if we can. See, the flames are eating in at the window."

"All right, cap'n, I'm ready," said Sorrel. "But we must carry this
yere body outside fust. We can't let it be burnt up, nohow."

He nodded to Jeming, who understood, and covering the form of the dead
man with a blanket, they marched to the door with the stiffening form.
The coast seemed clear, and they darted out and deposited their
grewsome burden on the grass. They were just returning to the shelter
of the doorway when two shots rang out, but neither was effective.

By this time the cottage was burning so fiercely that to remain
inside longer would have proved highly dangerous. Accordingly, Ben
called a council of war.

"I think we had best strike out for the grove of trees on the right,"
he announced. "The distance is shorter than to the other shelters, and
the grass is so high that perhaps we can get some benefit by stooping
down as we run."

"Right ye air, cap'n," answered Sorrel, and Casey and Jeming nodded.

"Surrendor, you _Americanos_!" came in a shout from without.
"Surrendor, you beasts!"

"Let them burn up, they deserve it!" came in Spanish.

"All ready?" asked Ben, and receiving a nod, he hurried to a side
window. Below was a small bush, and in a moment he had dropped to the
ground. As he started through the long grass, Casey and the others
followed him.

A wild yell speedily showed that this new movement had been
discovered, and a dozen shots rang out. But the Filipinos were too
excited to shoot straight, and the bullets merely clipped their way
through the mango and other trees, or buried themselves in the side of
the burning building.

At first Ben thought to fire in return. But to find shelter was the
prime consideration, and on he went, holding his pistol in readiness,
but without pulling the trigger. Here and there a Filipino could be
seen flitting from bush to tree, but these glimpses were short and far
from satisfactory.

"They are coming!" came from Dan Casey, just as the nearest of the
trees was gained. "Back, ye rascals!" he shouted, and fired as quickly
as he could. Casey was right; the Tagals were surrounding them, and
now they had to fight back to back, in as hot a contest as the young
captain had ever seen. They were clearly outnumbered, but retreat was
impossible, for the Filipinos surrounded them upon every side.

What happened during the next five minutes is almost impossible to
describe, for every movement was exec