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Rh last one; for, having fired it, the Filipino closed in by aiming a blow at Gilbert's head with the stock of his weapon. The blow did not land as intended; but it struck the young lieutenant's arm, and his pistol was knocked skyward just as he was on the point of pulling the trigger a second time.

All of these movements had taken but a few seconds of time to execute; and none of Gilbert's men knew what was occurring until they followed the sounds of the shots, and found the young lieutenant in a hand-to-hand encounter with the rebel over the possession of the Mauser rifle. The rebel was a powerful fellow, much older than Gilbert, and heavier; and he was rapidly getting the better of the encounter, when Carl Stummer came up on the run.

"Drop dot!" roared the German soldier; and, taking aim, he fired on the Filipino, hitting him in the knee. At once the man sank down, moaning with pain; and the gun came into Gilbert's possession.

A moment later a shouting was heard from down the river; and two companies of the regulars came up the bank through the water and mud, and over the