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216 constantly, for it had been his friend for many years.

"Your dudeen ought to be strong enough to walk to where you are, Matt," laughed Dan. Then his face grew thoughtful. "It would be a long trip to the Dart, and we may fall in with lots of Tagals."

"Perhaps not, Dan. I have an idea that all of the natives are now gathering around Manila, and we will find the coast almost clear."

"There is something in that. Well, I'm willing. Anything is better than staying here with hardly anything to eat but cocoanuts and plantains."

Nevertheless, we did not move away until twenty-four hours later. Our rest at the house had done us good, and at the place we had picked up a new pair of boots for Matt, a coat for Dan, and a new straw hat for myself, besides some canned goods, which, however, we had not opened, determined to keep them until we could find nothing else.

The day we set off it was cooler than it had been for some time, and as the road was comparatively level, we made good time, and by nightfall had covered fifteen miles.

We had met only a few natives, and these of the mild sort, who merely stared at us in open-mouthed wonder.