The men were wild to reach the scene of the firing, and
the officers had all they could do to keep them in line. All the time
they were running hardly a sound was heard save the noise of their
boots upon the soft earth, and they all knew that they could probably
take the insurgents by surprise.
Archie's heart was beating very hard as they drew nearer and nearer to
the scene. He felt that he was about to see his first fighting, and he
determined not to miss any part of it. So he gradually ran ahead until
finally he was almost at the head of the column again.
The troops made so little noise that the two companies, retreating
slowly, were upon them without knowing it. But when they discovered
that their comrades had come to their aid they set up such a cheering
as Archie had never heard before, and immediately faced about and went
ahead again. The rebels were about a quarter of a mile behind,
marching rapidly forward, and firing as they came. Some of them were
running among the trees at the roadside, firing incessantly, and
hitting some poor soldier almost every time they fired. They were the
famous sharpshooters, of whom the soldiers in Manila had heard so
much.
When the rebels observed that the Americans had received
reinforcements, they halted suddenly, and before they could turn about
the Yankees were almost upon them, firing volleys into them as they
came.
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