what of Senors Benedicto and Jose Lupez?"

"I don't know what became of them."

"I know this Jose Lupez fairly well, and I always thought him an
honest man." Captain Fipile stroked his chin thoughtfully. "We are
fighting you Americans, it is true, but we would not wish to shelter a
thief who had run away from among you. We are above that, even though
a good many of your countrymen will not give us credit for it."

"We know that some of the Filipinos are honest enough," said Larry,
hesitatingly. "What do you intend to do with me?" he went on, after a
pause.

"That remains to be seen. Would you like to join our army?"

"Me? No, sir!" cried the youth, promptly.

Captain Fipile laughed outright. "You are honest enough about it, I
must say. How about giving us a little information? Will you object to
that?"

"I have given you considerable information already."

"I mean military information."

"I haven't anything to say on that point."

"Can't I persuade you to tell me what you may happen to know?"

"No, sir."

"If I can get you to talk, it may go much easier with you while you
remain our prisoner," went on the captain, suggestively.

"I'm sorry, but I haven't anything to say."

"Very well, then, Master Russell, if you are rather harshly treated in
the future, remember you have only yourself to blame. As a general
rule, we take prisoners only for the purpose of squeezing what
information we can out of them."

And thus speaking, Captain Fipile arose and quitted the cave, leaving
Larry to his own reflections, which were more dismal than they were
encouraging.

CHAPTER IX

THE ADVANCE INTO THE JUNGLE

Santa Cruz had been taken, but there was still much to do around the
shores of the Laguna de Bay to make it safe territory for the
Americans to hold. From the city the rebels were pursued eastward, and
a number of cascos and larger boats were captured. Inside of a few
days Paete, Longos, Lumban, and several other villages, were visited
by detachments of General Lawton's command, and the insurgents fled in
each instance, leaving all behind them. Nearly a hundred who stopped
to fight were either killed or wounded, and victory was entirely upon
the side of the Americans.

But now it was learned that the forces under General Aguinaldo and
General Luna were concentrating once more to the north and east of
Malolos, and much as he regretted the necessity, General Otis was
compelled to order General Lawto