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eg wot, armen mamta sm 5 eee
oS NAO ae |
_. two score of m.
"plied Mig
> AS
—THAPPY DAYS‘
, 3
was, arming himself. “We will protect
on y were just in time to see the Fili-
pinos leading Jack’s beautiful black horse
out of tne stable, and they heard Juan
Migros | shout:
men, hasten and get’ out all the
horses. “the stock of the Americans will
make good mounts for the Filipino offi-
cers. I'll take this fine biack for my own
use,
“Hold, there!” shouted Jack at that in-
stant.
"The Spaniard still stood with his back
turned to the plantation house, but as he
hear d Jacx’s words he wheeled like a
“ie saw the two boy rough riders and
their companions standing at the corner
of the house, with giheit rifles levelled at
him and his followers.
‘Ha, the ‘American pigs! The boy who
struck ’me down in the street of San Ma-
I'm delighted to see you, for at last
geance Ww!
the ee army I demand the surren-
der of yourself and your companions.
Aguinaldo has declared . war upon the
. Americans!” cried the Spaniard in ex-
Order your men to take that horse
back into the stable, or we'll open fire on
you! We do not propose to be robbed of
our stock,” he sai
“We are only part of a large foraging
party. You will do well to make no re-
sistance. A single shot will serve to call
my command from the jungle
at the side of the rice-field. Mr. Powers,
resistance is useless; the whole country
is in possession of Aguinaldo’s men,” re-
hee spoke Tom Iastings, who was
looking in the direction of the jungle,
through which a road ran to the village
of San Mateo, saw a large force of armed
er.
“The Spaniard has. tol ia the truth!
See, there are his men,” Tom hastened to
say as he pointed.
“We are lost !”. exclaimed Powers.
“There’s one slight chance for us yet.
” We must get away on horseback at once.
I think there is not even one horse among
the Filipino troops. ~ ive must make’ a
race for life!” said Jac
All comprehended ake he was right.
“It was evident that the plantation
house could not long be defended against
the overwhelming olds that would soon
be hurled against i
s the last words passed Jack's lips
Dayid West whispered to Mr. Powers:
We must distance pursuit, and seek a
hiding place in the jungle. God
that at the ontset we may be successful! ”
“Forward! Now to secure our horses!”
eried Jack, assuming the leadership like
one born, to co :
Instantly the party of four advanced
upon the Vilipinos at the stable, firing as
they charged. Two of the marauding
band fell “under the volley, and Migros
and the other survivors fled after return-
ing. ahe fire of the defenders of the plan-
tat
Fortunately none of our friends were
hit, and in a moment Jack had mounted
his splendid black steod, and four other
horses were led out of the stable by the
Chinese servants.
At once the escaping party rode away,
led by the boy rough riders. As
Migros and the Filipinos had ran to has.
n the advance of their main force, the
fleeing ones set out along a narrow road
which Jed through “the rice-fields and
thence into a jungle of considerable ex-
road was one of several in the
neighborhood, but finally united with the
main highway, leading to Manila.
The boy rough riders urged their horses
onat full speed, and their companions did
the same. Jack presently placed his steed
at the side of the gray ridden by Myra.
As the young lovers rode side by side they
occasionally directed anxious glances in
They soon saw that the main party o!
Filipinos under Juan Migros had reached
the plantation house. As Jack observed
that the natives halted there he said:
“T suppose the Filipinos will stop to
plunder the house, and so I hope we shall
obtain a good 5
Still looking “Wack, the fugitives saw
Juan Migros vainly urging the Filipinos
to at once hasten on from the plantation
house. The natives, instead of obeying
the orders of the Spaniard, thronged into
the hous!
nm an nd on rode the fugitives, and a
length they passed the rice-fields and on
tered the jungle beyond, through which
the read wound for some miles.
But scarcely had the party “gained the
shelter of the dense tropical vegetation
when a thrilling incident transpired.
Suddenly a man leaped out of the cover
into the middle of the road, directly in!
advance of Jack, who was riding at the
head of the party.
This person was clad in the picturesque
if rather scanty costume of a_ Jilipino
rebel, and he carried a rifle and a brace
of pistols were thrust in his
But the seeming native did at level his
rifle at the advancing party or make any
hostile demonstration. On the contrary
he held up his hands palms out, then,
making the sign of peace and friendship
which is recognized by every rough rider,
cowboy or scout of our western plains.
Jack whipped out a revolver as he saw
the man alluded to spring out into the
jungle road, for at the first sight he took
him for a Filipino.
But as the man raised his empty hands
the Tad ‘returned his weapon to his belt,
and pulled up his horse: Of course his
companions also drew re
aw vhat do you want?” ‘Jack instantly
=
lem
at ell, how, I sort o’ reckon my git-up
is even better than I thought it was, since
you don’t know me, Jack,” the other re-
phe
“T “really believe you are Dan Mathews,
the scout ae the “Kansas regulars,” ex-
claimed
“The Same, old prize package, boy.”
“What in the world are you doing here,
so far away from Manila and General
Otis’ lines?”
“Scoutin’. You see, I was sent out to
see in what force the FE ‘ilipinos were north
0’ Manila, and I got cut off from the way
ack by a change in the lines o’ the ene-
my. Then 1 was detected by an outpost
and had to make my way ii
lost, and I’ve been out o’ my y bearin’ 's and
wandering in the jungle fer a_ couple o°
days. Just, struck this road when I
sighted you,” explained the American
scout.
WW. ell, we are trying to make our way
to Manila,” replied Jack, and he added a
brief explanation of the situation at San
Mateo plantat! ion.
“There’s mighty little chance of yor
getting through, lad. But [ll jine ye and
help ye va W hen I left Manila
General “Otis was planning an advance
on the rebels, intending to drive them
northward toward the mountains, Our
boys may have begun the advance already,
and if they are driving the enemy it's
barely -possible that by making a detour
to the south we can pass the flank o’ t. e
Filipinos and strixe our advance column.”
“Mount behind me, e, Dan; my horse can
easily earry double,” answered
he scout leaped up behind the. young
rough rider, and the latter proceede
Jan Mathews was a government scout
in Ton wa in other days, and then Jack
and Tom had known him, Indeed, the
veteran of the plains ‘had often stopped at
the homes of the lads, and they knew him
to he a brave man and true friend. — ~
Yor some hours the party rode onward,
but finally, when the end of the ju ngle
“ as reached, ‘hey decided to go into cover
antil the night fell, though as yet they
had heard no Bounds purs'
na sheltered glade surounded by dense
tropical trees and bushes the party dis-
mounted, and presently in answer to
questions from Mr. Powers and David
West the scout gave them some important
information.
for a long time Aguinaldo and his
men have been gittin’ ugly because our
generals jWwould not give Manila up to
them, an’ they have been hard at work
strongly intrenc! hing their lines and plac-
ing their artillery in position, while they
boasted that they would soon drive the
Americans out 0° Manila,” began the
scout
CUAPTER IT.
THRILLING ADVENTURES ON THE WAY TO
Iaving paused Tong enough to take a
chew of tobacco the scout continued: ~
“0: e second of this month the Fili-
pinos sent out a strong detachment to
draw the fire of our outposts. They re-
fused to halt or answer when challenged.
The result was that our picket discharged
his gun. Then the insurgents opened a
spirited fire on our lines near Santa Me-
S8 Thus the rebels succeeded in draw-
our fire, in order in some way to jus-
tity “the attack they had planed. From
that time the war has been on, but our
boys have steadily driven the enemy be-
fore them. a
“T am sorry that this fuouble has come,
but it could not be uinaldo
will never acknow ledge esmerican author-
ity in the Philippines until he is thor-
oughly whipped,” said Mr.
The conversation was continued while
the party rested in the ghade and the
horses were picketed n
Sut as the fueitives. Taal brought no
food with them, owing to the haste with
which they had fled from the plantation,
toward nightfall all began to feel
pangs 0
Then Tack Said to Dan:
“I propose that you and I make a
scout into the open country and see if
we cannot find some eo
“I Wish you would n 0, Jack,” said
Myra, in evident nolicitude efor the safe-
y of her boyish sweetheart.
veoh, Vl take good care vot myself, y
nay be sure,” he responded, ently.
“See that you do so, 01
venture far, and be sure and beat a re-
treat instantly if you discover any of
the rebels,” said the lad’s uncle
Ilaving promised to heed this admoni-
tion, Jack mounted his horse, and while
Dan leaped upon
longed to Mr. Powers, for the owner
irected him to take the animal, Tom
ii b
hind, even if you did
ith you,” said he, laugh
wMtyra watched them Sut ot sight, and
her heart was oppressed with a sense
of coming calamity, but she said noth-
ing about this oppressing presentiment.
-The ‘boy rough riders and the army
scout were soon clear of the jungle.
‘Then they saw before them a compar-
country, ani as they
the enemy was
discovered. In the distance, along eul-
tivated fields, ae aiseovered a few iso-
lated native
Toward the dwellings of the Filipinos
the trio cautiously advanced, and they
had entered a little grove, on the way to
the huts, when suddenly they saw a jile
of a dozen insurgents emerge into
at the summit of a small “hill, farther
ok me to go
Mn three drew rein instantly.
The succeeding instant, as ‘he shaded
his eyes from the sun and peered through
the trees, the army scout exclaimed in
jow ton
“By thunder, boys, the Filipino nig-
gers have got four of our boys prison-
ers. You can tell ‘em by their uniform.
"H wager the niggers are marching our
boys to Mal where they have a lot of
Spanish pris ers, [I’m told.”
“You are right, Dan, and the Fili-
pinos are coming this way. They will
pass through this grove. by the road we
are on, and 1 propose that we ambush
them, and try to save the prisoners.
They can’t tel how many of us there
are, and we may put them to flight.”
The army scout shook his head 4 doubt-
ully,
“Ta like to save our boys as well as
you can wis - do, but it's mighty
i * he sa
“Ob, don't say that! I can't bear to
see our brave soldiers carried away into
captivity, perhaps to be murdered by the
nemy, out trying to save ibem.
We are mounted : the Fnsurgente haven't
a horse among then By swift riding
we nh get away it. ‘our, ambush fails,”
said Tom carnestly.
“All right, boys.
for it,” vaasent ted Da
“Then let's get into the thickest place
among “the trees here at the roadside,”
proposed Jac
Ile led the way, and presently the trio
were concealed from the sight of any
one who might bass along the road
through the grov
At Jast the advancing party could be
distinctly seen.
fhe captives were four in number,
and each one was compelled to stagger
along under the burden of a heavy pack
of plunder which their captors had ac-
cumulated on the march.
“Git ready, boys, and when you see
me drop the sights on the Jeader o” the
Filipinos let ’em have it,” whispered
Dan, presently.”
The boy rough riders leveled their re-
peating rifles in the rection of the
road, and the army scout did the same.
Suddenly, when the first of the file of
insurgents was almost opposite the posi-
tion of the concealed Americans, Dan's
head dropped upon the stock of his rifle,
and he too
Then there sounded the crashing de-
tonation of the simultaneous discharge
of the three rifles.
Not once alone did the mingled re-
ports break upon the air like a volley,
but as the Americans worked the trig-
gers of the magazine rifles with the ut-
most rapidity, the continued fusfllade at-
tained the force and volume seemingly
of a considerable body of riflemen.
first fire of the Americans: was
most effective and disastrous,
The three leading men of the insur-
gent force fell, and the entire party was
thrown into confusion.
At once they broke ranks and_ fled
helter-skelter in ‘the dMrection whence
they bad come, and it was evident that
they supposed that a large force of rifle-
men were stationed in the" thicket from
their heavy
But the brave boy rough riders and
the daring old scout of our army in the
Well make a try
Vhilippines were not Jong in rushing to
set the prisoners free. They leaped
rom their horses, and drawing their
nives, they sprang into the road.
few deft strokes of the keen blades ac-
complished the desired e
“Now for the glade in the jungle!”
eried Jack, when the liberated soldiers
understood who and what their rescuers
were,
A moment or so later the boys and
Dan had remounted, and while the U. 8.
soldiers ran heside them, they rode
swiftly toward the retreat in which they
had left their companio
But all at once Jack palied his horse
up short, and his face turned p:
At that instant a thrilling. scream ut-
te red by a female voice, and which ema-
pated from the jungle ahead, reached his
earing.
“iteavens!” he cried. - “That is My-
Ta’
Suddeniy the crash of firearms and the
shouts of Filipinos issued from the jungle.
Above the din there suddenly pealed
out the harsh and powerful voicé of Juan
Migros, the Spanish deserter, who had
become -an officer in Aguinaldo’s army,
as (already sta
“Don't kill
, men! the men!
prize,
Americans can
her from me!”
Spaniard.
Then Jack understood what must have
occurreu—that Juan Migros and his
strong band of insurgent’ brigands had
overtaken and | attacked his uncle and
his companion:
The lad knew that the band
Migros was so strong that he and his
comrades could not hope to repulse
them, and yet, with the scream of Myra
West ringing in his ears, he was about
to dash forward to her side, when Dan
grasped his bridle rein.
“Are you mad? You can do nothing
for Myra ‘or the others now. If you
attempt it, you will ride to certain
death.” Tom cried.
Jack reluctantly permitted his com-
panions to lead his horse into the edge
f {he jungle.
our rescued soldiers followed.
‘Ana a little later the concealed party
saw the Spanish renegade sand his entire
force emerge from their
midst was: Myra, her father, “and Henry
Powers.
“IXeep a sharp lookout, men. We shall
probably catch the two American lads
somewhere near here,” the concealed
party heard the Spaniard say, as his
band marched away
The former remained ‘w here they were
until they saw the insurgents disappear
in the distance, where a rather wooded
country began.
Then the two hoy rough riders and
Dan took the trail of the captors of
their friends.
en the hoy rough riders and Dan
set out to trail Migros’ insurgent. pane.
they felt that they were in ele:
ment, for they had often trailed ‘cattle
thieves and hostile Indians in our own
wild west.
Turning aside from the trail for a
few moments, they soon found the bodies
of the Vilipinos whom they had shot
from ambus!
Ilaving iS red the uniforms worn by
these men, the party resumed the parsuit
of Migros’ band
After night ‘had fallen they discovered
a camp fire or two ahead. Scouting up
cautiously on foot, naving secured their
horses in a nearby gn , the three friends
presently saw the Filipi in cam
And they also saw Myra and the other
two captives in the camp. The unfortu-
nate trio were bound to trees, but it did
not appear that as yet any serious harm
had befallen either of them.
“If Spanish vilain once gets the gal
to Matos nothing can save her from a ter-
rible fate,” said Dan in a whisper as he
and his boy comrades cautiously inspected_
the hostile. cam
night tv we must save Myra, and
peste Sher father and our uncle,” said
ne}
shouted the villainous
under
cely had those words passed the
lad's lips when a yell sounded in the rear
of his position, and glancing back under
the moonlight he saw the surviving mem-
bers of the band of Filipinos from whom
he and his comrades had rescued the four
soldiers.
The camp of the Spanish renegade was
alarmed by the yells of the newly arrived
Filipinos, and as the boy rough riders
and the army scout saw they were dis-
covered and turned to flee, they were he-
tween two bands of the enemy,
It seemed that surely death ov capture
must be the fate of the terribly imperiled
‘rio, but they resolved to make a gallant
fight, desperate as were the odds against
them.
(To be Continued.)