CHAPTER XXIII
THE TORNADO IN THE CANE-BRAKE
"I reckon we have got 'em tight, cap'n," came from Sorrel, as theparty of Americans came to a halt and surveyed the scene before them.
"It depends upon how many of them there are," answered Ben. "Sorrel,supposing you skirt the clearing and try to count noses."
The Tennesseean was willing, and started off, taking Gilbert with him.He was gone probably ten minutes.
"Not more than ten at the most," he reported. "And of that number twoare wounded and have their arms in slings."
"Any other prisoners besides Major Morris?"
"Not that we could see," came from Gilbert. "We could rush them easilyenough if it wasn't for the major," he added.
"We don't want any harm to befall Major Morris," said Ben, thoughtfully."If we-- The rebels have discovered us, look out!"
Ben had scarcely finished when a report rang out and a bullet whizzedover their heads. One of the soldiers outside of the cane-house hadseen two of the Americans and had fired upon them.
The discharge of the firearm caused Major Morris to turn around, andas he did so Ben waved his cap at his commander, and was recognized.Then two of the insurgents hurried the major out of sight.
The Americans were not slow to return the fire; and, although nobodywas struck, the insurgents lost no time in disappearing from view. Alull followed, as both sides tried to determine what was best to bedone next.
"Here comes a flag of truce," said Gilbert, presently, as a rebelappeared, holding up a white rag. "If I were you, I wouldn't honorit."
"I would like to hear what they have to say," replied Ben, quietly.
"But remember how they fired on the other flag of truce," insisted theyoung Southerner. "You'll be running your head into a lion's mouth."
"Sorrel, keep that man covered," said Ben. "I won't move out anyfurther than he does."
"If you go, I'll go with you," said Gilbert, promptly.
He would not be put off, and together Ben and he moved into theopening, Ben holding up a new handkerchief as he walked. The rebel atonce halted, as if expecting them to come over to where he stood.
"You come over here!" cried Gilbert, and waved his hand.
There was a full minute's delay, and then of a sudden the rebel threwdown his white flag and sped toward the house. At the same time threereports rang out, and Gilbert fell back, struck in the shoulder.
"What did I tell you!" he gasped. "They are treacherous to the lastdegree!" And then the young Southerner fainted.
As just mentioned, three reports had rung out, but only two had comefrom the house. The third came from Ralph Sorrel's weapon, and the manwho had carried the pretended flag of truce fell dead in his tracks.
The dastardly attack angered Ben beyond endurance, and leaving Gilbertresting comfortably on some cut cane, he leaped to the front. "Come,boys, we will root them out!" he cried, and ran on toward the house asfast as he could, firing as he went. Sorrel was at his heels, and theothers fired, each "red-hot" as they afterward expressed it.
The insurgents saw them coming and fired several shots, but nobody wasstruck, and in a trice the house was surrounded. Then Major Morriscame bounding through a window, and it was Ben who cut his bonds witha pocket-knife.
"I saw it all," exclaimed the major. "Go for them, men, every one ofthe rascals deserves death!" And stooping over the dead rebel, he tookfrom his bosom a bolo and joined in the attack. "They are a pack ofcowards--a mere set of camp followers."
The major was right; the rebels in the house were no regularlyorganized body, and at the first sign of real peril they fled by theback way, over a ditch and straight for the nearest jungle. But ourfriends were determined that they should not escape thus easily, andpursued them for nearly half a mile, killing one more and woundingthree others. Long afterward they learned that those who had thusforfeited their lives were bandits from the mountains back of SanIsidro. They had joined the forces under General Aguinaldo, merely forthe booty to be picked up in the towns through which the rebel armypassed.
As soon as the contest had come to an end, Ben hurried back to wherehe had left Gilbert. The wound from which the young Southerner wassuffering was painful, but not dangerous. Yet it was likely to putGilbert in the hospital for the best part of a month.
"It's too bad--I thought I could see the thing through to the end,"said Gilbert, shaking his head dolefully.
"You'll have to take your dose as I did," answered Ben. "I am glad itis not serious. Our regiment couldn't afford to lose such a bravefellow as you."
"Brave? Didn't I hang back until you proposed to go out alone, Ben? Ifanybody was brave, it was you," and then Gilbert turned his face awayto conceal the pain that was coming on.
The hospital corps was so busy that Gilbert could not be carried backof the firing line for some time. Feeling that there would be no morefighting that day, Ben decided to remain by his old chum, andrequested Sorrel to do likewise, leaving the others to accompany MajorMorris back to the command proper. In the meantime, a skirmish linewas stretched to the north of the cane-brake, that the insurgentsmight not regain any of the lost territory.
It was frightfully hot, but scarcely had Major Morris left with hisparty than a faint breeze sprang up which gradually increased to afair-sized wind. Making Gilbert as comfortable as possible under someof the tallest of the cane, Ben and Sorrel sat down beside him to dowhat they could to help him forget his pain.
The three had been sitting in the shade for the best part of half anhour, and Sorrel was sharpening his knife on the side leather of hisshoe, when, glancing up, Ben noticed a peculiar cloud in the skyoverhead.
"That looks rather queer," he remarked. "Does that denote awind-storm, Sorrel?"
"It denotes something, that's sartin," responded the mountaineer,surveying the cloud with care. "It's something I ain't seed out yereyit," and he leaped to his feet.
The cloud was about as large as a barrel in appearance, and of a deepblack color. It seemed to be whirling around and around, and as itcame forward began to expand. Then it shot off to the southward, butnot out of sight.
"I'm glad it's gone," said Gilbert, who had roused up to watch thestrange thing. "I don't want to get caught in a western cyclone--andthat cloud looks like those I have heard described."
"The rainy season is coming on here, and I presume we are bound tohave more or less tornadoes," answered Ben. "They say that last yearthey were something awful along the seacoast."
The cloud was circling around the southern horizon, but now it turnedonce again and came slowly toward them. While it was yet quarter of amile away, it shot down to earth and a strange humming sound reachedtheir ears, followed by a whistling that caused each of them toshiver.
"It's a whirlwind!" yelled Sorrel. "Come into yonder hollow, cap'n!"and he caught hold of Gilbert and lifted him up. The hollow hementioned was less than fifty feet away, yet to reach it in time wasalmost impossible, so swiftly did the tornado approach them. The airbecame black as night and was filled with cane, grass, and branches oftrees. It struck the house in the clearing, and with a single mightycrash the structure went up into the air, to fall with another crash ahundred yards beyond.
Running with the tall Tennesseean, Ben pitched into the hollow justas the first of the tornado hurled itself at them. Down came themountaineer, but taking good care that Gilbert should not be hurt byhis quick leap. Then all fell flat, with their faces to earth.
It was like some horrible nightmare to Ben,--the whistling wind andthe strange humming, the blackness, and the whirling cane and treelimbs. In some places the ground was furrowed up as by a plough, anddown on their heads came dirt and grass, and then a shower of stalksthat buried them completely. And still the wind kept up, in a maddergallop than ever. Ben felt as if every moment was going to be hislast.
The time was an age; yet by the watch it was not yet five minutes whenthe tornado had departed, leaving its track of ruin behind. But stillthe party of three under th
e cane-stalks lay still, wondering if itwas safe to get up.
"Do yer calkerlate it's over, cap'n?" came from Sorrel, after apainful pause.
"It appears to be, but there is no telling what such a thing will donext," answered the young captain, as he pressed on the stalks overhim, and got up. "Gilbert, are you hurt?"
"No," came with a gasp. "But, Ben, that was--was a terror, wasn'tit?"
"It was, Gilbert, and something I never want to witness again."
By this time Sorrel was also on his feet and hauling Gilbert intodaylight. The cloud was gone, and the sun shone as brightly as ever.But at a great distance they saw the tornado sweeping up into themountains.
"We are well out of it," was Ben's comment, as they watched the clouduntil it was out of sight. "That played sad havoc here. I wonder whatit will do in the mountains?"
No one could answer that question, and no one tried. Ben would havebeen very much surprised had anybody told him that the same tornadowhich had visited him was also to visit his brother Larry. But so itproved, as we shall speedily see.