Part 7 (2/2)

CHAPTER XX

AROUND THE ISLAND ON A WAR-shi+P--BOMBARDING A FILIPINO TOWN

IT was early one -shi+p, but all hands were on duty there, and the gallant cruiser was raising anchor preparatory to sailing off on her errand of pacification by ned a pleasant stateroom where they would not be far from the cabin of the admiral himself, and where they could step out of their door upon the quarter-deck, and get all the fresh air they needed It was a very comfortable place, with two soft bunks, and every convenience usually found aboard the fastest ocean liner When the fello it first, they could hardly believe it could all be for theiven the for them to do but accept the kindness, and to settle the just as pleasant a tienerally understood that the cruiser was toevery suspicious port, and shelling tohen such action proved necessary to convince the rebels of Uncle Sae was expected to occupy nearly a month, for there was no reason for thes easy

Neither Hickson nor Archie had ever before been aboard a war-shi+p, and they both foundthe first few days at sea Every reat moment to thereat guns and the equipment of the vessel in the way of firearms and ammunition Archie becaation, and spent e, or with the pilot in the lookout, learning as much as possible about how thehe had mastered the rudiht soator if he continued to take as much interest in the charts as he did now And Archie told him that he was deter the voyage Before he returned to Manila he knew more about it all than even the captain would believe he knew, and the knowledge was very valuable to him in days to come

The two visitors aboard took their meals at the officers' table, and they kept the whole party interested for many days, with their stories of the war in Luzon and of their very unusual adventures both at home and in the Philippines For it turned out that Bill Hickson had visited almost every part of the United States, and had lived in all sorts of places He had been a cowboy in Texas, and a miner in the Klondike, and he had also been a policeo He knew more stories to tell than any other man at the table could think of, and he told the

Archie found that every one was veryhome, and how he had happened to become a reporter on the New York Enterprise No one see to his stories of his adventures in the great American city, and ood deal to have had his experiences in life

And so it wasn't long until the two chus went along as though Archie and Bill had never lived elsewhere than aboard shi+p There was nothing exciting for nearly a week The cruiser stea entirely, while the officers levelled their glasses upon the beach, to see whether there were any signs of the rebels being there

Sos looked suspicious, parties were sent ashore to reconnoitre, but they seldoe the adate further The days passed quietly, and the two convalescents enjoyed theh They were both much improved already by the trip, and felt almost as well as ever They each had a steamer chair, and hour after hour they sat upon the deck and watched the ever-changing panorama of the tropical shore Now the beach would descend slowly to the sea, and there would be nu close within view, but again there would be steep clips, which lookedto a shi+p in the dark But it was all beautiful, cliffs or sandy beach, and Archie thought he had seldohtful week

But, of course, it all becaed for a change The reconnoitring parties were sent out more frequently now, and every one hoped each time that they would return with news of the rebels, but they were always disappointed The admiral now deteret around the western end of the island It was evident that there were no insurgents along this shore, and as there were no villages of any consequence, either, he was anxious to reach the southern shore, where it was known the rebels had recently been gathering The towns, too, were very nu, and it was hoped that soht be accomplished for Uncle Sam before another week passed

Subsequent events soon proved the wisdom of the admiral's plan The cruiser, it seens were visible of rebel activity ashore It was one Tuesday hted, built around a narrow inlet of the sea When the binoculars were levelled upon this har settlement, it was soon perceived by the admiral that there were soldiers in the streets with the rebel unifor froe square All this was just what had been expected, and there was great rejoicing aboard the cruiser

Every man, without exception, almost, was anxious to be one of a party to be sent ashore to attack the rebels, but the ad any one at all ”It is impossible to tell from here,” he said, ”how numerous the rebels are, and it is quite possible that they e If the appearance of the streets is any sign, there must be quite a force of thehed at the very idea of there being a rebel company of any consequence in the place, and the admiral was finally prevailed upon to send a boat ashore, armed with thirty rief, that I advised against this venture Don't be too bold, or risk too h I can shell the place, that won't help you any, once you are captives”

But every one was anxious to be one of the party in the boat, and the officers had a hard tio, Archie, because you're a correspondent,” said the captain, ”and you can go, Mr Hickson, because you're a brave man,” and then he continued to pick out men until the required number was secured Of course there were many disappointed ones left aboard the cruiser, but the captain assured theht have their chance yet

The boat was soon off, and it was noticed that there was great excitement ashore as soon as the departure was observed All the inhabitants, it see developnorant of what the presence of a war-shi+p in their harbour meant, and were apparently not at all anxious as to the outcome of this visit One of the men told Archie that they had probably never seen a war-shi+p before, and that they wouldn't know a cannon at all ”But we'll let the of our presence,” declared the sailor, ”if they shoot at us” The boat drew every minute nearer the shore, and it was soon perceived that there were ht it remarkable that they should be so quiet, but not one of the natives made a move until the boat ithin two hundred feet of the shore Then one of the rebel soldiers suddenly raised his rifle and fired at the boat

The lieutenant in coave the order to return the fire, and a perfect volley of shot was poured into the crohich immediately scattered in every direction The rebel soldiers, however, seeround, and they were so numerous, and kept up such a steady fire, that it was dee for this action on their part So the boat was turned about as quickly as possible, and the sailors pulled for the cruiser, aain upon the beach The rebel soldiers continued their firing, but were such poor marksmen that but three of their shots took effect One sailor was shot in the ar as he stood up to take aim at the rebels None of these wounds, it was afterward discovered, were at all serious, though they were enough to arouse the anger of the entire crew

When the boat reached the cruiser again, preparations were at once begun for bo the town The natives still stood upon the shore, and it could be seen that they were i, then, to see the change in their behaviour when the great six-inch gun of the cruiser belched forth a cloud of fire and se street, apparently just in front of the ad, which was soon afire The poor natives fled in every direction, and the rebel soldiers followed their noble example, and took to their heels, too Another shell followed the first, and soon several buildings were burning in the village The admiral watched developlad to surrender the village if another boat was sent ashore

Accordingly, the saain, with three new men in place of those ounded, and for sake of effect the cruiser steamed farther in toward shore This time there were no crowds upon the beach, and the thirty s, where the natives fell before the for mercy The soldiers were nowhere to be seen, so the crew took possession of the town and slept there, in coht

CHAPTER XXI

CONTINUING THE CRUISE--ANOTHER VILLAGE CAPTURED--THE ADMIRAL ARCHIE'S FRIEND--A GREAT BATTLE AND AN UNEXPECTED VICTORY--LONGING TO BE HOME AGAIN

ITthat the sixtytie was in a constant uproar; the poor natives, horrified by what they had witnessed during the afternoon, ran hither and thither, so for the interior with their goods and faood, and a small party sent out to look for traces of the of their whereabouts The boreat effect

It was only a tiny place, with possibly not more than a thousand inhabitants, but there were evidences that it had been for town There were fine residences in some of the streets, which were now quite deserted, and there were soe square All these had once been occupied by Spanish traders, who had been driven ahen the rebels caht now have been a boo place But the rebels were lazy, as usual, and did no work, so that now the fine residences were vacant, and the business blocks stood empty

Soht be able to find entertain, but every place of amusement was closed, and the streets were deserted Since the occurrences of the afternoon all the people had locked themselves into their houses, to await the departure of the Ah the casino was closed, the Yankeesand danced and played the banjo until an early hour in theonly two for a night watch, for there was no danger that the insurgents would return, after their engage caers were suiance to the A