soon to have reenforcements from the
south. When they come, let the American dogs beware!"

The talk was carried on in the Tagalog dialect, so Larry understood
not a word. In the meantime, the fire crept up, making the guard's
seat anything but comfortable.

"That's too much," he observed, and was on the point of kicking the
fire out with his foot, when of a sudden he uttered a wild yell that
startled everybody near him. "A snake! a snake! Oh, what a long
creature!"

For from under the rock a huge reptile had glided, roused up by the
heat. It was a snake peculiar to those mountains, and all of ten feet
long and as thick as a man's arm. It struck the guard in the knee, and
then whipped around in increased anger, for its tail had come in
contact with the fire.

"A snake!" echoed the second guard, and fired his Mauser at the
reptile. But he was too excited to shoot straight, and the bullet
glanced along the rock and struck the first guard in the cheek,
inflicting a fairly serious wound.

The cries of the two guards' were taken up on all sides of the camp,
and especially in the vicinity of the rock from under which the
reptile had appeared. All the soldiers recognized the snake as a
dangerous enemy; and as the reptile moved about, first one and then
another ran to get out of its way, several in the meantime taking
hasty shots at it, but failing to do any serious damage. For several
minutes the prisoner was entirely forgotten.

It was Ben who saw the opportunity,--Ben and the ever-faithful
Luke,--and rushing up, they cut Larry's bonds and fairly hustled him
into the depth of the jungle behind the encampment. The young sailor
could hardly understand what was taking place, but when he recognized
his brother and his old messmate, he gave a shout of joy.

"You, Ben! and Luke! Oh, I must be dreaming!"

"No, you are not dreaming, Larry. We've been watching you for a long
while, trying to do something. Can you run?"

"No; I sprained my ankle, and it is still sore."

"I'll carry him," said Luke. "You lead the way, cap'n. And Boxer had
better bring up the rear guard."

"Right you are," came from the scout. "Have your weapons ready, cap'n.
We may catch it hot, in spite of the alarm over the snake. Those rebs
will be as mad as hornets when they find the lad is missing."

Away they went, Ben trying to find an easy path,--which was no small
thing to do in that utter darkness,--and Luke coming up behind,
breathing like a p