“Sure, an’ is it Captain Russell?” came from the soldier, joyfully. “It is, the saints be praised! We’ve been a-wonderin’ what had become of yez!”
“Town mit dem Filibinos!” The call came from Carl Stummer, and soon he also put in an appearance. “Dis vos von lucky tay,” he said, when he saw the party. “Ve haf dem repels on der run like neffer vos.”
“Then send them a-flying, Stummer,” answered Ben. “Where is our camp?”
“Pack dere apout half a mile. Ve vos move up las’ night und steal von march on dem Filibinos.”
There was no time to say more, excepting to stop several of the soldiers, and assisted by these, the whole party moved to the rear, through line after line of American troops now hurrying to the firing line, for it was General Lawton’s plan to give the Filipinos no rest until San Isidro and the territory in its vicinity were captured.
Inside of half an hour, Ben had seen to it that Larry, Luke, and Boxer were all made comfortable, and then, hastily swallowing a bowl of coffee and some bread and meat, he hurried after his command, which was threshing the jungle just outside of San Isidro for scattered bands of the enemy such as the young captain and his party had met. Soon Ben was on the firing line once more, and warmly greeted by Major Morris, Gilmore, and his other friends.
The fighting was hot, for the rebels felt that if San Isidro was taken, nothing would remain to them but the mountains. They had constructed a high embankment just outside of their capital, and this they were defending vigorously, many of their leading generals being at the front to direct the movements.
But General Lawton was now in his element, and feeling that his troops would do whatever he asked of them, he began to spread out to the right and the left, thus enfilading the trenches behind the embankment, which presently became so uncomfortable that the rebels had to leave them. At the same time a centre column continued the attack from the front—a centre column composed 310 principally of Minnesota troops and the regiment to which Ben belonged.
“They are leaving the trenches!” exclaimed Major Morris, who was watching the progress of the battle through a field-glass. “Forward, boys! They are on the run again!”