te end of the passageway.
He was an American soldier, hatless and almost in tatters.

"Hullo there!" cried Larry, leaping up. "Oh, but I'm glad you came!"

At the cry the soldier stopped short in amazement. Larry's words
echoed and reechoed throughout the passage. He looked toward the pair
at the chasm, but could make out little saving the torch which Leroy
was holding.

"Who calls?" he asked at last.

"I called," answered the boy. "Can't you see us? We are two lost
sailors, and we can't get over this beastly hole. Come this way, but
be careful of where you step."

"You must be Americans by your voices. Am I right?"

"Yes; and you are an American, too," said Larry, as the soldier came
closer. Soon he stood facing them, with a look of wonder on his
bronzed features.

"How did you get here?" he demanded.

"It's a long story," answered Leroy. "We escaped from some rebels at
the other end of this cave, and we've been wandering around since
last night. Are you alone, or are our forces outside of this hole?"

"General Lawton's troops are a good many miles from here," answered
the soldier. "I am one of his scouts, and I became separated from our
command and got up here to escape being hunted down by the crowd of
Filipinos that was after me. They are in the woods just outside of
this hole."

"Then you are all alone?" said Larry, his face falling a little.

"Yes, although I think a couple of our men must be in this vicinity.
We are pressing the rebels pretty hard, you know."

The scout's name was George Boxer, and he was one of the best marksmen
in Chief Young's command. He listened to their story with interest,
and at once agreed to do what he could for them. They noted with
satisfaction that he was provided with both a rifle and a pistol, and
also a belt well filled with ammunition.

It was an easy matter for Boxer to make his way into the open air and
find a fallen tree limb of sufficient thickness to throw over the
chasm as a make-shift bridge. As soon as the limb was secure, Larry
and Leroy came over, and then the party of three made their way to the
mouth of the cave.

It was a welcome sight to see the sky again and the sunshine, and
Larry's eyes sparkled as he gazed down the mountain-side and at the
vast panorama spread out before him. At their feet was a heavy jungle,
and beyond a plain and a small hill, where a large body of insurgents
were encamping.

"It's good to be in the fresh air again, eh, lad