in the conversation.

"Yes, I'll arrange that," said the major. "But I don't see how I am
going to do without you, captain."

"Would you keep me from looking for my brother?"

"No, no, go ahead, and Gilmore can take the company."

So it was arranged; and inside of quarter of an hour Ben and Boxer
were ready to depart.

"Captain, can't I go with ye?" It was Luke Striker who asked the
question. The anxious look on his face spoke more eloquently than
words, and Ben consented without argument.

And so the three set off on the search for Larry, little dreaming of
the strange happenings in store for them.

CHAPTER XXIX

LARRY IS SENTENCED TO BE SHOT

To go back to Larry, at the time mentioned by Dan Leroy, when the boy
had been following the old sailor and the scout along the cliff
overlooking the valley in which both the Filipino and the American
troops were encamped.

The adventures in the swamp had been exceedingly tiring, and the youth
could scarcely drag one foot after the other, as the party of three
hurried along over rocks and through thickets which at certain points
seemed almost impassible.

"O dear! I'll be glad when this day's tramp comes to an end," he
thought. "I wonder how far the American camp is from here?"

He tried to look across the valley, but there was a bluish vapor
hanging over trees and brush which shut off a larger portion of the
view. The party had been walking over a trail which now brought them
directly to the edge of the cliff. Here the footpath was scarcely two
feet wide, and was backed up by high rocks and thorn bushes, around
which it was difficult to climb without injury.

The men were as tired as the boy, and it must be confessed that for a
half hour or more they paid little attention to Larry. Gradually the
youth lagged behind, until those ahead were lost to view around a
sharp turn of the cliff.

And it was then that an accident happened which put Larry in great
peril all in an instant. In trying to make the turn, the boy got hold
of a slender tree by which to support himself. Leroy and Boxer had
grasped the same tree, and their swinging around had loosened its
frail hold on the rocks, and as Larry grasped it, down went the
sapling over the edge of the cliff, carrying the youth with it.

[Illustration: Down went the sapling over the edge of the cliff.--_Page
281._]

The boy had no time to cry out, and he clung fast, not knowing what
else to do, until the tree