s."

There were no attacks that afternoon or evening. The next morning
Captain Freeman hesitated as to whether or not he should send out a
party in force to "locate and develop" the enemy. But he decided not to
do so.

"To-morrow, though," declared the captain to his lieutenants, "we'll
break through the line somewhere."

That third night Sergeant Hal was placed in charge of the guard, with
Lieutenant Greg Holmes as his direct superior. On the side of camp where
the commanding officer thought the enemy most numerous, Hal placed
Corporal Duxbridge in charge.

"Don't close your eyes to-night, Corporal," warned the young sergeant.
"You can get your sleep in the daytime. This is the point where the
greatest vigilance is needed. This point is really the key to the camp,
and every man who lies down to sleep to-night leaves his life in your
hands."

"All right," replied Corporal Duxbridge in a voice that sounded weary.

"You'll be sure to keep awake?"

"I know my business, Sergeant."

Hal Overton did not particularly like Duxbridge. He belonged to C
Company, and was a man subject to occasional fits of crankiness. But
Duxbridge, as well as the others, had his share of duty to perform.

Late that night one of the men of the guard, stationed not far from
Duxbridge, thought that he heard a slight noise down the slope. He
listened only a moment, then felt sure that he had espied a figure
crawling along further down the slope.

"Halt!" called the soldier. "Halt or I'll fire. Who's there?"

"A friend," came the answer in perfectly good English. "For Heaven's
sake don't fire. We've had enough of horrors with the fiends below.
Where's Corporal Duxbridge? He knows me."

"Corporal Duxbridge is on duty at this point," returned the soldier.
"How many of you are there?"

"Seven; but I will come up alone first and speak with the corporal."

Duxbridge was called quietly. The corporal had been dozing for twenty
minutes, and he awoke with mind somewhat befogged.

The stranger below, who had been allowed to advance, now stepped up to
where the corporal could scrutinize him.

"Why, I know this man," declared the corporal. "His name's Eusebio Davo.
He's a wealthy Tagalo, loyal to the government and a good man. What's
the trouble, Senor Davo?"

"Corporal, I went south in the island to pick up some laborers from the
Manobo tribe. I got forty together and was on my way through this
country, not knowing that the Moros were out. S