nearly two to one
Sakay , supporting the girl as a screen , drew back toward the nearest of the huts and opened fire at Terry with a rifle . The ladrones scattered for cover and in a minute the woods rang with their fusillade and with the deadly volleys sent in answer by the Macabebes . It was a brief combat . Though outnumbered nearly two to one the soldiers were disciplined and highly trained marksmen . In a moment six of the bandits were on the ground , nine threw up their hands in surrender and the balance fled through the woods . The Sergeant , who had been slugging away with his rifle with a calculating attention to the details of marksmanship belied by the fierce joy in his brilliant black eyes , ceased firing at Terry 's shouted command and detached eight of his man , who caught up some frightened ponies and raced through the woods to head off the fleeing brigands . Sakay , using the fear-crazed girl as a shield from behind which to shoot at Terry , found his aim thwarted by her struggles .