rty-eight hours."

"I hope by that time we'll have reached the army," answered Larry, and
took the portion of meat handed to him. It was not a dainty thing to
carry, but he had to shoulder it, since Boxer and Leroy were carrying
the weapons.

As they proceeded, the jungle appeared to become more dense, until it
was next to impossible to make any progress. Yet they felt that each
step was bringing them closer to the open plain and to a point where
few natives were likely to be congregated. "If we once get down to the
bottom, we'll be all right," said Boxer.

But the scout had not reckoned on the fact that there was a hollow at
the base of the mountain, and that the heavy rains had filled this
full to overflowing. It was Larry who first called attention to the
fact that the ground was growing damp. Then of a sudden the whole
party stepped into the water up to their ankles.

Here was a new dilemma to face, and each looked at the others in
anything but a happy mood. "Beats everything what luck we're having!"
cried Leroy, in deep disgust. "I'd give a year's pay to be safe on
board the _Yorktown_ agin, keelhaul me if I wouldn't!"

"I suppose the best thing we can do is to march around the swamp-hole,"
replied Larry. "What do you say, Boxer?"

"Let us try it a bit further," replied the scout, and they moved
forward with care. At first the ground appeared to grow better, but
then they went down again halfway to their knees and in a muck that
stuck to them like glue.

"It's no use, we'll have to go back," groaned Leroy, and turned about.
Silently the others followed him, wondering where the adventure would
end.

CHAPTER XXVII

THE DEPARTURE OF THE _OLYMPIA_

The advances of both General MacArthur and General Lawton had been so
far nothing but a series of successes, and so hard were the insurgents
pressed, that they scarcely knew what to do next. Again they sued for
peace, but as the Americans were not inclined to grant them anything
until they had surrendered unconditionally, the war went on, but in
more of a guerilla-fight fashion than ever.

Near San Fernando the rebels continued to tear up the railroad tracks,
and likewise attacked a train of supplies, killing and wounding
several who were on board. They also attacked several gunboats coming
up the San Fernando River, keeping themselves safely hidden, in the
meantime, behind high embankments thrown up along the stream. While
this was going on General Ag