hot the pair, swallowed up utterly by a hole
which had unexpectedly opened to receive them.

CHAPTER XVII

IN AND OUT OF A STRANGE PITFALL

Major Morris and Ben had fallen into a pit dug by the Filipinos for
the purpose of catching their enemies. It was an old trick, and one
which had been used quite extensively at the opening of the rebellion,
but which was now falling into disuse, for the reason that few
Americans were ever caught by the device.

The method was to dig a square hole in the centre of some trail or
road which the Americans would probably use in their advance. At the
bottom of this hole would be planted upright a number of sharp bamboo
sticks, and then the top would be covered over with slender bamboo
sticks and loose grass or palm leaves. If one or more persons stepped
upon the top sticks, they would break at once, and the unfortunates
would fall upon the sharp points below, which were certain to inflict
more or less serious injury.

Fortunately, however, for the young captain and his companion, the
hole into which they had tumbled was not provided with the sharp
sticks mentioned. The natives had just finished the opening when an
officer had called upon them to leave the vicinity as it was getting
dangerous, owing to the rapid advances made by the Americans. So the
trap had been set with its most dangerous element lacking.

Yet the fall was by no means a pleasant one, and for a brief instant
the young captain of Company D thought that the bottom had dropped out
of everything, and that he would surely be killed. He tried to catch
hold of something, but all he could reach was the major's shoulder,
and then both landed with a thud on the soft dirt left at the bottom
of the hole.

Ben was the first on his feet, which was not saying much, since the
bottom of the opening was not level, and he stood in the soft loam up
to his ankles. Shaking himself to find that no bones were broken, he
drew a long breath.

"Major, are you all right?" he asked.

"No--no--I'm not all--all right," came with a gasp. "I've had my
wi--wind knocked ou--out of me."

"Any bones broken?"

"I gue--guess not. But wh--who ever heard of such a con--founded
trick?"

"I've heard of it several times, major. But we are not as bad off as
we might have been had the rebels put some sharp sticks down here to
spit us with."

"True." Major Morris gave a grunt, and wiped the dirt from his eyes.
"Well, I reckon we've learned