oody charge. Not
knowing if the companies of the other battalions had arrived, the
impatient commander sent his adjutant, mounted on a native charger, and
his bugler, mounted on a Missouri mule, down the line to investigate.

When all was in readiness, the adjutant was to have the bugler sound
the charge, when the whole khaki-clad line, like a thousand demons,
would set up that awful, "gu gu" terrorizing "Yankee yell," and wade
into the unwary Tagalos with cold steel.

The adjutant and his bugler found that the companies on the left
were yet some distance to the rear. The former, while waiting for
the companies to come up, dismounted to tighten his saddle-girth,
while the latter busied himself looking for some signs of life in
the enemy's trenches not two hundred yards ahead. His mule dropped
his head in a dozing attitude. He suddenly appeared inspired, raised
his head high in the air, looking toward the insurgent lines. Then,
with a grunt, as if of satisfaction, elevated his chin, began working
his huge ears backward and forward in a pumping motion, and set up a
long-drawn "A-w-e ye! a-w-e ye! a-w-e ye! a-w-e ye!" in threatening
tones, which sounded through the midnight air for miles around.

The faithful animal had not finished his challenge when the deep voice
of the Colonel rang out completely drowning it, giving commands for
the charge. He flashed his saber, and gallantly led the only battalion
on the line into the midst of thousands of dusky soldiers--he had
heard the mule sound the charge.

It was a brilliant victory. The town fell with but a single American
casualty--that casualty left the bugler without a mount.

"BULL'S-EYE" KELLEY AND THE FIRE-BUG.

Where is there a soldier whose name is dry on the muster-rolls who
has not heard of "Bull's-Eye" Kelley? Kelley gained his enviable name
of "Bull's-Eye" by having spent twenty-two successive seasons on the
target-range without ever making a "bull's-eye." As a reward for long
and honest service--not for marksmanship--he was warranted a sergeant,
and went with his regiment to the Philippines.

While the regiment was doing garrison duty at one of the interior towns
in Luzon, it was constantly harassed by the little rebels. One dark
night in June they made a determined effort to drive the Americans
out. The regiment had run short of officers, so this night Kelley was
in command of his company. He was a strict disciplinarian--so much
so that when out