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by Monte Herridge

  Adventure, May 18, 1918

  NOW THE battle of Manila had been won.

  “Take ten men, go ashore at Cavite, find Two young ensigns stood before the the house of Captain Del Valle and bring the admiral in his cabin on the Olympia.

  American girl, Lucile Farnum, back with you. She They disliked and distrusted each other as has sent me a note. She is alone, in danger she much as men can without showing their feeling.

  says, and can’t get away. You will go at once.”

  The grudge was old. It dated from Annapolis, but Randolph

  said—

  the climax had come only a few days before.

  “Very well, sir!”

  There had been a misunderstanding as to orders Both ensigns saluted and started to leave turned over by Morgan, the junior ensign, when the cabin. Morgan, heavy of build and solid, stood Randolph had relieved him on the bridge while the rigidly to one side and, as became a junior officer, fleet was on its way from Hongkong.

  allowed Randolph to go out first.

  The misunderstanding was of such a

  nature as to have possibly imperiled the entire II

  naval force of their country in the Orient.

  Randolph was confident that it had been done A WHALE-BOAT was lowered away and came

  deliberately by Morgan. It was a hideous thing to alongside the Olympia. Nine sailors, blue-jackets think of a fellow officer, but Randolph thought it; in “whites,” tumbled cheerfully into it from the though he had not said so. Morgan believed that gangway. Their white trousers were flabbily Randolph had put the blame on him to evade the bunched and tied around their legs so the bell extremely severe reprimand drawn from the bottoms would not interfere in running—forward, admiral.

  of course—and their heavy ammunition belts That incident, however, was closed. The sagged about their hips. Their rifles got in the way admiral said nothing more about it. He glanced at of their feet and tripped them. They pushed and a paper on his desk and said:

  jostled, and hearteningly wished one another

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  would get shot in the stomach.

  when the Cavite batteries were silenced and the They were followed into the boat by a

  little bunch of grim marines had landed to take wizened boatswain’s mate who had been a charge under their banner of “Semper Fidelis. ”

  powder-monkey on the Hartford when Farragut But an American citizen having reported lashed himself to the rigging the better to direct herself in danger, more men were promptly the battle of Mobile Bay. “Old Farry,” as the dispatched to her rescue than had been spared to boatswain was dubbed by way of recognition for dismantle the beached fleet: which was the old-his lament that there had never been but one fashioned way of making both rescuers and admiral worth a —— since taps was sounded over rescued proud of their country.

  Farragut, with fierce words in a scolding undertone somewhat lowered the pitch of the III

  nervous joking and laughter.

  For the past two days Old Farry had been ENSIGN RANDOLPH marched his men up to the telling the boys on the forecastle that there was fort, halted them in the shadow of the high, thick-another admiral worthy of the tutelage that buttressed wall, and leaving them in the charge of Farragut had given him—just as though they, who Morgan went off with the corporal of the guard to had fought under him at Manila, but had never find the officer of the day.

  heard of the Hartford or Mobile Bay, didn’t know At the end of fifteen minutes he returned that! Didn’t know that he was the greatest man with Captain Dayton of the marines and a half-that ever lived! Yes, and they bantered and jibed breed Chinaman who had been hanging around the Old Farry for worshiping a hero whose laurels fort thriftily trying to sell runted bananas and were pressed and faded between old musty tomes green oranges. At some time in his life the of history. And Old Farry retorted blasphemously.

  Chinaman had been, so he explained, a servant in But when Morgan stepped in the boys

  the Army and Navy Club at Hongkong, and could were at once silent. Randolph followed: the senior

  “talkee Englees aw samee white boy.”

  officer is the last to enter and the first to leave a He was a miserable-looking creature with boat; and though ensigns scarcely ever think of the scrawny legs, a face like crumpled, yellow leather, respective numbers which give them seniority, and small sharp eyes deep in the sunken sockets.

  Morgan insisted; upon punctiliously respecting He had nothing to say unless spoken to, and then that three-point seniority of Randolph.

  would burst volubly into a vague jargon permeated The oars were manned; the boat was

  with curiously high intonations and as abruptly shoved off and its nose headed across the bay stop when he had finished, or an impatient gesture toward the beach where lay the freshly shattered from Captain Dayton cut him off.

  bones of the Spanish fleet.

  If his services had ever been effective in The sailors were a little nervous, which is an English Army and Navy Club it was because something different from being timid, and the members could speak Chinese; for though he wondered what on earth such a large detachment pointed across at the city and earnestly tried to tell as ten men and two officers could be up to; for something or other about Captain Del Valle, seven men and one officer in a whale-boat had, neither Dayton nor Randolph could make head or just after the battle, visited each of the wrecked tail of his words.

  ships in the face of the threatening Spanish and

  “But this is the best we can do for you, native mob that lined the beach, and had Randolph,” Captain Dayton said apologetically.

  dismantled and totally disabled the less injured of

  “We know that he claims to know the way and is the enemy’s vessels.

  expected to take you to the house. There’s hell A corporal’s guard—scarcely more—of

  poppin’ out there—” He waved a hand toward the marines had landed and seized the Cavite arsenal city— “with everybody drunk and looting. As I and occupied the historic stone fort. The town told you, there’s been firing going on ever since outside the fort gates was in the hands of looting we’ve been here. Can’t imagine what it is. Can’t natives, for the demoralized Spaniards had fled spare the men to go out and see. Our job’s to sit

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  tight on this arsenal. But you’d better let me send a been without design in putting them together at the few men along with you?”

  head of the party. Randolph wondered if he had Marines be allowed to escort bluejackets done it deliberately, for he knew well how they into possible danger? Not on your life! The had contradicted each other about the orders; and leathernecks are too cocky anyway. Flatfeet can if he had done it deliberately, Randolph wondered take care of themselves.

  why?

  But all that Randolph replied was:

  “We’ll be all right, Captain. Much

  IV

  obliged, though. This chap knows the way.

  There’s nothing to do but to go to the house and THE party, marching double file, with Randolph get the woman and bring her back. Though what and the Chinaman in the lead, the boatswain an American girl is doing at this particular end of bringing up the rear, entered the narrow street of the earth, I don’t know.”

  the old town and each man of them, excepting

  “Wish you luck,” the captain answered.

  perhaps the Chinaman, was thrilled.

  “Have an idea you’ll need it with this Jonah,”

  Out of the doorways and from dark

  indicating the dirty little Chinaman who stood stairways the natives pressed forward to watch imperturbably inhaling deeply of an acrid Filipino wonderingly the little procession. They had heard cigaret and loo
king out across the drill-grounds to that the Yankees were monstrous men, huge of the squat, solid buildings of the city. “I’d trust the body, inclined to cannibalism and eager to rape.

  Spaniards any day to what I’ve seen of the natives.

  Horrible men, these Yankees, so it was said, with Wicked-looking lot.”

  faces so ugly that none could look upon them Having a guide, Randolph was ready to

  without fear.

  start.

  But those smooth-cheeked kids and

  He wished that the marine captain might beardless officers—surely it was not their kind be with him, instead of Morgan. But it was purely that had blown the fleet of Spain out of the bay!

  an idle wish; made for no other reason than the Only the wizened little fellow with the drawn instinctive and aggravated antipathy that he and cutlass at the rear looked like a fighting man, and Morgan had for each other. He could not talk to he was not much bigger than a boy.

  Morgan. He did not like to give orders to Morgan, The crowd pressed in to a rough street

  though they were received with respectful which was bulwarked on either side by the solid, attention. That was somewhat the trouble. They square masonry of ancient builders who put in were received like an enlisted man is expected to stone and cement that baffled the teeth of time.

  receive orders, or another officer from one much Faces peeped through the lattices of iron that his superior.

  bellied out from the windows above the street.

  Randolph didn’t like to be made to feel There was shouting to the rear and cries in front, superior to any officer of his own rank. But but wondering, suspicious silence on either side of moreover he felt that Morgan was coldblooded; the sailors as they marched along.

  and that if Morgan ever had the chance he would Silence except for an occasional “amigo, not hesitate to get him in bad, even court-amigo” and a broad ingratiating grin from those martialed. Not until there had been that that instinctively bow head and neck to the latest misunderstanding about orders a few days before conqueror in the hope of thus being better able to when the fleet was at Subig Bay looking for the pick his pockets. Silence except for an occasional enemy, had he believed that Morgan was capable muttering that sounded like “poon-tang-ah-la-mo,”

  of downright treachery. Randolph did not feel and the scowl on the faces of those that would uneasy because Morgan was with him, for there prefer to cut a throat for the pennies in the pocket.

  was nothing to be uneasy over. But he simply The crowd became thicker. It was hungry hated the man and did not want him around.

  for a first sight of the strange men; and more and Perhaps the admiral, for he had literally more drunken natives, some of them swaggering raised — over the mixing of his orders, had not with heavy bolos at their waists, stood out in the

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  street and barely made room for the slender of Captain Del Valle.

  procession of the Americanos.

  A sort of breathlessness seemed to come Once Randolph started to turn and call

  over that part of the crowd which was close Morgan’s attention to a tall, lean fellow, drunk, enough to hear. The Filipino to whom Randolph and naked from the waist up, whose wrists bore had spoken drew back startled. For a moment half a dozen gold bracelets—loot! There were silence hung like a hush of awe, then a babble of many man grotesquely arrayed in newly seized undertones and whisperings began.

  finery; and one fellow in dirty, loose trousers and Morgan pulled the vizor of his cap lower the gold-braided jacket of a Spanish officer’s full and scowled. Old Farry raised his cutlass and dress, strutted importantly for a half-square behind gently felt of its newly sharpened edge as he stared the boatswain—and nobody laughed at him.

  hard into the swarm of faces. The sailors, but a On and on, the Chinaman led the way, and moment before good-naturedly curious as men are the crowd followed.

  when for the first time they see a foreign city, From somewhere in the rear a pebble

  looked at one another questioningly.

  came flying and struck one of the sailors. Some

  “Captain Del Valle?” Randolph repeated

  curious Filipino, from a safe distance, had been to the Filipino.

  eager to test the temper of these queer fellows who But the fellow turned away in haste. He looked like children. But the sailor who was struck began to push through the crowd and cast did not turn around.

  backward a long glance from frightened eyes.

  He knew what had happened. He merely

  Again a ripple of excited, lowspoken words went fingered the scabbard of his bayonet and let his through the crowd.

  hand rest on the handle. Morgan, however, had

  “I’ll be —— if I understand this,”

  seen and he turned to look back; hundreds of Randolph said suddenly to Morgan.

  curious, expectant eyes that had also seen looked

  “Nor I,” Morgan answered.

  into his face. No more pebbles were thrown.

  Then they both remembered that they

  were not friends.

  V

  “Go on, John,” Randolph said to the

  Chinaman.

  “HOW much farther?” Randolph asked the guide.

  “Me catch ’em aw lite—” John began, but Instantly the Chinaman burst into lingual what, he said more was unintelligible.

  agitation, his voice rising in querulous intonations

  “You just catch ’em the house, John, and and his hands suddenly animated with nervous we’ll talk it over later,” Randolph said cheerfully, gestures.

  glancing back over his detachment to see that the

  “I guess I’ll have to take your word for it—but I’d men were in line and ready to go forward.

  give a dollar to know what you’re talking about,”

  Randolph commented.

  VI

  The Chinaman continued to gesticulate

  and talk. He stopped walking, the better to express FIFTEEN minutes later a rifle shot was heard.

  himself, and so brought the detachment to a halt.

  Then another—and another. The firing became Old Farry touched the point of his cutlass rapid; but it did not seem to be made in volleys, to the ground and swore softly into the ear of the and it sounded close.

  sailor nearest to him, complainingly wondering Randolph drew his sword, halted his men what there was in this devil-ridden burg to have and commanded— “Fix bayonets.” Then it was—

  caused white men to live in it for three hundred

  “Port arms, forward, double-time, march!”

  years.

  The firing did not seem to be more than a Randolph ferreted about in his memory for block or two away.

  some trace of long-distant lessons and asked a As the men broke into a run the Chinaman Filipino, who had pressed close as though to listen started to dodge off to one side; but Randolph to the Chinaman, if he knew where was the house caught him by the shoulder and thrust him

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  forward.

  voice of an American and her first words were a The men ran steadily, easily. Now and

  warning—

  then some one swore under his breath as his foot

  “Look out—” many words were lost, and

  slipped into a rut or struck a stone in the rough what could be heard were— “not to be trusted—

  street. Their faces did not appear so youthful. The two days—all over the house—one bullet left—”

  crowd leaped aside to make way for them.

  A shot from the opposite side of the plaza Morgan was side by side with Randolph

  splintered the top of the railing at which the and between them they almost carried the woman was standing.

  Chinaman who either was, or pretended to be, Instantly the impulsive Randolph pushed barely able to run.

  four sailors forward with a gesture and t
he laconic The firing grew nearer—and was right at but comprehensive command—

  hand.

  “Get him!”

  But when they rounded a corner and came The sailors went forward at full speed.

  on to the edge of a plaza, ten or fifteen Filipinos To Old Farry, Randolph added—

  with rifles in their hands broke pell-mell for cover.

  “Go with them—don’t let them be drawn

  They fled. Only one fired toward the sailors, and too far away—in an alley!”

  that bullet went high.

  Old Farry was running as he answered

  In thirty seconds the plaza had cleared as

  “Aye, aye, sir!” and the hand that held his cutlass though the city was one of the dead; and Randolph punctiliously reached the top button of his coat in and Morgan and all of the sailors only stood a salute when he was fifteen feet away—that puffing and wondering.

  promptly had he answered the command.

  It was easy to see what had been the target Randolph should have Morgan forward,

  for the shooting: across the plaza was a large, and he knew it. And Morgan knew it. But high, heavy building, solid and oblong, made of Randolph’s instinctive hesitancy to give orders to stone, with tiled roof and balconies of iron and Morgan caused him without thinking to send the wood, and narrow deep-set windows covered with boatswain.

  iron lattices that bellied outward like a sail in the The pursuing sailors were scarcely out of wind. The windows in only one part of the sight before Randolph wished bitterly that he house—a high second-story room, it seemed—had could recall the command. He saw that he had been shot at; though attesting the awkward bungled. He imagined that he could feel the marksmanship of the besiegers were white pits sardonically censorious eyes of Morgan on him. It that bullets had knocked in stone all over the side was folly to have broken up his small detachment of the great house.