After a ten minutes’ drive the carriage stopped in front of a large Filipino house. Without knocking the army man pushed open the door intruding his great bulk into the room.
A half dozen natives arose from the floor, sudden fear in their faces as they saw the officers.
“Señor Cardero,” the captain said in a quiet voice, “where has Señor Espinosa gone?”
“I do not know,” the native replied sullenly.
The captain glared fiercely at the small brown man before him; then he reached out a strong hand and caught the native fiercely by the neck, shaking him as a dog would a rat. The little man turned a sickly color and his teeth chattered, but the bullying American held him closely while his eyes flashed angrily as he questioned him. “Tell me, where is Señor Espinosa?”
“He is hurt, señor commandante,” the native cried out finally in a terrified voice after he had regained his breath. “It was an accident. I do not now know where he is, but he is not in the city.”
The midshipmen were overjoyed at this news. So Espinosa was the Katipunan leader and spy. Phil glanced at the surprised judge-advocate, a light of triumph in his eyes.
“Captain Perry,” the captain ordered hurriedly, “you and Mr. Monroe stay here and guard these rats; I am going to have every native of prominence in the town arrested at once. Thanks to you, we have at last found the leak.”
Throwing the cringing native from him, he strode out of the door, and the lads heard the rumble of his carriage wheels as he drove rapidly away.
After the captain’s menacing presence had been removed the half dozen captive Filipinos showed signs of restlessness, and once or twice Phil surprised a covert glance toward a dark corner of the large living-room. Both lads felt the responsibility of their position. They knew that they were outside of the line of sentries, almost beyond the sound of firearms. It seemed to Phil that the captain was over-reckless in coming with only themselves into the haunts of a probable enemy. Both lads were armed, their revolvers were held ready in hand and their prisoners knew full well that Americans were dangerous shots.