visit his brother Larry. But so it
proved, as we shall speedily see.

CHAPTER XXIV

THE FLIGHT FOR LIBERTY

"Well, this is getting too monotonous for anything."

It was Larry who spoke, and he sat on the stump of a tree at the mouth
of a wide cave, gazing disconsolately at a fire which several
insurgents were trying to build.

The place was on the top of a high hill, backed up by still higher
mountains. On every hand were sharp rocks and trees, with a tangle of
thorns. Small wonder, then, that Aguinaldo and his cohorts considered
these fastnesses inaccessible for American troops. No regular body
could have gotten to such a place, and to forward supplies hither was
totally out of the question.

The rebels numbered fifteen, all mountaineers and strong. At General
Luna's request they had brought ten prisoners to the spot, and the
other prisoners were to come up some time later. Why the Filipinos
thus divided the men they had taken is not definitely known, yet
divided they were, until some escaped and others died or were given
up.

Since Larry had been captured he had passed through half a dozen
different hands. It must be said he had been treated fairly well,
better, perhaps, than many of my readers may suppose. To be sure, his
clothing was in rags and his shoes were almost minus their soles, but
in these respects he was no worse off than those who kept him captive.
Then, too, the food given him was very plain, but the rebels ate the
same, and to complain, therefore, would have been worse than useless.

Larry had missed Barton Brownell, for the pair had been fairly
friendly, as we know. With the transferal to new quarters the young
sailor had struck up an acquaintanceship with Dan Leroy, one of the
_Yorktown's_ men, also a prisoner. A number of the sailors from the
_Yorktown_--in fact, a boatload, had been captured, but Leroy had
become separated from his messmates at the very start.

"Yes, it is monotonous, lad," said Leroy, who was resting at Larry's
feet. "But, as I've said a hundred times afore, we can't help
ourselves, consequently, make the best on it. Ain't that sound
argyment, lad?"

"I reckon so, Leroy, but--but--"

"When ye git as old as I am you'll see things in a different light. We
can't complain o' the treatment here, lad."

"But I would like to know how the war is going, and if my brother
knows I am alive."

"Reckon the war is goin' agin the Tagals, or they wouldn't be
a-pushing ba