utter darkness,—and Luke coming up behind, breathing like a porpoise, but vowing he could carry Larry a mile were it necessary. Boxer kept as far to the rear as he dared without missing their trail, and the life of any Filipiiio who might have appeared would not have been worth a moment's purchase at the scout's hands.
They had covered but a few hundred yards when the shouting and firing at the encampment ceased. "I guess the snake is dead," said Ben. "Now they'll be after us."
The young captain was right; and soon they heard the enemy breaking through the jungle in detachments of three or four men each, all hotfooted to recapture the prisoner. They had observed the cut ropes and wondered if it was possible that Larry had severed them without assistance.
It was not long before Boxer got a good shot at the nearest of the pursuers. His aim was true, and the Tagal went down without so much as a groan. His companions stopped short, and then called some other soldiers to the scene. "The boy is armed and shoots like a sharpshooter," they told each other; and after that the search was con-
