Major Marble nodded his head in agreement with the views of the young navy man.
“If we could always do what our military training dictates,” he answered sadly, “this war might not have begun.”
“I shall go up the river in an hour,” Phil announced, “and if the general wishes I shall be honored to have him on board.”
“The general is waiting anxiously to know that,” the major replied promptly; “that was my mission here, but your exploits so interested me I had nearly forgotten my mission.”
Within the hour the “Mindinao,” flying the blue flag with one white star at her main truck in honor of her distinguished passenger, General Wilson, cast off from the dock and steamed up the river.
“That was a fine piece of work,” Phil exclaimed in admiration, as he examined the cleverly constructed drawbridge built within the twenty-four hours by the army engineers. Its width was just sufficient to admit the “Mindinao.”
Phil stood on the bridge beside the man at the wheel, piloting the gunboat through the ever-changing shoals, while O’Neil in person heaved the lead in the chains, calling out the depth in feet.
After leaving the town the river ran through several miles of nipa swamp land, the home of the carnivorous land crab, the crocodile and the bandit Filipino. The gunboat continued cautiously, Phil keeping the sharp bow within the deep water, sometimes so close to the thickly wooded shore that he could have reached out and touched with his hand the overhanging trees.
Before noon the “Mindinao” had anchored off Rodriguez’s ranch and the general and party were landed to view the scene of the recent fight. The shore was lined with curious and excited natives, those of Rodriguez’s men, who had been spared from the fierce attack. To them the presence of the gunboat so far up the river was almost a miracle. They pointed knowingly at the big guns and clapped their hands in savage joy at the thought of what they could do against the enemy.
Captain Blynn had taken the situation in hand and had distributed the soldiers of his company to reinforce the native companies. A feeling of relief was now manifested by all. They were confident that no attack would be attempted while the gunboat’s guns frowned menacingly out there in the river.