Page:Under MacArthur in Luzon.djvu/92

70 "If you could catch this Adoz, it would be a big feather in your cap, major."

"I know it, captain."

"Will you send them to Manila at once?"

"Yes; they can go to-morrow, with the wounded ones." The major lowered his voice. "Between you and me, I believe we'll all be going back to Manila soon."

"Why? because the rebels were so slippery?"

"Yes. They don't want to engage in a regular battle, and it seems impossible to corner them into doing so."

As it was late, the conversation was not prolonged, and soon Ben was in the land of dreams, sleeping as soundly as if in a bed at home.

The next day was Sunday, and early in the morning several cascos from Pasig were called into use, and two battalions of Washington troops, under Colonel Wholley, set out for Morong, escorted by several small gunboats. Morong was vigorously shelled, and then the troops landed, only to find that the insurgents had taken shelter on the distant hills. A running fight followed, and ended when the rebels made a break for the mountains, where it was next to impossible to follow them.