Page:Under MacArthur in Luzon.djvu/100

78. Here some fresh water was taken on board, and a few extra soldiers set down, and then the Central sailed for Manila.

But now the rainy season was on, and this meant frequent storms on the ocean, and the progress of the transport was much delayed. When it did not rain, the air was suffocating, and more than one case of tropical fever broke out on board. Once it looked as if Si would be taken down, and Walter was very much worried. But the constitution of the Yankee lad was a strong one, and he soon threw off the malady.

"But it was a close shave fer yours truly," said Si, when he was around once more. "Don't want another sech, not me!"

"I guess we'll have to be careful of what we eat and drink when we get to the Philippines," said Walter. "Ben wrote to me that he had to be very careful. He said one of the men in his company almost died from eating half-green plantains."

"I never could go half-green stuff, Walter. But there ought to be lots of good things to eat here—if it's like Cuba, and I reckon it is."

"Well, we'll know about that when we get