ng took with him on his spectacular march
through Mindanao. Murder will out. It is here!" He rubbed his hands
together in glee, laughing softly.

"How do you suppose this ammunition got here, Lewis?" General Beech
asked gravely.

"Why, dumped here, of course. Don't you remember the Sunday editions
at home proclaiming Bushing a hero because he had used more ammunition
and apparently done more fighting, than any one on record? Why didn't
he come out with the truth?"

General Beech colored at this injustice to his colleague.

"The usual hasty conclusion characteristic of Young America!" said the
General, sharply. "Do you know, young man, that General Bushing is not
only one of our ablest soldiers, but one of the most finished diplomats
in the service?" Lewis had never seen General Beech so agitated.

"This discovery will be no news to the war department; they are
in possession of the detailed account of the accident." He paused,
his eyes sweeping the lake. "Lewis, this lake is the site of a most
unfortunate accident. Out there," General Beech pointed toward the
center of the lake, "dozens of our soldiers were lost, and the public
will never know the tragic story of their fall. General Bushing
was trying to transport six rafts of ammunition across the lake
to the troops stranded at Camp Vicars. During a wild night storm,
the handful of men set out on improvised rafts, but half-way across
they were attacked from all sides and nearly annihilated. Only the
wisdom and bravery of General Bushing saved the entire detachment
from death; he ordered the ammunition thrown overboard and rescued
his remaining men after a hard fight. That the survivors, one and
all, have kept faith, and never divulged the story of the lost Krags,
proves the remarkable influence General Bushing had over his command,
for had the Moros got wind of this handy arsenal--!"

The day finally came when the tiny flotilla was at last raised, and,
gay in its paint and polished metal, gallantly rode at anchor. All the
lake tribes were assembled to witness the celebration, and they gazed
with wonder at the strange craft. Many Americans had been attracted to
the lake by news of the discovery, and the camp had grown to almost
twice its original size. Some of the officers' wives had endured the
hardships of the journey to witness the novel sight.

The boats were pronounced seaworthy and were to be tested. The
largest boat, the flagship, was decorated from on