ntend to
kill every foe of ours in these islands!"

CHAPTER II.

FIRST SHOT OF A NEW WAR

Three weeks passed by. Marie had gone down town late in April to
do some shopping. While she was standing in the door of the old
postoffice on the Escolta, she heard the shrill voice of a Filipino
lad piping out: "Papers! Papers! All about the war with the United
States. Dewey's comin'!" He had a bundle of newspapers under his right
arm and was waving one in his left hand. Everybody rushed out of the
bazaars and offices along the Escolta where they were transacting
their business, and each one who could get near enough to the boy,
eagerly bought a morning paper.

The lad's papers were all gone but one. Marie Sampalit snatched it from
his hands, and dropped into one of them a small coin. She stepped into
the corridor of the post office, to escape the annoyance of the crowd,
and read the large head lines:

"WAR BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND SPAIN

dewey en route to manila great naval
battle friday or saturday in manila bay

The Stone Wall Around the City will be
Razed to the Ground. Great Loss of Life."

"Then, I'm off for Corregidor Island right away!" exclaimed
Marie. "Dewey can't get into the Bay except by that route. That's
where the fight will begin. Mother doesn't know this. I'll tell her
I am going to take some supplies to the Spanish garrison. I will go
at once!"

She set out from Manila in a small casco, or flat-bottomed native boat,
heavily laden with fresh fish, pine-apples, mangoes, bananas, tobacco
and cigarettes--all intended for the Spanish garrison on Corregidor
Island. Manila is situated on the eastern shore of Manila Bay. From
there to the island it is nearly thirty miles. Her little boat was
driven forward on its journey by an easterly wind that gently swelled
the tiny sails.

She reached the island at five o'clock that afternoon and was given
a royal welcome by the Spanish soldiers. Marie gave them the morning
paper containing the news of Dewey's prospective arrival. She asked
permission to take part in the fight.

Marie was a favorite with the Spanish garrison. Her genial disposition,
added to her almost inconceivable daring, had won for her the
friendship and admiration of all. The gunners had playfully taught
her all about loading, firing and swabbing their cannon. She had also
learned the art of good marksmanship, so that at a target practic