Uncle Sams Boys in the Philippines | Page 4

boys in years.
This much had two years of life in the United States Army done for Hal Overton and Noll Terry. Could other training have done more?
And these were the young Americans whom the alert-eyed, trailing Filipino dandy had already singled out and had planned to corrupt to his own purposes.
Yet the astute man of the world knows more than one way of ruining and disgracing simple-hearted, true-souled young fellows. Not even Satan is credited with appearing often in evil guise at first.
Perhaps this Filipino, a wicked fellow of long training, knew how to go about his work.
"Going to buy anything, Noll?" asked Hal at last, after the two young sergeants had made the round of the bewildering, attractive store.
"I would, if I could find anything worth while that didn't take a sergeant's whole year's pay," sighed Terry.
"Things are fearfully dear here, aren't they?" murmured Overton. "Yet I want to send something home as a remembrance to mother."
"What do you fancy most?" asked Noll.
"If you haven't anything else on your mind, come around and I'll show you," Hal proposed.
Nodding, Noll accompanied his chum. Hal stopped to rest one hand lightly on a very wonderful little chest, made out of teak and sandal woods. It was richly, wonderfully carved, the darker teakwood being also inlaid with pearl. Inside were compartments and drawers, including two little secret drawers that the smiling Chinese salesman artfully opened and exposed to view.
"One all same fo' dinero (money), other fo' plecious stones, jewels, you sabe," cooed the yellow attendant.
"It's a beauty and a wonder," murmured Hal. "Mother'd be the proudest woman in town if I could send it home to her. How much did you say it cost?"
"Him tloo hundled pesos," stated the Chinaman gravely.
A peso is the Spanish name for a Mexican dollar, worth about forty-seven cents; but two pesos and an American dollar are reckoned as of the same value in Manila.
"A hundred dollars gold! Why, that's the same price you asked me before," cried Hal in good-natured protest.
"Yep, allee same; him plenty cheap."
"It's too much," sighed Sergeant Hal. But the Chinaman, as though he had not heard, asked:
"You likee? You buy?"
"I can't afford it at that price."
"All light; come in some other day," invited the Chinaman politely, and glided over to where another possible customer was examining some handsome jade jewelry.
"My soldado (soldier) friend has not been long in Manila?" inquired a low, pleasant, courteous voice behind the two young soldiers.
Hal wheeled. It was the Filipino dandy whom he confronted. That smiling, prosperous-looking native was employing his left hand to twist one end of the upturned moustache to a finer point.
"No; we haven't been here long," Hal smiled. "Three days, in fact."
"And you do not yet know how to bargain with these sharp-witted Chinos (Chinese)?"
"I'm afraid not," said Sergeant Overton.
"May I ask, se?or, what you wished to buy?"
"This box," Hal answered.
"And how much did the Chino want for it, if I may make bold enough to ask so much of the se?or's business?"
"Why, he wants a hundred dollars in gold," Hal responded.
The Filipino dandy inspected the box critically.
"You are right, se?or; the price is too high. It is muy caro (very dear), in fact. It could be bought for less, if you knew better how to deal with these smiling yellow heathen."
"I'd be greatly obliged, then, if you would tell me how to put the bargain through."
"You should get this rare and handsome box, se?or, for ninety dollars, gold--even, perhaps, for not much more than eighty."
"Even that would be a fearful price for me to pay," murmured Hal, shaking his head regretfully. "I shall have to give up the idea, I guess."
"Ah, but no!" cried the Filipino, as though struck suddenly by an idea. "Not if the se?or will do me one very great favor!"
"What favor can I possibly do you?" asked Sergeant Hal, regarding the little brown man with considerable astonishment.
"Why, it is all very simple, se?or. Simply let me feel that I have been permitted to do a courtesy to an Americano to one of the race to which I owe so much. In a word, se?or, I am not--as you may perhaps guess"--here the Filipino swelled slightly with a pride that was plain--"I am not exactly a poor man, not since the Americanos came to these islands and gave us the blessings of liberty and just government. I have many business ventures, and one of them lies in my being a secret--no, what you Americanos call a silent partner of the Chino who conducts this store. Now the favor that I ask--se?or, I beg you to let me present you with this handsome little box, that you may send it over the waters to your sweetheart."
"Make me a present of it?" demanded Sergeant Hal in amazement.
"Ah, yes, exactly so, se?or;