more, I suppose, I owe my life to the blundering marksmanship of
a Filipino!"

This half-hearted acknowledgment of his strange indebtedness educed
from his companions no recognition other than a puzzled stare from
the sergeant and an enigmatical smile on the face of the young
Spaniard. Connell proceeded with his examination:

"Why did they leave you here?"

"They had no time to take us with them when you broke in," was the
boy's answer. "Aguinaldo was on his way to some village where his
family is in hiding. The scouts told him of your presence; then
he determined not to wait for Pilar, but to surprise you. We never
rested day or night. My poor brother--how he suffered!"

"Yes, yes, but why are they carrying you on a march like this?"

"My brother is the only man who knows where the Spanish gold was
hidden when our war was ended--I mean, the gold that came up with
guns and ammunition. Aguinaldo is looking for the hiding place. My
father, a high officer in the Spanish Army, died of the fever last
winter. We were stolen from our house in Manila by Aguinaldo's
men, and have been going from place to place ever since. We have
not told of the hiding place. The Americans do not need gold, no?"
The boy laughed sarcastically.

"How many men has Aguinaldo?"

"Three hundred or more. I would advise you to look out for Pilar.