vicinity of Angat, a pretty town, full of quaint buildings, and a
place which, as yet, the rebellion had scarcely touched. But the
insurgents had been developed in force by the sharpshooters in front,
and now a constant rattle of musketry was heard, which made Ben's
blood tingle as of old, when the cry had been, "On to Santiago!" and
"On to Malolos!"

"Yes, you are right, Gilmore," answered the young captain. "And I am
not sorry. It will help us to forget the rain and our other
discomforts." Ben did not say it would help him to forget about Larry,
but that is what he meant.

The regiment was soon advancing on the double-quick. It was spread out
in skirmish order, and the route lay over what had once been a
rice-field, but which was but little more than a sheet of dirty water
four to eight inches deep. Here and there were holes, and into these
some of the soldiers would sometimes step, thus getting an involuntary
bath, much to their disgust.

"It ain't all a picnic," remarked one of the unfortunates, as he
leaped up out of a hole and shook himself like a big dog. "Folks at
home as just read the newspaper accounts of the war don't know
anything of what us fellows have to put up with. All they think we do
is to rush forward, kill the enemy, and cover ourselves with glory.
I'll wager some of 'em would put on a mighty sour face if they had to
tramp ten or twenty miles in the mud and wet, carry a gun and other
luggage, and hardly knowing when the next meal was going to turn up
and what it was going to amount to."

"Oh, you've got 'em bad, Bradner!" shouted a comrade. "Here, light my
pipe and take a smoke. It will dry off your nose if nothing else." And
Bradner took the pipe and was thankful that tobacco, at least, was
still forthcoming.

Half an hour later Ben received orders to take his company up to the
firing line, and away went the command on the double-quick, with the
young captain at the head. The rain had let up a bit, and the rebels
could be seen making a stand behind a grove of half-wild plantains,
where were located a score of nipa huts.

"Run them out, boys!" shouted Ben, as they drew closer. "If we go at
them with a rush we'll soon have them on the run!" And on swept the
company, with orders to fire at will. Soon there was a constant
cracking of rifles, and Ben and the other officers joined in with
their pistols. The insurgents fired in return, and one man of the
company fell back, hit in the arm.

Just