For three days Sandino and his men, who outnumbered the Marines more than two to one, continued their siege upon the corral, causing numerous casualties within the ranks of the devil dogs but unable to advance farther than the foot of the mountains. The leathernecks, under the wily Ranson, fought desperately to ward off the approach of the bandits with an unfailing courage that was admired by even their enemies. On the third day, Lieutenant Ranson crawled along the barricade, stopping to inform each man to save on ammunition as supplies were running low. The sputtering of machine guns ceased and the Marines, with rifles, drew back their guns to wait until the enemy closed in before again opening fire. Near the gate, Ranson met the top sergeant and the two saluted in a hasty, grim fashion. “If our man got through Okay,” the officer announced, “we should be seeing a sign of planes before long.” “If he got through,” Cosgrove speculated, “he’s done somethin’ more than a miracle!” Just then, the sergeant’s face grew tense and white with the muscles of his jaw contorting in pain as he toppled over, across the feet of the lieutenant. [Illustration: The muscles of his jaw contorted in pain as he toppled over.] The officer picked the man’s head up and rested it on his knee, noting a trickling stream of red matter just below the temple. Quick to think, he broke open the first aid package that the stricken man carried on his belt and removed the tape, hastily bandaging the wound and helping the sergeant back to his feet. “They’ve only grazed your head,” he announced. “Now snap into it and pay ’em back, Cosgrove!” The top kick removed his automatic from the holster, took careful aim and fired, hitting a rebel who had been crawling toward the barricade on all fours with a vicious-looking knife locked between his teeth. The lieutenant slapped the sergeant upon the back approvingly as the other man smiled. “That’s the way to pay your debts! Now knock off another one for good measure!” A corporal with a solemn face, covered with grime, crawled up between the two men and addressing the lieutenant, announced: “The brush is full of greasers, sir, and we’re nearly out of ammunition!” Hanson turned to Cosgrove with an unconcealed look of deep concern upon his face. “Pass the word to cease firing until I give the order!” The sergeant turned about and crawled along the inside of the barricade, stopping to announce the commander’s edict as he passed on his way. Over in the rebel lines, Sandino passed the word to his officers to split the men up, ordering them to crawl under the protection of the brushes to the rear and sides of the corral, thus completely encircling the Marines within. Ranson and the corporal watched this guerrilla movement with intense interest and as an overanxious Marine next to them lifted his rifle into position, the officer knocked it from his hand, warning: “Wait until I give the order!”