ever mind, Casey, you'll get back home some day," put in another
soldier. "And in years to come you'll be telling your grandchildren
what a mighty fighter you were out in the state of Luzon, recently
annexed to the United States, along with the state of Hawaii." And a
laugh went up over the conceit.

"Sure an' you ton't haf nodding to grumble ofer of you ton't git
shot," said Stummer.

"Or don't get taken down with disease," put in another. "My, but I
pity the fellows with fever and chills and malaria, and the other
things that are just as bad. I believe about one-fifth of the army is
now on the sick list."

"Some of the boys are going to send a petition to General Otis for
relief. They say they can't stand it much longer."

So the talk went on, both Ben and Gilbert saying but little. Presently
Major Morris poked his nose into the opening.

"I think you boys had better come out of there," he said shortly.

"Why, major--" began several.

"Are we to advance?" asked others.

"No, we are not going to advance, unless it's skyward," continued the
major. "Either come out of that, or else put out that fire, and be
mighty careful about it."

"The fire ain't doing no harm," grumbled a private, under his breath.

"I don't believe the enemy can see the smoke in this rain," suggested
another, thinking that this was the cause of their being disturbed.

"I'm not thinking of the enemy, boys, I'm thinking of you. Better come
out, and then we'll put out that fire as carefully as we can."

Seeing that something unusual was in the wind, one after another of
the officers and privates came forth from the hollow, Stummer giving
the fire a kick as he passed. As soon as they were outside they
surrounded the commander of the first battalion.

"Now, boys, do you know why I called you out?" asked Major Morris,
with just the suspicion of a twinkle in his clear eyes.

"No, why was it?" came from a dozen voices.

"Because I wanted to save your lives," was the quiet response.

"Save our lives, major? You must be joking."

"No, I am not joking. We have just captured one of the rebel gunners,
who was in command of the piece that was blown to atoms. He says that
this hollow, where you had your camp-fire, was their powder magazine,
and that they left all of a hundred and fifty pounds of powder stored
there, hidden under the moss and dead leaves."

CHAPTER XXII

THE RESULT OF AN AMBUSH

"Good gracious, do you mean to say we