Page:Under MacArthur in Luzon.djvu/44

26 "You were told that the Americans were coming in this direction?"

"No, but we suspect it."

"Why?"

At this the Tagal grinned. "Because our general has been waking them up."

"Of course you know just where your men are located on your picket line?" went on the young captain.

The sharpshooter did not quite understand this question, and Ben had to repeat it in several ways. At last the Tagal nodded slowly. Ben turned to Gilmore.

"Lieutenant, do you think you can allow that fellow to carry you on his back?"

"Carry me?" queried Gilmore, in intense surprise.

"Yes. I'll see to it that he does it as carefully as possible."

"But I don't understand."

"I want this man to show the way back to our lines, between the Filipino sharpshooters. If he carries you, I can walk beside him and see to it that he plays us no trick. Now do you understand?"

"I do," cried the lieutenant, and his face brightened. "But will the fellow do it?"