R-r-r-r-rip! rattled out that rapid-fire machine, and the fire swept mercilessly into the ranks of those who defended the datto.
Lieutenant Holmes had gotten the wounded inside the walls. Now, with his efficient men he had turned to guard the gate, for outside, hundreds of frantically-yelling Moro fanatics had gathered for the attack on the invaders.
Into the closely packed ranks of the brown men who sought to defend the datto"s house the Gatling poured its raking fire with fearful effect.
Whatever the issue of this madly fought battle, it began to look as though the Datto Hakkut were doomed.
CHAPTER XXIV
CONCLUSION
"Have your men fix their bayonets, Lieutenant Prescott!" commanded Captain Freeman. "Fall in, men! We"ll take the datto on the rush!"
As the Moros, reinforced by two score more who had rushed to the aid of their leader, drew up for a last desperate stand before the house, the door opened.
A stream of light from inside illuminated the scene.
Out bounded a man past middle age and of imposing appearance. Not even his rich costume and flashing jewels were needed to proclaim that this man was the datto himself.
Behind Hakkut came another and younger man, the datto"s sword-bearer.
Hakkut was carrying his own heavy, straight-edged sword. For a moment or two he stood blinking upon the scene of carnage and death below him as he halted on his porch. Then his gaze swept to the regulars behind the machine gun, standing alert with bayonets fixed, ready for that solitary word "charge!"
Instantly the datto turned and shouted something to the younger man with him.
In another moment the datto had placed the hilt of his sword against the flooring of the porch, the point of the weapon up. The younger man knelt swiftly, holding the sword in this position. Drawing back, the Datto Hakkut hurled himself forward with great force, falling upon the point.
Then he tottered sideways, tumbling to the floor of the porch. The younger man without hesitation drove a needle-pointed creese three times into his ruler"s breast. Withdrawing the knife, the sword-bearer then killed himself.
"Charge, Lieutenant Prescott!" called Captain Freeman.
"Charge!" repeated the lieutenant. The line of bayonets swept forward, but news of the death of the datto had already reached his would-be defenders. The regulars swept through, meeting little resistance, for hope had left the Moros with the pa.s.sing of their savage prince.
In a twinkling the datto"s house was in the hands of the regulars. Now a corporal"s guard could have held it, for the Moros inside the fort who were still capable of fighting were throwing down their weapons in despair.
"Round the prisoners up, Lieutenant Prescott," commanded Captain Freeman. "I"ll take some of your men and the Gatling to the gate to help Lieutenant Holmes."
In truth the Gatling was now sadly needed at the gate, for Lieutenant Holmes was having the fight of his life. Swarms of fanatic Moros were attempting to rush the small party of regulars.
The Gatling, placed in a position commanding the gate and sweeping all in front of it, soon checked the desperate attack at this point. The Moros could yet swarm the walls on all sides, however. The fight was far from won.
There was a chance still to close the huge wooden gate, and this Captain Freeman, with a few of his men, succeeded in doing just as the Gatling was withdrawn.
Suddenly it occurred to Captain Freeman that the night was pa.s.sing and that the first dull light of day was creeping over the scene.
At the commanding officer"s side Sergeant Hal Overton reported, saluting and saying:
"Sir, I have a suggestion to offer."
"State it, Sergeant."
"It seems like an almost dastardly thing to do, sir, but the death of the datto stopped the fighting inside. Wouldn"t it be a good plan, sir, since the datto is a.s.suredly dead, to have his body placed upon the top of the wall and hurled over to the Moros outside? When they behold that sight they may feel that their cause is gone."
"That is the best suggestion that could be made. You attend to it, Sergeant."
"Very good, sir."
Lieutenant Prescott paused for a moment in the shelter of the datto"s porch. It had been warm work, and the young West Pointer was mopping his face with his handkerchief.
At this juncture Hal appeared with four men.
"Pardon me, sir," he said, saluting the lieutenant, "I am acting by Captain Freeman"s orders."
With that the young sergeant pointed to the datto"s body. The four men lifted it, carrying it from the porch. Prescott asked no question, but watched with interest what followed.
Across the yard Hal"s squad bore the datto"s body, to a point of the walls where the regulars were making their fiercest fight to repulse the Moros outside.
"Two of you climb up on the wall," Hal ordered. "The other two pa.s.s the body up."
This was done.
"Over with it," Sergeant Hal commanded, and the body was hurled to the ground outside.
An instant later there was a shout that was soon changed to a wail. In the growing daylight several of the Moro fighters had recognized the grisly message that had been hurled to them. Half a dozen fighting men dropped their weapons, picked up the datto"s body and hurried off with it to a grove beyond.
Within two minutes the fighting had stopped. The Moros had fled to the grove, from which a loud, nerve-racking wailing now ascended.
Captain Freeman climbed to the top of the wall.
"We could wipe them out by the hundreds with the Gatling now," he remarked grimly. "However, I fancy it won"t be necessary."
In half an hour the wailing of the Moros had ceased. They had gone farther away, and the regulars were content to remain behind the walls.
While half of the effective troops were left on the walls, the other half prepared and ate their breakfast from the abundant food supplies found in the fort. After that the other half breakfasted.
That forenoon Lieutenant Holmes was sent out with a scouting force of thirty men. Two hours later he returned, stating that he had been unable to find any signs of the enemy.
In the afternoon Lieutenant Prescott and thirty men marched back to camp. There they found the transport wagons and horses uninjured, and returned with them to the fort after having set the half dozen native prisoners free.
"I fancy the cruel war is over, gentlemen," remarked Captain Freeman that evening to his two younger officers. "These Moros, like other semi-savages, fight with heart only when they have a great leader. In this way, the Datto Hakkut was a great man. For ten years he has been the scourge of northern Mindanao, but now we shall have a rest from him.
He will never again disturb the peace of the island."
Early the following morning Lieutenant Prescott was sent out at the head of forty men, Hal and Noll accompanying him. Unless attacked by superior force this detachment was to remain out all day, scouting through the country for signs of the enemy.
In the morning two native villages were found close to the princ.i.p.al road through the mountains. As the natives appeared to have no weapons, and offered no trouble, they were not molested.