Chapter I: Preface

"The Campaign of the Jungle" is a complete story in itself, but forms the fifth volume of the "Old Glory Series," a line of tales depicting life and adventure in our army and navy of to-day.

The heroes of these various stories are the three Russell brothers, Larry, Walter, and Ben. In the first volume we told of Larry's adventures while "Under Dewey at Manila," in the second and fourth we followed Ben as "A Young Volunteer in Cuba" and during the opening campaign "Under Otis in the Philippines," while in the third tale we saw what Walter could do "Fighting in Cuban Waters."

In the present volume the reader is asked to follow the fortunes of both Larry and Ben in two important expeditions of that gallant soldier, General Henry W. Lawton, the first directed against Santa Cruz on the Laguna de Bay, where the insurgents were left badly scattered, and the second from Manila to San Isidro, a winding advance of about one hundred and fifty miles through the jungle, which took twenty days to complete, and during which time twenty-two battles were fought and twenty-eight towns were captured, along with large quantities of army stores and the like. This latter expedition was one of the most daring of its kind, and could not have been pushed to success had not the man at its head been what he was, a trained Indian fighter of our own West, and one whose nerve and courage were almost beyond comprehension. Small wonder it was that when, later on, General Lawton was killed on the firing line, General Otis cabled, "Great loss to us and to his country."

As in the previous volumes of this series, the author has endeavored to be as accurate, historically, as possible, and for this reason has examined the reports of the officers high in command, as well as listened to many tales related by the returning soldiers themselves. It is therefore hoped that if any errors have crept in they may not be of sufficient magnitude to hurt the general usefulness of the work from an historical standpoint. As a story of adventure, the writer trusts it will find equal favor with those that have preceded it in the series.

EDWARD STRATEMEYER.

Newark, N. J.,
March 1, 1900.

CONTENTS

I. Dismaying News 1
II. Something about the Situation at Malolos 10
III. An Adventure on the Pasig River 20
IV. The Gap in the Firing Line 30
V. An Encounter at the River 41
VI. In which Luke Striker is Wounded 52
VII. The Retreat to the Rice-house 61
VIII. A Prisoner of the Filipinos 70
IX. The Advance into the Jungle 81
X. The Taking of Angat 91
XI. The Crossing of the Rio Grande River 101
XII. Something about a Poisoned Well 112
XIII. In which a Flag of Truce is fired Upon 122
XIV. Surrounded by the Enemy 132
XV. The Escape from the Burning House 141
XVI. News from Home 150
XVII. In and out of a Strange Pitfall 160
XVIII. The Adventure at the Mill-house 169
XIX. News of Larry 179
XX. The Advance upon Maasin 189
XXI. Camping Over a Powder Magazine 199
XXII. The Result of an Ambush 208
XXIII. The Tornado in the Cane-brake 218
XXIV. The Flight for Liberty 227
XXV. The Caves under the Mountain 235
XXVI. Boxer the Scout 244
XXVII. The Departure of the _Olympia_ 257
XXVIII. The Advance upon San Isidro 267
XXIX. Larry is sentenced to be Shot 280
XXX. A Rescue under Difficulties 292
XXXI. The Fall of San Isidro--conclusion 305

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

"'You are from the _Olympia_, I believe?'" Frontispiece
PAGE
"'Alto!' came the sudden cry" 47
"'Hullo, sailor, where did you come from?'" 82
"'The well is poisoned! don't drink! it will kill
you!'" 115
"His sword kept the two Tagals back" 146
"'Can you hold on a few minutes longer?'" 173
"On they plodded, up an incline that seemed to have
no end" 236
"Down went the sapling over the edge of the cliff" 281

THE CAMPAIGN OF THE JUNGLE