Page:Under MacArthur in Luzon.djvu/66

46 a second time, seized the gun, and leaped behind the nearest tree.

The action came none too soon, for he was not yet out of sight when the first guard, recovering from his tumble, scrambled up, pointed his rifle, and blazed away, the bullet clipping the tree within six inches of Ben's head. The young captain thought first to return the fire, and raised the Mauser for that purpose; but then he realized his scarcity of ammunition, and turning, ran at the top of his speed without discharging the weapon.

Ben did not know where he was going, and just then he did not care. His one thought was to get away from his enemies, who were now shouting wildly to others that the Americano had escaped. On and on he dashed, deeper and deeper into the thickets, until the heavy undergrowth and interlacing tropical vines refused him further progress. It was both dark and wet, and when he came to a halt, he could scarcely see his hand before his face.

"If only our troops come this way," he thought. He listened with strained ears and heard shot after shot fired, but they seemed to be mainly in the direction of the lake.

It was some time ere he could regain his breath,