, we are all climbing up the ladder,
and Larry must look to his laurels. I understand you are to be made
permanent captain of Company D."

"But where is First Lieutenant Crunger of your company?"

"Disappeared," and the young Southerner's face took on a sober look.
"That's the only thing that mars my happiness over my promotion. After
the taking of Malolos, Jack Crunger disappeared utterly, and we
haven't been able to find hide nor hair of him, although half a dozen
scouting parties have been sent out and the stream has been dragged in
several places."

"Perhaps he was taken prisoner," suggested Larry. "I heard some of the
Kansas and Utah men were missing, too."

"We are afraid he is a prisoner, and if that is so, Aguinaldo's men
have probably taken him up to San Fernando, where the insurgents are
setting up their new capital."

"And what is going on at the firing line?" asked Ben, eagerly. "Are
they following up the rebels' retreat?"

"I'm sorry to say no. General MacArthur made a reconnaissance in the
direction of Calumpit, but it amounted to little."

"I understand that the _Charleston_ has sailed up the coast and is
going to shell Dagupan," put in Larry. "Dagupan, you know, is the
terminus of the railroad line."

"That's good," came from the sick brother. "If we can get a footing in
Dagupan, we can work the railroad territory from both ends." But this
was not to be, as coming events speedily proved, for the shelling of
the city by the warship amounted to but little.

Gilbert Pennington knew all about the Braxton Bogg affair and listened
with interest to what Larry had to relate.

"It's too bad," he declared. "I'd like to give you some hope, boys,
but I'm afraid you'll have to whistle for your fortune. That Spaniard
will keep out of the reach of the Americans, and if the worst comes
to the worst, he'll slip off to Spain or South America; you mark my
words."

Larry's leave of absence was for forty-eight hours only, and soon he
was forced to bid his brother and his friend good-by. "Now take good
care of yourself, Ben," he said, on parting. "And do stay here until
you are stronger. Remember that a wounded man can't stand this
broiling sun half as well as one who isn't wounded, and even the
strongest of them are suffering awfully from the heat."

"I'll make him stay," put in Gilbert, with mock severity. "Surgeon
Fallox won't give him clearance papers until I tell him, for he's a
great friend of mine."