Three weeks passed by. Marie had gone down town late in April to do some shopping. While she was standing in the door of the old postoffice on the Escolta, she heard the shrill voice of a Filipino lad piping out: "Papers! Papers! All about the war with the United States. Dewey's comin'!" He had a bundle of newspapers under his right arm and was waving one in his left hand. Everybody rushed out of the bazaars and offices along the Escolta where they were transacting their business, and each one who could get near enough to the boy, eagerly bought a morning paper. The lad's papers were all gone but one. Marie Sampalit snatched it from his hands, and dropped into one of them a small coin. She stepped into the corridor of the post office, to escape the annoyance of the crowd, and read the large head lines: "WAR BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND SPAIN dewey en route to manila great naval battle friday or saturday in manila bay The Stone Wall Around the City will be Razed to the Ground. Great Loss of Life." "Then, I'm off for Corregidor Island right away!" exclaimed Marie. "Dewey can't get into the Bay except by that route. That's where the fight will begin. Mother doesn't know this. I'll tell her I am going to take some supplies to the Spanish garrison. I will go at once!" She set out from Manila in a small casco, or flat-bottomed native boat, heavily laden with fresh fish, pine-apples, mangoes, bananas, tobacco and cigarettes--all intended for the Spanish garrison on Corregidor Island. Manila is situated on the eastern shore of Manila Bay. From there to the island it is nearly thirty miles. Her little boat was driven forward on its journey by an easterly wind that gently swelled the tiny sails. She reached the island at five o'clock that afternoon and was given a royal welcome by the Spanish soldiers. Marie gave them the morning paper containing the news of Dewey's prospective arrival. She asked permission to take part in the fight. Marie was a favorite with the Spanish garrison. Her genial disposition, added to her almost inconceivable daring, had won for her the friendship and admiration of all. The gunners had playfully taught her all about loading, firing and swabbing their cannon. She had also learned the art of good marksmanship, so that at a target practice she was an adept. Impatiently she awaited the arrival of the American fleet. She heard the Spaniards discuss among themselves the cowardice of the American soldiers, and saw them wager the Dewey would not come to Manila at all but that he would sail down around the Malay Peninsula and hasten home by way of Good Hope to save his vessels from certain destruction. All this sounded plausible to her and she grew restless and enthusiastic as the dull hours dragged away.