Page:The Campaign of the Jungle.djvu/160

136 takin' him back o' the lines, when he got so bad we brung him in yere to rest a spell. But you—"

"Thim rebels is comin' agin!" announced Dan Casey. "Six, eight, nine av thim, wid wan limpin'. How many av us are there here?" he asked, as he looked aroimd.

"Four," answered Ben. "Load up, boys, and when you shoot—"

"We'll make every shot tell," answered Jeming, a hardy-looking soldier, almost as tall as his companion.

"I don't believe they will come very close," continued Ben. "They know that we have the advantage of them, even if we are but four to nine."

The young captain was right. The Filipinos had showed themselves only for a few seconds. Now, as Sorrel raised his gun, they lost no time in darting behind cover.

The cottage consisted of four rooms, all on the ground floor, and a low loft upstairs. It was well built and fairly furnished in native fashion. On the single bed it contained lay the wounded soldier. Sergeant Kaser, whom Ben had met several times. He was hit in the neck, and looked as if he could last but a few hours at the most.