n what the natives told them of
Aguinaldo's movements, for, almost without exception, they were in his
favour, and always lied to the Americans to try to throw them off the
track. It was due to this that they proceeded very cautiously, and
still, notwithstanding their extreme care, they found themselves, when
night came on this first day, in a small village where no one had seen
anything of the rebel army. There was no denying the fact that they were
off the trail, and the colonel stormed about in a terrible way when he
learned of their mistake. There was no use going back in the dark to
hunt for a trail they had mistaken in the daylight, so the regiment
remained in the village overnight. They were a lot of very discouraged
men, and the officers were enraged at the mistake, for which there was
no one but themselves to blame.

Early in the morning they retraced their way, and started off in an
opposite direction to the one taken yesterday. It seemed that this must
certainly be the path taken by the rebels, but the regiment marched
until nearly noon without seeing any signs of them. Then, when they had
halted for dinner, the colonel decided to let the men rest while two
companies were sent ahead to reconnoitre, and report as to whether there
were any signs of men having passed this way. He was beginning to think
that the whole affair would be a wild-goose chase, and he decided that,
if these companies found nothing, the whole regiment would return to
Manila forthwith, probably to be the laughing-stock of the army there.

The remaining companies had nothing to do now but lay about on the soft
grass, and rest. They were encamped in a stretch of grassy loam in
the midst of what appeared to be a dense forest, and all about were
evidences of the great fertility of the soil. The vegetation was so
dense that one could scarcely see through it, and the glade was cool and
pleasant, though overhead the sun was shining as warm as ever. It was a
lovely oasis in a wilderness of undergrowth, and the men enjoyed it to
the utmost.

About three in the afternoon the sound of firing was heard in the
distance. First there was one shot, then another, and several more at
rapid intervals. Archie was one of the first to jump to his feet, but in
a second every man was at attention, with his musket in his hands. The
colonel listened closely for two minutes, and then the firing began once
more, and this time it seemed nearer. He hesitated no longe