A United States Midshipman in the PhilippinesStirling, Yates
General
A United States Midshipman in the Philippines
Stirling, Yates
Philippines -- Juvenile fiction; United States. Navy -- Juvenile fiction
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.
The inside of the room was but dimly lighted by a single oil wick,
and the darkness became blacker toward that part of the house where
no windows had been cut. Phil had heard the captain give instructions
to his orderly as he left headquarters to have a guard follow the
carriage. But would the guard be sent here to aid them, or would
Captain Blynn send them elsewhere to make arrests?
“Let’s get out of this trap,” Phil whispered anxiously to Sydney at his
side, his idea being to order the men at the point of his revolver to
pass out to the street.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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