tream in the dark. The
landing of the men was to be covered by the heaviest possible fire
from the American side, and, as soon as they were safe ashore, the
Kansas soldiers were to secure some position where they might enfilade
the enemy's trenches, that is, fire through them from one end, so
that the Filipinos might no longer find them safe. In the meantime
more troops were to come over with all possible speed.

On the way down the stream the Kansas soldiers demolished several
huts, selecting the best of the timber with which to build their
rafts. The moon was under a cloud, and it looked as if they might get
across the river without serious trouble.

But as the crowd were constructing their rafts and getting their ferry
rope ready for use, the moon came out brightly; and very soon the
insurgents became suspicious and fired on the Americans, who were
forced to retreat to the nearest shelter. The firing kept up the
greater part of two hours, and at last the plan to cross over that
night was abandoned.

But the Kansas colonel and his gallant men had determined to be the
first into the enemy's camp, and once again they went to the spot
previously selected, but this time in the broad daylight, when they
might clearly see the shore opposite. No insurgents were in sight;
and, after having made three rafts all right and tight, the rope was
brought forth, and two men, named White and Trembly, were asked to
carry it across the stream. The soldiers plunged into the water
without delay, being watched by hundreds of their comrades left
behind. The men were without their uniforms or weapons of any kind.

Slowly the pair swam the turbulent waters of the stream, and hardly
had they gotten fifty feet from shore when the rebels opened fire upon
them, at first a few scattering shots and then a perfect volley. That
the swimmers escaped is little short of a miracle. But they remained
untouched, and, gaining the opposite bank, they ran forward and tied
the rope's end to a tree-stump. In the meantime two other soldiers
started over the Rio Grande in a dugout, but this upset and let the
men into the water, and they had to swim as had the others. But they
landed with their guns intact, and at once opened fire at the nearest
natives that showed themselves.

All this had happened with great rapidity, and now the first raft was
coming across the river, loaded with Kansas soldiers officered by
Colonel Funston himself. The raft became the ta