“You can’t make friends that way,” cried Major Morris. “They won’t trust you. I’ve tried it more than once.”
There was now a hill to climb, thick with tropical trees and brush. The regiment had scarcely covered a hundred feet of the ascent, when there came a volley of shots from a ridge beyond, which wounded two soldiers in the front rank.
“The rebels are in sight!” was the cry. “Come on, boys, let us drive ’em back! On to San Isidro!” And away went one battalion after another, fatigued by a two miles’ tramp, but eager to engage once more in the fray. It was found that the insurgents had the ridge well fortified, and General Lawton at once spread out his troops in a semicircle, in the hope of surrounding the ridge and cutting off the defenders from the main body of Aguinaldo’s army.
Ben’s regiment was coming, “head on,” for the top of the ridge. The way was over ground much broken by tree-stumps, rocks, and entangling vines, that brought many a soldier flat.
“Sure, an’ it’s a rigular fish-net!” spluttered Dan Casey, as he tried in vain to rise, with vines ensnaring both arms and legs. “I don’t know but phwat a fellow wants a wire-cutter here, just as they had ’em in Cuby to cut the wire finces wid.”
“Nefer mind, so long as we got by der dop of dot hill,” answered Carl Stummer, as he hauled his mate out of the entanglement. “Be dankful dot you ain’t parefooted by dem dorns.” And on went both once more. There was many a slip and a tumble, but very little grumbling.
“Down!” The cry came from the front, and down went Ben’s company into a little hollow, for the rebels had them in plain view now, and the two lines were less than three hundred yards apart. A volley from the insurgents followed, but nobody was struck.
“Forward twenty-five yards!” cried Ben, and up went the company for another dash. It was a soul-trying moment, and none felt it more than the young commander, who ran on ahead to inspire his men. He knew that at any instant a bullet might hit him to lay him low forever. But his “baptism of fire” had been complete, and he did not flinch.