Page:Under MacArthur in Luzon.djvu/267

Rh This door stood partly open, and crawling up from the ditch Carl Stummer and Dan Casey peeped into the stone shed, to find it dark inside.

"Sure, an' it's all right," cried Casey to those left along the wall and in the ditch, and holdly entered the shed, followed by Stummer. Scarcely were they in the building than the iron door closed with a loud bang and each soldier was grabbed from the rear in the utter darkness.

"Trapped!" yelled the Irish volunteer, and struggled with might and main to release himself. Stummer also tried to cry out, but a pair of bony hands were at his throat, and, he could scarcely breathe. Both of our friends turned and twisted and wrestled with all the skill they possessed, but they were but two to five, and were at last overpowered by heavy blows on the head and shoulders.

In the meantime Ben had been close to the doorway, and he heard the iron barrier shut and caught the semi-muffled cry from Dan Casey. Without hesitation he ran up to the door and pushed upon it with all of his strength. It was bolted and refused to budge.

"Open up!" he commanded sharply. "Open up, or it will be the worse for you!" Nobody