Page:Under MacArthur in Luzon.djvu/70

50 "Hullo, they must certainly be getting close now," he mused. "I wonder if it is safe for me to try to go on?"

Feeling he could not remain in his present position forever, he slowly descended to the ground and commenced to retrace his steps, feeling that it would be foolhardy to go deeper into that labyrinth of bushes and vines. He picked his way with care and kept the rifle before him ready for use. Once or twice he stumbled and went headlong in the mud and water. He was just getting up from one of these tumbles, when a slight scream reached his ears.

The scream sounded as if it came from a woman, and he came to a dead halt to listen. But it was not repeated, and now, the firing having died away in the distance, not a sound broke the stillness.

"Perhaps I only fancied it," he mused, and moved forward again, but with increased caution. Then he heard a low voice start to speak, only to be cut off at the third word. A swishing of bushes followed, coming from close at hand.

Some one was in that vicinity, some one who knew of his presence. "Whether the unknown was friend or enemy, he could not tell, yet he felt pretty certain it was an enemy.