Page:Under MacArthur in Luzon.djvu/272

242 two of the church windows, but these were now deserted.

Boom! It was the report of a distant gun, and a shot struck the church between two of the windows, making a jagged rent in the dilapidated masonry. Boom! came another shot, hitting the tower and scattering the stones in all directions.

"Hurrah! our battery has the range!" came the cry from the Americans. "Those sharpshooters won't stay in there much longer."

"Watch out for a rush!" said Ben. "Be ready, and make every shot tell!" And he reloaded his pistol with all speed.

Ten minutes passed, and during that time four other shots came hurling themselves at the church. Two did but little damage, but the others entered the building and tore down a mass of woodwork and plaster, filling the edifice with dust and flying splinters.

The sharpshooters now found the retreat too hot to hold them, and forming into a compact body, they made for a side door of the building, which was swung open suddenly and noiselessly. Then out they poured and ran with all speed for the nearest jungle, two hundred and fifty yards away. So far