anxiously for the arrival of the American troops, and making ready to come out, when required to do so, and again declare their allegiance to the stars and stripes.  The cowardly wretches were diplomatic enough to be always on the side of the victorious.  When the rebels occupied the town they were loyal to them, and when the Americans came, as they often did, they came out into the square and cheered loudly for Uncle Sam.  But of course the Americans knew very well that their sympathies were with the rebels, and the rebels knew it, too, or they would never have dared to venture so near Manila.

About five in the afternoon, there was a sound of many men marching along the road, and in a little while Archie was able to see the Americans coming down the street.  It was a sight to cheer his heart after all his experiences of the last day and night.  The column was marching at double-quick, and the handsome colonel rode a great gray horse at the head of the regiment.  Archie saw that they would reach the square in two or three minutes, and, throwing discretion to the winds, he descended from the roof, almost fell down the stairways in his haste, and was soon running toward the administration building.  He mounted the great steps leading up to the portico, just as the colonel rode into the square, and the expression of surprise on the faces of all the men was funny to see.  In a minute every hat was off, and the regiment was giving “three cheers for the boy reporter,” while the colonel, rapidly dismounting, hurried up to speak with Archie.

“Why, how did you come here?” he demanded.  “Haven’t the rebels been here, and how did you escape them?  Which way did they go, and was Aguinaldo with them?  For pity’s sake, say something.”

Archie wasn’t long explaining things, and his news was so explicit and so valuable that the colonel grasped his hand and said, almost with tears in his eyes, “God bless you, lad.  You may have aided us to catch the gang, and anyhow you’ve proved your bravery.”

By this time the regiment was standing at ease, and all the men were watching Archie and the colonel with great interest.  Knowing that they were all curious to learn how the lad happened to have escaped the rebels, the good colonel made a short speech in which he explained everything.  He dwelt particularly upon the bravery of Bill Hickson, and held him up as a model for all the men to follow.  “And now three cheers for Bill Hickson and our boy reporter again,” he cried, when he had finished, and they were given with a will by all the men.

The regimental officers held a short consultation, and it was decided, on the strength of the news brought by Archie, to push on after the rebels as fast as was possible.  But it was now sunset, and there was no use trying to go farther to-night, so it was agreed that the best plan would be to give the men a good rest overnight, as they had made the entire march from Manila since five o’clock in the morning.