"
The meal finished, the officers smoked awhile, and then went to bed,
for they were to be up at four in the morning.
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE MARCH AFTER THE REBELS-- THE FIRST BATTLE-- ARCHIE WOUNDED.
ARCHIE was awakened at four the next morning by the sound of the
bugle, and, hastily dressing, he hurried down-stairs to learn the
plans of the officers. He found that they were going to start on the
march as soon as the men had drunk their morning coffee, and Archie
immediately made preparations to go with them. The colonel looked on
in amazement. "Why are you packing your knapsack!" he asked. "You
surely don't think you're going with us? You never in the world can
stand this hard march in the hot sun."
"Oh, yes, I think I can," said Archie. "You see I have walked a great
deal in these last two months, and I don't think I will have any
difficulty in keeping up with the troops. And I do so want to see some
fighting, and to learn whether you capture Aguinaldo. You don't object
to my going, now, do you?"
"No," said the colonel. "If you think you can stand the marching, and
are so anxious to come, why, I suppose you can do so. But you mustn't
blame me if anything should happen to you."
Archie was ready enough to promise this, for he had no idea that he
would meet with an accident of any kind, and so he continued to pack
his things in the knapsack.
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