Page:The Campaign of the Jungle.djvu/220

192 It was an exhausting tramp, the more so because Brownell had to be assisted by one or the other for the entire distance.

"I'm a great drag," sighed the wounded soldier. "Perhaps you had better push on and let me shift for myself." But the major and the captain would not hear of this.

They had one little brush with two of the Filipino pickets before getting into the American lines, but the rebels were young men and not very courageous and let them slip by without great trouble.

It was Major Morris who made the report to the colonel, taking Ben and Brownell with him. Colonel Darcy was greatly interested.

"It is, then, as I supposed," he said. "This information will be of great value to us, Major Morris," and he thanked the major and Ben for what they had done. Brownell's report was also received with close consideration by General Lawton himself.

"If the prisoners have been taken to San Isidro, we must try our best to liberate them," said the general. "I am so glad to learn, though, that the rebels are not ill-treating them, as I had supposed."

It was Ben, assisted by Casey, who saw Brownell to the hospital and had the wounded soldier given