his plans for the ave the boy but scant attention
”You knew the risk you ran when you stole away,” he said, in broken English ”It is true you are but a boy, yet I'll wager you can use a gun better than some of our owna bad example So I hereby sentence you to be shot at sunrise to-morrow,--andof escape”
Before Larry could say a word, if indeed he wanted to speak, he was led away to a hollow back of the camp Here he was tied fast to a tree, and two soldiers were detailed to guard him until the hour for his execution should arrive
CHAPTER xxx
A RESCUE UNDER DIFFICULTIES