“It’s an honor to you to say it. Many an officer would have passed me by,” answered the Irish sharpshooter feelingly.
The sharpshooters were close to the command to which Gilbert and Ben belonged. Just ahead was some artillery, doing its best to get through the mud which seemed to stick to the wheels like so much paste.
“Orders to help the artillery out,” said Gilbert presently, and one and another soldier took hold as best he could, some pushing and some hauling on long ropes. Gilbert and Ben were not above doing their share, the former helping at a wheel and the latter shoving at the back of a cart. In the meantime Casey and Carl Stummer got to work too, with a log by which to pry the sunken wheels out of the deepest of the mud.
It was hard, exhausting labor, with little of glory in it, but nobody complained. The artillery had to get to a certain Chinese village that night, and take its position on some hills before daybreak.
“This is the seamy side of soldier life,” said Ben, when there came a chance to talk.
“I dinks me it vos der muddy side, ain’t it?” came from Stummer. “Py der poots! but I neffer saf vorser mud py der Philippines!” And this caused a short laugh.
The artillery was attacked by some Russians at eight o’clock on the following day. A battery opened on the Japanese, and then a body of Cossack cavalry swept close to the village and up the hillside. But the Japanese gunners were on the alert, and though one gun was captured it was quickly retaken. Then the Russians received a cutting cross-fire, which made them retreat for several miles.
It was hard, exhausting labor, with little of glory in it.—Page [238].
The following day came another skirmish for the infantry, on a side road where the briers were unusually thick. This was difficult ground to fight upon, and when the contest came to an end many of the soldiers found their trousers and leggings in tatters and their shoes full of holes.