Page:Under MacArthur in Luzon.djvu/69

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THE TAKING OF CAINTA AND TAYTAY
49

shelled at a lively rate about three o'clock in the afternoon. This was the firing which reached Ben's ears, for the best part of the day had been spent when Captain Relosus announced to General Lupez that they must move. The shelling soon cleared Cainta of all natives, soldiers or otherwise, the majority of whom fled toward Taytay. Later still, Taytay was also taken, and then the rebel army retreated to Morong and to Antipolo. The natives of Taytay were very much disturbed at the fighting, and after it was over could only be subdued with the greatest of difficulty. It was rumored in the village that the Americanos were about to massacre all the women and children, and a number of mothers fled to the jungle, taking their little ones with them. Long after, it came out that the rumor was started by a Filipino recruiting officer, who used this means as an inducement to get the male inhabitants to join the rebel army. Whether his ruse succeeded to any extent or not, is not known.

Sitting in the tree in the jungle, Ben heard the firing grow more and more distinct, and late in the afternoon heard the strange whining of a shell as it sped over the tree-tops.