later. During the past the natives had known but little of pistols and guns, but now for several years they had seen them in the hands of both the Spanish soldiers and those who were in rebellion against the Spanish crown, and had even stood up in battle, on the side of those who wanted to make the Philippines free and independant of the rest of the world, be that movement, under General Aguinaldo, for good or for evil.
The natives had halted and some had sought safety in flight, but now the chief issued several orders, and they came on again, more determined than ever. Soon they divided, and entered the forest to the north and south of us.
The division gave the first mate a good deal of concern. "It's a splendid move—for them," he muttered. "I reckon they know the woods like a book, too."
"Can they have made prisoners of the party who came up here this morning?" I ventured.
"Sure an' that's more than loikely," put in Matt Gory. "If they catch us I'm afther thinkin' we'll be ristin' in a circle in the sand, too. Come on." And he tried to increase his speed.
But our previous climb had made us tired and soon I became so exhausted I felt ready to drop. Tom Dawson was pufihng painfully, his face the color of a beet.
