or to say what it ought to
do," Hal rejoined.

"Yet I can understand, lads, that you're puzzled," broke in the quiet
voice of Lieutenant Holmes behind them. "You wonder, both of you, why
the government doesn't use more force. Have you any idea of the great
number of troops we already have here in the islands? As it is, it takes
an Army corps to keep the natives in anything resembling order. Yet, of
course, the government, in this especial case, could exert itself and
send an expedition of a regiment of infantry, a squadron of cavalry and
two batteries of light artillery, say, against Datto Hakkut."

"That would be enough to wind these rebels up in short order, sir,"
murmured Hal.

"No; it would do nothing of the sort," smiled Lieutenant Holmes. "Hakkut
and his crew would laugh at us. What would happen? The rebels would
disperse, and soon show up at their homes, all through this island. As
for Hakkut, he would go into hiding. He always is in hiding when he
isn't in the field defying us. I don't know whether you sergeants know
it, but it's a fact that no American Army officer has ever seen Hakkut.
He never shows himself, and his hiding place is a good one, for no
American knows where it is. So our big expedition that might go out
against Hakkut would find none of these rebels to fight. After the
troops of the big expedition had been withdrawn, however, then Hakkut
and his land pirates would come out again at their own convenience."

"Wouldn't it break up Hakkut's game altogether, sir, if the government
kept enough troops here to be able to send a crushing force against him
whenever he raised his hand?"

"Possibly it might," nodded Lieutenant Holmes; "but to police all of the
Philippine Islands in that fashion we'd have to make the United States
Army three times as large as it is to-day--and then station the whole
Army in these islands. On the other hand, our present plan of keeping
small forces at different points, and sending out small expeditions at
need, shows the natives that we don't take them very seriously. We also
show them that a hundred of Uncle Sam's regulars is a pretty large force
for them to attempt to fight. By attacking the Moros with small
expeditions we keep alive and always before them the fact that we know
one of our regulars to be equal to several of their pirates."

Both sergeants saluted as Holmes moved on.

"Maybe the lieutenant is right," muttered Noll thoughtfully. "But the
present way of