“Yes, sentry, I am Captain Perry of the gunboat.”
“Sure, sir, you can pass me, any time,” the soldier exclaimed gladly. “That was certainly great work you done in Binalbagan. All the boys is talking about you two officers and Jack O’Neil. I’d like to meet him; he must be a corker.” The sentry had grounded his rifle and now stood at ease talking sociably, very much at home with the young midshipman.
“He is here,” Phil replied. “If I may pass my party, I’ll call him.”
“Certainly, captain, anything you say goes with me,” the sentry returned enthusiastically.
The carriage, followed by the band of a dozen natives, drove down the street away from the city. Phil caught a wave of a hand from the window as he turned and started for the gunboat and his bunk, for it was near midnight.
O’Neil had stopped to shake hands with the admiring sentry and he soon overtook them.
In silence they marched to the ship. So much had happened, crowded into such a short space of time, that the lads wanted a chance to think.
The next morning while Phil and Sydney were at breakfast on the small quarter-deck of the “Mindinao” Captain Blynn crossed the gangway from the dock. He walked to where the lads had risen from their chairs to greet him. Refusing their offer of breakfast with an impatient movement of his hand he sat down in the proffered seat held for him by the attentive Chinese steward. Both lads saw in his grave face that something unpleasant had happened to account for this early morning visit. The army man did not keep them long in suspense, and had his say with his usual directness.
“Lieutenant Tillotson, the officer of the guard yesterday, is missing. His bed shows that he did not sleep in it at all last night. I have investigated the case as far as I have been able, and I find that no one passed through the sentries except a closed carriage and a squad of Filipinos. This sentry says that you and Mr. Monroe vouched for them. Tillotson was last seen an hour before this time by a sentry at the bridge whom he visited. As soon as I heard of the carriage episode I cautioned the sentry to say nothing. I wanted to see you and clear up that part before I investigated further.”
Phil sat speechless in his seat while the judge-advocate general talked on earnestly. Tillotson had disappeared! How could he have been forcibly carried past the numerous guards stationed at every outlet of the garrisoned city? He must surely still be within the town.