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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13826 ***
+
+Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this
+      file which includes the original illustrations.
+      See 13826-h.htm or 13826-h.zip:
+      (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/3/8/2/13826/13826-h/13826-h.htm)
+      or
+      (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/3/8/2/13826/13826-h.zip)
+
+
+
+
+
+A GUNNER ABOARD THE "YANKEE"
+
+From the Diary of Number Five of the After Port Gun (Russell Doubleday)
+
+The Yarn of the Cruise and Fights of the Naval Reserves in the
+Spanish-American War
+
+Edited by H. H. LEWIS, Late a S.N.
+
+With Introduction by W. T. SAMPSON, Rear Admiral U.S.
+
+1896
+
+
+
+
+
+
+BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA
+
+Honorary President, THE HON. WOODROW WILSON
+Honorary Vice-President, HON. WILLIAM H. TAFT
+Honorary Vice-President, COLONEL THEODORE ROOSEVELT
+President, COLIN B. LIVINGSTONE, Washington, D.C.
+Vice-President, B.L. DULANEY, Bristol, Tenn.
+Vice-President, MILTON A. McRAE, Detroit, Mich.
+Vice-President, DAVID STARR JORDAN, Stanford University, Cal.
+Vice-President, F.L. SEELY, Asheville, N.C.
+Vice-President, A. STAMFORD WHITE, Chicago, Ill.
+Chief Scout, ERNEST THOMPSON SETON, Greenwich, Connecticut
+National Scout Commissioner, DANIEL CARTER BEARD, Fishing, N.Y.
+
+NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
+THE FIFTH AVENUE BUILDING, 200 FIFTH AVENUE
+TELEPHONE GRAMERCY 540
+NEW YORK CITY
+
+FINANCE COMMITTEE
+John Sherman Hoyt, Chairman
+George D. Pratt
+Mortimer L. Schiff
+H. Rogers Winthrop
+
+GEORGE D. PRATT Treasurer
+JAMES E. WEST Chief Scout Executive
+
+ADDITIONAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
+Ernest P. Bicknell
+Robert Garrett
+Lee F. Hanmer
+Jobe Sherman Hoyt
+Charles C. Jackson
+Prof. Jeremiah W. Jeeks
+William D. Murray
+Dr. Charles P. Nell
+Frank Presbrey
+Edgar M. Robinson
+Mortimer L. Schiff
+Lorillard Spencer
+Seth Spreguy Terry
+
+
+
+
+     July 31st, 1913.
+
+     TO THE PUBLIC:--
+
+     In the execution of its purpose to give educational value
+     and moral worth to the recreational activities of the
+     boyhood of America, the leaders of the Boy Scout Movement
+     quickly learned that to effectively carry out its program,
+     the boy must be influenced not only in his out-of-door life
+     but also in the diversions of his other leisure moments. It
+     is at such times that the boy is captured by the tales of
+     daring enterprises and adventurous good times. What now is
+     needful is not that his taste should be thwarted but
+     trained. There should constantly be presented to him the
+     books the boy likes best, yet always the books that will be
+     best for the boy. As a natter of fact, however, the boy's
+     taste is being constantly vitiated and exploited by the
+     great mass of cheap juvenile literature.
+
+     To help anxiously concerned parents and educators to meet
+     this grave peril, the Library Commission of the Boy Scouts
+     of America has been organized. EVERY BOY'S LIBRARY is the
+     result of their labors. All the books chosen have been
+     approved by them. The Commission is composed of the
+     following members: George F. Bowerman, Librarian, Public
+     Library of the District of Columbia, Washington, D.C.;
+     Harrison W. Graver, Librarian, Carnegie Library of
+     Pittsburgh, Pa.; Claude G. Leland, Superintendent, Bureau of
+     Libraries, Board of Education, New York City; Edward F.
+     Stevens, Librarian, Pratt Institute Free Library, Brooklyn,
+     New York; together with the Editorial Board of our Movement,
+     William D. Murray, George D. Pratt and Frank Presbrey, with
+     Franklin K. Mathiews. Chief Scout Librarian, as Secretary.
+
+     In selecting the books, the Commission has chosen only such
+     as are of interest to boys, the first twenty-five being
+     either works of fiction or stirring stories of adventurous
+     experiences. In later lists, books of a more serious sort
+     will be included. It is hoped that as many as twenty-five
+     may be added to the Library each year.
+
+     Thanks are due the several publishers who have helped to
+     inaugurate this new department of our work. Without their
+     co-operation in making available for popular priced editions
+     some of the best books ever published for boys, the
+     promotion of EVERY BOY'S LIBRARY would have been
+     impossible.
+
+     We wish, too, to express our heartiest gratitude to the
+     Library Commission, who, without compensation, have placed
+     their vast experience and immense resources at the service
+     of our Movement.
+
+     The Commission invites suggestions as to future books to be
+     included in the Library. Librarians, teachers, parents, and
+     all others interested in welfare work for boys, can render a
+     unique service by forwarding to National Headquarters lists
+     of such books as in their judgment would be suitable for
+     EVERY BOY'S LIBRARY.
+
+     Signed
+
+     Chief Scout Executive.
+
+
+
+ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
+
+
+Acknowledgements are due to J. Harper Skillen, Stewart Flagg, George
+Yardley, W.G. Wood, and E. Howe Stockwell for the use of photographs;
+and to C.B. Hayward and Allan H. Seaman for the use of notes and
+diaries.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE NAVAL RESERVES LEAVING NEW YORK--GOING OFF IN THE
+TUGBOAT TO MAN THE "YANKEE".]
+
+
+
+
+
+THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY
+
+RUSSELL DOUBLEDAY
+
+NUMBER FIVE OF THE AFTER PORT GUN OF THE YANKEE
+
+TO THE NAVAL RESERVE ORGANIZATIONS
+
+THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, WHO HAVE MADE SUCH
+
+AN ENVIABLE RECORD DURING THE SPANISH-AMERICAN
+
+WAR AND BEFORE WHOM SUCH A
+
+GLORIOUS FUTURE
+
+OPENS AUTHOR'S FOREWORD
+
+1898 April 1917
+
+The successors of the crew of the "Yankee" are now "somewhere in the
+service." The boys of the First Battalion New York Naval Militia were
+just as eager to get to sea in the service of Uncle Sam to do their part
+for the great cause, as we were in the Spring of '98.
+
+The old frigate "Granite State" (formerly the New Hampshire), living
+through three wars, has resounded to the tramp of hundreds of tars in
+the making. She is the school ship, the home ship of the First
+Battalion. Down her gangways went most of the "Yankee's" crew and
+between her massive decks they returned after their job was done.
+
+As I write it seems as if I can hear the shrill whistle of the bo'sn's
+pipe sounding in all parts of the old wooden ship, then the long drawn
+call "all hands on deck." The men come tumbling up from below, touching
+their caps in salute as their heads rise above the hatch coaming. Men
+standing in battalion formation, by divisions, at attention, each man
+answers "here" as his name is called. Some of the voices are a little
+husky as the speaker realizes that war is on and he is about to be
+called for real service.
+
+And so they are mustered in. The state's sailors become Uncle Sam's
+man-o'-war's-men. The old "Granite State" is once more emptied of its
+crew. The decks are silent and the long, low gangways beneath the
+ancient deck beams are checked with squares of undisturbed yellow-light,
+as the sun streams through the square gun ports.
+
+The readers of this book can imagine the men on our great gray ships of
+war going through much the same routine followed by the "Yankee's" crew,
+for there has been but little change in the work and play of the
+man-o'-war's-men.
+
+So let us take off our caps and give the men of 1917 three cheers and a
+tiger. May they shoot straight, and keep fit.
+
+Pipe down.
+
+RUSSELL DOUBLEDAY
+
+April, 1917
+Nineteen years ago this
+month the "Yankee's"
+crew went to sea.
+
+INTRODUCTION.
+
+As the Commander-in-Chief of the American Naval Squadron blockading
+Santiago and the Cuban coast, the auxiliary cruiser "Yankee," manned by
+the New York Naval Reserves, came immediately under my observation, and
+it is a pleasure for me to speak of the spirit and efficiency shown by
+the officers and crew during their stay under my command.
+
+The young men forming the ship's company of the "Yankee" were called
+into service several weeks prior to any other Naval Reserve battalion;
+they came from all walks of civil life, and their minds, devoted to
+peaceful pursuits, were suddenly diverted to the needs and requirements
+and the usages of naval routine. Notwithstanding this radical change,
+they have made the name of their ship a household word throughout the
+country, and have proved that the average American, whether he be clerk
+or physician, broker, lawyer, or merchant, can, on the spur of the
+moment, prove a capable fighter for his country even amid such strange
+and novel surroundings as obtain in the naval service. These young men
+have especially upheld the American supremacy in the art of gunnery, and
+have, on all occasions, proved brave and efficient.
+
+The conclusion of the Spanish-American War released them from their
+voluntarily assumed positions in the regular navy, but when they
+returned to civil life they carried with them the consciousness of duty
+well done at Santiago and Cienfuegos and whenever their guns were used
+in hostile action. In a word, the Naval Reserves manning the "Yankee,"
+in common with those on board other vessels in the service, have proved
+their aptitude for sea duty, and made apparent the wisdom of the
+Government in calling them into active service.
+
+W.T. SAMPSON,
+Rear-Admiral, U.S.N.
+
+U.S. FLAGSHIP "NEW YORK,"
+September 3, 1898.
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+       CHAPTER
+       AUTHOR'S FOREWORD
+       INTRODUCTION
+       PREFACE
+   I.  IN WHICH THE "YANKEE" GOES INTO COMMISSION
+  II.  IN WHICH WE GET UNDER WAY AT LAST
+ III.  IN WHICH THE "YANKEE" CRUISES FOR PRIZES
+  IV.  WE GET ORDERS TO GO SOUTH
+   V.  A WILD GOOSE CHASE
+  VI.  WE BECOME COAL HEATERS
+ VII.  WE ENTER THE "THEATRE OF WAR"
+VIII.  WE JOIN SAMPSON'S FLEET
+  IX.  CLEAR SHIP FOR ACTION
+   X.  WE BOMBARD SANTIAGO DE CUBA
+  XI.  A PERILOUS MOMENT
+ XII.  IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURE
+XIII.  A NARROW ESCAPE
+ XIV.  WE ENGAGE IN A SEA FIGHT
+  XV.  COALING IN THE TROPICS
+ XVI.  "REMEMBER THE FISH"
+XVII.  IN GOD'S COUNTRY
+XVIII. THE "YANKEE" ARRIVES OFF SANTIAGO
+  XIX. HOPE DEFERRED
+   XX. TAPS
+       APPENDIX
+
+
+
+LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
+
+
+THE NAVAL RESERVES LEAVING NEW YORK--GOING OFF IN THE TUGBOAT TO
+MAN THE "YANKEE"
+      Frontispiece
+
+"THAT FAT MAN IN THE CELLAR WANTS ME TO SLEEP IN A BAG--"
+
+"THE GIG WAS LOWERED"
+
+"THE MEN ON THE STAGES"
+
+"STAND BY, MEN. BE READY FOB INSTANT ACTION"
+
+"THE 'YANKEE' DROPPED HER ANCHOR OFF TOMPKINSVILLE"
+
+"WITH A FRIGHTFUL ROAR THE DEFECTIVE CARTRIDGE EXPLODED"
+
+"THE SIX-POUNDERS ON THE 'YANKEE'S' FORECASTLE JOINED IN THE CHORUS"
+
+"CLEAR SHIP FOR ACTION!"
+
+THE BOMBARDMENT OF MORRO CASTLE, SANTIAGO
+
+ON THE GUN DECK DURING THE BOMBARDMENT
+
+THE SEARCHLIGHT "SWEEPING BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE BLACK OF THE HORIZON"
+
+"THERE WAS TEMPORARY CONFUSION"
+
+"THE FUSILLADE WAS LIVELY"
+
+"THE SPAR DECK WAS COVERED WITH RED SHELLAC"
+
+"THE MARINES AIRED THEIR HAMMOCKS ON THE FORECASTLE DECK"
+
+"HE GOT HIS ORDERS FROM THE BRIDGE"
+
+"ALL YOU MEN WHO WANT TO GO IN SWIMMING MAY DO SO"
+
+MARCHING THROUGH CITY HALL PARK, NEW YORK CITY
+
+
+
+
+
+PREFACE.
+
+When the important events of the first part of April, 1898, were shaping
+themselves toward an inevitable conflict between Spain and the United
+States of America, the authorities at Washington began to perfect their
+plans for an immediate increase of the navy. The Naval Militia of the
+country, of whom Assistant Secretary Theodore Roosevelt had a very high
+opinion, came in for early attention, and word was sent to the different
+States to prepare for service. Several days previous to the actual
+outbreak of war, messages were forwarded from the Naval Reserve
+receiving ship "New Hampshire," lying at a dock in the East River, to a
+number of young men, members of the Naval Militia, residing in New York
+City. These summons contained simply a request to report at once on
+board the ship, but they resulted in a most curious and interesting
+transformation--in fact, they formed the foundation of a chain of events
+which was destined to amalgamate into a common grade--that of a naval
+bluejacket--several hundred young Americans, who, in their natural
+characters, were sons of rich men and of men of moderate means, of
+doctors and lawyers and brokers and clerks and bookkeepers, and of all
+sorts and conditions of respectable citizens. Patriotism was the
+incentive which called these youths of various stations together, and
+sheer love of country and the courage to fight her battles formed the
+cement which bound them cheerfully to their duty. To fight for pay and
+as a profession is one thing; to offer your freedom and your life, to
+endure discomforts and actual hardships, to risk health in a
+fever-stricken foreign country, and to sacrifice settled ambition for
+mere patriotism, is another. It is the latter which the Volunteer Naval
+Reserve of the United States has done, and every American citizen with a
+drop of honest blood in his veins will surely give the organization the
+praise it so richly deserves.
+
+On the third of May, while Cervera's whereabouts was still an absorbing
+mystery, the "Yankee" (an auxiliary cruiser, converted from the
+steamship "El Nort") went into commission at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. She
+was manned entirely, save for the captain, executive officer, navigator,
+paymaster, and the marine guard, by members of the New York State Naval
+Militia. For four months she remained in commission, weaving the threads
+of a glorious record which will ever redound to the credit and honor of
+the Volunteer Naval Reserve. Truth is ever stranger than fiction, and
+the simple story of the boys of the gallant "Yankee," as set forth in
+the diary of Number Five of the After Port Gun, should appeal to the
+heart of every reader in this great country of ours--a country made
+grander and better and more potent in the world's history by the
+achievements of such brave lads as those who formed the crew of the
+"Yankee." Number Five's diary was written simply for his family, but the
+fame gained by the "Yankee" leads the publishers to believe that it will
+prove interesting to Americans far and wide. It is set forth in
+narrative form, but the incidents and the straightforward, simple, and
+sailor-like words are those of the actual participant. This is his
+story.
+
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+IN WHICH THE "YANKEE" GOES INTO COMMISSION.
+
+U.S.S. "NEW HAMPSHIRE,"
+April 26, 1898.
+Report at "New Hampshire" immediately, ready to go on board auxiliary
+cruiser "Yankee."
+
+(Signed)
+JOHN H. BARNARD,
+Lieut, commanding 3d Division,
+N.Y. State Naval Militia.
+
+It was this telegram, brief but extremely comprehensive, received early
+on the morning of the twenty-sixth of April, which sent me post-haste to
+the old receiving-ship "New Hampshire," moored at the end of an East
+River dock. The telegram had been anxiously expected for several days by
+the members of the First Battalion, and when I reached the ship I found
+the decks thronged with excited groups.
+
+"War was a certainty, and the very air was filled with rumors. The
+prevailing topic was discussed from every point of view, and within
+sixty seconds as many destinations had been picked out for the
+'Yankee.' It was variously reported that she was to go to Havana, to
+Manila, to Porto Rico, and even to Spain. This last rumor brought shouts
+of laughter, and 'Stump,' as we termed him, a well-known young insurance
+broker of New York, remarked, in his characteristic way:
+
+"It probably won't be this particular 'Yankee,' boys, that will go
+there, but there'll be others."
+
+There was much cleaning of kits and furbishing of cutlasses. We knew
+that we would not take the latter with us, but then it was practice, and
+we felt anxious to do something martial as a relief to our excitement.
+There was a diversion shortly before noon, when the "old man" (the
+captain) appeared with a number of official-looking papers in his hands.
+
+"He's got the orders," whispered little Potter, our latest recruit.
+"Whoop! we'll get away this morning, sure."
+
+The whistle of the bosun's mate on watch echoed shrilly about the decks
+a few moments later.
+
+"Now, d'ye hear there," he shouted, hoarsely, "you will break out mess
+gear and get yourselves ready for messing aboard ship."
+
+That did not sound as if we were destined to see our new vessel put into
+commission very soon, and there was some grumbling, but the boys fell to
+work with good grace, and we were soon preparing for our stay aboard the
+old frigate. The officer of the deck was lenient, however, and the
+majority of the crew secured permission to sleep at home that night.
+
+The following Monday, on reporting on board the "New Hampshire," we
+learned that the entire detail selected to man the "Yankee" would
+proceed to that ship shortly after eight bells. Word was passed that our
+enlistment papers--for we were to regularly enter Uncle Sam's naval
+service--would be made out, and that our freedom and liberty, as some of
+the boys put it, would cease from that hour. The latter statement made
+little impression. We had entered the Naval Reserves for business, if
+business was required, and we expected hardships as well as fun.
+
+A navy-yard tug, sent by the Commandant, steamed alongside at two
+o'clock, and the company was marched on board without delay. The boys
+were eager to enter on this, their first real detail, and, in the rush
+to gain the deck of the tug, young Potter slipped from the rail and fell
+with a mighty splash into the water. "Man overboard!" bawled his
+nearest mate, and "Man overboard!" echoed one hundred and fifty voices.
+There was a scramble for the side, and the tug's deck hand, assisted by
+several of our fellows, fished Potter from the river with a boat hook.
+
+"Hereafter, please ask permission before you leave the ship,"
+facetiously remarked the officer in charge.
+
+"Humph! as if I meant to do it," grunted Potter, wringing the East River
+from his duck shirt.
+
+We caught our first view of the "Yankee" as we steamed past the cob dock
+at the yard. We were favorably impressed at once. She is a fine-looking
+ship, large, roomy, and comfortable, with lines which show that she is
+built for speed. As her record is twenty knots an hour, the latter
+promise is carried out. The "Yankee" was formerly the "El Norte," one of
+the Morgan Line's crack ships, and, when it was found necessary to
+increase the navy, she was purchased, together with other vessels of the
+same company, and ordered converted into an auxiliary cruiser. Gun
+mounts were placed in the cargo ports, beams strengthened, magazines
+inserted, and interior arrangements made to accommodate a large crew.
+The "Yankee's" tonnage is 4,695 tons; length, 408 feet; beam, 48 feet.
+The battery carried consists of ten five-inch quick-firing
+breechloaders, six six-pounders, and two Colt automatic guns. After
+events proved conclusively the efficiency of the "Yankee's" armament.
+
+The detail was taken alongside the "Yankee" by the tug. We had our first
+meeting with our new captain, Commander W.H. Brownson, of the regular
+navy. His appearance and his kindly greeting bore out the reputation he
+holds in the service as a gentleman and a capable officer. It is well to
+say right here that Commander Brownson, although a strict
+disciplinarian, was ever fair and just in his treatment of the crew. Our
+pedigrees were taken for the enlistment papers, and the questions asked
+us in regard to our ages, occupations, etc., proved that the Government
+requires the family history of its fighters. The following day each man
+was subjected to a rigid physical examination. The latter ceremony is so
+thorough that a man needs to be perfect to have the honor of wearing the
+blue shirt. Personally, when I finally emerged from the examining room,
+I felt that my teeth were all wrong, my eyes crossed, my heart a wreck,
+and that I was not only a physical ruin, but a gibbering idiot as well.
+That I really passed the examination successfully was no fault of the
+naval surgeon and his assistants.
+
+After the medical department had finished with us, the enlistment papers
+were completed, and we became full-fledged "Jackies," as "Stump" termed
+it. The members of the battalion were rated as landsmen, ordinary
+seamen, and able-bodied seamen, according to their skill, and a number
+of men, hastily enlisted for the purpose, were made machinists, firemen,
+coal-passers, painters, and carpenters. Some of these had seen service
+in the regular navy, and they were visibly horny-handed sons of toil.
+One Irishman, whose brogue was painful, looked with something very like
+contempt on the Naval Reserve sailors.
+
+"Uncle Sam is a queer bird," several of us overheard him remark to a
+mate. "He do be making a picnic av this war wid his pleasure boats an'
+his crew av pretty b'yes. If we iver tackle the Spaniards, there'll be
+many a mama's baby on board this hooker cryin' for home, swate home."
+
+"Hod," a six-footer, who played quarter-back on a famous team not long
+ago, took out his notebook and made an entry.
+
+"I'll spot that fellow and make him eat his words before we get into
+deep water," he said, quietly. He was not the only one to make that
+vow, and it was plain that Burke, the Irishman, had trouble in store for
+him.
+
+On our return to the "New Hampshire," the battalion was placed under the
+regular ship's routine. All the men were divided into two watches,
+starboard and port. The port watch, for instance, goes on duty at eight
+bells in the morning, stands four hours, and is then relieved by the
+starboard watch; this routine continues day and night, except from four
+until eight in the afternoon, when occur the dog watches, two of them,
+two hours long each, stood by the port and starboard men respectively.
+The dog watches are necessary to secure a change in the hours of duty
+for each watch.
+
+From now on we were given a taste of the actual work of the service.
+Details were made up each morning and sent to the "Yankee" to assist in
+getting her in readiness for service. One of the first duties was to
+carry on board and stow away in the hold one hundred kegs of mess pork.
+As each keg contained one hundred pounds, the task was not easy for men
+unaccustomed to manual labor. Still there was no complaint. In fact, the
+only growling heard so far had come from some of the men who had seen
+service in the regular navy. Burke, the fireman, declaimed loudly
+against the "shoe leather an' de terrer-cotter hard-tack which they do
+be tryin' to feed to honest workers. As for the slops they call coffee,
+Oi wouldn't give it to an Orangeman's pig!"
+
+The food served out on board the "New Hampshire"--being the usual
+Government ration of salt-horse, coffee, and hard-tack--was vastly
+different from that to which the majority of the boys were accustomed,
+but it was accepted with the good grace displayed by the members of the
+Reserve on every occasion. All these little discomforts are, as the
+Navigator (a commissioned officer of the regular navy) remarked, "merely
+incidental to the service."
+
+As the time approached when we were to board the "Yankee" for good, the
+ordinary watches were abandoned, and only anchor watches kept. An anchor
+watch is a detail of five or six men, selected from the different parts
+of the ship, who do duty, really, as watchmen, during the night. Two
+days before the order arrived to leave the "New Hampshire," it was found
+necessary to station several men, armed with guns and fixed bayonets, on
+the dock near the ship, to stop men from taking the "hawser route"
+ashore. The firemen and coal-passers had been refused shore leave, or
+liberty, as it is called, because of their habit of getting
+intoxicated, pawning their uniforms, and loitering ashore. Truth to
+tell, the guns and bayonets had little effect, as the offenders were old
+in the business.
+
+The second night after the order was put in force it happened that
+"Hod," who was rated as an able seaman, was on duty with gun and bayonet
+on that end of the dock opposite the forecastle. He had just relieved
+the man whose watch ended at midnight, and he stood thoughtfully
+watching the twinkling lights on the opposite side of the mighty East
+River. There was so much to occupy his mind in a situation which was
+both charming and fascinating that he remained motionless for several
+minutes. Presently there came a slight, scraping sound, and the end of a
+rope struck the dock almost at his feet.
+
+Glancing up, "Hod" saw a man's figure, dimly outlined in the gloom, slip
+from the topgallant forecastle and quickly descend the rope. It was
+evidently one of the men taking "French" leave, and it was the sentry's
+duty to give the alarm at once. But "Hod" had other views in this
+particular case. Hastily stepping back into the shadows, he laid his gun
+upon the floor of the dock, and rolled up his sleeves with an air that
+meant business. The next moment the absconder dropped from the rope.
+
+As he prepared to slip past the ship a sinewy hand was placed upon his
+shoulder, and another equally sinewy caught him by the collar.
+
+"Burke, suppose you return aboard ship," said "Hod," quietly. "You are
+not going to hit the Bowery this time."
+
+The Irish fireman attempted to wrench himself free, then he struck out
+at "Hod" with all the force of his right arm. The quarter-back's
+practice on the field came into play, and the college graduate tackled
+his opponent in the latest approved style. The struggle was short and
+decisive, and it resulted in Burke declaring his willingness to return
+to the ship.
+
+"The next time you try to size up a new shipmate be sure you are on to
+his curves," remarked "Hod," as he escorted his prisoner over the
+gangway. "You will find some of 'mama's pretty boys' rather tough nuts
+to crack."
+
+The day following this little episode found the members of the State
+Naval Militia detailed to form the crew of the "Yankee" in full
+possession of the cruiser which they were to sail to glory or defeat in
+defense of their country. The ship's company, two hundred and
+twenty-five in all, boarded the auxiliary warship without ceremony, and
+were speedily set to work hoisting in provisions, removing to the yard
+all unnecessary stuff with which the ship was littered, and getting her
+generally in condition for sailing. The work was extremely hard, but it
+was done without demur.
+
+A naval officer attached to the yard stood near me at one time during
+the afternoon, and I heard him remark to a visitor who had accompanied
+him on board: "You will find an object lesson in this scene. These young
+men working here at the hardest kind of manual labor, buckling down
+cheerfully to dirty jobs, were, a few days ago, living in luxury in the
+best homes in New York City. The older men were clerks, or lawyers, or
+physicians, and not one of them had ever stained his hands with toil.
+Look at them now."
+
+Unconsciously I glanced across the deck to where three men were hauling
+upon a whip, or block-and-tackle, which was being used to hoist huge
+boxes and casks of provisions on board. The three men were working
+sturdily, and it would have been difficult to recognize in them, with
+their grimy faces and soiled duck uniforms, a doctor, a bank cashier,
+and a man-about-town well known in New York City. Near the forward
+hatch, industriously swabbing the deck, was a black-haired youth whose
+father helps to control some of the largest moves on 'Change. Scattered
+about the gangway were others, some painting, some rolling barrels, and
+a number engaged in whipping in heavy boxes of ammunition. They were all
+cheerful, and the decks resounded with merry chatter and whistling and
+song.
+
+I turned to myself. My hands were brown and smeared and bruised. My
+uniform, once white, was streaked and stained with tar. I wore shoes
+innocent of blacking and made after a pattern much admired among
+navvies. I had an individual ache in every bone of my body, and I was
+hungry and was compelled to look forward to a dinner of odorous
+salt-horse, hard bread, and "ennuied" coffee, but I was happy--I had to
+admit that. Perhaps it was the novelty of the situation, perhaps it was
+something else, but the fact remained that I would not have left the
+ship or given up the idea of going on the cruise for a good deal.
+
+We worked hard all day, and, when mess gear was piped for supper, we
+could hardly repress a sigh of heartfelt relief. The food, bad as it
+was, was welcome, and when I reluctantly swung away from the mess table
+I felt much better. At six bells, shortly before hammocks were piped
+down, the "striker," or helper, for our mess cook, said mysteriously:
+
+"Don't turn in early, Russ, there's going to be a little fun. 'Bill' and
+'Stump' have young Potter on a string. It will be great."
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+IN WHICH WE GET UNDER WAY AT LAST.
+
+The hint of possible fun that night was sufficient to keep me alert.
+"All work and no play, etc.," was part of our code aboard the "Yankee,"
+and goodness knows we had worked hard enough getting the ship ready for
+sailing to be permitted a little sport. Then, again, any badgering of
+young Potter would be innocent amusement, so I laid by and waited,
+keeping my eye on "Bill."
+
+"Bill," by the way, was the captain of our mess, a jolly good fellow,
+popular, and always in evidence when there was any skylarking on foot.
+
+Hammocks were piped down at seven bells (7:30 p.m.), and, as it was our
+first experience on board the "Yankee," there was some confusion. A
+number of new recruits had joined that afternoon, and their efforts to
+master the mysteries of the sailor's sleeping outfit were amusing. A
+naval hammock differs largely from those used ashore. A hammock aboard
+ship is of canvas, seven feet long, with holes a few inches apart at
+each end, through which are reeved pieces of strong cord. The latter are
+called clews, and they meet at an iron ring, which is attached to the
+hooks in the carline beams when the hammock is in position for use. When
+a hammock is properly slung it hangs almost straight, with very little
+sagging. To get in properly, one grasps two hoops near the head, and,
+with an agile spring, throws body and feet into the canvas bed. This
+requires a knack, and is learned only after a more or less painful
+experience. A three-inch mattress and two blankets go with each outfit.
+For sheets a bag-like mattress cover is used, and, in lieu of the downy
+pillows of home, the sailor must be content with his shoes rolled up
+inside his trousers or flannel shirt. With it all, however, the naval
+hammock is very comfortable. There is the advantage of being able to not
+only wash your blankets and sheets, but your bed as well. Once each
+month clean hammocks are issued and the old ones scrubbed.
+
+While I was below, rigging up my clews, I saw a commotion on the other
+side of the deck. The master-at-arms was expostulating with one of the
+new recruits who had reported that afternoon. Suddenly the latter called
+out, angrily, "I'll see if I have to, durn you!" and bolted for the
+upper deck. The master-at-arms followed him at once, and several of us
+followed the master-at-arms to see the excitement. We reached the
+quarter-deck just as the recruit came to a stop in front of the officer
+on watch.
+
+[Illustration: "THAT FAT MAN IN THE CELLAR WANTS ME TO SLEEP IN A
+BAG----".]
+
+"What's the matter with you?" demanded the latter, curtly. "What's up?"
+
+"Th-th-that m-m-man down in the--the cellar wants me to sleep in a bag,
+durn him," gasped the recruit, waving his lanky arms, "and I won't do it
+for him or no one else."
+
+"Cellar?" Then the officer shouted with laughter.
+
+The recruit was sent back to the "New Hampshire" next day, but it was
+long before the master-at-arms was known by any other name or title than
+"the man in the cellar."
+
+A few minutes before tattoo, "Bill" and "Stump" came up and intimated by
+signs that I was to accompany them to the forward part of the berth
+deck. On reaching the extreme end, which was occupied by an immense
+hawser reel, "Bill" indicated a hammock which was swinging with the
+forward clews directly above the great spool, or reel.
+
+"If young Potter doesn't think this old hooker is haunted I'll never
+play another joke," he chuckled. "Get in and show him, 'Stump.'"
+
+The latter grasped two hooks, gave himself a swing, landed in the
+hammock, and in an instant struck the deck with a thump, the hammock
+under him. As he rolled out I rubbed my eyes. The hammock had swiftly
+returned to its former position!
+
+"It isn't hoodooed," grinned "Bill." "Just look here."
+
+He hauled up on the head clews and presently a five-inch shell appeared
+above the top of the reel. The shell was fastened to the end of the
+hammock lashing, at the other end of which was attached the ring. The
+lashing led over the hook, and the weight of the shell was just
+sufficient to keep the hammock in its place. As I finished inspecting
+the clever contrivance, the boatswain's mate piped tattoo.
+
+We hurried away to watch from a distance. Laughing and singing, the
+fellows trooped down to prepare for turning in; the hard labor of the
+day had not dampened their spirits. The deck soon presented an animated
+scene. A number of us had slept long enough on board the "New Hampshire"
+to become accustomed to man-o'-war style, but the new recruits were like
+so many cats in a strange garret. They stood about, glancing doubtfully
+at their hammocks and then at their clothes. They did not know just what
+to do with either.
+
+"How do you get into the thing, I wonder?" asked the fellow from Harlem,
+eyeing his suspended bed.
+
+"Borrow the navigator's step-ladder," suggested the coxs'n of the gig.
+"He keeps it in the chart room."
+
+The greatest difficulty was the disposal of our clothes. There were no
+wardrobes nor closets nor convenient hooks, and it was strictly against
+the rule to leave anything lying around decks. The question was solved
+presently by an old naval sailor, who calmly made a neat roll of his
+duck jumper and trousers and another of his shoes and shirt. The latter
+he tucked into his clews at the foot, and the other he used as a pillow.
+We thanked our lucky stars we did not have creased trousers, smooth
+coats, vests, white shirts, collars, and neckties to dispose of.
+
+In due time young Potter, who had stayed on deck viewing the scenery
+until chased by the corporal of the guard, came down and made for his
+hammock. Four dozen pairs of eyes watched him with delightful
+anticipation. Unconscious of the attention he was attracting, he doffed
+his clothes and brought out something from his black bag which proved
+to be a night-shirt! If there was any compunction in regard to the trick
+intended for him, it instantly vanished. A sailor with a night-shirt was
+legitimate prey.
+
+Whistling softly, the victim prepared himself for the swing, grasped the
+hooks, and then, with good momentum, landed in the hammock. There was a
+swish, a distinct thud, and young Potter rolled out upon the deck with a
+gasp of amazement. Turning as quickly as he could, he looked up and saw
+the hammock swinging in its proper place. It was physical labor for us
+to keep from howling with glee at the expression on his face. He glanced
+sheepishly about to see if his catastrophe had been observed; then he
+made another attempt. This time a heave of the ship sent him even more
+quickly to the deck, and he landed with a bump that could have been
+heard in the cabin. He was fighting mad when he again scrambled to his
+feet.
+
+"I can lick the lubber who threw me out," he shouted.
+
+"Stop that talking," came from the master-at-arms' corner. "Turn in and
+keep quiet about the decks."
+
+Potter grumbled something under his breath, then he made a careful
+search in the vicinity of his hammock. It was worth a dollar admission
+to see him poke about with, the end of a broom. He found nothing
+suspicious, and proceeded to try again. Very gingerly he grasped the
+hooks, and he experimented with one foot before trusting his whole
+weight to the hammock. The second he released his hold of the hooks he
+fell, and the fall was even greater than before.
+
+"The blamed thing is spooky!" he howled, as he gathered himself
+together. He made a quick run for the ladder leading on deck, but was
+stopped by the master-at-arms, who demanded an explanation. While they
+were arguing, "Bill" and I quickly fixed the hammock, casting off the
+shell and concealing it behind a black bag. We had barely finished when
+the chief petty officer came up and examined the clews. He tested them
+by applying his own weight, then gave the crestfallen and astounded
+Potter a few terse words of advice about eating too much supper. Five
+minutes later the deck was quiet.
+
+The hard labor of the previous day--such labor as hauling and pulling,
+handling heavy boxes and casks, and bales and barrels of provisions and
+ammunition--had made me dead tired, and I slept like a log until
+reveille. This unpleasant function occurred at three bells (half-past
+five o'clock), and it consisted of an infernal hubbub of drums and
+bugles and boatswains' pipes, loud and discordant enough to awaken the
+seven sleepers. We roused in a hurry, and, with eyes scarcely open,
+began to lash up our hammocks.
+
+"Seven turns, no more, no less," bawled the master-at-arms. "Get just
+seven turns of the lashing around your hammocks, and get 'em quick. If
+you can't pass your hammock through a foot ring, you'll go on the
+report. Shake a leg there!"
+
+The rumor had gone about that it was the custom to "swat" the last man
+with a club, and there was a great scramble. We found the hammock
+stowers in the nettings, which were large boxes on the gun deck, and our
+queer canvas beds were soon stowed away for the day. As the reveille
+hour is too early for breakfast, coffee and hard-tack is served out by
+each mess cook. The coffee is minus milk, but it is hot and palatable,
+and really acts as a tonic.
+
+The first order of the day is to scrub down decks and clean ship
+generally, but, as the "Yankee" was still in the throes of preparation,
+we were spared that disagreeable work and permitted to arrange our
+belongings for the long voyage before us. In the service each man is
+allowed a black bag about three feet six inches high, and twelve inches
+in diameter, and a small wooden box, eighteen inches square, known as a
+"ditty box," to keep his wardrobe in. All clothing is rolled, and
+careful sailors generally wrap each garment in a piece of muslin before
+consigning it to the black bag. In the ditty box are kept such articles
+as toothbrush, brush and comb, small hand glass, writing material, and
+odds and ends. Each bag and box is numbered, and must be kept in a
+certain place. At first we thought it wouldn't be possible to keep our
+clothing in such a small space, but experience taught us that we would
+have ample room.
+
+The following days until the eighth of May were days of manual labor,
+which hardened our muscles and placed a fine edge on our appetites. To
+see the men who had been accustomed to a life of luxury toiling away
+with rope and scrubbing brush and paint pot, working like day laborers,
+and happy at that, was really a remarkable spectacle. For my part, I
+noticed with surprise that scratched and bruised hands--scratched so
+that the salt water caused positive pain--did not appeal to me. I tore
+off a corner of my right thumb trying to squeeze a large box through the
+forward hatch, and the only treatment I gave it was a fragment of rather
+soiled rag and a little vaseline borrowed from a mate. To quit work and
+apply for the first aid to injured never struck me. Ashore I would
+probably have called a doctor.
+
+The day before we left the yard one of my mates sprained his back
+lifting a box of canned meat. In civil life he had been a lawyer with a
+promising practice, his office being with one of the best known men of
+the bar. He gave it up and joined the Naval Reserves because, as he
+expressed it, "To fight for one's country is a patriot's first duty."
+When the accident happened, he refused to go below to the sick bay until
+the doctor stated that rest for a few days at least was absolutely
+necessary.
+
+"It isn't that I mind the hurt, boys," he said, with a smile, as he was
+assisted to the hatch, "but I hate to be knocked out in my first
+engagement, and that with a box of canned corned beef."
+
+The monotony of work was broken on the ninth of May, when preparations
+were made to leave the yard. The destination was only Tompkinsville, but
+there was not a man on board but felt that, as the last hawser was cast
+off, we were fairly started on our cruise in search of action. As the
+"Yankee" was assisted away from the wharf by a Government tug, a number
+of friends gathered ashore cheered lustily and waved their hats and
+handkerchiefs. The scene had been repeated time without end, no doubt,
+but it went to our hearts all the same, and there was many a husky note
+in the cheers we gave in return.
+
+There was also encouragement in the whistles we received as we dropped
+down the East River, and we felt as if our small share in the war would
+be appreciated by those compelled to stay at home. We steamed directly
+to the vicinity of Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island, anchored off
+Tompkinsville, and then picked up a berth there for the night. Half way
+down the bay we met a tug carrying a committee from the "Sons of the
+Revolution" of New York State. The committee had been selected by the
+society to present us with a set of colors. The tug accompanied us to
+our anchorage, then the committee came on board. The ceremony of
+presentation was rather picturesque.
+
+The visitors gathered on the bridge, the ship's bugler sounded the
+assembly, and in obedience to the call we lined up on the forward deck.
+We wore the white duck service uniform, including trousers, jumper, and
+cap. Some of the uniforms had suffered in contact with pitch, but the
+general effect was good. When everything was in readiness, the chairman
+of the committee presented the set of colors and said:
+
+"Captain Brownson, officers and men of the 'Yankee,' I have the honor,
+on behalf of the Society of the Sons of the Revolution in the State of
+New York, to present these colors to the members of the Naval Reserve of
+the State of New York, who have enlisted for service under your
+command."
+
+He continued by hoping that the colors would ever float victorious, and
+said that he did not doubt it, and then our skipper made a little speech
+in reply. The affair wound up with a round of cheers and general
+congratulations. The flags were handsome, and, as it came to pass, they
+flaunted amid battle smoke before many weeks.
+
+Our stay off Tompkinsville was to be short, but we had time to become
+acquainted with a characteristic naval oddity known as the bumboat.
+Diligent inquiries among the old sailors on board the "Yankee" failed to
+enlighten me as to the derivation of the name, but the consensus of
+opinion was that these floating peddlers sold articles which, to use a
+slang phrase, were pretty "bum." Experience has given the opinion some
+color of truth. Our bumboat boarded us early and stayed with us until
+the corporal of the guard called "time."
+
+She came laden with pies and doughnuts, pins and needles, tape and
+buttons and whisk brooms and shoe blacking, handkerchiefs, ties,
+scissors, soap, writing paper, envelopes, ink, pens, cakes, bread,
+jelly, pocket knives, and a schedule of prices that would have brought a
+blush of envy to the face of a Swiss inn-keeper. As the boys had not yet
+grown entirely accustomed to what is called "Government straight," i.e.,
+salt meat and hard-tack, the bumboat did a thriving business. Young
+Potter's bill was tremendous, and Mrs. Bumboat bade him a regretful
+farewell when she visited us for the last time.
+
+At three in the afternoon of the tenth we hoisted anchor on our way to
+sea. Our good friends had not deserted us, and a number of them, aboard
+several tugs, accompanied us as far as the Narrows. The "God-speed"
+given us as we steamed away would have been a fine object lesson to our
+future antagonists.
+
+Up to the present we had been concerned simply with the preparations for
+war, but it was destined that before another twenty-four hours had
+passed we would have a taste of the actual realities.
+
+The "Yankee" was to see service.
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+IN WHICH THE "YANKEE" CRUISES FOR PRIZES.
+
+It was evening, the evening of the day on which the "Yankee" sailed from
+Tompkinsville bound out on her maiden cruise as an auxiliary ship of
+war. The afternoon had passed without event, save that which attacks the
+amateur sailor when he first feels the heaving swell of old ocean. The
+crew had shaken into its place, and the men of the watch on deck were
+commencing to appreciate their responsibilities.
+
+The ship was quiet, save for the faint chug-chug of the propeller under
+the stern and the occasional clang of a shovel in the fire room deep
+down in the innermost reaches of the ship. The sun had vanished in a
+hazy cloud which portended a stiff breeze, but the wind was still
+gentle, and, as it swept across the decks from off the port quarter, it
+seemed grateful indeed to those who came from below for a breath of air.
+
+Orders had been issued to darken the decks. The running lights of red
+and green were still in the lamp room, and, except for a soft, rosy
+glow from the binnacle-bowl, there was a blackness of night throughout
+the upper part of the ship. Cigars and pipes and cigarettes had been
+tabooed, and doors were opened in the deck houses only after the inside
+lights had been lowered to a flickering pin point.
+
+Up on the forward bridge Captain Brownson stood talking in a low voice
+to the executive officer, Lieutenant Hubbard. The lurching swing of the
+ship caused them to sway back and forth against the rail and a metallic
+sound came from a sword scabbard suspended from the captain's belt. The
+presence of this sword, betrayed by the clatter it made, told a secret
+to several sailors gathered under the lee of the pilot house, and one
+said, in an excited whisper:
+
+"There's something up, Chips. The old man is fixed for trouble. I'm
+going aft and stand by."
+
+The speaker started off, but before he had taken ten steps the shrill
+blast of a bugle suddenly broke the stillness of the night. The
+discordant notes rang and echoed through the ship, and, while the sound
+was still trembling in the air, two score of shadowy figures sprang up
+from different parts of the deck and scurried toward the ladders leading
+below.
+
+The transformation was instant and complete.
+
+From a ship stealthily pursuing its way through the darkness--a part of
+the mist--the "Yankee" became the theatre of a scene of the most intense
+activity.
+
+There was no shouting, no great clamor of sound; nothing but the
+peculiar shuffling of shoes against iron, the hard panting of hurrying
+men, the grating of breech-blocks, low muttered orders from officer to
+man, and a multitude of minor noises that seemed strange and weird and
+uncanny in this blackness.
+
+A belated wardroom boy, still carrying a towel across his arm, slips
+from the cabin and hastens forward to his station in the powder
+division. The navigator, an officer of the regular navy, whose ideas of
+discipline are based on cast iron rules, espies the laggard and
+administers a sharp rebuke. A squad of marines dash from the "barracks"
+below and line up at the secondary battery guns on the forecastle. Some
+of the marines are hatless and coatless, and one wiry little private
+shambles along on one foot. He stumbles against a hatch-coaming and
+kicks his shoe across the deck.
+
+Suddenly an order comes out of the gloom near the main hatch and is
+carried from gun to gun.
+
+"Cast loose and provide!"
+
+The hitherto motionless figures waiting at the battery spring into
+activity. Hands move nimbly at the training and elevating gear.
+Breech-blocks are thrown open, sights adjusted, the first and second
+captains take their places, the former with the firing lanyard in
+readiness for use at his gun; then there is silence again as the officer
+in charge of the division holds up one hand as a signal that all is
+prepared. Then comes the word to load.
+
+In a twinkling the ammunition hoists are creaking with their burdens and
+boxes of shell appear on deck. These are quickly lifted to the guns and
+taken in hand by the loaders. The latter do their part of the general
+work thoroughly and with despatch, and presently the breech-blocks are
+swung to and the battery is ready for action.
+
+In the meantime there has been systematic preparation in other parts of
+the auxiliary cruiser. Down in the sick bay aft, the surgeon and his
+assistants have made ready for their grewsome task. Cases of glittering
+instruments have been opened, lint and bandages and splints are in their
+proper places, and the apothecary and bayman are getting the cots in
+trim for instant use.
+
+In the fire room the firemen and coal-passers are heaping up the
+furnaces, a couple of men hurry away to attend to the fire mains, and,
+standing by in readiness for duty, are the engineers and crew of the off
+watch. The carpenters are ready below with shot-hole plugs, and
+everywhere throughout the ship can be found officers and sailors and
+marines and men of the "black gang," each at his proper station in
+readiness for the word to begin action.
+
+But that word does not come. Instead a stentorian command is heard from
+the bridge:
+
+"Secure!"
+
+Laughing and joking, the crew of the "Yankee" hasten to restore the ship
+to its former state. All this has been a drill, the drill known as
+general quarters. It is the first time it has been held under service
+conditions, and when the captain steps down from the bridge and says in
+his brisk, authoritative way, "Very well done, very well done indeed,"
+the boys of the cruiser are satisfied and happy.
+
+Twice during the night the drill is repeated. There is no grumbling
+because of disturbed sleep, for a rumor has gone about the ship that
+Spanish vessels have been seen off the coast, and even the cranks on
+board admit that drills and exercises are necessary.
+
+Sea watches have been set, and the rules followed when under way are now
+operative. A brief explanation of the routine attending the first hours
+of a naval day may help to make succeeding descriptions more plain. The
+ship's daily life commences with the calling of the ship's cook at
+3:30 a.m. The ordinary mess cooks are awakened at four o'clock, so that
+coffee can be prepared for the watch. Coffee is always served with
+hard-tack to the watch coming on deck at four. It is all the men get
+until breakfast at 7:30, and a great deal of work must be accomplished
+before that time.
+
+After the hard-tack and coffee had been consumed--and it went to that
+spot always reserved for good things--the lookouts of the other watch on
+the port and starboard bridge and the patent life buoys port and
+starboard quarter were relieved. As soon as the first streaks of dawn
+Were to be seen a long-drawn boatswain's pipe, like the wail of a lost
+soul, came from forward, and the order "scrub and wash clothes" given.
+
+A day or two before the "Yankee" left the navy yard, one of the pretty
+girls who had come over to visit her asked: "Where do you have your
+washing done? It must require a great many washerwomen to keep the
+clothes of this dirty [glancing rather disdainfully at her somewhat
+grimy friend] crew clean." Though we knew that the luxury of a laundry
+would not fall to our lot, we were at a loss as to the method pursued to
+clean clothes.
+
+We soon learned.
+
+We who had been anticipating an order of this sort came running forward
+with bundles of clothes that would discourage a steam laundry. This was
+the first opportunity we had had to clean up. The forecastlemen led out
+the hose, which was connected to the ship's pump, and, after wetting
+down the forecastle deck (where all clothes must be scrubbed), we were
+told we might turn to.
+
+The "Kid," who was the youngest member of the crew aboard, very popular
+with officers and men, and who afterward became the ship's mascot, said,
+"How do you work this, anyway?" I confessed that I was in the dark
+myself, but proposed that we watch "Patt," the gunner's mate, who had
+served in the navy before. Presently we saw him lay his jumper flat on
+the deck, wet it thoroughly with water from the hose, then rub it with
+salt-water soap. Then he fished out a stiff scrubbing brush and began to
+scrub the jumper as if it was a floor. We then understood the
+significance of the order _scrub_ and wash clothes. In salt water the
+clothes have not only to be washed, but scrubbed as well.
+
+The "Kid" remarked, "Well, I'll be switched," and forthwith fell on his
+knees and proceeded to follow "Patt's" example.
+
+Though we scrubbed manfully, "putting our backs into it" and "using
+plenty of elbow grease," as instructed, still the result was hardly up
+to our expectations. The navigator remarked, as we were "stopping" the
+clothes on the line, "You heroes might scrub those clothes a little bit;
+it does not take a college education to learn how to wash clothes."
+
+I agreed with the "Kid" that, though cleanliness was next to Godliness,
+cleanliness, like Godliness, was often a difficult virtue to acquire. We
+found it almost impossible to be cleanly without the aid of fresh water,
+so the schemes devised to avoid the executive's order and get it were
+many and ingenious.
+
+One man would go to the ship's galley, where the fresh water hand-pump
+was, and, without further ado, begin to fill his bucket, remarking, if
+the cook attempted to interfere, that he had to scrub paint work or he
+had orders from the doctor to bathe in fresh water. These excuses would
+be successful till too many men came in with buckets and plausible
+excuses, when the cook would shut down on the scheme for the time. The
+man with fresh water was the envy of his fellows, and must needs be
+vigilant, or bucket and water would disappear mysteriously.
+
+The "Kid" happened to be next me when "stopping" his clothes on the
+line, and remarked, as he tied the last knot on his last jumper, "I like
+to be clean as the next chap, but this scrubbing clothes on your knees
+is no snap."
+
+He stopped to feel them.
+
+"Why, I can feel the corns growing on them already. How often do we have
+to do this scrubbing job, anyhow?" he asked.
+
+"You _can_ do it every morning, if you really feel inclined," I replied,
+smiling at his rueful countenance; "clothes can only be washed during
+the morning watch (four to eight), I understand, and, as the starboard
+men are on duty one day during that time and the port watch the next,
+each is supposed to 'scrub and wash clothes' in his own watch. See?"
+
+The "Kid" looked up at the dripping line of rather dingy clothes, then
+down at his red and soapy knees, and said, as he turned to go aft,
+"Well, when we get back to New York, I am going to have a suit of whites
+made of celluloid that can be washed with a sponge."
+
+At 6:30 the order "knock off scrubbing clothes" was given, and then all
+hands of the watch "turned to" and scrubbed decks, scoured the gratings
+and companion-way ladders with sand and canvas, brass work was polished,
+paint work wiped down, and everything on board made as spick and span as
+a new dollar.
+
+A vast quantity of water is brought from over the side through the
+ship's pump, and the men work in their bare feet. In fact, the usual
+costume during this period of the day consists of a pair of duck
+trousers and a thin shirt. On special occasions even the shirt is
+dispensed with. During warm weather it is delightful to splash around a
+water-soaked deck, but there are mornings when a biting wind comes from
+the north, and the keenness of winter is in the air, and then Jackie,
+compelled to labor up to his knees in water, casts longing glances
+toward the glow of the galley fire, and makes his semi-yearly vow that
+he will leave the "blooming" service for good and go on a farm.
+
+This scrubbing of decks and scouring of ladders put an extra edge on our
+appetites, so we agreed with "Stump" when he said, "I feel as if I could
+put a whole bumboat load of stuff out of commission all by my lonely."
+"Stump's" appetite was out of proportion to his size.
+
+When the boatswain's mate gave his peculiar long, quavering pipe and the
+order "spread mess gear for the watch below," at 7:20, we of the watch
+on deck realized that there was still forty minutes to wait. Every man's
+hunger seemed to increase tenfold, so that even the odor of boiling
+"salt-horse" from the galley did not trouble us.
+
+Finally the order came, "on deck all the starboard watch"; followed by
+the boatswain's mess call for the watch on deck. The scramble to get
+below and to work with knife, fork, and spoon resembled a fire panic at
+a theatre. It is first come first served aboard ship, and the man who
+lingers often gets left.
+
+The gun deck of the "Yankee," like the gun deck of most war vessels, is
+Jack's living room. Here he sleeps, in what he facetiously calls his
+folding-bed, which is swung from the deck beams above; here he enjoys
+the various amusements that an ordinary citizen would call work; here he
+goes through his drills; here he fights, not his shipmates, but his
+country's enemies, and here he eats.
+
+The remark, "he spread his legs luxuriously under the mahogany," would
+hardly apply to Jack's mode of dining. His table is a swinging affair
+that is hung on the hammock hooks--a mere board a couple of feet wide
+and twelve or fourteen feet long, having a ridge around the edge to keep
+the plates from sliding off in a seaway. Jack's dining chairs are called
+"mess benches," and consist of a long folding bench that with the table
+can be stowed away in racks overhead when not in use. A mess chest for
+each mess, an enamelled iron plate and cup, and a knife, fork, and spoon
+for each man complete the "mess gear" outfit.
+
+The ship's company is divided into messes, each man being assigned to a
+certain mess at the same time his billet number or ship's number is
+given to him. There are from fifteen to thirty men in a mess. Each has
+its own "berth-deck cook," who prepares the food for the galley; each,
+too, has a mess caterer, or striker, whose business it is to help the
+mess cook and see that all goes well. The caterer is a volunteer from
+the mess, and generally serves for a week, when another volunteer takes
+his place. If the quantity or quality of the food is not up to
+expectations, it would be better for the caterer that he be put down in
+the "brig" out of harm's way, for Jack is apt to speak his mind in
+vigorous English, and his mind and stomach have generally formed a close
+alliance.
+
+The twenty minutes allowed for meals are well spent, and the clatter of
+knives and forks attests the zest with which Uncle Sam's
+man-o'-war's-man tackles his not always too nice or delicate fare. The
+nine dollars a month allowed by the navy for rations is expended by the
+paymaster of the vessel, not by the men, so, if the paymaster concludes
+that the men shall have "salt-horse," rice, and hard-tack, Jack gets
+"salt-horse," rice, and hard-tack, and that is all he does get unless
+his mess cook and caterer are unusually prudent and save something from
+the previous day's rations, or the mess has put up some extra money and
+has "private stores."
+
+As the man with the biggest appetite or the fellow who eats slowly are
+putting away the last morsel of cracker hash or the last swallow of
+coffee, "Jimmy Legs" (the master-at-arms) comes around, shouting as he
+goes, "Shake a leg there, we want to get this deck cleared for
+quarters." He is often followed by the boatswain's mate of the watch,
+who echoes his call, and between them they clear the deck. Then begins
+the real work of the day.
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+WE GET ORDERS TO GO SOUTH.
+
+Shortly after breakfast the "Yankee" came to anchor outside of
+Provincetown, Mass. An hour later a large man-of-war was discovered
+steaming toward us. Rumors were rife at once, and the excitement
+increased when the vessel, which proved to be the gallant cruiser
+"Columbia," passed close alongside, and the captain was observed to lean
+over the bridge railing with a megaphone in his hands.
+
+"'Yankee' ahoy!" came across the water.
+
+"Hello, 'Columbia!'" replied Captain Brownson.
+
+"I have orders for you."
+
+"Whoop! we are going to Cuba," cried young Potter. "It's dead sure this
+time. They can't do without us down--"
+
+"Silence!" called out the executive officer, sternly. "Corporal of the
+guard, see to that man."
+
+Poor Potter is sent below in disgrace amid the chuckles and jeers of
+his unsympathetic shipmates. The little episode nearly earned him many
+hours of extra duty.
+
+In the meantime the "Columbia's" captain had communicated the welcome
+intelligence that we were to cruise to the southward at once to look for
+several suspicious vessels that had been sighted in the vicinity of
+Barnegat. This promised action so strongly that a cheer went up from the
+crew. This time even the officers joined in.
+
+Very shortly after came the order "All hands on the cat falls," at which
+every man Jack came running forward. The blue-clothed figures poured up
+the companion-ways like rats out of a sinking ship, for "all hands on
+the cat falls" means up anchor, and up anchor meant new experiences,
+perhaps a brush with a Spanish man-of-war or the capture of a Spanish
+prize. The anchor was yanked up and guided into place on its chocks in a
+hurry, and soon the "Yankee" was under way and headed southward. As we
+passed the "Columbia," the men of both ships stood at attention, feet
+together, hands at the side, heads up, silent. So a ship is saluted in
+the United States Navy, a ceremony dignified and impressive, though not
+as soul-stirring as the American cheer.
+
+The "Scuttle Butt Navigators," or, as the "Yankee" boys called them,
+the Rumor Committee, were very busy that bright day in May. According to
+them we were to sail seaward and discover Cervera's fleet, the
+whereabouts of which was then unknown. We were to sail south and bombard
+Havana. The older, wiser heads laughed at such rumors, and said it was
+foolishness, but all were ready and anxious to listen to the wildest
+tales.
+
+All the time the ship was getting under way the routine work was going
+on. The sweepers had obeyed the order given by the boatswain's mate,
+accompanied by the pipe peculiar to that order, "Gun-deck sweepers,
+clean sweep fore and aft; sweepers, clean your spit kits."
+
+At twenty minutes past nine the bugle sounded the first or officers'
+call to quarters, a call that sounded like "Get your sword on, get your
+sword on, get your sword on, get your sword on, get your sword on right
+away!" Ten minutes later came "assembly," and the men rushed to their
+places at the guns and their stations in the powder divisions.
+
+After our division had been mustered, "Long Tommy," the boatswain's mate
+and captain of our gun, said to "Hay," "I think we'll have some shooting
+to-day. I saw the gunners' mates rigging a target."
+
+"Good!" said "Hay," "what does it look like?"
+
+"Why," explained Tommy, "it's a triangular sail, having a black spot
+painted in the middle, supported by a raft, also triangular, which is
+floated by three barrels, one at each corner."
+
+"Can't be very big," said "Stump."
+
+"About ten feet at the base, tapering to a point. The red flag that
+flies from the top is perhaps fourteen feet from the water, I should
+say."
+
+"And they expect us to hit that?" broke in "Lucky bag Kennedy."
+
+"Of course," said Tommy the confident, "and we shall."
+
+As soon as the officers of the different divisions had returned from the
+bridge, where they had been to report, the quick, sharp bugle call which
+summons the crew to general quarters was sounded.
+
+As the first notes were heard, the men scattered as if a bomb with a
+visible burning fuse had fallen in their midst. Some hurried to lead out
+the hose, some to get the gun sights and firing lanyards, some to get
+belts and revolvers for the guns' crews, some down into the hot, dark
+magazines, and some to open up the magazine hoists. All was apparent
+confusion, but was in reality perfect discipline. Soon boxes of shell
+were ready by the guns, but the order "load" had not yet been given.
+
+The triangular target was then lowered over the side and cast loose. In
+a few minutes the six-pounders on the spar deck began to bark. "Getting
+the range, I guess," said "Hod," who had sneaked over from the powder
+division to get a look at the target.
+
+"Pretty near it," replied "Stump," as a shot splashed close to the
+triangular piece of canvas.
+
+"Here comes Scully," some one whispered; "now we'll have a chance."
+
+"The captain says fire when ready, at 1,500 yards," said Scully,
+saluting Mr. Greene, the officer of the division. "Captain says, sir,
+instruct your men to shoot at the top of the roll, and a little over,
+rather than under the target," continued he, saluting again.
+
+"Port battery take stations for exercise, load, set your sights at 1,500
+yards, and when ready, fire." Mr. Greene's orders came sharp and clear;
+there was never any misunderstanding of them.
+
+Most of us of Number Eight's gun crew had never stood near a big gun
+when it spoke, and most of us dreaded it and felt inclined to run away
+out of ear-shot. It was our business to stand by, however, so we stood
+by while Tommy, firing lanyard in hand, sighted the machine.
+
+"Right!" he sung out to "Stump" and "Flagg," who were at the training
+wheels. "Right handsomely," added Tommy, working the elevating gear, as
+the gun moved slowly round. The gun roared and jumped back on its mount
+six or eight inches, but promptly slid back again--forced back by
+powerful springs. The shell sped on its way, humming as it went, and
+struck a little short of the target, sending up a great fountain as it
+was exploded by the impact with the water.
+
+"Hay" pulled the breech lever and the breech plug came out, allowing
+"Stump," who wore heavy gloves for the purpose, to extract the empty
+shell. This he dropped in the concrete waterway, then ran to his place
+at the training wheel; a fresh shell had been put in the gun, meanwhile,
+and it was ready for business again. A number of good shots were made by
+different gunners. Enough to show that, amateur tars that we were, there
+was the making of good gunners in us. As the "Kid," in his overweening
+confidence, said, "Ain't we peaches? When we get down south we will have
+a little target practise, and the 'dagos' will be so scared that they
+will haul down their colors tight away."
+
+During the day we steamed slowly along, a bright lookout being kept by
+the men at the foremast-head for suspicious steamers. After dinner at
+eight bells (12 o'clock), the smoking lamp, which hangs near the scuttle
+butt aft, was kept lighted about fifteen minutes. Smoking is allowed
+aboard only when the smoking lamp is lighted, and as "Hay" was wont to
+say, it was lighted "when you did not want to smoke." At ten minutes
+past one "turn to" was piped by the boatswain's mates, followed by the
+call for sweepers. Then came the order, "Stand by your scrub and wash
+clothes." So the "Kid" and I hastened forward, both anxious to see if
+our initial clothes-washing venture was a success. We had depended on
+the sun to bleach our much be-scrubbed clothes, but--well--I would have
+left them where they were if I could. As for the "Kid's"--after holding
+them off at arm's length for a while, he remarked, "Why, I would not use
+such rags to clean my bicycle at home," and threw them overboard. He was
+always a reckless chap.
+
+The infantry drill we had at afternoon quarters at 1:30, served to keep
+us busy. The same thing had been gone through on the "New Hampshire"
+many a time and oft. We found it rather difficult to march straight and
+keep a good line on a swaying deck. So we were kept at it until we had
+got the hang of it. We were still parading to and fro on the spar deck,
+when some one sighted land off the starboard bow. The dismissal call was
+given none too soon, for the curiosity as to what we were heading for
+made discipline lax and attention far from close.
+
+We soon learned that this was Block Island.
+
+The gig was lowered, and the captain and mail orderly went ashore.
+
+"Now we'll get our real orders," said Potter. "Ho! for the Spanish
+main," he shouted, forgetting his narrow escape of the day before.
+
+"It will be Ho! for the ship's brig, and Ho! for five days on bread and
+water, if you don't look out," said "Stump," dryly.
+
+About dark, the gig came back again, bringing the captain in it and the
+mail orderly--but no mail, and how we did long for a word from home. A
+scrap of newspaper, even, would be a blessing.
+
+We had just sat down to evening mess when the order, "All hands on the
+gig falls!" was given, and the master-at-arms chased us off the gun
+deck. Soon the measured tread of many feet could be heard, and then the
+order was given by the officer of the deck to the coxswain of the
+gig, "Secure your boat for sea."
+
+[Illustration: "THE GIG WAS LOWERED"]
+
+[Illustration: "THE MEN ON THE STAGES"]
+
+So we were to go off again. Where?
+
+Within a short time we were under way again. The usual watches were set,
+but very few of the boys went below. The mere rumor that the enemy was
+prowling along the coast was enough to prevent sleep. My watch went on
+duty at four o'clock. We were not called in the usual way, by the
+boatswain's whistle, but each man was roused separately. This in itself
+was sufficient to lend an air of intense interest to the scene.
+
+On reaching the deck I found that the night had grown stormy. A chill
+wind was blowing off the coast, rendering pea coats and watch caps
+extremely comfortable. A fine rain began to fall shortly after four, and
+by the time I had taken my post forward as a lookout it had increased to
+a regular squall.
+
+The "Yankee" was a splendid sea boat, but in the course of an hour the
+choppy waves kicked up by the storm set her to bobbing about like the
+proverbial cork. The gloom of the night had changed to a blackness that
+made it impossible to see an arm's length away. Standing on the
+starboard bridge, I could scarcely distinguish the faint white foam
+gathered under the forefoot. Aft there was nothing visible save a
+length of stay which seemingly began at nothing and ended in darkness.
+
+The howling of the wind through the taut cordage of the foremast, the
+sullen plunging of the ship's hull in the trough of the sea, the rise to
+a wave crest and the poising there before falling once more, the smell
+of the dank salt air, and the occasional spurt of spray over the leaning
+bow, all made a scene so novel to me that I forgot Spanish ships and my
+duty and stood almost entranced.
+
+It was a dereliction for which I was to suffer. In the midst of my
+reverie a hand was suddenly placed upon my shoulder and I heard a
+familial voice exclaim sternly:
+
+"Lookout, what do you mean by sleeping on post? Why did you not report
+that light?"
+
+It was Captain Brownson!
+
+Asleep on post! The accusation was grave enough to startle me, and I
+lost no time in stammering a denial. Luckily, the discovery of the
+strange light, which was just faintly visible dead ahead, occupied the
+commander's attention for the moment and I escaped further rebuke.
+
+Captain Brownson hurried to the bridge and presently word was passed to
+go to quarters at once. The ports were opened, ammunition made ready
+for both the main and secondary batteries, and the crew stood at their
+guns in readiness for action. It was a very impressive sight, the grim
+weapons just showing in the dim lantern light, the great cartridges
+standing close to the breeches, the men quiet and steady, their faces
+showing anxiety but perfect self-control.
+
+I was proud to belong to such a crew, for the majority thought that an
+action was imminent, and perhaps a superior foe to be fought, yet there
+was no sign of that fear which is supposed to attack the novice in
+battle. It was a convincing proof of American bravery and self-reliance.
+
+In the meantime the engines had been called on for full speed, and the
+ship throbbed and swayed with the increased power. Extra men were
+presently sent below to the fire room, and it soon became evident that
+we were in actual chase of the suspicious vessel. From my station at the
+after port gun I was enabled to catch an occasional glimpse of the sea
+through the open port.
+
+The squall had passed in part and the night was growing lighter. The
+rain still fell, though fitfully, and at times a dash of water entered
+the port, besprinkling gun and crew and fighting tackle, leaving great
+drops that glistened like dew in the waning light of the lanterns.
+Alongside, white-capped waves raced with the ship.
+
+As the gloom lightened, the horizon spread, and presently, away in the
+distance, a dark spot, like a smudge upon a gray background, became
+visible. "Long Tommy," attached to my gun, leaned far out of the port
+with an exclamation of excitement.
+
+"By George! it's another ship," he added.
+
+"We are in a nest of the Dagoes," cried young Potter, rather wildly. "We
+have run into an ambuscade."
+
+"You've got a great chance to become a dead hero," remarked the first
+gun captain dryly.
+
+Word was passed from above to break out more shell, and presently the
+navigator slipped down the ladder and made a close inspection of the
+different five-inch guns. As he went from crew to crew he gave whispered
+instructions to the officers in charge.
+
+"The old man expects trouble this trip," whispered Tommy. He coolly
+stripped off his shirt and stood, half-naked, the muscles of his
+athletic chest and arms gleaming like white marble in the uncertain
+light. Most of us followed his example, and the spectacle of the swaying
+groups of men, bared for action, added a dramatic tinge to the scene.
+
+Below, the powerful engines throbbed with a pulsation that set every
+bolt and joint creaking, the strident echoes of the firemen's shovels
+could he heard scraping against the iron floor, and little whistlings of
+steam came like higher notes in the general tune. Even the noises of the
+ship were strange and weird and impressive.
+
+The crews had been standing in readiness at their stations for almost an
+hour when it suddenly became noticeable that the darkness of night was
+giving way before a gradual dawn. The glimmering flame in the lanterns
+faded and waned, objects buried in gloom began to assume shape, and the
+edges of the open ports grew sharp and more defined. Constant waiting
+brought a relaxation of discipline, and the members of the different
+crews grouped about the ports and eagerly searched for the chase.
+
+The smudge on the horizon had long since disappeared, but directly ahead
+could be seen the faint outlines of a steamer. A dense cloud of smoke
+was pouring from her funnel, and it was plainly apparent that she was
+making every effort to escape. This in itself was enough to stamp her
+identity, and we shook our clenched fists exultantly after her.
+
+The night broke rapidly. In the east a rosy tinge proclaimed the coming
+sun. Just as the first glitter of the fiery rim appeared above the
+horizon, a gray, damp mist swept across the water, coming like an
+impenetrable wall between the "Yankee" and the chase.
+
+[Illustration: "STAND BY, MEN. BE READY FOR INSTANT ACTION".]
+
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+A WILD GOOSE CHASE.
+
+A howl of disappointment went up from the crew.
+
+"Oh, if she was only within range," cried "Hay," smiting the breech of
+the five-inch rifle with his hand. "Just one shot, just one shot."
+
+"Guns' crews will remain at stations," ordered the first lieutenant from
+near the ladder. "Stand by, men. Be ready for instant action."
+
+"Hurray! the old man won't give it up," cheered "Stump," under his
+voice. "That's the stuff. Now, if only that measly fog lifts and we get
+a trifle nearer, we'll do something for the old flag."
+
+The minutes passed slowly. It was heartbreaking work, this waiting and
+watching, and there was not one of the "Yankee's" crew but would have
+given a year's pay to have seen the mist lift long enough to bring us
+within range.
+
+Suddenly, just as the fervent wish was trembling on our lips, "Hod
+Marsh," who was near the port, cried out joyfully:
+
+"She's fading, fellows, she's fading!"
+
+Like a theatre curtain being slowly raised, the mist lifted from the
+surface of the water. Little by little the expanse of ocean became
+visible, and at last we, who were watching eagerly, saw the hull of a
+steamer appear, followed by masts and stack and upper rigging. An
+exclamation of bitter disappointment came from Tommy. "Durned if it
+ain't an old tramp!" he groaned. "Fellows, we are sold."
+
+And so it proved.
+
+The fog lifted completely in the course of an hour and we secured a good
+view of our "will o' the wisp" of the night's chase. It was a great
+lumbering tramp, as high out of the water as a barn, and as
+weather-stained as a homeward-bound whaler. She slouched along like a
+crab, each roll of the hull showing streaks of marine grass and
+barnacles. There was little of man-o'-war "smartness" in her make-up, of
+a verity.
+
+For several days the "Yankee" cruised up and down the coast between
+Delaware Breakwater and Block Island. Many vessels were sighted, and on
+two occasions it was considered expedient to sound "general quarters,"
+but nothing came of it. We finally concluded that the enemy were
+fighting shy of the vicinity of New York, and all began to long for
+orders to the southward.
+
+Drill followed drill during these waiting days. Target practice was held
+whenever practicable, and the different guns' crews began to feel
+familiar with the rapid-fire rifles.
+
+The men, accustomed to a life of ease and plenty, found this first
+month's work an experience of unparalleled hardship.
+
+Their hands, better fitted for the grasp of pen and pencil, were made
+sore and stiff by the handling of hawsers, chains, and heavy cases.
+Bandages on hands, feet, and, in some cases, heads, were the popular
+form of adornment, and the man who did not have some part of his anatomy
+decorated in this way was looked upon as a "sloper," or one who ran away
+from work. For how could any one do his share without getting a finger
+jammed or a toe crushed?
+
+The work that was done, too, during this month of cruising along the
+coasts of Long Island and New Jersey was hard and incessant. Drills of
+all kinds were frequent, and sleep at a premium.
+
+The "Yankee" at this time was attached to the Northern Patrol Fleet, of
+which Commodore Howell was the commander. It was her business to cruise
+along the coast from Block Island south to Delaware Breakwater, and
+watch for suspicious vessels. This duty made constant movement
+necessary, and unwearying vigilance on the part of the lookouts
+imperative.
+
+Rainy, foggy weather was the rule, and "oilers" and rubber boots the
+prevailing fashion in overclothing. Sea watches were kept night and day;
+half of the crew being on duty all the time, and one watch relieving the
+other every four hours.
+
+The watch "on deck" or on duty on a stormy night found it very tedious
+waiting for the "watch below" to come and relieve them. The man who
+could tell a story or sing a song was in great demand, and the man who
+could get up a "Yankee" song was a popular hero. The night after our
+wild goose chase, described in the last chapter, the port watch had the
+"long watch"; that is, the watch from 8 p.m. to midnight, and from four
+to eight the next morning--which allowed but four hour's sleep.
+
+It was raining and the decks were wet and slippery. The water dripped
+off the rims of our sou'westers in dismal fashion, and the fog hung like
+a blanket around the ship, while the sea lapped her sides unseen. Our
+fog-horn tooted at intervals, and everything was as damp, dark, and
+forlorn as could be.
+
+A knot of men were gathered under the lee of the after deckhouse,
+huddled together for warmth and companionship. There was "Stump,"
+"Bill," Potter, and a number of others.
+
+"Say! can't any one sing, or tell a yarn, or whistle a tune, or dance a
+jig?" said "Bill" in a muffled tone. "If some one does not start some
+kind of excitement I will go to sleep in my tracks, and Doctor 'Gangway'
+says I mustn't sleep out of doors." His speech ended in a fit of
+coughing and a succession of sneezes.
+
+"Here, 'Morse,' give us that new song of yours," said "Steve," as
+another oilskinned figure joined the group. "Morse" and "Steve" were our
+chief song writers. Each sat on a quarter six-pounder, one on the
+starboard, the other on the port. "I will, if you chaps will join in the
+chorus," answered "Morse." "No, thank you," he added, as some one handed
+him an imaginary glass. "_Nature_ has wet my whistle pretty thoroughly
+to-night." "Stump," in his most impressive manner, stepped forward, and
+in true master-of-ceremonies style introduced our entertainer. He was
+enlarging on the undoubted merits of the composer and singer, and had
+waxed really eloquent, when a strong gust of wind blew the water that
+lodged in the awning squarely down his neck. This dampened his ardor but
+not our spirits.
+
+"Morse," like the good fellow he was, got up and sang this song to the
+tune of "Billy Magee Magaw":
+
+    When the "Yankee" goes sailing home again,
+                    Hurrah! Hurrah!
+    We'll forget that we're "Heroes" and just be men,
+                    Hurrah! Hurrah!
+    The girls will giggle, the boys will shout,
+    We'll all get a bath and be washed out,
+    And we'll all feel gay when
+    The "Yankee" goes sailing home.
+
+    The city bells will peal for joy,
+                    Hurrah! Hurrah!
+    To welcome home each wandering boy,
+                    Hurrah! Hurrah!
+    And all our sisters and cousins and girls
+    Will say "Ain't they darlings?" and "_See_ the pearls!"
+    So we'll all feel gay when
+    The "Yankee" goes sailing home.
+
+    Our patrolling cruise will soon be o'er,
+                    Hurrah! Hurrah!
+    We'll be happy the moment our feet touch shore,
+                    Hurrah! Hurrah!
+    And "Cutlets" and "Hubbub" and all the rest
+    May stick to the calling they're fitted for best,
+    But _we'll_ all feel gay when
+    The "Yankee" goes sailing home.
+
+Even "Bill" was able to find voice enough to shout "Good!" and give
+"Morse" a resounding slap on his wet oilskinned shoulder. The song
+voiced our sentiments exactly, and cheered us a lot. None of us believed
+that "Our patrolling cruise would soon be o'er," however, and hardly a
+man would have taken his discharge had it been offered to him that
+moment. We had put our names to the enlistment papers and had promised
+to serve Uncle Sam on his ship the "Yankee" faithfully. We had gone into
+this thing together, and we would see it through together. Still we
+would "All feel gay when the 'Yankee' goes sailing home."
+
+"That reminds me of a story," began Potter, when "Long Tommy," the
+boatswain's mate of the watch, interrupted with, "Potter, take the
+starboard bridge. I will send a man to relieve you at the end of an
+hour." So Potter went forward to relieve his mate, who had stood an hour
+of lookout duty on the starboard end of the bridge.
+
+He went forward, swaying with the motion of the ship, his oilskin
+trousers making a queer, grating noise as one leg rubbed against the
+other, and "Stump" said, "I'll bet he won't stay with us long; he talks
+too much." A prophetic remark, as future events proved.
+
+The group broke up after this. Some who were not actually on lookout
+duty went into the hot fire room, and after taking off their outer
+clothing, tried to snatch a few winks of sleep. The "watch on deck" was
+not allowed to go below at night, so the only shelter allowed us was the
+fire room and the main companion-way. The latter could hold but a few
+men, and the only alternative was the fire or "drum" room, into which
+the heat and gas from the furnaces ascended from the bowels of the ship,
+making it impossible for a man to breathe the atmosphere there for more
+than half an hour at a time. The after wheel-house was sometimes taken
+advantage of by the more venturesome of the boys, but the risk was
+great, for "Cutlets" was continually prowling around, and the man found
+taking shelter there would receive tongue lashings hard to bear, with
+abuse entirely out of proportion to the offence.
+
+A little before twelve o'clock we heard the boatswain's pipe, and the
+long drawn shout, "On deck all the starboard watch," and "All the
+starboard watch to muster." So we knew that we would soon be relieved,
+and would be able to take the much-needed four hours' sleep in our
+"sleeping bags," as "Hay" called them. The starboard men came slowly up,
+rubbing their eyes, buttoning their oilskins, and tying their
+sou'westers on by a string under their chins as they walked.
+
+"Hurry up there, will you?" calls out a port watch man, as the men of
+the other watch sleepily climb the ladder. "Get a move on and give us a
+chance to get out of this beastly wet." A sharp retort is given, and the
+men move on in the same leisurely way. The men of both watches are
+hardly in the best of humors. It is not pleasant to be waked up at
+midnight to stand a four hours' watch in the rain and fog, nor is it the
+most enjoyable thing in life to be delayed, after standing a four hours'
+watch in the rain, realizing all the time that each minute of waiting
+takes that precious time from the scant four hours' sleep.
+
+But finally "all the watch" is piped, and we go below and flop into our
+hammocks, to sleep as soundly and dreamlessly as babies. A sailor will
+sleep like a dead man through all kinds of noises and calls, but the
+minute his own watch is called he is wide awake in an instant, from
+sheer force of habit.
+
+So when the boatswain's mate went around with his pipe, singing out as
+he dodged in and out among the swinging hammocks, "On deck all the port
+watch," each of us jumped out of his swaying bed and began to climb
+into his damp clothes and stiff "oilers." We then made our way through
+the darkness, often bumping our heads on the bottom of hammocks, and
+earning sleepy but strongly worded rebukes from the occupants; colliding
+with stanchions, and stubbing our toes on ring bolts and hatch covers.
+All arrived at length, formed an unsteady line on the forecastle deck,
+and answered to our names as they were called by the boatswain's mate.
+So began another day's work on one of Uncle Sam's ships.
+
+It was Sunday, and after a while the fog lifted and the sun came out
+strong and clear. All the men who were off duty came on deck to bask in
+the sun, and to get dried and thawed out.
+
+"Steve" poked his uncombed, sleepy head through the "booby" hatch cover.
+"Well, this is something like! If the 'old man' will let us take it easy
+after inspection, I won't think life in the navy is so bad after all."
+
+"Well, inspection and general muster and the reading of the ship's bible
+will take up most of the morning," said gunner's mate "Patt," as he
+emerged from the hatch after "Steve," wiping his grimy hands on a wad of
+waste, for he had been giving the guns a rub. "And if we don't have to
+go chasing an imaginary Spaniard or lug coal from the after hold
+forward, we'll be in luck," he continued.
+
+"What about the 'ship's bible'? What is 'general muster'?" queried half
+a dozen of us.
+
+"Why," said "Patt," "the ship's bible is the book of rules and
+regulations of the United States Navy. It is read once a month to the
+officers and crew of every ship in the navy. The officers and crew will
+be mustered aft--you'll see--the deck force and engineer force on the
+port side, the petty officers on the starboard side forward, the
+commissioned officers on the starboard side aft, and the marines
+athwartships aft. This forms three sides to a square. See?"
+
+"I don't see the use of all this," broke in the irreverent "Kid." "Do we
+have to stand there and have war articles fired at us?"
+
+"That's what, 'Kid,'" replied "Patt," good-naturedly.
+
+"After all hands have taken their places," continued our informant, "the
+'old man' will walk down the galley ladder in that dignified way of his,
+followed by the executive officer. 'Mother Hubbub' will then open the
+blue-covered book that he carries, and read you things that will make
+your hair stand on end and cause you to consider the best wording for
+your last will and testament." "Patt" was very impressive, and we stood
+with open mouths and staring eyes.
+
+"When old 'Hubbub' opens the book, all hands, even the captain, will
+take off their hats and stand at attention. Then the war articles will
+be read to you. You will learn that there are twenty-seven or more
+offences for which you are liable to be shot--such as sleeping on post,
+desertion, disobedience, wilful waste of Government property, and so
+forth; you will be told that divine service is recommended whenever
+possible--in short, you are told that you must be good, and that if you
+are not there will be the deuce to pay. Then the captain will turn to
+'Scully' and say, 'Pipe down,' whereupon 'Scully' and the other bosun's
+mates will blow a trill on their pipes, and all hands will go about
+their business."
+
+So concluded our oracle.
+
+"Gee whiz!" said the "Kid." "I nearly got into trouble the other night,
+for I almost dozed when I was on the buoy. I'm not used to getting along
+on eleven hours' sleep in forty-eight yet," he added, apologetically.
+
+We all looked forward to "general muster" with a good deal of interest,
+and when it occurred, and the captain had inspected our persons,
+clothes, the ship, and mess gear, we decided that "Patt's" description
+fitted exactly, and were duly impressed with its solemnity.
+
+We found to our sorrow that we of Number Eight's crew were not to enjoy
+sunshine undisturbed, but were soon put to work carrying coal in baskets
+from the after hold forward, and dumping it in the bunker chutes.
+
+This work had been going on almost every day, and all day, since we left
+Tompkinsville. The coal was in the after hold and was needed in the
+bunkers forward, so every piece had to be shovelled into bushel baskets,
+hoisted to the gun deck, and carried by hand to the chute leading to the
+port and starboard bunkers. A dirty job it was, that not only blackened
+the men, but covered the deck, the mess gear, the paint work, and even
+the food, with coal dust.
+
+Number Eight's crew had been at this pleasant occupation for about an
+hour, with the cheerful prospect of another hour of the same diversion.
+"Hay" was running the steam winch, "Stump" was pulling the baskets over
+the hatch coaming as they were hauled up by the winch, and the other
+five were carrying.
+
+"Say, this is deadly slow, tiresome work," said "Flagg," who was
+carrying with me. "I'd give almost anything for a little excitement."
+
+The last word had scarcely been uttered when there came the sounds of
+'commotion on deck. A voice cried out in sharp command, the rudder
+chains creaked loudly, the ship heeled over to starboard, and then we
+who were at the open port saw a long, snaky object shoot out from the
+edge of the haze and bear down upon us.
+
+"My heaven!" shouted "Stump," "it's a torpedo boat!"
+
+The commotion on deck had given us some warning, but the sudden dash of
+the long, snaky torpedo boat from out the haze came as a decided shock.
+For one brief moment we of the after port stood as if turned to stone,
+then every man ran to his quarters and stood ready to do his duty. With
+a cry, our second captain sprang to the firing lanyard. Before he could
+grasp it, however, the officer of the division was at his side.
+
+"Stop!" he exclaimed authoritatively.
+
+The interruption was fortunate, for, just then, a swerve of the oncoming
+torpedo boat revealed a small flag flying from the taffrail staff. It
+was the American ensign.
+
+The reaction was great. Forgetting discipline, we crowded about the port
+and laughed and cheered like a lot of schoolboys. Potter, in his joy and
+evident relief, sent his canvas cap sailing through the air. A rebuke,
+not very stern, however, came from the lieutenant in charge of the
+division, and we shuffled back to our stations.
+
+"Cricky! what a sell," exclaimed the second rifleman, grinning. "I was
+sure we had a big job on our hands this time. I'm rather glad it is one
+of our fellows after all."
+
+"I'm not," spoke up young Potter, blusteringly. "What did we come out
+here for, hey? I say it's a confounded shame. We might have had a chance
+to send one of the Spaniards to the bottom."
+
+"It may be a Dago after all," suggested "Bill," glancing from the port.
+"The flag doesn't mean anything. They might be flying Old Glory as a
+_ruse de guerre_. By George! That craft looks just like the 'Pluton.'"
+
+We, who were watching, saw Potter's face lengthen. He peered nervously
+at the rapidly approaching torpedo boat, and then tried to laugh
+unconcernedly.
+
+"You can't 'string' me," he retorted. "That's one of your Uncle Samuel's
+boats all right. See! they are going to hail us."
+
+A bell clanged in the engine room, then the throbbing of the machinery
+slackened to a slow pulsation. The rudder chains rattled in their
+fair-leaders, and presently we were steaming along, with the torpedo
+craft a score of yards off our midships.
+
+On the forward deck of the latter stood two officers clad in the uniform
+of the commissioned service. One placed a speaking trumpet to his lips
+and called out:
+
+"Cruiser ahoy! Is that the 'Yankee'?"
+
+"You have made a good guess," shouted Captain Brownson. "What boat is
+that?"
+
+"'Talbot' from Newport. Any news? Sighted you and thought we would speak
+you."
+
+Our commander assured them that we were in search of news ourselves. The
+"Talbot's" officers saluted and then waved a farewell.
+
+The narrow, low-lying craft spun about in almost her own length, a
+series of quick puffs of dense black smoke came from the funnels, and
+then the haze swallowed up the whole fabric.
+
+We were left to take our discomfiture with what philosophy we could
+muster. When "secure" was sounded we left our guns with a sense of great
+danger averted and a feeling of relief.
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+WE BECOME COAL HEAVERS.
+
+The little strip of North American coast between Delaware Breakwater and
+Block Island is very interesting, and, in places, beautiful. The long
+beaches and bare sand dunes have a solemn beauty all their own.
+
+Though the boys on the "Yankee" took in and appreciated the loveliness
+of this bit of coast, they were getting rather familiar with it and
+somewhat bored. They longed for "pastures new."
+
+Summer had almost begun, but still the fog and rain held sway. The ship
+crept through the night like a big gray ghost--dark, swift, and, except
+in the densest fogs, silent. Pea-coats were an absolute necessity, and
+woolen gloves would have been a great comfort. All this in the blooming,
+beautiful month of May!
+
+One bleak morning the starboard watch was on duty. We of the port watch
+had turned in at four (or, according to ship's time, eight bells). We
+were glad to be between decks, and got under way for the land of Nod
+without delay. It seemed as if we had been asleep but a few minutes,
+when "Scully," chief boatswain's mate, came down the gun deck gangway,
+shouting loud enough to be heard a mile away: "All hands, up all
+hammocks;" then, as the disposition to get up was not very evident,
+"Show a leg there; ham and eggs for breakfast." This last was a little
+pleasantry that never materialized into the much-coveted and long
+abstained from delicacy.
+
+The hammocks were lashed up and stowed away in the "nettings," as the
+lattice-like receptacles are called, leaving the deck clear for the work
+of the day.
+
+Mess gear for the "watch below" had just been piped, and we were glad;
+even the thought of burnt oatmeal and coffee without milk was pleasant
+to us.
+
+The ports were closed and the gun deck was dark and dismal. The fog
+oozed in through every crack and cranny, and all was very unpleasant.
+
+Of a sudden there was a sharp reverberation that sounded so much like
+the report of a big gun that all hands jumped.
+
+The course of the ship was changed, and the jingle bell sounded. The
+"Yankee" forged on at full speed in the direction from which the sound
+had come.
+
+We all stood in expectant attitudes, listening for another report. We
+had about made up our minds that our ears had deceived us, when another
+explosion, louder and nearer than the first, reached us.
+
+On we rushed--toward what we knew not--through a fog so thick that the
+water could be seen but dimly from the spar deck.
+
+The suspense was hard to bear, and the desire to do something almost
+irresistible. The men unconsciously took their regular stations for
+action, the guns' crews gathered round their guns, the powder divisions
+in the neighborhood of the ammunition hoists.
+
+"I wish Potter was here," said "Stump." "I rather think he would be
+white around the gills. This sort of business would give him a bad case
+of 'cold feet.'"
+
+"Oh, he had 'cold feet' a few days after we left New York, and wrote to
+his friends to get his discharge," said "Bill." "Got it and quit two
+weeks after we left New York, the duffer," added "Hay."
+
+The "Yankee" still steamed on into the bank of fog.
+
+"Cupid," the ship's bugler, began to play the call for general
+quarters, but was stopped by a sharp command from the bridge.
+
+What was it all about? Was it to be tragedy or farce?
+
+Then Scully came down the starboard gangway, a broad smile on his ruddy
+face.
+
+A clamoring group gathered round him instantly. "What is it?" "Is the
+'old man' playing a joke on us?" "Do you suppose Cervera has got over to
+this side?" "Scully," overwhelmed with questions, put up his hands
+protestingly.
+
+"No, no; none of those things," said he. "What do you suppose we have
+been doing for the last twenty minutes?"
+
+We confessed we did not know.
+
+"Chasing thunder claps--nothing more nor less than thunder claps! And
+we'll see nothing worse on this coast," he added sententiously, as soon
+as he could get his breath.
+
+The wind rose, and while it blew away the fog in part, it kicked up a
+nasty sea, in which the "Yankee" wallowed for hours, waiting for the fog
+to clear enough to make the channel and enter New York harbor. It seemed
+we had been heading for New York, and we did not know it. It was not the
+custom aboard that hooker to give the men any information.
+
+[Illustration: "THE 'YANKEE' DROPPED HER ANCHOR OFF TOMPKINSVILLE"]
+
+When we learned for sure that we were bound for New York, our joy was
+beyond measure.
+
+Shore leave was the chief topic of conversation. And every man not on
+duty went down into his black bag, fished out his clean blues, and set
+to work sewing on watch marks and cap ribbons. For Jack must be neat and
+clean when he goes ashore.
+
+The mud-hook was dropped in the bay off Tompkinsville, Thursday, May
+26th, seventeen days after we left the navy yard. It seemed seventeen
+months.
+
+An "anchor watch" of sixteen men was set for the night, and most of us
+turned in early to enjoy the first good sleep for many weary days.
+
+All hands were turned out at five o'clock. We woke to find a big coal
+barge on either side of the ship.
+
+After breakfast the order "turn to" was given. "All hands coal ship,
+starboard watch on the starboard lighter, port watch on the port
+lighter." From seven o'clock in the morning till twelve o'clock that
+night, the crew of the "Yankee"--aforetime lawyers, physicians, literary
+men, brokers, merchants, students, and clerks--men who had never done
+any harder work than play football, or row in a shell--coaled ship
+without any rest, other than the three half hours at meal times. About
+the hardest, dirtiest work a man could do.
+
+The navy style of coaling is different from that customary in the
+merchant service. In the latter, the dirty work is done in the quickest,
+easiest way possible. The ship is taken to a coal wharf and the coal is
+slid down in chutes, or barges are run alongside and great buckets,
+hoisted by steam, swing the black lumps into the hold or bunker.
+
+The navy style, as practised on the "Yankee," was quite different. The
+barges were brought alongside, the men divided into gangs--some to go in
+the hold of the barge, some to go on the platforms, some to carry on the
+ship herself. The barge gang shovelled the coal into bushel baskets;
+these were carried to the men on the stages; and the latter passed them
+from one to the other, to the gun deck; finally, the gang on the vessel
+carried the baskets to the bunker holes, and dumped them. The ship was
+well provided with hoisting machines, but, for some reason, this help
+was not permitted us.
+
+It was a long, inexpressibly dreary day's work, and though undertaken
+cheerfully and with less complaining than would have been believed
+possible, the drudgery of it was a thing not easily forgotten. Before
+the day had ended, all hope of getting ashore was lost, for we were
+told that no liberty would be given.
+
+The following day and half of our stay in New York harbor was spent in
+the same way--shovelling, lifting, and carrying coal. The eyes of many
+of us were gladdened by the sight of friends and relatives, who were
+allowed aboard when mess gear was piped, and put off when "turn to"
+sounded. We were pleased to see our friends, but our friends, on the
+contrary, seemed shocked to see us. One dainty girl came aboard, and, as
+she came up the gangway, asked for a forecastle man. The word was passed
+for him. He had just finished his stint of coaling, and was as black as
+a negro. In his haste to see his sister, he neglected to clean up, and
+appeared before her in his coal heaver's make-up.
+
+"You, Will? I won't believe it! I won't, I won't, I won't!" And for a
+second she covered her face with her hands. Then she picked out the
+cleanest spot on his grimy countenance and kissed him there, while we
+looked on in envy.
+
+The "Yankee" at last receiving orders to sail for the front, left
+Tompkinsville May 29th. We passed out of the Narrows with a feeling of
+relief. The work we had just finished was the hardest we had ever
+experienced. It was particularly tantalizing because we were almost in
+sight of our homes, but could not visit them. A starving man suffers
+more from hunger if pleasant food is placed within sight, but beyond his
+reach.
+
+However, we were to go to the front at last, and we rejoiced at the
+prospect of being really useful to our country.
+
+The following day, Decoration Day, dawned pleasantly, both wind and
+weather being all that could be desired.
+
+Directly after dinner we were sent to quarters for target practice. The
+target was dropped astern, and the ship steamed ahead to the required
+distance. Word was given to the marines manning the six-pounders to
+prove their skill.
+
+The port forecastle six-pounder, using a shell containing cordite, a
+powerful English explosive, was in charge of a marine corporal named
+J.J. Murray, who acted as captain of the gun. After firing several
+rounds with marked success, Murray saw that the gun was loaded for
+another trial.
+
+Standing at the breech, he steadied the gun with his left arm and
+shoulder, seized the pistol-grip, placed his finger on the trigger, and
+then slowly and carefully brought the target within the sighting line in
+readiness to fire.
+
+The other members of the gun's crew were at their proper stations.
+Numbers 2 and 3, respectively second captain and first loader and
+shellman, were directly behind the corporal. They saw him steady the
+piece again, take another careful aim, then noted that his finger gave a
+quick tug at the trigger.
+
+The result was a dull click but no explosion.
+
+The corporal stepped back from his place in vexation. He had succeeded
+in getting a fine "bead" just as the cartridge failed.
+
+"Blast the English ammunition!" he exclaimed. "It's no good."
+
+The other men at the gun nodded approval. Their experience bore out the
+corporal's assertion. They also knew that the cordite cartridges were
+not adapted to American guns, and should not have been used. But they
+were marines and they were accustomed to obey orders without comment.
+
+Captain Brownson had noticed the incident and he sent word to delay
+opening the breechblock until all danger of explosion had passed. After
+waiting some time, Corporal Murray proceeded to extract the shell. He
+took his place at the breech, while No. 2 unlocked the plug and swung it
+open.
+
+"Now we'll see what is the matter," he began. "I guess it is another
+case of--"
+
+He never finished the sentence. With a frightful roar the defective
+cartridge exploded, sending fragments of shell and parts of the
+breech-block into the corporal's face and chest. He was hurled with
+terrific force to the deck, where he lay motionless, mortally wounded.
+
+Numbers 2 and 3 of the unfortunate gun's crew did not escape, the former
+being struck down with the hand lever, which penetrated his arm. The
+injured men received prompt attention from the surgeon and his
+assistants, but Corporal Murray was beyond mortal aid. He died ten
+minutes after the accident.
+
+He was a good soldier, jolly and light-hearted, and a great favorite
+with the crew. The peculiar feeling of antagonism which is supposed to
+exist between the sailors and marines did not obtain in his case.
+
+In the navy the hammock which serves the living as a bed by night is
+also their coffin and their shroud. It so served Corporal Murray.
+
+[Illustration: "WITH A FRIGHTFUL ROAR THE DEFECTIVE CARTRIDGE EXPLODED"]
+
+Shortly after four bells (six o'clock) on the evening of the day on
+which the accident occurred, the boatswain's mate sent the shrill piping
+of his whistle echoing through the ship, following it with the words,
+doleful and long drawn out:
+
+"All hands shift-ft-ft into clean-n-n blue and stand by to bury the
+dead-d-d!"
+
+When the crew assembled on the gun deck in obedience to the call, the
+sun was just disappearing beyond the edge of the distant horizon. Its
+last rays entered the open port, showing to us the dead man's figure
+outlined under an American flag. The body had been placed upon a grating
+in front of an open port, and several men were stationed close by in
+readiness to launch it into the sea.
+
+The ceaseless swaying of the ship in the trough of the sea, the engines
+having been stopped, set the lines of blue uniformed men swinging and
+nodding, and, as the surgeon, Dr. McGowan, read the Episcopal service,
+it seemed in the half light as if every man were keeping time with the
+cadence.
+
+The words of the service, beautiful and impressive under such novel
+circumstances, echoed and whispered along the deck, and at the sentence,
+"We commit this body to the deep," the grating was raised gently and,
+with a peculiar _swish_, the body, heavily weighted, slid down to the
+water's edge and plunged sullenly into the sea. A moment more and the
+service was finished, the bugler sounding "pipe down." A salute, three
+times repeated, was fired by sixteen men of the marine guard.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The voyage down the coast was utilized in making good men-o'-war's men
+of the "Yankee's" crew. Captain Brownson believes thoroughly in the
+efficacy of drill, and he lost no time in living up to his belief. When
+all the circumstances are taken into consideration, the task allotted to
+the captain of the "Yankee" by the fortunes of war, was both peculiar
+and difficult.
+
+On his return from Europe, where he had been sent to select vessels for
+the improvised navy, he was ordered by the Navy Department at Washington
+to take command of the auxiliary cruiser "Yankee." This meant that he
+was to assume charge of a ship hastily converted from an ordinary
+merchant steamer, and to fight the battles of his country with a crew
+composed of youths and men whose whole life and training had hitherto
+followed totally different lines.
+
+It was a "licking of raw material into shape" with a vengeance.
+
+When the "Chesapeake" sailed forth to fight her disastrous battle with
+the British ship "Shannon," her crew was made up of men untrained in
+the art of war. The result was the most humiliating naval defeat in the
+history of the United States. The same fate threatened Captain Brownson.
+There was this difference in the cases, however. The "Chesapeake" had
+little time for drilling, while the "Yankee" was fully six weeks in
+commission before her first shot was fired in action. Every minute of
+those six weeks was utilized.
+
+During the trip down the coast from New York general quarters were held
+each day, and target practice whenever the weather permitted. In
+addition to these drills the crew was exercised in man and arm boats,
+abandon ship, fire drill, infantry drill, and the many exercises
+provided by the naval regulations. Before the "Yankee" had been in the
+Gulf Stream two days, the various guns' crews were almost letter-perfect
+at battery work. As it happened, the value of good drilling was soon to
+be demonstrated.
+
+As we neared Cuba, the theatre of our hopes and expectations, we were
+scarcely able to control ourselves. The bare possibility of seeing real
+war within a few days made every man the victim of a consuming
+impatience. Rumors of every description were rife, and the many weird
+and impossible tales invented by the ship's cook and the captain's
+steward--the men-o'-war oracles--would have put even Baron Munchausen to
+the blush.
+
+The Rumor Committee, otherwise known as the "Scuttle-butt Navigators,"
+to which every man on board was elected a life member the moment he
+promulgated a rumor, was soon actively engaged, and it was definitely
+settled that the "Yankee" was to become the flagship of the whole fleet,
+our captain made Lord High Admiral, and the whole Spanish nation swept
+off the face of the globe, in about thirteen and a half seconds by the
+chronometer.
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+WE ENTER THE "THEATRE OF WAR."
+
+The shrill pipe of the bosun's whistle, followed by the order "All hands
+to muster," reached our ears a day or two out from New York. We were
+enjoying an hour of well-earned leisure, so it was with reluctance that
+we obeyed and went aft on the gun deck. All hands are seldom called to
+muster, so we knew that something of importance was in the wind.
+
+After the three-sided hollow square had been formed, the captain
+appeared. The small men stood on tip-toe, and the tall men craned their
+necks.
+
+"We are about to enter the theatre of war," said the captain, in his
+sharp, decisive way, "and I expect every man to do his duty, to redouble
+his efforts to preserve discipline, to perfect drills. Drills will, of a
+necessity, be frequent and hard. I would have you understand that our
+best protection is the fire from our own guns. The more rapid and
+accurate our fire, the safer we shall be. Pipe down."
+
+After we had been dismissed, the men formed little groups and discussed
+the captain's speech.
+
+"I like the 'old man's' talk," said the "Kid," condescendingly; "it's to
+the point and short. But how in the name of common sense are we going to
+find time to drill with more frequency? Three times a day and once or
+more at night, allows us just about time enough to eat and do the
+necessary routine work, to say nothing about sleeping. Clear ship,
+general quarters, and fire drill during the day, and general quarters
+after ten last night. That's already somewhat frequent, methinks," he
+concluded, suppressing a yawn.
+
+"Well, if we are to have any scraps," said "Bill," "we certainly must
+know how to work the ship and the guns. For, as the skipper said, 'our
+own fire is our best protection.'"
+
+We bowled along at a good fifteen-knot gait, day after day and night
+after night. The weather was magnificent and the climate delightful. It
+was full moon, and such a moon as few of us had seen before--so bright
+that letters could be and were written by her silvery light.
+
+Though drills of all sorts were of constant occurrence, there were times
+after mess when we could "caulk off" and enjoy the glorious weather.
+Our experience of bad weather along the coast of New Jersey and Long
+Island had given us keen zest for the good conditions we were now
+enjoying. We were sailing along in the warm waters of the Gulf
+Stream--the Gulf weed peculiar to that current slipping by as we forged
+through it. "Stump," "Dye," of Number Eight's gun crew, a witty chap and
+a good singer, "Hay," and I were leaning over the taffrail, looking into
+the swirling water made by the propeller's thrust, when "Dye" remarked:
+"This is the queerest water I ever saw in all my days; it looks like the
+bluing water our laundress used to make, with the suds mixed in."
+
+The smooth sea was dark and clear as could be, but where churned by the
+propeller it turned to the color of turquoise.
+
+"I really believe," said "Bill," as he joined the group, "that we could
+use it to turn our whites blue."
+
+It was a delight and marvel to us all; we would have liked nothing
+better than to have spent hours gazing at these wonderful colors.
+
+As we stood absorbed in the sight before us, we were interrupted by the
+short, sharp ringing of the ship's bell--a dozen or more strokes given
+in quick succession followed, after a short pause, by two more strokes.
+
+Some one shouted "Fire, boys!" and all hands rushed for their
+stations--some to the hose-reel, some below to the gun deck to close the
+ports, and some to the berth deck to receive the hose when it came down.
+We did not know whether it was drill or actual fire, but the skipper's
+talk of the night before gave us unusual energy, and the preparations
+were made in record time. The canvas hose was pulled along the deck with
+a swish, the nozzle grasped by the waiting hands below and carried with
+a run away aft on the berth deck. The fire was supposed to be raging at
+this point, as was indicated by the two last strokes of the alarm
+signal.
+
+While the hose was being led out, sturdy arms tugged at the port
+lanyards and pulled them to. Others battened down the hatches, to keep
+the draught from adding fury to the flames.
+
+All this was done in less time than it takes to tell it, and the men
+stood at their posts, perspiring and panting from the quick work.
+
+We had hardly time to catch our breath when the order "Abandon ship" was
+heard. Immediately there was a scurry of feet, and a rush for the upper
+deck; but some stayed below to carry ship's bread and canned meats to
+the boats--two cases of bread and two cases of meat for the large boats,
+and one case of each for the smaller. The crews and passengers of each
+boat gathered near it. Every man had been assigned to a boat either as
+crew or passenger, and when the order "abandon ship" was given, every
+one knew instantly where to go for refuge.
+
+Though we had already gone through this "fire drill" and "abandon ship"
+(one always followed the other), it had then been done in peaceful
+waters and in a perfunctory way. Now that we were entering "the theatre
+of war," we felt the seriousness of it all, and realized that what was
+now a mere drill might become a stern reality.
+
+The order "Secure" was given; the hose was reeled up, the ports opened,
+and the provisions returned to their places in hold and store room. The
+men went to their quarters, and so stood till the bugler blew "retreat."
+
+The time not devoted to drills was taken up in getting the ship ready
+for the serious work she was to undertake.
+
+All woodwork on the gun deck not in actual use was carried below or
+thrown overboard, and the great cargo booms were either taken down and
+stowed safely away, where the splinters would not be dangerous, or were
+covered with, canvas.
+
+These preparations had a sinister look that made us realize, if we had
+not done so before, that this was real war that we were about to engage
+in--no sham battle or manoeuvres.
+
+The men went about their work more quietly and thoughtfully, for one and
+all now understood their responsibilities. If the ship made a record for
+herself, the crew would get a large share of the credit; and if she
+failed to do the work cut out for her, on the crew would be laid the
+blame. If the men behind the guns and the men running the engines did
+not do their work rapidly and well, disaster and disgrace would follow.
+
+As we neared the scene of conflict, the discipline grew more and more
+strict. Before a man realized that he had done anything wrong, his name
+would be called by the master-at-arms and he would be hauled "up to the
+mast" for trial.
+
+"You ought to see the gang up at the mast," said "Stump," one bright
+afternoon. "'Mac' and 'Hod Marsh' have gathered enough extra duty men to
+do all the dirty work for a month."
+
+"What were you doing up there?" asked a bystander.
+
+"Why, I thought I heard my name called, and as discretion is the better
+part of valor, I lined up with the rest, and I was glad I did, too, for
+it was good sport."
+
+"Maybe you thought it was sport, but how about the chaps that were
+'pinched'? Who was up before the skipper, anyhow?"
+
+"Oh, there was a big gang up there--I can't remember them all; 'Lucky
+Bag Kennedy' was there, for being late at general quarters the other
+day. When the captain looked at him in that fierce way of his and asked
+what he had to say for himself, 'Lucky Bag' said he didn't realize the
+time. The skipper could hardly keep his face straight. 'Four hours,' he
+said, and that was all there was to it."
+
+"Poor 'Lucky Bag,'" came from all sides as "Stump" paused to take
+breath.
+
+"Then there was 'Big Bill,' the water tender," continued "Stump." "He
+was hauled up for appearing on the spar deck without a uniform. When the
+skipper asked him what he had to say for himself, 'Big Bill' cleared his
+throat with a _woof_--you know how it sounds: the ship shakes and
+trembles when he does it--and the 'old man' fairly tottered under the
+blast. 'Big Bill' explained that he could not get a uniform big enough
+for him, because the paymaster could not fit him out. The captain
+almost grinned when he heard the excuse, and 'Big Bill'--well, he
+enjoyed the situation, I'll bet a month's pay."
+
+There was a little pause here, and we heard a great voice rumbling from
+below. Then we knew that "Big Bill" was telling his intimates all about
+it, embellishing the story as only he could do.
+
+We laughed sympathetically as the shouts of glee rose to our ears. We
+had all enjoyed his good-humored Irish wit.
+
+"Well, who else was in trouble this afternoon, 'Stump'?" said "Mourner,"
+the inquisitive.
+
+"Oh, a lot of unfortunate duffers. Several who were put on the report
+for being slow in lashing up their hammocks got a couple of hours extra
+duty each. One or two were there because they had clothes in the 'lucky
+bag'--they had left them round the decks somewhere, and the
+master-at-arms had grabbed them. The owners had to go on the report to
+get the clothes out. It cost them a couple of hours each."
+
+"Well, how did you get out of it?" said I, when "Stump" paused to
+breathe.
+
+"I was nearly scared to death," he continued, after a minute or two. "My
+name was not called, and the rank thinned out till there were only a
+few of us left. I began to think that some special punishment was being
+reserved for me, and that the captain was waiting so he could think it
+over. What my offence was I could not imagine; my conscience was clear,
+I vow. As I stood there in the sun I thought over the last few days, and
+made a confession to myself, but couldn't think of anything very wicked.
+Had I unintentionally blocked a marine sentry's way and thus interfered
+with him in the performance of his duty? I had visions at this point of
+myself in the 'brig,' existing on bread and water. Had I inadvertently
+gone into 'Cutlet's' pet after wheel-house? I was in a brown study,
+conjuring up imaginary misdeeds, when a voice sounded in my ear: 'Here,
+my man; what do you want?' I looked around, dazed, at the captain, who
+stood by, the closed report book in his hand. Then I realized that my
+being there was a mistake, so I saluted and said, 'Nothing, sir.'"
+
+"That's a very nice tale," said "Dye." "We'll have to get 'Mac' to
+verify it."
+
+"It's straight," protested "Stump." "Ask the skipper himself if you want
+to."
+
+The old boat ploughed her way through the blue waters of the Gulf Stream
+at the rate of from fourteen to fifteen knots an hour. The skies were
+clear and the sun warm and bright--cool breeze tempered its heat and
+made life bearable. The ship rolled lazily in the long swell and the
+turquoise wake boiled astern. We steamed for days without sighting a
+sail or a light; we were "alone on a wide, wide sea." At times schools
+of dolphins would race and shoot up out of the water alongside, much to
+our glee. All the beauties of these tropical waters were new to us.
+Every school of flying fish and flock of Mother Carey's chickens brought
+crowds to the rail. The sunsets were glorious, though all too short, and
+the sunrises, if less appreciated, just as fine.
+
+At night the guns' crews of the "watch on deck" slept round their loaded
+guns, one man of each crew always standing guard. The men of the powder
+divisions manned the lookout posts.
+
+All hands were in good spirits, calmed somewhat, however, by the thought
+that soon we might be in the thick of battle, the outcome of which no
+man could tell.
+
+It was during this voyage that friendships, begun on the Block
+Island-Barnegat cruise, were cemented. The life aboard ship tended to
+"show up" a man as he really was. His good and bad qualities appeared so
+that all might see. Was he good-natured, even-tempered, thoughtful, his
+mates knew it at once and liked him. Was he quick-tempered, selfish,
+uncompanionable, it was quite as evident, and he had few friends.
+Sterling and unsuspected qualities were brought out in many of the men.
+
+Every man felt that we must and would stand together, and with a will do
+our work, be it peaceful or warlike.
+
+Where were we bound? Were we to join the Havana blockading fleet? Were
+we destined for despatch and scout duty? Or were we to take part in
+actual conflict?
+
+It was while we were settling these questions to our own satisfaction on
+the morning of June 2d, that a hail came from the lookout at the
+masthead forward.
+
+"Land O!" he shouted, waving his cap. "Hurray! it's Cuba!"
+
+The navigator, whose rightful surname had been converted by the
+facetious Naval Reserves into "Cutlets," for reasons of their own, lost
+no time in rebuking the too enthusiastic lookout.
+
+"Aloft, there, you measly lubber! What in thunder do you mean? Have you
+sighted land?"
+
+"Ye-es, sir-r," quavered the lookout.
+
+"Then why don't you say so without adding any conjectures of your own?"
+commented the irascible Lieutenant "Cutlets," severely.
+
+The rest of the crew were too deeply interested in the vague streak of
+color on the horizon to pay any attention to the "wigging" of the man at
+the masthead. We knew that the dun-hued streak rising from the blue
+shadows of the ocean was Cuba, and we could think or talk of nothing
+else.
+
+Somewhere beyond that towering mountain was Santiago, the port in which
+the flea-like squadron of Admiral Cervera was bottled up, and there was
+a deadly fear in our hearts that the wily Spaniard would sally forth to
+battle before we could join our fleet.
+
+We pictured to ourselves the gray mountain massed high about the narrow
+entrance of Santiago Bay, the picturesque Morro Castle, squatting like a
+grim giant above the strait, and outside, tossing and bobbing upon the
+swell of a restless sea, the mighty semicircle of drab ships waiting,
+yearning for the outcoming of the Dons. We of the "Yankee," I repeat,
+were in an agony of dread that we would arrive too late.
+
+Cape Maysi, the scene of many an adventurous filibustering expedition,
+was passed at high noon, and at eight bells in the evening the anchor
+was dropped off Mole St. Nicholas, a convenient port in the island of
+Hayti. As we steamed into the harbor we passed close to the auxiliary
+cruiser "St. Louis."
+
+The anchor was scarcely on the bottom when the gig was called away. We
+awaited the return of Captain Brownson with impatience. The news he
+brought was reassuring, however. Nothing of moment had occurred since
+our departure from New York. Within an hour we were again out at sea,
+this time en route to Santiago.
+
+There was little sleep on board that night, and when morning dawned,
+every man who could escape from below was on deck watching, waiting for
+the first glimpse of Admiral Sampson's fleet. Shortly after daylight,
+the squadron was sighted. The scene was picturesque in the extreme.
+
+The gray of early dawn was just giving way before the first rays of a
+tropical sun. Almost hidden in the mist hovering about the coast were a
+number of vague spots seemingly arranged in a semicircle, the base of
+which was the green-covered tableland fronting Santiago. The spots were
+tossing idly upon a restless sea, and, as the sun rose higher, each
+gradually assumed the shape of a marine engine of war. Beyond them was
+a stretch of sandy, surf-beaten coast, and directly fronting the centre
+ship could be seen a narrow cleft in the hill--the gateway leading to
+the ancient city of Santiago de Cuba.
+
+As we steamed in closer to the fleet we saw indications that something
+of importance had occurred or was about to occur. Steam launches and
+torpedo boats were dashing about between the ships, strings of
+parti-colored bunting flaunted from the signal halliards of the flagship
+"New York," and nearer shore could be seen one of the smaller cruisers
+evidently making a reconnaissance.
+
+"We are just in time, Russ," exclaimed "Stump," jubilantly. "The fleet
+is getting ready for a scrap. And we'll be right in it."
+
+I edged toward the bridge. The first news would come from that quarter.
+Several minutes later, Captain Brownson, who had been watching the
+signals with a powerful glass, closed the instrument with a snap, and
+cried out to the executive officer:
+
+"Hubbard, you will never believe it."
+
+"What's happened?"
+
+The reply was given so low that I could catch only a few words, but it
+was enough to send me scurrying aft at the top of my speed. The news was
+startling indeed.
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+WE JOIN SAMPSON'S FLEET.
+
+As the "Yankee" steamed in toward the blockading fleet off the entrance
+to Santiago harbor, the scurrying torpedo boats and the many little
+launches darting here and there like so many beetles on a pond, became
+more apparent, and it was plainly evident to all that something of great
+importance had recently happened.
+
+The scattered remarks made by Captain Brownson on the bridge formed,
+when pieced together, such a wonderful bit of news that I could scarcely
+contain myself as I hurried aft. I wanted to stop and fling my cap into
+the air. I felt like dancing a jig and hurrahing and offering praise for
+the fact that I was an American.
+
+As it happened, I was not the only member of the "Yankee's" crew that
+had overheard the "old man's" words. The second captain of the after
+port five-inch gun, a jolly good fellow, known familiarly as "Hay" by
+the boys, chanced to be under the bridge. As I raced aft on the port
+side he started in the same direction on the starboard side of the spar
+deck. His legs fairly twinkled, and he beat me to the gangway by a neck.
+
+"What do you think?" I heard him gasp as I came up. "Talk of your
+heroes! Whoop! Say, I'm glad I am a son of that old flag aft there. It's
+the greatest thing that ever happened."
+
+"What?" chorused a dozen voices.
+
+"Last night--"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"Last night a volunteer crew--"
+
+"Hurry up, will you?"
+
+"Last night, or rather early this morning, a volunteer crew, under the
+command of a naval constructor named Hobson, took the collier 'Merrimac'
+into the mouth of the harbor and--"
+
+"That old tub?" interrupted a marine who had served in the regular navy,
+incredulously. "Why, she's nothing but a hulk. She hasn't a gun or--"
+
+"She didn't go in to fight," said "Hay." "They were to block up the
+channel with her."
+
+"To block up the channel?"
+
+"Yes. Cervera and his fleet are in the harbor, you know, and the scheme
+was to keep them from coming out."
+
+"Did they succeed?" chorused the whole group of eager listeners.
+
+"Yes, but----"
+
+The conclusion of "Hay's" sentence was drowned in a wild whoop of joy, a
+whoop that brought a number of other "Yankees" to the spot, and also a
+gesture of remonstrance from the executive officer on the bridge.
+
+"Wait, boys," I said, gently; "you haven't heard all."
+
+There was quiet at once.
+
+"Hobson and his brave men succeeded in accomplishing their object, but
+they have paid the penalty for it."
+
+"Not dead?" asked one in almost a whisper.
+
+"So the captain read the signals. The 'Merrimac' went in about three
+o'clock this morning. It seems she reached the channel all right, but
+she was discovered and sent to the bottom with all on board."
+
+"Hay" took off his cap reverently, and the others instantly followed his
+example. Nothing more was said. The glory of the deed was overshadowed
+by the supposed fate of the gallant volunteer crew.
+
+The "Yankee" steamed in to a position designated by the flagship, and
+the captain went aboard to pay his respects to Admiral Sampson. A
+Spanish tug, flying a flag of truce, which had emerged from the harbor
+at noon, met one of our tugs, also flying a flag of truce, and almost
+immediately a string of signals went up to the signal yard of the "New
+York."
+
+Then came such a burst of cheers and whistling and tossing of hats from
+every ship in the fleet that it seemed as if every officer and sailor in
+Sampson's squadron had suddenly gone daft. Like wildfire, the glorious
+news spread--
+
+Hobson and his men were safe!
+
+The tug from the harbor had brought an officer sent by Admiral Cervera
+himself with a message stating that the brave naval constructor and all
+his crew had been captured alive and were now prisoners in Morro Castle.
+Later, a press boat came alongside and confirmed the news through a
+megaphone.
+
+The excitement on board the "Yankee," like that throughout the fleet,
+was tremendous. Those in the North who had received both the news of the
+feat and the rescue at the same time, can hardly understand the
+revulsion of feeling which swept through the American ships gathered
+off Santiago. It was like hearing from a supposed dead friend.
+
+These heroes were comrades--nay, brothers. They wore the blue and they
+were fighting for Old Glory. Their praise was ours and their deed
+redounded to the eternal credit and fame of the American navy. Small
+wonder that we welcomed the news of their safety, and cheered until our
+throats were husky and our eyes wet with something more than mere
+exertion.
+
+All hail to Richmond Pearson Hobson and his men!
+
+Heroes all!
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+During the afternoon of our arrival, when we finally secured time to
+look about us, we were struck with the appearance of the really
+formidable fleet of warships collected under Admiral Sampson's flag. For
+size of individual ships and weight of armor and armament, there had
+never been anything in the history of the United States to equal it.
+
+The fleet consisted of the powerful battleships "Iowa," "Indiana,"
+"Massachusetts," and "Texas," the two splendid armored cruisers "New
+York" and "Brooklyn," cruisers "New Orleans" and "Marblehead," converted
+yachts "Mayflower," "Josephine," and "Vixen," torpedo boat "Porter,"
+cable boat "Adria," gunboat "Dolphin," and the auxiliary cruisers "St.
+Louis" and "Yankee."
+
+The vessels formed a semicircular line, completely enclosing the
+entrance to Santiago harbor. From where the "Yankee" rested, on the
+right wing, a fine view of the coast could be obtained. Two insurgent
+camps were plainly visible--one on the beach and another in the hills,
+which at that point rose to the height of fully four thousand feet.
+Morro Castle, a grim, sullen, gray embattled fort, directly overlooking
+the channel, was in plain sight, and here and there could be seen little
+green or sand-colored mounds, marking the site of earthworks.
+
+The stretch of blue sea, edged by the tumbling surf-beaten beach, and
+the uprising of foliage-covered hills, all brought out clearly by a
+tropical sun, formed a picture as far removed from the usual setting of
+war as could be. But war was there, and the scenery appealed to few.
+There was more interest in the drab hulls of the fleet and the outward
+reaching of the mighty guns.
+
+That evening--the evening of June 3d--the "Yankee's" decks presented an
+animated spectacle. The novel surroundings and the prospect of action
+kept the boys interested. The "Rumor Committee" was in active session,
+and one of its principal members, the captain's orderly, brought the
+news forward that the auxiliary cruiser would surely lead a procession
+of battleships into Santiago harbor the following day.
+
+This was a little too strong for even the marines to swallow. We lay
+down by our loaded guns that night, feeling that it was well to be
+within easy reach of our defenders.
+
+Hammocks were laid on the deck close to each five-inch breechloader, and
+the regular watch was doubled. Lack of experience made all these warlike
+preparations very impressive, and it was some time before the boys fell
+asleep. For my part, such a restlessness possessed me that, after trying
+to woo slumber for a half hour, I left my place and crawled over nearer
+the open port.
+
+"Hello, Russ," whispered a voice, apparently from the outside. "Just
+lean out here if you want to cool off. Isn't the night air fine?"
+
+A small figure wriggled in from where it had been hanging over the port
+sill, and in the faint light I recognized "Kid," as we called him, the
+smallest boy on board, and so pleasant and popular that we had
+unanimously elected him the mascot of the ship.
+
+I was glad to see that it was "Kid." His fund of ready wit and his
+never-failing good-nature made him a welcome companion at all times. He
+did not belong to my gun, being a "powder monkey" on No. 16, a
+six-pounder on the spar deck, but "Kid" was privileged, and he could
+have penetrated to the captain's cabin with impunity.
+
+"Thought I'd drop down here for a rest," he began, stretching himself
+and yawning. "Too much tramping about on deck to sleep. Say, looks as if
+we were going to have a little rain, doesn't it?"
+
+The moon had just passed behind a scurrying cloud, causing the silvery
+sparkle of its reflection to suddenly fade from the surface of the
+water. The lights and shadows on the nearby beach changed to a streaky
+dark smudge. There was a damp touch to the air.
+
+"This would be a proper night for one of those sneaking torpedo boats to
+give us a scare," resumed "Kid," thoughtfully. "Funny ways of fighting
+those Dagoes have, eh? It's like prisoner's base that I played when I
+was a boy."
+
+"Kid's" eighteen years were a mature age in his opinion.
+
+"The two torpedo craft in Santiago harbor could do a great deal of
+damage if they were properly handled," I ventured. "They are
+magnificent vessels of their class. Look what Cushing did with a slow
+steam launch and a powder can on the end of a stick."
+
+"The case was different."
+
+"Yes, but----"
+
+"Cushing was an American," interrupted the boy convincingly.
+
+There was silence for awhile and we lolled in the port, gazing idly at
+the black spots in the gloom representing the blockading fleet. Between
+us and the shore was the "New Orleans," the faint tracery of her masts
+just showing above the distant background of the hills. The dampness in
+the air had increased, and a dash of rain came in the open port.
+
+"What were you doing at the mast this morning, 'Kid'?" I asked by way of
+variety.
+
+"Had a mustering shirt in the lucky bag."
+
+I heard the boy chuckle. There was an escapade behind the remark.
+
+"You know that wardroom Jap with the bad eye?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"It was his shirt."
+
+"But how----"
+
+"It was this way. You know how hard it has been to put up with
+'government straight' as a steady diet, don't you?"
+
+I nodded. As "government straight" meant the extremely simple bill of
+fare provided by Uncle Sam, consisting of salt beef, pork, hardtack,
+beans, and canned butter, with an occasional taste of dried fruit, I was
+compelled to admit my acquaintance with it.
+
+"Well, the other night I got to dreaming that I was back in New York,"
+resumed "Kid." "I dreamt I dropped into a bang-up restaurant and ordered
+beefsteak, fried potatoes, pie, and----"
+
+A groan came from one of the gun's crew, who was within hearing, and
+"Kid" lowered his voice.
+
+"Hit him where he lived, I guess," he chuckled. "Well, I woke up so
+hungry that I couldn't stand it any longer. I looked up the Jap and
+struck him for a hand-out. He wanted a shirt, and I wanted something to
+eat, and we made a bargain. I brought him my extra mustering shirt--it
+was too large for me, anyway--and he gave me some bread and butter, cold
+potted tongue, three bananas, and----"
+
+"For mercy's sake, stow that," muttered a voice from back of the
+gun-mount. "Don't we suffer enough?"
+
+"That's 'Hand-Out' Hood," grinned "Kid." "He's kicking because he didn't
+get it. Well, I gave the shirt to the Jap, and what did he do but lose
+it. My name was on the collar, and 'Jimmy Legs' put me on the report.
+The 'old man' was easy, though. Gave me four hours extra duty. I asked
+him if I couldn't work it out in the wardroom pantry."
+
+"Kid's" chuckle came to a sudden stop, and he leaned out through the
+port.
+
+"What's the matter?" I asked.
+
+"Thought I saw something moving over there near the beach."
+
+"Must have been a shadow."
+
+"Guess so. Still, it looked like some kind of a--"
+
+Bang!
+
+The sharp report of a rapid-fire gun cut short his words. Another
+followed almost instantly, then came a regular volley. The effect on the
+crew of the "Yankee" was instantaneous. The men sleeping at the guns
+scrambled to their feet, hammocks were kicked out of the way, and before
+the word to go to general quarters was passed, every member of the crew
+was at his station.
+
+"I thought I saw something moving inshore," cried "Kid," as he scurried
+away.
+
+"It's a Spanish torpedo boat," muttered "Stump." "Great Scott! just
+listen to the 'New Orleans.' She's firing like a house afire."
+
+Suddenly there came a deep, thunderous roar. It was the voice of a
+thirteen-inch gun on the "Massachusetts." Sixty seconds later the
+six-pounders on the "Yankee's" forecastle joined in the chorus, and the
+action became general.
+
+"Do not fire without orders, men," cautioned Lieutenant Greene, the
+officer in charge of our division. "Just take it easy and bide your
+time."
+
+It was our first experience in actual fighting, and our anxiety to "let
+loose" was almost overwhelming. We were held to our stations so rigidly
+that but few glimpses could be caught of the outside. The "New Orleans,"
+on our starboard, was still rattling away.
+
+Notwithstanding our own inaction (the gun deck battery was not used),
+there was a certain exhilaration in even listening to the sounds of
+conflict, and the eager, tense faces surrounding the guns reflected in
+the dim light of the deck lanterns such a fierce desire to fight that
+they were absolutely transfigured.
+
+"Can't stand this much longer," muttered "Hay," the second captain, as a
+peculiarly vicious report came from the direction of the
+"Massachusetts." "Why don't they give a fellow a chance?"
+
+[Illustration: "THE SIX-POUNDERS ON THE 'YANKEE'S' FORECASTLE JOINED IN
+THE CHORUS"]
+
+"Steady, men," admonished Lieutenant Greene. "Don't be impatient. Our
+turn will come soon. Steady!"
+
+A turn of the hull--we were under way at half speed--brought the land on
+the port bow just then. The moon suddenly emerged from behind the
+clouds, and we who were nearest the port, distinctly saw a long, black
+object fade into the obscurity of the coast almost directly under Morro
+Castle.
+
+"She's escaped!" groaned "Stump." "It's the torpedo boat, and she is
+safe again."
+
+As if to prove the truth of his words the guns on the "New Orleans" and
+"Massachusetts" became silent; then word was sent below to "secure." Our
+first action was disappointing, but there was little grumbling. We knew
+full well that momentous events were bound to occur before long.
+
+The following morning, shortly after daybreak, the torpedo boat "Porter"
+steamed alongside. Her coming created some excitement, and the
+"Yankee's" crew promptly lined the railing.
+
+"What's that object on the deck?" asked "Stump," pointing to a long
+brass cylinder lying abaft the after conning tower.
+
+"It's a torpedo, but not like those used in our navy," replied "Hay."
+
+Captain Brownson leaned over the end of the bridge and waved his hand to
+Lieutenant Fremont, the "Porter's" commander. The latter was smiling,
+and as we watched, he made a gesture toward the mysterious brass
+cylinder.
+
+"See that thing, Brownson?" he called out.
+
+The captain nodded.
+
+"It almost paid you a visit last night."
+
+"What----"
+
+"We picked it up near shore this morning and sunk another. That Spanish
+torpedo boat made a great attempt to sink one of our ships, and, if I am
+not mistaken, the 'Yankee' was her intended prey. Congratulations."
+
+As the "Porter" steamed away we felt very much like congratulating
+ourselves. This was grim war of a certainty. Like the boy who was blown
+a mile in a cyclone without injury, we experienced a certain pride that
+we really had been in danger.
+
+About the middle of the afternoon a signal was seen on the flagship. It
+was read at once, and immediately the boatswain's mate passed a call
+that sent a thrill of anticipation through us. It was:
+
+"All hands clear ship for action!"
+
+[Illustration: "CLEAR SHIP FOR ACTION!"]
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+CLEAR SHIP FOR ACTION.
+
+The boatswain's mate's shrill piping and the long drawn out cry, "All
+hands clear ship for action!" was not entirely unexpected. An unusual
+activity on the part of the signal men on the flagship "New York" had
+not escaped our notice, and when the summons to prepare for battle
+echoed through the "Yankee's" decks it found us in readiness for prompt
+obedience.
+
+At the time the call sounded a number of us were standing in the port
+waist idly watching the fleet and the shore. "Bill," a member of the
+powder division, whose father is a prominent real estate broker of New
+York, and whose great talent is for practical joking and general fun
+making, was telling a story. As we scattered at the summons, he started
+below with me. Even the circumstances could not prevent him following
+his hobby, and he whispered as we hurried along:
+
+"Say, Russ, this reminds me of a good story I once heard. There was a
+man who was too lazy to live and the neighbors finally decided to bury
+him. So they took him out to the village graveyard one morning before
+day and----"
+
+"Here, you men, pass this mess chest below," interrupted an officer,
+beckoning to us. "Bill" grasped one end of the object indicated and
+lugged it to the hatch.
+
+"They took the lazy man to the village graveyard, as I was saying,"
+resumed "Bill," "and they buried him up to his neck in the earth. Then
+they hid back of tombstones and----"
+
+"Less talking there, men," exclaimed the navigator, hurrying past us.
+"You 'heroes' do too much yarning to suit me. Get those things below at
+once. Shake it up."
+
+"They are in an almighty hurry," grumbled "Bill." "The forts won't move.
+They'll be there to-morrow, I guess. Well, as I was saying, the
+villagers concealed themselves behind convenient tombstones and waited
+to see what the lazy man would do when he woke up. By and by day broke,
+and just as the sun gilded the windows of the old church the fellow who
+was buried up to his neck----"
+
+"Chase those mess chests below, bullies," called out the boatswain's
+mate, dropping down the ladder a few feet away. "Lively there; the 'old
+man' wants to break a record. When you have finished, hustle to the oil
+and paint lockers and help carry all inflammable material to the spar
+deck."
+
+For several minutes "Bill" worked away in silence. Between us we managed
+to lower a number of chests into the hold where they would be out of the
+way; then we disposed of more objects liable to produce unwelcome
+splinters, and finally we started toward the paint locker.
+
+The gun deck presented a scene of the most intense activity. The process
+of clearing ship for action requires the united efforts of the entire
+crew. On vessels of the regular service, such as the "New York" or
+"Indiana," where everything has been constructed with a view to the
+needs of battle, the work is thoroughly systematized and comparatively
+easy. The "Yankee," being a merchant steamer hastily converted into a
+vessel of war, presented greater difficulties.
+
+However, the crew was fairly familiar with its duties and the work
+progressed at a rapid rate. When "Bill" and I reached the paint locker
+we found several others preparing to convey the oil to the deck. It was
+a momentary respite, and "Bill" took advantage of it.
+
+"When the sun rose the fellows hiding behind the tombstones saw the lazy
+man open his eyes," he resumed hurriedly. "He looked around and took in
+all the details of the scene, the old church with the windows glowing
+redly, the weeping willows shaking and trembling in the crisp morning
+breeze, the rows of sod-covered mounds, the crumbling tombstones, and on
+one side the old rickety fence marking the passing of the road. All this
+he saw and then--"
+
+"Hear the news, fellows?" interrupted the "Kid," suddenly approaching.
+"We are going to--what's the matter, 'Bill'?"
+
+For "Bill" had caught him by the slack of the shirt and one arm and was
+hustling him along the deck. The "Kid," looking aggrieved, went his way,
+and "Bill" returned.
+
+"As I was saying," he continued calmly; "the lazy fellow saw all those
+things, then he threw back his head and laughed and laughed until the
+tears rolled down his cheeks. 'Whoop!' he cried, 'this is the best piece
+of luck I've struck yet. Hurray! blamed if it ain't the resurrection day
+and I'm the first feller above ground. Whoop!'"
+
+After I had finished laughing I picked up a can of oil and asked:
+
+"Where's the similarity, 'Bill'? It's a good story, but you said this
+reminded you of it."
+
+"Humph! aren't we going to see the resurrection of some of these old
+Spanish fossils around here to-day?" "Bill" demanded. "And aren't we the
+first volunteer force on the spot? I guess that makes the story
+apropos."
+
+As the "Yankee" was the first vessel manned by Naval Reserves to reach
+the scene of hostilities, I could not deny "Bill's" claim. Seeing the
+success of one story, he was on the point of telling another, when word
+came to hasten the clearing of the ship for action, and we were
+compelled to devote our energies to the work in hand.
+
+The decks were sanded--a precaution that made more than one wonder if
+the spilling of blood was really anticipated; all boats and spare booms
+were covered with canvas to prevent the scattering of splinters, the
+steel hatch covers were closed down, hammocks were broken out of the
+racks and made to serve as an added protection to the forward
+wheel-house, and everything possible done to make the ship fit for
+action.
+
+The time taken to gain this end did not exceed ten minutes, which was
+almost a record. Signals were displayed stating that we were in
+readiness, then all hands were called to general quarters. As we hurried
+to our stations I saw the entire blockading fleet moving slowly
+shoreward.
+
+"We are going to bombard the Dagoes this trip for sure," observed the
+first captain of Number Eight as we lined up. "I see their finish."
+
+"Don't be too sure," said "Stump." "There's many a slip between the
+muzzle and the target. Maybe we won't do much after all. Just to make it
+interesting I'll bet you a dinner at Del's that we will only chuck a
+bluff. What d'ye say?"
+
+"Done, if you make it for the whole ship's company," chuckled the first
+captain.
+
+"Stump" shook his head.
+
+"A dinner at Del's for over two hundred hungry Reserves, and on a salary
+of $35 per month. Nope. Not on your life."
+
+"Cast loose and provide," came the order.
+
+There were a few moments of rapid work, then the battery was reported in
+readiness for firing. Through the open port we could catch a glimpse of
+the other vessels of the fleet, and the spectacle formed by the
+low-lying battleships, the massive cruisers, and the smaller, but
+equally defiant gunboats, was one long to be remembered.
+
+Every ship was cleared for business. On the vessels of the "Oregon"
+class nothing could be seen but the gray steel of turrets and
+superstructure. The "New York" and the "Brooklyn" were similarly
+cleared. On the bridges could be seen groups of officers, but the decks
+were empty. Every man was at his gun.
+
+The ships steamed in to within a short distance of the beach and then
+formed a semicircle, the heavier vessels taking the centre where they
+could directly face the forts. The little "Dolphin" was on the extreme
+right of the line, with the "Yankee" next.
+
+When within easy range of the guns ashore there ensued a wait. No signal
+to fire came from the flagship, and there did not seem to be any move
+toward opening the battle by the forts. We stood at our guns in silence,
+awaiting the word, until finally patience ceased to be a virtue.
+
+"Seems to me they ought to do something," murmured "Stump," glancing
+shoreward rather discontentedly. "Ain't we fair targets?"
+
+"Why don't the admiral tell us to sail in?" queried the first captain in
+the same tone. "The day is fine and the range is good. There's the
+beggars plain enough with their measly old forts. What more is wanted?"
+
+"Wish they would pipe down and light the smoking lamp," said the second
+loader. "It would be a great deal more fun than standing here like a
+dummy."
+
+The sun had passed beyond the top of the hills, but the light was
+sufficiently strong to bring out in plain relief the batteries guarding
+the entrance to Santiago. Grim Morro Castle appeared almost deserted.
+The red and yellow banner of Spain flaunted lazily from the ramparts,
+but only here and there could be distinguished the little black dots
+representing the soldiers on guard. The earthworks and smaller forts
+were equally idle.
+
+"We won't get anything out of them to-day," remarked "Stump" decisively.
+"It must be one of their eternal feast days when they won't even fight."
+
+"There goes a signal on the flagship," exclaimed the first loader,
+pointing out the port. "I'll bet a dollar it's--"
+
+"The signal to pull out again," groaned "Stump." "Didn't I say so?"
+
+"The admiral intends to postpone the bombardment for some reason," I
+ventured. "Perhaps it's too late in the day."
+
+Whatever the cause, it was now plain that we would not engage the forts.
+In obedience to the signals on the "New York," which were repeated by
+the "Brooklyn," the whole fleet returned to the former station several
+miles from shore. The word to "secure" was passed and presently the
+"Yankee" had resumed its former condition of armed watchfulness.
+
+That evening after supper there was a gathering of the choice spirits of
+the crew in the vicinity of the after wheel-house. "Dye," the chief
+member of the "Yankee's" choir, started one of "Steve's" little songs,
+which, although rendered very quietly in deference to the rules observed
+on blockade, was greatly enjoyed. The air was "Tommy Atkins," and the
+words ran as follows:
+
+    "They made us sign our papers for a year,
+        And dressed us in a natty sailor's suit;
+    They taught us how to heave the lead and steer,
+        And how to handle guns and how to shoot.
+    We fancied we'd be leaving right away
+        To capture prizes on the Spanish Main,
+      And be raising merry hades
+      With the dusky Spanish laddies,
+    And within a month come steaming home again.
+
+    CHORUS.
+
+    "But instead we ran a ferry
+      All along the Jersey shore,
+    And our turns were empty very,
+      And our hands were awful sore.
+    We would give our bottom dollar
+      Just to see a cable car,
+    Just to hear a newsboy holler,
+      Just to smoke a good cigar.
+
+    "In times of peace we do not have to sweep
+        Or carry coal or stand on watch all night;
+      We do not have to scrub down decks or keep
+        Our toothbrush chained, or brasswork shining bright.
+      We never washed our faces in a pail,
+        We never heard the fog-horn's awful shriek,
+          We never ate salt horse,
+          We combed our hair, of course,
+        And we never wore our stockings for a week."
+
+    CHORUS.
+
+"Suppose you 'heroes' pipe down there," came from the darkness just
+then. "What do you think this is, a concert hall?"
+
+"It's 'Cutlets,'" muttered "Stump." "He would like to make the ship a
+funeral barge."
+
+We sat in silence for a while, watching the retreating form of the
+navigator passing forward; then Tom Le Valley, a zealous member of
+Number Nine gun's crew, spoke up.
+
+"Do you see those two lights twinkling over there about where the
+'Dolphin' should be, fellows?" he asked.
+
+Some one yawned and nodded.
+
+"Reminds you of a story, eh?" asked "Bill," who was leaning against the
+rail. "Well, come to think of it I remember a--"
+
+"Several years ago I happened to be a patient in a hospital over in
+Brooklyn," continued Tom. "I was almost well and about to leave the
+place when a man in the upper ward--"
+
+"I had a cousin once who used to travel a great deal," interrupted
+"Bill," taking a seat on the deck with his back against a bitt. "One
+time he happened to be in a small town just outside of Dublin, Ireland.
+The inn was crowded and he had to take up his quarters with a family who
+occasionally rented out rooms. A circus and menagerie was giving
+exhibitions in the city, and one night the biggest monkey escaped from
+its cage and skipped out. They instituted a search at once, but the
+animal could not be found. Well, it happened that the family with whom
+my cousin was stopping consisted of father and mother and one son about
+ten years old. The boy, whose name was Mike, was a regular limb. Always
+in mischief and----"
+
+"As I was saying," broke in Tom at this juncture, "when I was about to
+leave the hospital, a man in the upper ward concluded to depart this
+world for a better one. It happened about eight o'clock in the evening,
+and, as was usual in such cases, the nurse on watch was supposed to get
+several convalescent patients and a stretcher and carry the body down to
+a little wooden house a hundred yards from the main building. The nurse,
+with whom I was on friendly terms, had an important case to attend to
+just then and he asked me if I wouldn't take charge of the stretcher
+party. Well, we started down the yard, I leading the way with a lantern,
+and we finally reached the little house. We entered and----"
+
+"Some people think they are the only story tellers in the group,"
+remarked "Bill" with mild sarcasm at that interesting point. "To tell a
+good story with a point to it is an art. Now, as I was saying, this boy
+Mike would rather get into mischief than eat a--what's the Irish for
+potato?"
+
+"Spud," suggested "Hod."
+
+"Murphy," said "Stump."
+
+"Well, it's immaterial. Anyway the boy was full of mischief. The night
+the monk got away he had been sent to bed early because of some trick he
+had played. He slept in a little room at the head of the stairs leading
+to the second story. His window opened on a lean-to shed, and, as it was
+a warm evening, the sash was raised. Shortly after the youngster got to
+bed, something slipped over the back fence, and after prowling about the
+yard for a moment, climbed upon the shed and through the window into the
+room where Mike was just in the act of falling asleep. The thing, which
+was about the youngster's size, crept over the floor toward the bed,
+and then with a spring, landed squarely upon----"
+
+"Some people use more wind in telling a story than would fill a
+maintop-sail," drawled Tom. "There's nothing like getting at your
+subject. Now, when we reached the little wooden house we entered, and
+after accomplishing our errand, started back to the main building. While
+on the way it suddenly occurred to me that I had forgotten to close the
+door between the two rooms of which the house was composed. There was an
+open window in the front room, and there was no telling what might get
+in. I told the fellows to go on and I tasked back to the little house. I
+still carried the lantern, but just as I reached the door, it went out.
+I tell you, I felt like letting the whole thing go, but I didn't want to
+get the nurse into trouble. So I unlocked the front door, opened it,
+and, Great Scott! I saw----"
+
+"There's everything in choosing a subject when you want to tell a good
+story," calmly interrupted Bill. "This story I am trying to tell has a
+laugh in it. You don't have to keep your hair down with both hands and
+feel the cold chills playing tag up and down your spinal column, like
+you have to do when some people are trying to yarn. Well, when the thing
+that had crept through the window landed on the bed, Mike let out a
+yell that could have been heard in Dublin. 'Ow-w-w!' he whooped,
+scrambling to the floor. He caught one sight of the visitor, and then
+made a dash for the window and slid clear to the ground, leaving pieces
+of shirt and his epidermis on every nail on the shed roof. The noise he
+made roused the father and mother below, and the latter started for the
+stairs. 'That b'ye 'll be the death av me yet,' she complained. 'I'll go
+up and give him a slap.' She lost no time in reaching the little room,
+and when she entered she saw the bed with what she thought was Mike
+under the clothes. 'Mike, ye rascal,' she exclaimed, 'turn down the
+sheet this minute. It's mesilf as'll tache ye to raise a noise at this
+time o' night. For shame, ye spalpane! What, ye won't obey your own
+mother? I'll show ye. Take that!' She brought her hand down upon the
+figure outlined under the sheet with a resounding whack. The next second
+the thing leaped from the bed squarely into her arms. 'Wow! Murther!
+Mike, what have ye been doing?' she howled, adding at the top of her
+voice, 'Patrick, Patrick, come quick! The b'ye has got hold of your hair
+restorer. He's all covered with hair and he's gone daft. Murther!' With
+that the father made for the stairs as fast as his legs could carry
+him. Just as he got to the top--"
+
+"The sight I saw when I opened the outer door of the little house almost
+knocked me silly," broke in Tom, rather excitedly. "There in the other
+room gleamed--"
+
+"When Patrick reached the second floor," interrupted Bill, raising his
+voice, "he felt something strike him full in the chest; then two hairy
+arms clasped him about the throat and--"
+
+"In the other room gleamed two--"
+
+"Oh, give a fellow a chance, will you?" cried Bill. "You want the whole
+floor. What do you think--"
+
+"Sh-h-h! here comes the executive officer," hastily whispered "Stump."
+"We've made too much racket. Let's go into the after wheel-house."
+
+"We must be quiet about it," spoke up the "Kid," warningly. "'Cutlets'
+is chasing around to-night, and if he catches us in there he'll raise
+Cain."
+
+"All right," replied Bill. "And I'll finish that story if I have to stay
+up all night."
+
+"Same here," retorted Tom, with evident determination. "Come on."
+
+And we all followed the twain.
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+WE BOMBARD SANTIAGO DE CUBA.
+
+The after wheel-house on board the "Yankee" was a round structure of
+steel built on the spar deck directly over the counter. It contained a
+steering wheel to be used in case the wheel in the pilot-house should be
+disabled. When the chill winds of May and early June were blowing off
+the northern coast during the "Yankee's" period of cruising in that
+vicinity, the after wheel-house formed a snug and comfortable retreat
+for the men of the watch.
+
+It was freely used for that purpose until the navigator chanced to
+discover the fact. He forthwith issued orders forbidding any person to
+enter the house, except on duty. His order, like many others, received
+respectful consideration--when he happened to be looking. In the present
+case we were so eager to hear the conclusion of the stories being
+related by the rival yarn-spinners, that we were fain to brave
+"Cutlets'" displeasure. Led by Bill and Tom, we piled inside.
+
+"What I was trying to say," spoke up the former, getting the first
+opening, "was that when Patrick reached the top of the stairs, something
+struck him full in the chest, and two hairy arms were thrown about his
+neck. The sudden shock sent him tumbling backward, and he fell kerflop!
+down the steps. Up above, his wife was howling to beat the band, 'Mike,
+Mike, ye spalpane! You do be killing your poor father. Och! why did I
+live to see this day?' In the meantime the real Mike--for the one inside
+was the escaped monk from the menagerie--had scooted for the police.
+They came, a half dozen of them, and as they entered the front door--"
+
+"Time!" chuckled "Stump." "Give Tom a chance."
+
+"As I opened the front door of the little wooden house where we had
+placed the body," said Tom, prompt to take advantage of the opportunity,
+"I saw two gleaming eyes glaring at me from the inner room. I tell you,
+my heart fell clean down into my boots."
+
+"Should think it would," muttered the "Kid," peering about the
+wheel-house with a shiver. "Ugh!"
+
+"I dropped the lantern," resumed Tom, "and staggered back. Just then
+a----"
+
+"Half dozen policemen entered the front door just as Patrick and the
+supposed Mike reached the bottom of the stairs," broke in Bill, taking
+up the thread of his story. "Well, when the Irish coppers saw Pat with
+the monk hanging around his neck they thought the old Nick had him. They
+started to run, but the old woman reached the lower floor in time to see
+both Mike and the monkey. She grabbed a broom, but the monk slipped
+through the front door, and----"
+
+"That's the end of your story. And a good job it is too," remarked Tom.
+
+"It is better than having no end," retorted Bill. "You spin out a yarn
+to beat the band."
+
+"It's getting late," spoke up "Hod," yawning. "If you fellows are going
+to chew the rag all night I----"
+
+"Only a word more," interrupted Tom. "As I staggered back I fell into
+the arms of the nurse, who had come down to see what kept me. I
+explained in a hurry, and he lit a match. We both went in and
+discovered----"
+
+"Sh-h-h! Get out of here, you fellows," suddenly spoke up a voice at the
+door on the starboard side. "Here comes 'Cutlets'!"
+
+There was a scramble for the opposite door, and in much less time than
+is taken in the telling, the wheel-house was empty. We huddled in the
+shadows for a moment; then dodged forward. As we reached the hatch I
+heard the "Kid" ask Tom:
+
+"Say, what was it you saw? Tell a fellow, won't you?"
+
+"Two brass knobs on an old chest," was the calm reply.
+
+"Huh!"
+
+The following day being Sunday, was given over to rest and recreation
+and the writing of letters, until late in the afternoon. The day dawned
+clear but very warm. There was very little breeze stirring, and the spar
+and gun decks, where we spent the most of our time, were almost
+stifling. "Corking mats," as they are termed in naval parlance, were
+very much in evidence. The sailor's "corking mat" is a strip of canvas
+which he spreads upon the deck to protect his clothing from the tarry
+seams, when he feels the necessity for a siesta or nap, which is quite
+often.
+
+Toward evening we were put to work at a task which gave welcome promise
+of coming action. Under the direction of the executive officer we broke
+out a number of bags of coal from the orlop deck and piled them five
+deep, and about the same number in height, around the steam steering
+engine under the forward wheel-house. This was to give added protection
+to a vital part of the ship.
+
+The work was hard and unpleasant, especially to men who had not spent
+the major portion of their lives at manual labor, but it was one of
+those disagreeable fortunes of war to which we were growing accustomed,
+and we toiled without comment. That night when we turned in, that is,
+those who were fortunate enough to have the "off watch," it was
+generally rumored about the decks that the fleet would surely bombard
+early the following morning.
+
+About two bells (five o'clock) the different guns' crews, who were
+sleeping at the batteries, were called by the boatswain's mates, and
+told to go to breakfast at once.
+
+"It's coming," exclaimed "Hay," joyfully. "The old 'Yankee' will see her
+real baptism of fire to-day. 'Kid,' you young rat, you'll have a chance
+to dodge shells before you are many hours older."
+
+"You may get a chance to stop one," retorted the boy.
+
+After a hurried meal, word to clear ship for action was passed, and the
+"Yankee's" boys set to work with a vim. The task was done more
+thoroughly than usual. The boats and wooden hatches were covered with
+canvas, everything portable that would splinter was sent below, the
+decks were sanded, and all the inflammable oils were placed in a boat
+and set adrift for the "Justin," one of the colliers, to pick up.
+
+The day seemed fitted for the work we had in hand. The sky was overcast,
+and occasionally a rain squall would sweep from the direction of the
+land, and envelop the fleet. It was not a cold, raw rain, like that
+encountered in more northern latitudes in early summer, but a dripping
+of moisture peculiarly grateful after the heat of the previous day.
+
+Shortly before seven o'clock, the members of the crew were in readiness
+for business. The majority had removed their superfluous clothing, and
+it was a stirring sight to watch the different guns' crews, stripped to
+the waist and barefooted, standing at their stations. There was
+something in the cool, practical manner in which each man prepared for
+work that promised well, and it should be said to the everlasting credit
+of the Naval Reserves that they invariably fought with the calmness and
+precision of veterans whenever they were called upon.
+
+In the present case, there would have been some excuse for
+faint-heartedness. The crew of the "Yankee," made up of men whose
+previous lives had been those of absolute peace, who had never heard a
+shot fired in anger before their arrival at Santiago, who had left home
+and business in defence of the flag--these men went about their
+preparations for attacking the fortifications with as little apparent
+concern as if it were simply a yachting trip.
+
+There was no holding back, no hesitancy, no looks of concern or anxiety,
+but when the signal to advance inshore appeared on the "New York," at
+six bells (seven o'clock), there was a feeling of relief that the time
+of waiting was over.
+
+We were to be in it at last.
+
+The flagship's signal to advance in formation was obeyed at once. Moving
+in double column, the fleet stood in toward the batteries. The first
+line, as we saw from the after port, was composed of the "Brooklyn,"
+"Texas," "Massachusetts," and "Marblehead." The line to which the
+"Yankee" was attached, included, besides that vessel, the "New York,"
+"Oregon," "Iowa," and "New Orleans." When within three thousand yards
+from shore, the first line turned toward the west, leaving us to steam
+in the opposite direction.
+
+The batteries ashore could now be plainly distinguished. Morro Castle,
+grim and defiant, seemed to ignore our coming, if the absence of life
+was any proof. Lower down on the other side of the entrance where the
+Estrella and Catalena batteries were located, there seemed to be more
+activity. Men could also be seen running about in some new batteries a
+little to the eastward of Morro Castle. It was evident to us at once
+that the enemy had not anticipated an attack on such a rainy, windy day.
+
+On swept the two lines of ships without firing a shot until they formed
+a semicircle, with the heavier vessels directly facing the forts; then
+the "New York" opened fire with one of her heavy guns, the "Iowa"
+following immediately. At this moment, 7:45 a.m., the ships were
+arranged as follows, counting from the right: "New York," "Yankee," "New
+Orleans," "Massachusetts," "Oregon," "Iowa," "Indiana," "Texas,"
+"Marblehead," and "Brooklyn." Guarding the extreme left were the "Vixen"
+and "Suwanee," and doing similar duty on the other flank were the
+"Dolphin" and "Porter."
+
+The shot from the flagship was the signal for a general bombardment.
+There was no settled order of firing, but each ship just "pitched in,"
+to use a common expression, and banged away at the forts with every
+available gun.
+
+The scene on the gun deck of the "Yankee" was one never to be forgotten.
+When the word to commence firing reached us, we sprang to the work at
+once. Each crew paid strict attention to its own station, and the
+routine of loading and firing went on with the regularity of clockwork.
+A number of boxes of the fixed ammunition had been "whipped" up from
+below while we were steaming into position, and there was no lack of
+death-dealing food for the hungry maws of the battery.
+
+Not much could be seen of the outside at first, as the task in hand
+claimed our strict attention, but after a while an occasional glimpse
+was obtained of the other ships and the forts. The heavy battleships,
+the "Indiana," "Oregon," "Massachusetts," "Iowa," and "Texas," were lost
+in the dense smoke of their guns. It was thrilling to see them, like
+moving clouds, emitting streams of fire which shot through the walls of
+vapor like flashes of lightning athwart a gloomy sky.
+
+[Illustration: THE BOMBARDMENT OF MORRO CASTLE, SANTIAGO]
+
+The noise was terrific. It seemed to gather at times in such an
+overwhelming, soul-stunning clamor of sound, that the very air was rent
+and split and shattered, and the senses refused further burden. There
+was no possibility of hearing the human voice, save at odd intervals
+when a brief cessation occurred in the firing. Orders were transmitted
+by gestures.
+
+The smoke was thick and stifling, the saltpetre fumes filling the throat
+and lungs, until breathing was difficult. The dense bank of vapor
+enveloping the ship also rendered it almost impossible to aim with any
+accuracy. We of Number Eight gun were early impressed with this fact,
+and "Hay," the second captain, exclaimed during a lull:
+
+"It's that fellow in charge of Number Six. He won't give us any show.
+Just look how he's working his crew. Did you ever see the beat of it?"
+
+The captain of Number Six, a broker of considerable note in New York, a
+member of the Calumet Club, and the son of a distinguished captain in
+the Confederate navy, was fighting his gun with savage energy. Under his
+direction, and inspired by a running fire of comments from him, the
+different members of Number Six crew were literally pouring a hail of
+steel upon the batteries. The firing was so rapid, in fact, that it kept
+our port completely filled with smoke, much to our sorrow.
+
+Notwithstanding that fact, "Hay," the second captain of Number Eight,
+did such marvellous shooting, that word presently came from Captain
+Brownson on the bridge, publicly commending him. We were correspondingly
+elated, and worked all the harder.
+
+It was not until we had been firing some time that we began to take
+particular note of our surroundings. At first the novelty of the
+situation and a state of excitement, natural under the circumstances,
+kept us absorbed in our duties, but when it became apparent that the
+engagement was to be a matter of hours--and also that the Spaniards did
+not aim very well--we commenced to look about.
+
+One of the first things to strike me personally, and it was rather
+humorous, was the appearance of "Stump," the second loader. Orders had
+early been given to avoid exposing ourselves to the enemy's fire as much
+as possible. "Stump," than whom no more daring and aggressive man could
+be found on board, thought it wise to obey, so he crouched behind the
+gun-mount and compressed himself so as to be out of range. From this
+position he had only to reach out one hand to train the gun, which was
+his special duty. Meanwhile, he continually urged "Hay" to keep on
+firing.
+
+"Doesn't make any difference whether you can see or not," he exclaimed.
+"Shoot anyway. Give it to the beggars! That's the ticket, old chap. Now
+another. Whoop! did you see that land? Ah-h-h! we are the people."
+
+As the novelty of the scene gradually wore off we began to enjoy it
+hugely. We pumped away at the guns, commenting freely on the enemy's
+marksmanship. We felt more like a party watching a fireworks display
+than the crew of a warship engaged in bombarding a number of forts.
+
+The two lines were steaming back and forth in front of the batteries,
+firing as the guns would bear. At first, Morro Castle and the smaller
+forts maintained a spirited fire, but finally their response to our
+fusillade slackened considerably, and it became evident that they had
+been driven from their guns.
+
+The difference in aim between the Spanish gunners and ours was very
+perceptible. Their shells invariably passed over the ships or landed
+short, and at no time during the engagement were any of the American
+vessels in imminent danger. This was not due to length of range either,
+as the lines were maintained at from two to four thousand yards. As Bill
+put it, "Any Dago that can't hit a flock of barn doors like this fleet,
+had better go back home and hoe onions."
+
+The ships of our fleet also made better targets than did the batteries
+ashore. It was certainly easy to distinguish the position of each
+vessel, but as the Spanish batteries were nearly all situated a short
+distance back from the crest of the ridge with a background little
+different in color from that of the battery, we found it difficult to
+locate them at times. Our elevation had to be perfect, as with an inch
+or two below or above, the projectile would either vanish in the
+distance or take effect on the cliffs below the batteries.
+
+We of Number Eight gun, when the "Yankee" was steaming with the
+starboard broadside bearing, managed to slip across the deck and watch
+the firing from the ports and deadlights. It was really beautiful to see
+the landing of the great shells upon the forts and surrounding earth.
+Some battered into the soft spots on the cliffs, sending huge masses of
+dirt and débris high into the air; then when the explosion came, there
+would follow a great cloud of dust resembling the wavering smoke over a
+city fire.
+
+Others struck the harder portions of the cliff, bursting into a shower
+of fragments, each kicking up its own pother of dirt and shattered rock.
+At times a shell would land in a crack in the face of the hill, and
+immediately following would come an upheaval of stones. These boulders,
+many of them of immense size, would roll down the slope and splash in
+the water at the base, creating a series of fountain-like cascades.
+
+Accompanying the display was a continuous roar of explosion and
+detonation that echoed and reechoed across the water like the pealing of
+tropical thunder. In fact, it was these noises, mingled with the fierce
+reports of our guns, which impressed us the most. Taking it all in all,
+the scene was spectacular in the extreme.
+
+"Boys," remarked No. 7 of our crew--"Morrie," we called him--"this sight
+is worth all the coaling and standing watches and poor food we have had
+to put up with. I would experience it all over again just to see this
+bombardment."
+
+And we heartily agreed with him.
+
+After a time it seemed as if the admiral was determined to plump shells
+into the vicinity of Santiago until there was nothing left to fire at.
+There had been a continuous outpouring of projectiles from the guns of
+the fleet for over an hour, yet that grim line of gray steel fortresses
+still passed and repassed in front of the forts.
+
+It was really growing monotonous, when something occurred at the gun to
+which I was attached that served to give us an exciting minute or two.
+"Hay" had just fired a shot which caught one of the new batteries
+directly in the centre. The shell was extracted, and another inserted,
+but when the second captain pressed the electric firing lanyard, there
+was no report. The shell had missed fire.
+
+"Long Tommy" reached forward to open the breech, but was stopped by a
+sharp order from the divisional officer.
+
+"Don't open that breech till I give the word," he said.
+
+The electrical connections were examined and the contacts scraped
+bright.
+
+"Stand by," said "Hay" finally; "let's try her again."
+
+The great gun moved slowly on its pivot while "Hay" worked the elevating
+gear. The orders came sharp and clear through the roar of the cannon and
+the shriek of the shells.
+
+As we watched our young gun captain, we saw his set face grow even more
+determined, and we knew that he had got his sight to suit him and that
+he was about to fire the gun.
+
+With a gesture of disgust he threw down the firing lanyard.
+
+"It's no go," he said, "that cartridge will have to come out."
+
+We looked at one another; it was a serious moment. The bombardment was
+now at its height, and the thunderous roaring of the guns was increasing
+with every passing second. Above and around us the vicious reports of
+the "Yankee's" five-inch rapid-firers seemed like one continuous volley.
+A hoarse cheer came from a nearby ship, proclaiming the landing of some
+favored shot.
+
+"Hurry, fellows," shouted "Hay" in an ecstasy of impatience. "Lively
+there; we're missing all the sport."
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+A PERILOUS MOMENT.
+
+The scene on the gun deck of the "Yankee" at that moment would have made
+an eloquent subject for the brush of a Meissonier. It was the deck of a
+warship in battle, and the spectacle enacted was accompanied, by an
+orchestra of the mighty guns of a fleet in action.
+
+Imagine a compartment of steel, a compartment filled with smoke that
+surged and eddied as the ship lunged forward or rolled upon a heavy
+swell.
+
+Imagine scattered about in this pungent vapor many groups of men, men
+half-naked, perspiring; their glistening bodies smeared and stained with
+the grime of conflict.
+
+Imagine in the centre of one of these groups a wicked, menacing gun--a
+five-inch breechloader, its long, lean barrel raised shoulder-high upon
+the apex of a conical gun-mount, near the base of which are significant
+wooden cases, some empty and others filled with elongated, formidable
+cartridges; and pails of black, dirty water ascum with powder; and other
+objects each significant of war.
+
+Imagine these things, and then understand that this gun, made to be
+turned against an enemy, has now turned against its workers. In the
+bore, pent in by the polished breechblock, is a cartridge which has
+failed in its duty. It is apparently defective.
+
+The tide of battle is surging on; other ships of the bombarding fleet
+are still pouring their shot and shell upon the grim array of forts
+ashore; other guns of this ship are pursuing their duty with savage
+energy. But this gun is silent.
+
+The men wax impatient. It is the height of the conflict. Many shots have
+been fired, and many more will yet be required to subdue the enemy. To
+be "out of action" will mean passiveness in the face of the enemy.
+Anything but that.
+
+There is a rivalry between the guns' crews. It is a rivalry as to which
+shall make the best shots and create the most damage. The members of
+Number Eight--the after gun on the port side--are proud of their record.
+Their second captain--he whom they call "Hay"--has received the public
+commendation of the captain himself, sent down from the bridge in the
+midst of the battle. It is a mark of distinction not given freely, and
+Number Eight is eager for more honors.
+
+But the men have not forgotten a similar case, occurring on the voyage
+down the coast, when another cartridge failed, and on being extracted
+from the breech chamber, exploded, killing a marine corporal and
+wounding others.
+
+The men of Number Eight have not forgotten that tragedy, and that is why
+their gun is now to them a menacing creature of steel, whose breath may
+be the breath of death. They stand in groups, they eye it, they
+speculate, and they feel that a desperate and perilous duty is before
+them.
+
+The risk must be taken. The cartridge must be extracted. It is a fortune
+of war which all who enlist must expect. But it is one thing to fall
+before an enemy's blow, and another to lose your life at the stroke of
+your own weapon.
+
+The officer of the division steps forward.
+
+"We will see if we can't take it out without much danger," he says,
+briefly. "Bring a rope."
+
+One is hastily procured, and the first captain--a great, brawny,
+good-natured fellow, who has spent years at sea--deftly fastens the
+bight of the rope to the handle of the breechblock. He then retreats a
+short distance and signifies his readiness.
+
+"When I give the word," calls out the officer, "pull handsomely.
+Ready--pull away!"
+
+From out the smoke-filled compartment men lean forward,
+eagerly--anxiously. They instinctively shrink back as the breech plug
+slowly moves. Then, when it finally opens, revealing the brass head of
+the cartridge inside the firing chamber, a sigh of relief comes from
+all.
+
+But the danger is not yet over.
+
+The defective projectile must be taken out and tossed into the sea. The
+second loader steps forward at a signal from the gun captain. This
+second loader is "Stump." He shows no fear, but draws out the heavy
+cartridge, handling it as he would a harmless dummy, and passes it to
+another man and myself. Carrying it between us--and carrying it
+gingerly--we hasten to the side, and with a powerful swing, launch the
+hundred-pound projectile through the open port.
+
+It barely clears the port sill, coming so close to it, in fact, that for
+one breathless second we think that it will strike. As the shell passes
+from view, another sigh of relief comes from the spectators. "Hay"
+passes a grimy towel over his perspiring face.
+
+"Whew! that was a ticklish moment," he said, solemnly. "I'd just as soon
+not handle any more defective shells."
+
+Which exactly represented our sentiments.
+
+Three minutes later Number Eight was barking away at the forts ashore,
+and the episode of the cartridge that missed fire was a thing of the
+past.
+
+The bombardment of Santiago had now lasted over an hour. As yet not one
+of the American vessels had been reached by a shell, nor had the forts
+suffered any perceptible damage. The fleet, roaring and thundering, was
+swinging back and forth through the great semicircle, the smoke from the
+guns was banking along the beach, and from Morro Castle and its
+attending batteries came sharp, defiant answers to the interminable
+volleys fired by our squadron.
+
+"It's a good thing Uncle Sam's shot locker is pretty capacious,"
+remarked Flagg, as we shoved another cartridge into the yawning breech
+of our five-inch gun. "If we haven't fired over three hundred rounds
+since seven o'clock I can't count."
+
+"It'll be double that before we get through," grunted "Long Tommy," as
+we stepped back from the loaded gun. "Steady, there. Stand by!"
+
+A motion to "Hay," who held the firing lanyard, and almost instantly
+came the sharp, vicious report of the breechloader. Each man sprang back
+to his station, and the process of reloading went on without delay. The
+battle smoke from Number Six, which had filled our port for some time,
+cleared away just then, enabling us to see "Hay's" last shot strike
+squarely upon the outer line of earthworks of the Punta Gorda battery.
+
+"Splendid shot, 'Hay'!" exclaimed our division officer, briefly.
+
+"Bully, that's what it is--bully!" cried "Stump," patting the second
+captain upon the back.
+
+"Hurray! it's knocked out a gun," reported "Dye," from nearer the port.
+"I saw the piece keel over backward."
+
+There was no time for further comment. When a gun's crew is firing at
+will, and the excitement of combat has taken possession of the
+individual members, the task in hand requires all one's attention. We of
+Number Eight had suffered one delay, and we really felt that the lost
+time must be made up.
+
+Personal impressions in battle have been described in prose and poem
+until the subject is hackneyed, but it may be of interest to note that
+the impressions experienced by the novices in naval warfare manning the
+"Yankee," during the bombardment of Santiago, consisted mainly of one
+feeling. It was well-voiced by "Hod," who said many days later:
+
+"I felt just as I did one time when I attended Barnum's circus in
+Madison Square Garden. They had three rings, two platforms, a lot of
+tight-ropes and trapezes and other things all going at the same time.
+Before I had been in the place three minutes I was wishing for a hundred
+eyes. And that is the way I felt at Santiago."
+
+What we saw of the bombardment was limited to the range of our gun port,
+but that little was worth all the hardships and toil and discomforts of
+the whole cruise. The spectacle of the fleet itself was almost enough.
+To see the great ships ploughing through the water, each enveloped in a
+shroud of smoke, shot here and there with tinges of ruddy flame; to see
+that mighty line swinging and swaying in front of the enemy; to see the
+shells land and explode in fort and battery; to see the great gaps torn
+in cliff and earthworks; to see the geyser-like fountains of water spout
+up here and there as the Spanish shells struck the surface of the
+bay--to see all this, and to hear the accompanying thunder and
+booming of the guns, was payment in full for coal handling and
+standing watch and "Government straight." Not one of the "Yankee" boys
+would have missed the spectacle for anything earth could offer.
+
+[Illustration: ON THE GUN DECK DURING THE BOMBARDMENT]
+
+During the second hour of the attack we were enabled to observe the work
+being done by other vessels of the fleet. Near us was the gallant "New
+Orleans," the ship purchased from Brazil. Her foreign build made it easy
+to distinguish her, and, as she was the only craft using smokeless
+powder, she presented a prominent mark. The guns on board the "New
+Orleans" were being served rapidly and with precision, and we saw a
+number of shots strike well within the limits of the batteries.
+
+At our end of the line the flagship "New York," the "Iowa," and the
+"Oregon" were pouring an appalling fire into some new earthworks near
+Morro Castle. It was seen that but very few shots were sent in the
+direction of the latter, and it transpired that Admiral Sampson had
+issued strict orders to the fleet to avoid endangering Lieutenant Hobson
+and his brave companions, who were supposed to be imprisoned in old
+Morro. Before the end of the second hour the "New York" and the "New
+Orleans" had succeeded in completely silencing Cayo Battery,
+dismantling the guns and wrecking the outer fortifications.
+
+At the other end of the line Admiral Schley's division was doing
+splendid work. We could see the "Massachusetts," "Brooklyn," and "Texas"
+move in toward shore and open fire at close range. It was a stirring
+sight, this mighty duel between warships and forts. As compared with the
+cliffs and hills of the land, the ships seemed veritable pigmies, but in
+this strife the pigmies were all powerful.
+
+The guns of the fleet were working havoc in the forts ashore, and we
+could see the Spanish artillerymen abandon battery after battery. Cayo,
+Punta Gorda, Estrella, and Catalena were rapidly being vacated. The
+former was entirely out of the fight, and the others were replying only
+at intervals. Presently the "Massachusetts" and "Marblehead" advanced
+within two thousand yards of the Estrella fortification and began such a
+terrific firing that within a few minutes a great cloud of smoke
+appeared above the works. The Spanish guns became quiet at once, and a
+rousing cheer went up from the fleet.
+
+"Hay," in his exuberance, wanted to send a five-inch shell from our gun
+at the burning fort, but the distance was too great and he was
+compelled to be content with a couple of well-aimed shots at the
+nearest battery.
+
+"I wish we had thirteen-inch guns and the range was about ten feet,"
+grumbled "Stump." "I'd like to smash the whole outfit in a pair of
+minutes. By Cricky! we have poured enough good old American steel into
+those forts to build a bridge across the Atlantic, but the dagoes are
+still giving us guff."
+
+"It won't last much longer," said Tommy reassuringly. "From the looks of
+those batteries they haven't much fight left. I'll bet a hardtack
+against a prune we haul off at four bells."
+
+"Licked?" queried Flagg.
+
+"Nope."
+
+"Will the Spaniards give up?" asked "Dye."
+
+Tommy hesitated before replying. It was a brief lull and we were resting
+at the gun. The crew, grimy, dirty, battle-stained and tired, was glad
+to lean against the side of the deck or a convenient stanchion. Tommy's
+long service in the regular navy as apprentice and seaman made his
+opinions official, and we were always glad to listen to his
+explanations.
+
+"Will the Spaniards give up?" repeated "Dye."
+
+"Yes, and no," replied the first captain thoughtfully. "You see, it's
+this way. Those dagoes are not fools by any means. They have selected
+good places for their batteries, and they know earthworks are hard to
+destroy. They aren't like the old-style stone forts that could be
+knocked to pieces in no time. When a shell, even a thirteen-incher, hits
+a mound of earth it tears up the dirt and spoils the look of the
+parapet, but it really doesn't do much harm. To completely ruin an
+earthwork battery, you must dismantle every gun in it. And that's pretty
+hard to do. Mark my words, those fellows will give us a shot of defiance
+after we quit."
+
+"What's the idea of all this bombarding then?" asked "Stump." "We'd be
+much better 'caulking off,' seems to me."
+
+"And think what it costs the Government," I suggested. "The cost of the
+projectiles and the wear and tear to guns and ships must be something
+enormous."
+
+Tommy's answer was drowned in the thundering roar of the "New York's"
+battery, which opened fire just then a short distance away, but it was
+evident he agreed with me. A moment later Number Eight went into action
+once more, and we worked the breechloader without cessation until the
+conclusion of the bombardment, which came a half hour later.
+
+The fortifications ashore had entirely ceased firing, and at ten
+o'clock a signal to stop bombarding appeared on the flagship. It was
+obeyed with reluctance, and it was evident the crews of the various
+ships were anxious and eager to continue. As the fleet drew off there
+was a puff of smoke in one corner of Punta Gorda battery and a shell
+whizzed over the "Massachusetts." A second shot came from one of the
+earthworks, and still another from Punta Gorda; then the firing ceased
+again.
+
+"Didn't I tell you so?" quietly remarked Tommy. "The beggars ain't
+licked yet."
+
+"But they got a taste of Uncle Sam's strength," said Flagg.
+
+"And I'll bet anything they haven't enough whole guns left to equip one
+small fort," added "Stump."
+
+"I heard the skipper say the destruction of life must be enormous,"
+spoke up the "Kid," stopping on his way aft to deliver a message. "He
+watched the whole thing with his glass. He told 'Mother Hubbub' the
+moral effect was worth all the trouble."
+
+"That's an expert opinion," observed "Hay," wiping off the breech of the
+gun. "Now you've had your little say, youngster, so just trot along."
+
+The fleet presently reached its former station several miles off shore,
+and the bombardment of Santiago was at an end.
+
+No attempt was made to clean ship until late in the afternoon. The men
+were permitted to lie around decks and rest, smoke, and discuss the
+fight, which they did with exceeding interest. When dinner was piped at
+noon, the shrill call of the boatswain's whistle was welcome music. A
+sea battle is a good appetizer.
+
+About four o'clock in the afternoon the fleet was treated to a spectacle
+both novel and humorous. The little "Dolphin," a gunboat of not fifteen
+hundred tons displacement, which was keeping guard close in shore, began
+to use her guns. A battery near the channel returned the fire, but the
+plucky little craft maintained her position, and from the series of
+rapid reports coming from her four-inch breechloaders and six-pounders,
+it was evident she had something important on hand.
+
+The "Yankee" was signalled to run in to her assistance, but before we
+could reach a position, the "Dolphin" had accomplished her task. It was
+not until then that we discovered what she had been doing.
+
+"May I never see home again if the gunboat hasn't corralled a railway
+train in a cut!" exclaimed "Patt." "Just look there, fellows. See that
+ridge of earth on the other side of the channel? Just under it is a
+track running into a cut and--"
+
+"The 'Dolphin' has closed up both ends," interrupted "Stump," with a
+laugh. "She's knocked down a pile of earth and débris on the track and
+the, train can't get out. What a bully trick."
+
+Flagg produced a glass, and after a careful scrutiny reported that he
+could see part of the train lying on its side at the eastern end of the
+cut. He could also distinguish a number of bodies, and it was plain that
+the Spanish loss had been heavy. It was not until later that we learned
+the details, which were as follows:
+
+After the bombardment the "Dolphin" remained at her station, firing
+occasionally at the batteries ashore. She was directly opposite a cut in
+the cliff, through which runs a little railway connecting the iron mines
+with the dock in Santiago harbor. During the bombardment, a train loaded
+with Spanish troops remained in the cut, and at its conclusion attempted
+to leave. It was espied by the "Dolphin" and driven back. It tried the
+other end with like results, and for an hour this game of hide-and-seek
+was kept up, to the discomfiture of the train. While waiting for the
+train to appear at either end, the gallant little gunboat shelled a
+small blockhouse, and in time disabled it. Then she steamed back to the
+fleet and reported that she had "wrecked a trainload of troops and
+dismantled a blockhouse." When she left for her station again she was
+applauded by the whole squadron. We learned later that one hundred and
+fifty men were killed on the train.
+
+Shortly after supper the "Yankee's" whaleboat was called away and sent
+to the flagship, returning an hour later with sealed orders from the
+admiral.
+
+At midnight we quietly steamed from our station and passed out to sea,
+our destination being unknown to all save the commanding officer.
+
+
+CHAPTER XII.
+
+IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURE.
+
+When a man-of-war sails from port under what are called "sealed orders,"
+which means that the orders given to the captain by the admiral are not
+to be opened for a certain number of hours, or until the ship reaches a
+certain degree of latitude, there is a mystery about the affair which
+appeals strongly to the crew.
+
+We of the "Yankee" felt very curious as to our destination when we left
+Santiago that night, and the interest was greatly stimulated by the
+discovery, before we had gone very far, that the "St. Louis" and
+"Marblehead" were following us.
+
+The "Rumor Committee" went into active session without delay.
+
+"Bet I can guess it," said "Stump," as a half dozen of us met in the
+gangway. "We are bound for a cable station somewhere."
+
+"To cable the news of the fight?" said Flagg.
+
+"No. That was done by one of the other ships."
+
+"What then?"
+
+"To get permission from Washington to go ashore and reclaim all that
+steel we wasted in the bombardment."
+
+There was a laugh at this sally.
+
+"I have been figuring on the cost of the fight," remarked "Hay," after a
+pause. "A five-inch shell is worth $60, and as we fired about two
+hundred and fifty, it means just $15,000 worth of five-inchers alone."
+
+"Then there are the six-pounders."
+
+"They cost $20 a shot," resumed "Hay," reflectively. "I guess we must
+have fired about a million of them."
+
+"Hardly that," smiled Tommy, "but we expended enough to bring the total
+up to $18,000 at the very least. War is a costly thing, boys."
+
+When the quartermaster on duty came off watch he joined us in the
+gangway, and reported that we were steering a straight course to the
+southward.
+
+"If we keep it up we'll land somewhere near the Antarctic Ocean,"
+remarked Kennedy, doubtfully. "I wonder--"
+
+"I know, I know," broke in the "Kid," eagerly. "We're going for ice."
+
+The burning question was solved at daybreak. The morning sun brought
+into view a stretch of highland which proved to be Cuba. We had steamed
+out to sea on scouting duty, and had doubled on our tracks, as it were.
+The port we found to be Guantanamo, a small place some forty miles to
+the eastward of Santiago.
+
+The town itself lies on a bay connected with the sea by a tortuous and
+winding channel. The entrance is protected by a fort and several
+blockhouses, and when we steamed inshore we espied the "St. Louis" and
+"Marblehead" laying to, waiting for us outside.
+
+The "Marblehead" preceding us, we entered the harbor, and the two ships
+began a lively bombardment, while the "St. Louis" lay outside. Shortly
+after the firing began, a Spanish gunboat was seen steaming out past the
+fort. A few shots in her direction sent her scurrying back again, and
+that was the last seen of her during the fight. After the battle of the
+previous day, this affair seemed insignificant, and aroused little
+interest.
+
+The blockhouses were destroyed and the fort silenced after a short
+period of firing, and the "St. Louis" proceeded with the duty which
+evidently had caused our visit. It was the cutting of a cable
+connecting Guantanamo with the outer world.
+
+Our little fleet steamed to sea in the afternoon, returning just before
+dark. The fort, showing signs of reanimation, was treated to another
+bombardment, which effectually settled it. A small fishing hamlet
+composed of a dozen flimsy huts of bamboo was set on fire and burned to
+the ground. When we left Guantanamo shortly after dark, bound back for
+Santiago, we had the satisfaction of knowing that one more blow had been
+struck against Spanish rule in the fair isle of Cuba.
+
+At dawn the following day, Santiago was sighted. The fleet was still
+lying off the entrance like a group of huge gray cats watching a mouse
+hole. As we passed in, the flagship began signalling, and it soon became
+noised about the ship that we had received orders to leave for Mole St.
+Nicholas after dark.
+
+"It looks as if the 'Yankee' will come in handy as a messenger boy,"
+said "Stump." "When the admiral wants 'any old thing' he tells his flag
+officer to send the Naval Reserve ship."
+
+"It's a good thing to be appreciated," grinned "Dye." "To tell the
+truth, though, I'd rather be on the move than lying here watching the
+land."
+
+"We don't want to be away when Cervera comes out," remarked Flagg.
+
+"When he comes out," retorted "Stump," emphasizing the first word
+meaningly. "The old gentleman knows when he is well off and he'll stay
+inside."
+
+"Which, as the Texan said when he was accused of stealing a horse," put
+in Tommy, "remains to be proved. Just you keep your eye on the gun and
+wait."
+
+"There goes another string of signals on the 'New York,'" exclaimed
+"Dye," pointing toward the flagship. "Whiz! I'd hate to be a signalman
+aboard of her. They are always at it."
+
+The flagship of a fleet like that assembled in front of Santiago during
+the blockade, is certainly kept very busy. In the naval service,
+everything in the way of routine emanates from the flagship. Every ship
+in the squadron, for instance, takes the uniform of the day from her.
+The number of sick each morning must be reported by signal; all orders
+(and they are legion) are transmitted by wigwag or bunting; scores of
+questions are asked daily by each ship, and it is indeed seldom that the
+signal yards of a flagship are bare of colored flags.
+
+In the American navy the present methods of communication are by the
+use of flags representing numerals, by the Meyer code of wigwag signals,
+and by a system of colored electric bulbs suspended in the rigging. The
+latter system is called after its inventor, Ardois.
+
+In the daytime, when ships are within easy distance, wigwagging is
+commonly used. A small flag attached to a staff is held by the signalman
+in such a position that it can be seen by the ship addressed. A code
+similar to the Morse telegraph alphabet is employed. By this system the
+flag, when waved to the right, represents 1, or a dot; and 2, or a dash,
+when inclined to the left. Each word is concluded by bringing the flag
+directly to the front, which motion is called 3. Naval signalmen,
+generally apprentices, become very expert, and the rapidity with which
+they can wigwag sentences is really remarkable.
+
+The Ardois system of night signalling consists of electric lights
+attached to the rigging. There are four groups of double lamps, the two
+lamps in each group showing red and white respectively. By the
+combination of these lights letters can be formed, and so, letter by
+letter, a word, and thence an order, can be spelled out for the guidance
+of the ships of a squadron. The lamps are worked by a keyboard generally
+placed on the upper bridge.
+
+The "flag hoist" system, as it is termed, consists of the displaying of
+different flags at some conspicuous place like the masthead. There are a
+great many flags and pennants, differing in color, shape, and design,
+each having its own particular meaning, and when three or four are shown
+aloft together, a number is formed, the significance of which can only
+be determined by referring to a code book. Each navy has a private code,
+which is guarded with great care. So particular are Governments in this
+respect, that the commanding officer of every ship has instructions to
+go to any length to destroy the code book, if capture is imminent.
+During the late war with Spain it was reported at one time that the
+Spanish code had been secured. This means that the Dons will be
+compelled to adopt an entirely new code of signals.
+
+Besides the above systems, signalling in the navy includes various other
+devices. For instance, the fog whistle can be utilized in connection
+with the Meyer system of numerals. One toot represents 1, two short
+toots 2, and a long blast the end of a word. In a fog, this is the only
+means practicable. Similar sounds can be made by horn or gunfire. At
+night searchlights are often used by waving the beam from the right to
+the left, thus forming an electric wigwag, or by flash like the
+heliograph. On small ships not fitted up with the Ardois system, the
+Very night signal is used. This consists of a pistol made for the
+purpose, which discharges lights similar to those found in the ordinary
+Roman candles. The colors are red and green, and they are fired in
+combinations expressing the numbers from 1 to 9 and 0, so that the
+numbers to four digits contained in the signal book may be displayed.
+
+The "Yankee" was rigged with the Ardois lamps, and she also carried all
+the necessary signal flags and other paraphernalia required to
+communicate with other vessels of the fleet. The signalmen on board had
+been drilled in their work as members of the Naval Reserve prior to the
+beginning of the war, and they were experts to a man.
+
+On the evening of June 8th, while we were idling about decks awaiting
+the order to get under way, a small boat came alongside, having as a
+passenger a captain of the army. He proved to be a special agent who had
+succeeded in visiting the vicinity of Santiago, and was on his way to
+Mole St. Nicholas for the purpose of cabling to Washington. The
+mysterious manner in which he boarded the ship, and the quickness with
+which we steamed from port, created some excitement, and we felt the
+importance of our mission.
+
+The night was dark and muggy--an ideal time for torpedo-boat work, and
+extra lookouts were posted by order of the captain. Nothing of interest
+occurred, however, until early next morning. The ship was ploughing
+along at a steady gait, and those of the watch who were not on actual
+duty were snatching what sleep they could in out-of-the-way corners,
+when suddenly the call to "general quarters" was sounded. Long practice
+caused prompt obedience, and the various guns' crews were soon ready for
+action.
+
+Very few of us knew just what was on foot until the "Kid," in passing,
+contrived to convey the interesting information that a big Spanish fleet
+had been sighted dead ahead.
+
+"That's funny," remarked "Stump," trying to peer from the port. "We are
+not changing our course any. Surely the 'old man' doesn't intend to
+tackle them alone."
+
+"I guess the 'Kid' is 'stringing' us," observed Tommy, sagely. "He's up
+to that trick every time. We're not chasing Spanish fleets alone. The
+captain knows his business all right, all right."
+
+Word was brought from the upper deck presently, that we were in pursuit
+of a strange steamer which had been discovered lurking on the horizon.
+She failed to respond to our signals, and chase was made forthwith. The
+"Yankee's" speed soon proved superior to that of the stranger, and
+within an hour we had her close aboard.
+
+"It's an English tramp from the looks of her," reported "Hay," who had a
+choice position near the gun port. "She's got a dozen people on the
+bridge and they are badly scared."
+
+A blank six-pounder was fired, but she did not heed it, so a shot was
+fired across the stranger's bows, and she hove-to in short order.
+
+"Steamer ahoy!" came faintly to our ears from on deck. "What steamer is
+that?"
+
+The answer reached us in disjointed sentences, but we heard enough to
+set us laughing. Tommy smacked his hand upon the breech of the gun and
+chuckled: "It's one of those everlasting press boats. The sea is full of
+'em."
+
+"What in the deuce did they run for, I wonder?" exclaimed Kennedy.
+
+"Afraid of us, I suppose. It's ticklish times around here, and I don't
+blame them. Press boats are not made to fight, you know."
+
+"That idea doesn't carry out their motto," drawled "Dye."
+
+"How's that?" asked Flagg, innocently.
+
+"Why, they claim that the pen is mightier than the sword, don't they?"
+
+After the laugh had subsided, "Morrie," one of the Rochester detail, who
+acted as a shellman in the crew of Number Eight, said seriously:
+
+"I am a great admirer of the press representatives down here, fellows.
+They are capable, good writers, and there is not a branch of the whole
+outfit that has been more faithful to duty. They were sent here to get
+the news, and they get it every time. There has never been a war more
+ably reported than this, and, although the correspondents have to hustle
+day and night, they still find time to keep us informed, and to give us
+an occasional paper from home. They are good fellows all."
+
+"Amen!" said "Hay."
+
+After a time, the press boat sheered off, and we continued on our
+course. Later in the morning another steamer was sighted. The "Yankee"
+was sent after her at full speed. The chase crowded on all steam, but
+she was soon overhauled, and found to be a Norwegian trader. After a
+satisfactory explanation she was permitted to go. Three hours later the
+"Yankee" dropped anchor off Mole St. Nicholas, a Haytian seaport
+brought into some prominence through the location of a cable station.
+
+Mole St. Nicholas is a little collection of tropical-looking houses set
+among palm trees at the foot of a large hill, which in places aspires to
+the dignity of a mountain. The town itself is rather picturesquely
+situated, the foliage-covered background and beautiful inlet of pure
+clear water giving it a natural setting very attractive to our eyes.
+
+After we had been anchored an hour or so, a bumboat came out, manned by
+a crew of two coal-black negroes who spoke a French patois, intermingled
+with comical English. The boat itself was a queer, stubby craft
+propelled by home-made oars. Before the morning was well advanced the
+ship was surrounded by boats carrying shells, limes, prickly pears,
+green cocoanuts, bananas, fish, and "water monkeys." The latter were
+jugs made of a porous clay, and they were eagerly purchased. The "water
+monkey" is a natural cooler, and when placed in a draught of air will
+keep water at a temperature delightful in a warm latitude.
+
+We parted with our mysterious passenger, the army officer, and weighed
+anchor just as the sun was setting. Lookouts were posted early, and
+special instruction given by the captain to maintain a vigilant watch.
+The fact that we were in the very theatre of war, and that several
+Spanish cruisers, including the Spanish torpedo boat "Terror," were
+reported as being in the vicinity, kept a number of us on deck.
+
+"It is one thing lying off a port with a lot of other ships and
+bombarding a few measly earthworks, and another to be sneaking about in
+the darkness like this, not knowing when you will run your nose against
+an enemy twice as large," said Flagg, as several of Number Eight's crew
+met on the forecastle. "I tell you, it feels like war."
+
+"Reminds me of a story I heard once," put in "Stump," lazily. He was
+lounging over the rail with his back to us and his words came faintly.
+The deck was shrouded in gloom, and the vague outlines of the
+pilot-house, only a dozen feet away, was the length of our vision aft. A
+soft, purling sound came from over the side where the waves lapped
+against the steel hull. A shovel grated stridently now and then in the
+fire room, and occasionally a block rattled or a halliard flapped
+against the foremast overhead. The surroundings and the strange, weird
+"feel" of the darkness were peculiarly impressive.
+
+"I don't know whether we care to hear any story," observed "Hay."
+"Better keep it until later, 'Stump.' The night's too wonderful to do
+anything except lounge around and think. Whew! isn't it dark?"
+
+"This story I was going to tell you requires a setting like this,"
+replied "Stump." "It is about a ship that started from England years and
+years ago. She had as passengers a lot of lunatics who were to be
+experimented upon by a doctor about as crazy as they. He bought the
+ship, fitted it up with a number of little iron cages, and set forth
+with his queer cargo. Ten days out, the lunatics broke from their
+quarters and captured the vessel. One of them, who had been a sea
+captain in his time, took charge, and proceeded to carry out a little
+idea of his own, which was to make sane people crazy."
+
+"That was turning the tables with a vengeance," drawled "Dye," from his
+perch on an upturned pail. "I wonder if he was any relation to
+'Cutlets'?"
+
+"A lineal ancestor, I'll bet a biscuit," chimed in "Hay." "Don't you
+remember the quotation, 'By these acts you will know their forefathers,'
+or something like that?"
+
+"Well," resumed "Stump," "the crazy captain put the doctor and the crew
+in the cages and began to feed them hardtack and berth-deck scouse and
+salt-horse and--"
+
+[Illustration: THE SEARCHLIGHT "SWEEPING BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE
+BLACK OF THE HORIZON"]
+
+"Must have been a Government naval contractor in his time," murmured
+"Morrie."
+
+"I bet I know the rest," exclaimed the "Kid," coming up in time to grasp
+the situation. "The captain set his prisoners to carrying coal from the
+after hold forward and then back again, didn't he?"
+
+"If you fellows think you can tell the story better than I can, go
+ahead," retorted "Stump," in disgust. "You are like a lot of old maids
+at a sewing circle. I give--"
+
+"What was that?" suddenly cried "Hay," springing to his feet. "If it
+wasn't a flash of light I'll eat my--"
+
+A figure hastily emerged from the gloom aft.
+
+"Go to your stations at once, you men," called out a voice. "General
+quarters!"
+
+As we scurried toward the hatch a great shaft of light appeared off the
+port beam, and began sweeping back and forth across the black of the
+horizon.
+
+"Good heavens!" exclaimed "Hay," "it's a searchlight on some man-of-war.
+We're in for it now!"
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII.
+
+A NARROW ESCAPE.
+
+The finger of light sweeping the heavens above the distant horizon meant
+to us the presence either of friend or foe, and the question was one we
+had little desire to solve at that moment. Rumors of Spanish warships
+lurking in the waters adjacent to Cuba were rife, and it had even been
+stated that another squadron inferior only to Cervera's fleet was
+somewhere in the neighborhood.
+
+We of the "Yankee" were willing, and I may say, without undue boasting,
+eager to meet any vessel of equal size or even larger, but to give
+battle to a whole fleet was a little too much. Nevertheless, when the
+word was passed to go to "general quarters," there was no sulking nor
+hesitancy.
+
+The battery was ready in record time.
+
+Our gun was placed in trim, ammunition hatches opened, cartridges
+whipped on deck, and the piece prepared for instant use so rapidly that
+the officer of the division, Lieutenant Greene, gave us warm praise.
+
+Then we waited.
+
+It is difficult for a layman--a citizen who has not experienced the test
+of action and danger in battle--to understand or appreciate our feelings
+that night. It is hard to describe them, to paint with mere words the
+intense seriousness and gravity of the situation. You can imagine a dark
+night at sea--a night so black that the senses feel oppressed. You can
+add to these a thrill of impending danger and a vision of capture by a
+cruel enemy and the thought that the very next second will sound the
+signal for an uproar and outbreak of combat, but your impressions will
+fall far short of the reality--that must be experienced to be
+appreciated.
+
+As we stood at our stations surrounding Number Eight gun, I tried to
+read the faces of my companions, to see if I could find in them traces
+of worry or anxiety, or of fear. The situation warranted even the latter
+emotion. The dim light cast by the nickering battle lanterns sent
+fantastic shadows dancing over deck and bulkhead, and caused the men at
+the guns to resemble, in their stained white working clothes, so many
+gaunt spectres.
+
+But they were spectres with a grim purpose in view, and as the officer
+of the division strode back and forth, alert and watchful, they followed
+his movements with their eyes, eager for the word that would set them in
+action. They were not veterans, and their experience in war could have
+been measured by days, but they were honestly ready to fight and to shed
+the last drop of their blood for the flag waving over the taffrail.
+
+It was a ticklish situation. Even the "Kid," with his careless,
+happy-go-lucky mind, would have admitted that; but as time passed
+without bringing a break in the monotony of waiting, we began to feel
+restless. The tension was still great, but the first sense of
+apprehension was gone.
+
+"I do wish something would happen," muttered "Hay," after a while. "Can
+you see anything from that port, 'Morrie'?"
+
+"A wall of blackness, that's all," replied the Rochester man.
+
+"We've changed our course several times," spoke up Flagg. "I think the
+'old man' is scooting for cover."
+
+"Fool if he didn't," growled Tommy. "They have a pretty habit of
+court-martialling naval officers when they risk their ship
+unnecessarily. If Captain Brownson should fail to do all in his power
+to escape from what his judgment tells him is overwhelming odds, he'd
+find himself in trouble. Discretion is the better part of valor, even in
+the navy."
+
+Suddenly we began to notice a peculiar glow tinging the darkness, and
+reflecting from the polished parts of the gun. It came suddenly and with
+a spurt of ruddy light unmistakable.
+
+"It's a fire somewhere," exclaimed Flagg. "Look! it's getting brighter."
+
+"It comes from this ship," cried "Stump," edging toward the port. "Is it
+possible the old hooker is on fire?"
+
+We waited for the ringing of the alarm bell, or the call to "fire
+quarters," but the minutes slipped by without the summons. Outside, the
+ruddy glare tinged the surface of the sea, sparkling from foam-crested
+waves, and forming a circle of dancing light through which the "Yankee"
+speeded on in her flight for safety.
+
+Our curiosity increased apace, and we watched eagerly for passing
+messengers or for some stray word that would explain the peculiar
+phenomenon. It was Kennedy who finally solved the mystery--Kennedy the
+luckless, he whom we dubbed "Lucky Bag," because of his propensity to
+allow his wearing apparel to find its way into the clutches of "Jimmy
+Legs." Kennedy had slipped near the port and was trying to perform the
+difficult feat of scanning the upper deck from the opening.
+
+"Come back here and stop that 'rubber-necking,' No. 7," called out
+Tommy. "Do you want to get on the report?"
+
+"For the hundred and 'steenth time," added "Stump," with a grin.
+
+"Perhaps he's seasick," suggested "Dye." "It's about due. He hasn't
+heaved up his boots since noon."
+
+"Did you hear what 'Cutlets' said to him yesterday?" spoke up "Hay." "He
+was 'wigging' Kennedy, and he remarked in his tender way, 'Look here,
+you hero, why don't you brace up and be a man? You are continually sick
+or on the report, and you aren't worth your salt. Get down below now,
+and fill your billet.' Poor devil! he tries to do his best, I guess."
+
+Just then Kennedy faced around toward us and we saw that he was
+laughing.
+
+"What do you think?" he said. "It's a fire after all."
+
+"A fire? Where?" we gasped simultaneously.
+
+"In the furnaces. I saw a big flame leaping from the funnel. Gee! they
+must be whooping her up below to beat the band. Coal piled up to the
+top of the flues."
+
+"It's oil," exclaimed Tommy, gravely. "They are feeding the fires with
+crude oil. That means the last resort, fellows. The 'old man' is trying
+to get every ounce of steam possible."
+
+Our curiosity satisfied, we felt more at ease, and we lounged at our
+stations and listened to the banging of furnace doors and grating of
+shovels in the fire room below. Occasionally one of us would venture an
+opinion or try to exchange views, and "Stump" even started a story, but
+in the main we were quiet and watchful.
+
+From the swaying and trembling of the hull it was evident the "Yankee"
+was being pushed at her utmost speed. Mess gear rattled in the chests,
+the deck quivered, and from down in the lower depths came the quick
+throb-throb of the overworked engines. Presently the red glare caused by
+the upleaping flames from the funnel died away, and darkness settled
+down again.
+
+"I guess we are making it," observed Tommy. "We have been a good two
+hours racing at this gait, which means a matter of almost forty miles."
+
+"They might let us take a run on deck," grumbled Flagg. "What's the use
+of holding up this gun all night? It's getting monotonous."
+
+"Here comes the 'Kid,'" exclaimed "Dye." "He may have some news."
+
+The youngster brought a message to Lieutenant Greene. As he started off,
+he whispered:
+
+"We are going to 'secure' in a few moments. It has been a great scoot. I
+heard the captain say to 'Mother Hubbub' that it would go down in
+history as a masterly retreat."
+
+"Was it a Spanish fleet?" queried "Hay."
+
+"They are not certain. The skipper now thinks that it was a convoy of
+transports bringing the army of occupation. He didn't stop to find out,
+though. Say, you fellows look tired. Why don't you 'pipe down'?"
+
+He scurried off with a laugh, and we were just settling back for another
+siege of it when the welcome order came to "secure." The order was
+executed in a jiffy, and then those who had the off watch piled into
+their hammocks with a celerity seldom equalled. Santiago was reached
+early the following morning, and before the day was over we heard that
+our neighbors of the night before were, as the captain had suspected, a
+fleet of transports bringing troops from the United States.
+
+"Which doesn't alter the fact that we displayed wisdom in taking a
+'sneak,'" commented Tommy, grimly. "It's a clever chief who knows when
+to retreat."
+
+The great gray ships still tossed idly on the rolling blue sea when we
+took our station at the right of the line.
+
+It seemed more like a panorama, arranged for the amusement of an
+admiring crowd, than a fleet of floating forts ready at a moment's
+notice to pour out death and destruction.
+
+The flagship "New York," gay with signal bunting, was the centre of a
+fleet of launches and small boats. The boats' crews, in white duck,
+lounged in their places, while the captains were aboard conferring with
+the admiral.
+
+The torpedo boat "Porter" flashed in and out between the grim
+battleships in an almost playful way.
+
+A signal boy on the "Brooklyn" held a long wigwag conversation with the
+flagship, the bit of bright color showing sharply against the
+lead-colored turret.
+
+It was hard to realize that only a few days ago these same ships, that
+now rested so calmly and majestically, were enveloped in clouds of
+smoke, their great guns spitting forth fire and a fearful hail of steel.
+
+We looked at picturesque old Morro on the bluff, and there, close to
+the lighthouse, still floated the Spanish colors. It was aggravating,
+and we would like to have shot the hateful bunting away.
+
+We had no sooner reached our station than the boatswain's call echoed
+from one end of the ship to the other, "Away gig." Whereupon the gig's
+crew rushed below and "broke out" clean whites. No matter what happens,
+the gig's crew must always be clean, both in person and apparel.
+
+Our gig soon joined the fleet of waiting boats at the flagship's
+gangway, and lay there while the captain went aboard.
+
+The skipper returned about noon and went forward. Immediately, we heard
+the cry "All hands on the gig falls." Then, before the boat was fairly
+out of water, we heard the engine bell jingle.
+
+We were off again.
+
+Some active member of the "Rumor Committee" said we were bound for
+Jamaica. And after consultation with a signal boy, who came aft to read
+the patent log, we found that we were heading for that island.
+
+The wind was dead ahead and blowing fresh and cool, but the sun was hot,
+and the boatswain's mates were instructed to keep the men in the shade
+as much as possible.
+
+The stress and strain of the night before made the few hours of
+"caulking off," that we now enjoyed, particularly grateful.
+
+We lay so thick on the windward side of the spar deck under the awning,
+that it would have been difficult to find foot room.
+
+Every hour a signal boy came running aft to read the log, which was
+attached to the taffrail on the starboard quarter. The log worked on the
+same principal as a bicycle cyclometer. It had two dials that indicated
+the miles and fractions of miles as they were reeled off. A long,
+braided line, having what we called a "twister" attached, trailed behind
+in the water and made the wheels go round, a certain number of
+revolutions to the mile.
+
+Hour after hour the ship rushed through the water. The engines throbbed
+in a regular, settled sort of way, that reminded one of a man snoring.
+The wind blew softly and caressingly. The ship rolled easily in the long
+swell. It was soothing and restful, and we felt quite reconciled to life
+in the navy. We almost forgot that we were on an engine of war; that
+there was enough ammunition below to blow up several "Maine's," and that
+we were cruising in the enemy's country.
+
+The men talked cheerfully of home, pursuits, and pleasures, for it was
+too fine, too bright, to be depressed.
+
+Finally the sun went down in a blaze of glory, dropping suddenly into
+the sea as it is wont to do in the tropics.
+
+In a few minutes it was dark. In these latitudes there is practically no
+twilight; the sun jumps into his full strength in the morning, and
+quenches his glory in the sea before one realizes the day is gone.
+
+Soon after dark the lookouts began to report lights, and before long we
+found ourselves steaming into a fine harbor, which we learned was Port
+Antonio.
+
+A delightful feeling of security stole over us. We were at anchor in a
+friendly port, the inhabitants of which spoke the same tongue as we did
+and sympathized with us. We turned in at the earliest possible moment,
+and as we lay in our "elevated folding beds," as "Hay" called them, we
+could hear unmistakable shore sounds--the barking of dogs, the crowing
+of cocks, and according to some active imaginations, even the bell of a
+trolley car.
+
+At one o'clock we were wakened by the call, "All hands on the cat
+falls." We slipped out of our "dream bags" with the best grace we could
+muster, and went forward to pull up the anchor to its place on the
+forecastle deck.
+
+So we gave up the pleasant idea that we were to spend the night
+undisturbed, and the guns' crews of the watch on deck made themselves as
+comfortable as possible under the circumstances, on their wooden couch
+around the guns; viz., the deck.
+
+When the sun rose next morning, we found that land was plainly visible
+from the port side, and we soon learned that we were still in Jamaican
+waters and would arrive at Montego Bay about ten o'clock.
+
+The programme was carried out to the dot.
+
+The "Yankee" steamed into the beautiful bay, the crew "at quarters," in
+honor of the English man-of-war "Indefatigable," which lay at anchor
+there, and we had hardly let down our anchor when a fleet of "bumboats"
+came chasing out to us.
+
+Though an American warship had never visited this port before, we seemed
+to be recognized by these enterprising marine storekeepers as easy prey.
+
+The native "bumboat" is a dugout affair very narrow for its length, and
+seemingly so cranky that we marvelled at the size of the sail carried.
+They brought fruits of all kinds, and tobacco, so we didn't stop to
+criticise their rig, but showed plainly that we were right glad to see
+them.
+
+The boatmen and women were all colored people and, like the race the
+world over, were most fantastically and gaily clothed. The women wore
+bright-hued calico dresses, and brighter bandana handkerchiefs on their
+heads. The men wore flaming neckties, gay shirts, and, in some cases,
+tall white or gray beaver hats.
+
+The boats were filled with yellow, green, and red fruits and
+brightly-colored packages of tobacco, the whole making a most vivid and
+brilliant display of color.
+
+The crew bought eagerly, regardless of price. Limes, oranges, mangoes,
+bananas, and pineapples came over the side in a steady stream, while an
+equally steady, though smaller, stream of silver went back to the boats.
+
+It was a harvest day for the Montego Bay "bumboatmen."
+
+Though we bought the fruits without hesitation, we bit into them
+gingerly, for, to most of us, many of them were strange.
+
+Tom LeValley brought me a mango and said that I could have it if I would
+sample it and tell what it was like. I accepted, for I had not been
+lucky enough to get near a boat to buy for myself.
+
+He handed me something that looked like a pear but was of the color of
+an orange. I was just about to bite into it when I chanced to look up. I
+saw that I was the target of all eyes. Putting on a bold front, I sunk
+my teeth in the yellow rind. I found it was pleasant to the taste, but
+unlike anything that I had ever put in my mouth before. Still the
+fellows gazed at me. Was it a trick mango I had tackled so recklessly? I
+determined not to be stumped, and took a good big bite. In a moment, I
+discovered why I was the "observed of all observers." The last bite
+loosened a good deal of the peel, and the thing began to ooze. It oozed
+through my fingers and began to run down my sleeve; it dripped on my
+trousers and made an ineradicable stain; my face was smeared with it, my
+hands were sticky with it, my mouth was full of it, and still the blamed
+thing oozed.
+
+Then the unfeeling crowd laughed. Some one shouted "get under the hose."
+Another yelled "Swab ho," whereupon a none too clean deck swab was
+brought and applied to my face and hands, protests being unavailing.
+
+I afterwards remarked to Tom that he had better try experiments on
+himself, or present me with a bathtub along with the next mango, and I
+have since learned that a Distinguished Person came to the same
+conclusion when first introduced to this deceitful fruit.
+
+We enjoyed our stay in this beautiful island port very much, and it was
+with great reluctance that we obeyed the order to "haul on the cat
+falls." As we were walking away with that heavy line, we saw a liberty
+party from the English warship start for shore in the ship's cutters,
+and we envied them with all our hearts.
+
+The town looked very attractive, set as it was on the side and at the
+base of a high hill, the red-tiled roofs of its houses showing against
+the graceful, green palm trees. On our left, a grove of cocoanut palms
+flourished, and beneath grazed a herd of cattle.
+
+Soon the ship began to back out, and then, as the bay grew wider, she
+turned slowly and headed for the open.
+
+"Lash your mess chests," said messenger "Kid" to the berth deck cooks.
+"Orders from the officer of the deck," he added.
+
+He turned to us, who were standing by the open port. "I guess we'll have
+a lively time of it, for I heard 'Cutlets' say the barometer is dropping
+at a terrible rate."
+
+The "Kid" scurried further aft to give the order to the boatswain's
+mates and master-at-arms.
+
+We looked out to seaward and noted the black sky and the rising wind.
+
+"I guess you 'heroes' will have a chance to show what right you have to
+be called seamen," said "Stump," mimicking "Cutlets."
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV.
+
+WE ENGAGE IN A SEA FIGHT.
+
+"Watch on deck, put on your oilers," shouted the boatswain's mates.
+
+The order came none too soon, for as the last man ran up the
+companion-way ladder, the rain began to drop in sheets.
+
+The rising wind drove the rain in our faces with stinging force, and we
+were soon wet as drowned rats.
+
+The white-capped seas raced alongside, and the "Yankee" heaved and
+tossed like a bucking bronco. The lookouts at the masthead swayed
+forward and back, to and fro, dizzily, and the officer of the deck on
+the bridge had difficulty in keeping his feet. The pots and pans in the
+galley banged noisily, and ever and anon the screw was lifted out of the
+water, and for a few turns shook the ship from stern to stem with its
+accelerated speed.
+
+A number of men who had partaken too freely of tropical fruits manned
+the rail and seemed too much interested in the seething water below to
+notice the rain that was dripping down their necks.
+
+For a time, things were very lively aboard the old hooker, and, though
+in the main unpleasant, the grandeur of the sea in the tempest made up
+for all discomforts. The flash of the lightning, the roar of the
+thunder, the hum and whistle of the wind through the rigging, and the
+swish of the seas as they dashed themselves to spray against the sides
+of the ship--all this made an impressive chorus, more stirring even than
+the roar of cannon and the shriek of shell.
+
+When "hammocks" was blown by the ship's bugler at a quarter to seven, we
+found it difficult to make our way forward to the nettings. One moment
+we were toiling up the deck's steep incline; the next, the ship would
+bury her prow, and we were rushing forward pell mell. The boat seemed to
+be endowed with diabolical intelligence that night. A man might,
+perchance, stoop to tie his shoe or examine a freshly stubbed toe, when
+the ship would seem to divine that she had him at a disadvantage, and
+would leap forward so that he would immediately stand on his head, or
+affectionately and firmly embrace a convenient stanchion. "Pride cometh
+before a fall," and the man who thought he had caught the swing and
+could walk a chalk line on the deck, soon found that the old boat knew a
+new trick or two, and in a twinkling of an eye he was sawing the air
+frantically with his arms, in his efforts to keep his balance.
+
+Though the force of the tropical storm was soon spent, the sea continued
+high, and locomotion was difficult.
+
+The hammocks were given out by the "hammock stowers" of the watch on
+duty. They called out the numbers stenciled on our "dream bags," and the
+owners stepped forward and claimed them. As soon as a man secured his
+hammock he immediately slung it in place, unlashed it, and arranged the
+blankets to his liking.
+
+A group gathered around the capstan aft, after the hammock ceremony had
+been completed.
+
+Some one said, "I'm glad I can sleep in a hammock a night like this; the
+heave of the ship will be hardly felt."
+
+"Yes," responded the "Kid," "I wouldn't swap my 'sleeping bag' for the
+captain's bed, to-night."
+
+"That reminds me," said "Stump." "Speaking of beds--when we were in New
+York a friend of mine came aboard to see me. He had a sister, but left
+her at home."
+
+"You can thank your lucky stars he did. If she'd seen your weary,
+coal-covered visage, you could not even have been a brother to her,"
+interrupted "Hay."
+
+"I guess you're right," responded "Stump," with an appreciative grin.
+"Anyhow, she did not come. So when her brother got home she plied him
+with questions--this he wrote me afterwards--wanted to know how I
+looked, asked what the ship was like, inquired about our food, and then
+she questioned him about my stateroom. Was it prettily decorated? Whose
+photograph occupied the place of honor on my dressing table?
+
+"Billy, my friend," explained "Stump," "is a facetious sort of chap, so
+he told her that of course such a large crew could not _all_ have
+staterooms, but _I_ had a very nice one, that could be folded when not
+in use, and put to one side out of the way. It was made of canvas, he
+said, so constructed that it would always swing with the ship, and so
+keep upright in a rolling sea.
+
+"She listened intently, and finally broke out enthusiastically: 'How
+nice!'
+
+"Billy almost had a fit at that, and I nearly had, when I read his
+letter."
+
+We all laughed heartily and trooped below to enjoy a few hours' sleep
+in our "folding staterooms."
+
+The next day dawned bright and clear, and warm; with nothing to remind
+us of the storm of the night before except the seedy look on the faces
+of some of the "heroes" who were prone to seasickness.
+
+The sun had not been up many hours when the masthead lookout shouted,
+"Sail ho!" To which the officer of the deck replied, "Where away?"
+
+"Dead ahead, sir. Looks like one of the vessels of the fleet, sir."
+
+And so we joined the squadron again, after an absence of twenty-four
+hours.
+
+Nothing had occurred while we were away. Cervera's fleet was still
+"bottled up" in Santiago harbor, and the American fleet held the cork so
+effectively that even a torpedo boat could not get out.
+
+After preparing the ship for the usual Sunday inspection, and arraying
+ourselves in clean whites, polished shoes, and stockings, we thought we
+had done all the work that would be required of us for the day. But when
+the gig returned, bringing the skipper from the flagship, we learned
+that we were to get under way right after dinner, and steam to the
+westward.
+
+After "turn to" was sounded at 1:15 o'clock, we noted a long string of
+signal flags flying from the signal yard, which we found requested
+permission from the flagship to proceed at once. As the affirmative
+pennant on the "New York" slowly rose to its place on the foremast, the
+"Yankee's" jingle bell sounded, and the ship began to gather headway.
+
+At "afternoon quarters"--1:30--a drill, new to us, was taught; called by
+the officers "physical drill," and by the men "rubber-necking." We
+hardly felt the need of exercise. The swinging of a swab and use of sand
+and canvas, to say nothing of "scrub and wash clothes" before breakfast,
+seemed to us sufficient work to keep our muscles in good condition; but
+it is one of the axioms in the navy that "Satan finds some mischief
+still for idle hands to do," so the men were soon lined up--sufficient
+space being given each man to allow him to swing his arms, windmill
+fashion, without interfering with his neighbor.
+
+A regular calisthenic exercise was gone through, such as may be seen in
+gymnasiums all over the country; but instead of a steady, even floor,
+upon which it would be quite easy to stand tiptoe, on one foot, or
+crouched with bended knees, it was quite a different matter to do these
+"stunts" on the constantly rolling deck.
+
+At the order, "Knee stoop, one," we bent our knees till we sat on our
+heels. "Heads up, hands on the hips, there!" said Mr. Greene of our
+division, as some one obeyed an almost irresistible impulse to keep his
+balance by putting out his hand. The man obeyed, but at that instant the
+ship gave a lurch, and the poor chap fell over on his head and almost
+rolled down the berth-deck hatch.
+
+The laugh that followed was promptly suppressed, and though the exercise
+was not carried out with a great deal of grace or ease, Mr. Greene
+seemed to be satisfied with the first attempt.
+
+We steamed along all the afternoon past the coast of Cuba and within
+plain sight of the beautiful, surf-rimmed beach. We looked for signs of
+the enemy, but not a living thing could be seen. Not a sign of human
+habitation; not an indication that any human being had ever set foot on
+this desolate land. So beautiful, so grand, so lonely was it that we
+longed to go ashore and shout, just to set a few echoes reverberating in
+the hills.
+
+Toward night, we turned seaward, and the land was lost to view; at the
+same time the "Yosemite," manned by the Michigan Naval Reserves, who
+had accompanied us thus far, dropped out of sight in the haze. She was
+bound for Jamaica.
+
+A ship painted the "war color" now in vogue in the United States navy,
+will disappear as if by magic when dusk comes on. The lead color makes
+any object covered with it invisible in half light or a haze.
+
+There had been much speculation during the day and evening as to our
+probable destination, but we remained in ignorance until the next
+morning, when it became known that our orders were to call at the port
+of Cienfuegos, a prominent city of southern Cuba, some three hundred and
+thirty miles from Santiago.
+
+It was reported that the object of our visit was to intercept and
+capture a blockade runner said to be aiming for that port. The news
+received an enthusiastic welcome fore and aft. The billet of "fleet
+messenger" was becoming tiresome.
+
+The land had been sighted at two bells (nine o'clock), and all hands
+were looking for Cienfuegos, but it was past one before the mouth of the
+harbor was gained. The "Yankee's" crew were at regular quarters at the
+time, but a hurried order to dismiss and clear ship for action sent the
+different guns' crews scurrying to their stations.
+
+To add to the interest, word came from the bridge to train the guns aft
+and to do everything possible to disguise the cruiser.
+
+"We are to masquerade as a blooming merchantman," chuckled "Dye." "This
+reminds me of my boyhood days when I read pirate stories. Do you
+remember that yarn about Kydd, where he rigged painted canvas about his
+ship and hid all the ports, 'Stump'? It was great. The whole piratical
+crew, with the exception of a dozen men, kept below, and when a poor
+unfortunate ship came along, the bloodthirsty villains captured her."
+
+"I wish they had caught you at the same time," retorted "Stump." "Then
+we wouldn't be bothered with your infernal cackle. Here, give me a hand
+with this mess chest."
+
+By this time the task of preparing for action was an old story, and we
+made short work of it. The call to "general quarters" followed without
+delay, and, as we prepared the battery for action, word came from above
+that a large gunboat, showing Spanish colors, was leaving the harbor in
+our direction.
+
+"Which means a scrap of the liveliest description," muttered Tommy.
+"They evidently take us for a trader without guns, and they'll attack
+us sure."
+
+Boom!
+
+A six-pounder gave voice from the spar deck, instantly followed by a
+five-inch breechloader in the waist. Number Eight was loaded, and "Hay,"
+who held the firing lanyard, snatched another sight, then stood erect
+with left hand in the air.
+
+"Ready, sir," he called out to the officer of the division.
+
+"Fire!" came the reply promptly.
+
+With the word a vicious report shook the deck, and the gun muzzle
+vanished in a cloud of smoke. Eager hands opened the breech, others
+inserted another cartridge, there was a shifting of the training lever,
+a turn of the elevating wheel, then "Hay" stood back once more, and
+coolly made the electrical connection.
+
+Following the second report came a dull, booming sound, apparently from
+a distance. We eyed one another significantly.
+
+"It's a fort," quoth "Dye." "We've got to tackle both sea and land
+forces."
+
+Presently, while we were hard at work sending shots at the Spanish
+gunboat, which was in lively action a short distance away, we became
+aware of a peculiar whirring noise--a sound like the angry humming of a
+swarm of hornets. It would rise and fall in volume, then break off short
+with a sharp crash. Suddenly, while glancing through the port, I saw
+something strike the surface, sending up a great spurt of water. It was
+followed by a dull, muffled report which seemed to shake the ship.
+
+It was a shell!
+
+"Whiz! they are coming pretty fast," remarked Flagg. "That last one
+didn't miss us by a dozen yards."
+
+"This isn't Santiago shooting," put in Tommy. "These beggars know how to
+aim."
+
+During the next ten minutes the fighting was fast and furious. It was
+load and fire and load again without cessation. There was the old
+trouble in regard to the smoke, and half the time we had to aim blindly.
+Notwithstanding that fact, "Hay" did so well that word came from Captain
+Brownson complimenting him warmly.
+
+The "Yankee" seemed to be the centre of a series of eruptions. The
+Spanish shells kept the water continually boiling, and with the
+splashing of each projectile there would arise a geyser-like fountain
+accompanied by a muffled explosion which could be plainly felt on board
+the ship.
+
+[Illustration: "THERE WAS TEMPORARY CONFUSION"]
+
+It was the first real naval battle experienced by us--the bombardment of
+Santiago being of an entirely different calibre--and it needed only the
+grewsome setting of surgeons and wounded and blood to make it complete.
+That soon came.
+
+We of Number Eight gun were working at our stations, so intent on our
+duties that the uproar of shot and shell outside claimed little
+attention, when suddenly there came a louder explosion than usual
+directly in front of the open port.
+
+There was a blinding flash, a puff of stifling smoke, and then Kennedy,
+who was just approaching the gun with a shell, staggered back, and
+almost fell to the deck. Tommy, the first captain, made a gesture as if
+brushing something from his breast, and then leaped to the injured man's
+assistance.
+
+"It was a piece of shell," cried "Stump." "It came through the port."
+
+There was temporary confusion. The surgeon and his assistants came on a
+run, but before they could reach the spot, Kennedy recovered and
+advanced to meet them. He presented a horrible spectacle, with his face
+and neck and body spattered with blood, and we who were nearest saw that
+he had been frightfully wounded in the left shoulder.
+
+Notwithstanding that fact, he remained cool and steady, and never made
+the slightest indication that he was suffering. When he finally
+disappeared down the berth-deck ladder we exchanged glances of surprise
+and sympathy.
+
+"That isn't Kennedy," murmured "Stump," softly.
+
+"We didn't know him after all," said "Hay." "Poor devil! I hope he isn't
+badly injured."
+
+"He has been in the hardest kind of luck since we left New York," spoke
+up Tommy. "Seasick half the time, always in trouble, and bucking against
+homesickness and everything else. And now he has to be wounded. It's a
+shame."
+
+Our thoughts were with our comrade as we served the gun, and when word
+came a few moments later that he was doing fairly well, we could hardly
+repress a cheer.
+
+There was little time, however, for displaying emotion. We were right in
+the thick of the fight, and the "Yankee's" battery was being worked to
+the limit. It seemed as if the air fairly reeled with the noise and
+clamor of combat. Shells buzzed and shrieked about us, and smoke
+gathered in thick, stifling clouds all about the ship.
+
+While we were laboring, stripped to the waist, and trying our utmost to
+disable or sink the Spanish gunboat, an incident was occurring on deck
+which seemed more fitted for the pages of a novel than those of a story
+of facts.
+
+It was a display of daredevil courage seldom equalled in warfare.
+
+The lad whom we familiarly termed the "Kid" was the central figure and
+the hero. The diary of No. 5 of the after port gun, from which this
+narrative is taken, says of him: "'Kid' Thompson is the ship's human
+mascot and all-round favorite with officers and men. His bump of respect
+is a depression, but his fund of ready wit and his unvarying good nature
+are irresistible. He is eighteen years of age, and is a 'powder monkey'
+on Number Sixteen, a six-pounder on the spar deck. This gun and Number
+Fifteen were the last to obey the order to cease firing during the
+bombardment of Santiago."
+
+During the fight with the Spanish gunboat it chanced that the port
+battery was not engaged for a brief period, so the "Kid," with the rest
+of Number Sixteen crew, were at rest. To better see the shooting the
+"Kid" climbed upon the after wheel-house roof. The shells from the
+gunboat and the forts were dropping all around, fore and aft, port and
+starboard; they whistled through the rigging, and exploded in every
+direction, sending their fragments in a veritable hail of metal on all
+sides.
+
+The fact that the "Yankee" had so far escaped injury aroused in the
+"Kid's" breast a feeling of the utmost contempt for the Spanish gunners.
+Coolly standing upon his feet, he assumed the pose of a baseball player,
+and holding a capstan bar in his hands, called out tauntingly:
+
+"Here, you dagoes, give me a low ball, will you? Put 'em over the
+plate!"
+
+As a shell would fly past with a shriek, he would strike at it, shouting
+at the same time:
+
+"Put 'em over the plate, I say. Do you expect me to walk up to the
+fo'c's'le to get a rap at 'em? Hi, there! wake up!"
+
+Then as a shot fell short, he laughed: "Look at that drop, will you? Do
+you think I'm going to dive for it?"
+
+A moment later a shell flew past so close that the windage almost
+staggered him, but the daring lad only cried banteringly: "That's more
+like it. One more a little closer and I'll show you a home run worth
+seeing."
+
+And so it went until he was espied from the bridge and peremptorily
+ordered down.
+
+In the meantime, while this little episode was in progress, we on the
+gun deck were laboring without cessation. A dozen shots had been fired
+from Number Eight alone, when suddenly another fort secured the range,
+and began a deadly fusillade.
+
+The situation was becoming extremely serious!
+
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+
+COALING IN THE TROPICS.
+
+The well-directed fire of the forts at the entrance to Cienfuegos was
+rapidly making the "Yankee's" position untenable, and it soon became
+apparent that we would have to give way before overwhelming odds.
+Fifteen minutes after the battle began between the Spanish gunboat and
+the "Yankee," the former beat a hasty retreat, steaming back into the
+harbor.
+
+It was plainly evident, however, that she had been badly hulled, as she
+yawed wildly while passing from sight behind the headlands. This of
+itself was victory enough for the present, and at the end of twenty
+minutes' firing, we withdrew out of range.
+
+Our object in the first place was, as we ascertained from forward during
+the day, to intercept a Spanish blockade runner, the "Purissima
+Concepcion"; so we laid off the harbor and waited for the coming of the
+ship, which was supposed to have left Jamaica for Cienfuegos. The day
+was spent in cleaning up after our brief but lively battle, and when
+night came, we were again shipshape.
+
+Shortly after daybreak the following morning, the lookout aloft reported
+that a steamer, evidently a man-of-war, was emerging from the harbor.
+The crew were called to "general quarters" at once, and every
+preparation made to give the stranger a lively reception. She proved,
+however, to be the German warship "Geier" bound for Santiago.
+
+"In time of peace prepare for war" is a good adage, but the reverse is
+also true. Peaceful pursuits are of a necessity carried out even in the
+face of the enemy.
+
+At "evening quarters" new hammocks were doled out, and all hands were
+instructed to scrub the old ones next morning and turn them in.
+
+By this time we had become quite expert laundrymen, but we had never
+tackled a stiff canvas hammock, and the prospect was far from pleasant;
+the following morning, however, we learned how to perform this final
+feat of cleansing; after which we felt qualified to wash anything--from
+a handkerchief to a circus tent.
+
+As "Hay" said, "I feel equal to applying for the position of general
+housework man, if I lose my job. I can sew--you ought to see the
+elegant patch I put on the seat of my old blues--I can 'scrub and wash'
+clothes, I can sweep beautifully, I can make a bed with neatness and
+despatch. And I have been known to get on my knees and scrub the deck."
+
+"You're not the only one," growled Bill. "Why, even 'Dirty Greene'
+escapes the aforetime customary 'calling down.'"
+
+Greene was a clever fellow, a student at Harvard, the owner of a yacht,
+and a good sailor, but his college education did not help him to get his
+clothes clean. That was a study that had been left out of his university
+curriculum. The consequence was that he, with a good many others, was
+"called down" at every inspection.
+
+"Greene is getting it in the neck now," said his friend "Steve"; "but I
+think he will get even some day with his cousin, the lieutenant of his
+division."
+
+"How's that?" we chorused.
+
+"Why, you see he owns a schooner yacht. And his cousin, the lieutenant,
+is very fond of sailing and never fails to accept an invitation to go
+cruising on her. Some day when the lieutenant is aboard, Greene will
+look him over and discover that his shoes are not polished, that his
+hair has not been combed properly, or his white duck trousers are not
+immaculate. He will then be sent below in disgrace to repair these
+faults, and our friend Greene will have the merry Ha! Ha! on him. 'He
+who laughs last, laughs best.'"
+
+We one and all wished we owned yachts and could invite some of the other
+officers--"Cutlets" in particular.
+
+Blockading duty is monotonous work, though the strain on the lookouts is
+intense. During the day, a bright lookout must be kept for the lightest
+tinge of smoke on the horizon, and at night for the faintest glimmer of
+light, or a deeper shadow on the rim of the ocean that would betray a
+ship.
+
+It was Tuesday night, and time hung heavy on our hands. Eight bells had
+not sounded, and, though hammocks had been given out, neither watch
+could turn in. It was with particular glee, therefore, that we welcomed
+the news that "Steve" had composed an up-to-date verse to his "Tommy
+Atkins" song. After some persuasion--for he is a modest chap--he
+consented to sing it for us.
+
+    "The first two verses of this song were writ
+      Before we sailed away for Cuba's Isle;
+    And since that time the Spaniards we have fit,
+      And chased their gunboats many a weary mile.
+    We've heard the bullets whistling overhead.
+      We've heard the shells fly by and called it sport,
+        And down at Cienfuegos
+        We proved ourselves courageous
+      By tackling both a gunboat and a fort.
+
+    CHORUS.
+
+      "Now we'd _like_ to run a ferry,
+        All along the Jersey shore;
+      Fighting Spaniards, it is very
+        Nice, but we don't want--no more.
+      We would give our bottom dollar,
+        And of that you need not fear,
+      Just to hear the masthead holler
+        Brooklyn navy yard is here."
+
+"That's very good, 'Steve,'" said Greene, "but I can't quite agree to
+that line: 'Fighting Spaniards it is very nice, but we don't want--no
+more.' I'd like to have a few more raps at 'em."
+
+"You are such a bloodthirsty chap," said Flagg, "you slam the charges
+into your old Number Seven as if you would like to wipe out the whole
+enemy with one fell swoop."
+
+"Well," replied Greene, thoughtfully, "a man does get awfully excited
+when the guns begin to bark."
+
+And every one of us knew exactly how he felt.
+
+We maintained a close vigil until the sixteenth of June--two days
+later--then sailed for Santiago. Shortly after entering port we were
+informed that the Spanish gunboat with which we had been engaged off
+Cienfuegos had sunk, sent to the bottom by our fire; a bit of news
+highly appreciated.
+
+Our stay in Santiago was short, the "Yankee" leaving for Guantanamo the
+next day at eleven o'clock. On reaching the latter port we found
+evidences of a considerable change in the condition of affairs. On our
+former visit, as the reader will remember, we had engaged in an
+interesting argument with a gunboat, a blockhouse, and a fort, driving
+the boat back into the harbor and silencing the fort. The good work done
+that day had borne fruit.
+
+On entering the bay we found several of our vessels quietly riding at
+anchor--the "Oregon," "Marblehead," "Dolphin" (of railway-train fame),
+the ambulance ship "Solace," the "Panther," "Suwanee," and three or four
+colliers and despatch boats.
+
+But that which attracted our instant attention and brought an
+involuntary cheer from us, was the sight of Old Glory, flaunting proudly
+from a tall flagstaff erected on the site of the former Spanish
+blockhouse.
+
+"Hurray!" shouted "Stump," "it's the first American flag to fly over
+Cuba. And we dug the hole to plant it."
+
+"That's right," assented "Dye." "We are the people."
+
+"What's that camp on top of the hill?" queried Flagg, indicating a
+number of tents gleaming in dots of white against the background of
+green foliage.
+
+"It is the marine camp," explained "Hay." "Didn't you hear about it in
+Santiago? Why, man, it's the talk of the fleet. The marine corps has
+been adding to its laurels again. The other day eight hundred of them
+landed from the 'Panther' and fairly swept the place of Spaniards,
+fighting against three times their number. It was great."
+
+"The marines have a fine record," put in Tommy. "I've been shipmates
+with them for years, and I am free to confess that they always do their
+duty."
+
+"And are always faithful," remarked "Dye."
+
+"That's their motto, 'Semper fidelis.' They have lived up to it in every
+war. They antedate the navy, you know."
+
+"How's that?" asked the "Kid," who was willing to absorb knowledge at
+times.
+
+Tommy produced an ancient book from his ditty box, and proceeded to
+read an extract in a loud, sonorous voice. It was as follows:
+
+"Resolved, That two battalions of marines be raised, consisting of one
+colonel, two lieutenant-colonels, two majors, and other officers, as
+usual in other regiments; that they consist of an equal number of
+privates with other battalions; that particular care be taken that no
+persons be appointed to offices or enlisted into said battalions but
+such as are good seamen, or so acquainted with maritime affairs as to be
+able to serve to advantage on sea when required, that they be enlisted
+and commissioned to serve for and during the present war with Great
+Britain and the colonies, unless dismissed by order of Congress, that
+they be distinguished by the names of the First and Second Battalions of
+Marines."
+
+"The date of that resolution," added Tommy, with the air of a
+schoolmaster impressing a particular point, "is November 10, 1775, which
+was before any naval vessel had been sent to sea by the Continental
+Congress. So you see the marines can claim priority in point of
+service."
+
+"And priority in point of landing in Cuba," added "Hod." "Here's to
+them."
+
+Our discussion on the subject of marines was cut short by a summons to
+coal ship, a task which had come to form the greatest thorn in the flesh
+of all on board the "Yankee." The ship was run alongside the collier
+"Sterling," and the port watch was set to work at once.
+
+From four to six and from eight to twelve p.m., and from four to eight
+the next morning the port watch shovelled, hoisted, and carried coal.
+
+Coaling in the tropics is a very different thing from similar work in
+northern latitudes. The exertion of shovelling, or lifting the heavy
+baskets, added to the intense heat of the weather, makes of it a task
+extremely trying even to those of the strongest physique. During the
+time thus spent in Guantanamo two of the "Yankee's" crew were overcome
+by heat and exhaustion, and compelled to ask for medical attendance.
+
+Our appearance beggared description. The exertion brought out a profuse
+perspiration on our half-naked bodies, to which the coal-dust stuck,
+thick and black. The black rubbed off in spots, showing the white skin
+beneath, the result being a most ludicrous mottled effect. A dime museum
+manager would make a fortune if he could have exhibited some of us as
+the piebald wild men from Guantanamo. It was not till afterward,
+however, that we could appreciate the humor of our looks. During the
+thick of the work we were too busy to note the funny side of things; in
+fact, we felt quite sure that there was nothing funny about it. It is
+impossible to awaken the sense of humor in a man who is plying a heavy
+shovel in the hold of a collier, or lugging a weighty basket, while the
+temperature is soaring to unknown altitudes.
+
+The ship had to be supplied with fuel, however, and as the crew had
+neglected to ingratiate themselves with a good-natured fairy to wish it
+aboard for them, they had to do the work with the best grace possible.
+
+During a "spell" of resting, "Hay," who was a bit of a philosopher in
+his way, glanced about decks at the groups of panting, perspiring men,
+and remarked:
+
+"It would be an object lesson to some of our friends in New York if they
+were to see us now. Just look at those fellows. Not one had ever before
+been compelled by ill-fortune to soil his hands with toil, yet when war
+threatened, and it was necessary to man ships in their country's
+service, they cheerfully took upon themselves the labor's of a common
+sailor, and not only fought for the flag, but worked hard for it in
+menial tasks."
+
+"Menial tasks is good," said "Dye," ruefully eyeing the baskets piled
+high with coal.
+
+"Self-laudation is bad form," spoke up Flagg, "but I think the Naval
+Reserves who are manning the different auxiliary cruisers--the
+'Yosemite,' 'Prairie,' 'Dixie,' 'Badger,' 'Yankee,' and the monitors--as
+well as those serving on board the regular ships, should be given credit
+for their patriotism."
+
+"The boys will get it when the time comes," remarked "Stump,"
+confidently. "And while we are waiting we'll just carry a little more
+coal. Get in line there."
+
+Kennedy, all this time, was bearing up under his trouble splendidly, and
+when the launch of the hospital ship "Solace" came alongside to take him
+away, we could hardly repress a cheer. He was lowered over the side in a
+chair. As the launch steamed away, carrying Kennedy and two other
+shipmates who had been overcome by heat, there was a lump in many a
+throat.
+
+It was not until almost dark the next day that the bunkers were filled.
+At three bells (half-past five o'clock) we dropped the collier and
+steamed to sea en route down the coast. Shortly after ten the "Yankee"
+passed the fleet off Santiago. The electric searchlights in use on the
+ships nearer shore made a particularly brilliant display. The rays were
+turned directly upon the entrance to the harbor, and it was plainly
+evident that not even a small boat could emerge without being
+discovered.
+
+All day Sunday we steamed out of sight of land, our course being to the
+westward and our speed a good fourteen knots.
+
+For four hours in the morning we scrubbed the gun deck, washed the white
+paint work with fresh water and soap, scrubbed the deck with stiff
+"kiyi" brushes, and polished off the bright work. By noon the deck had
+its pristine immaculate look. We were in the midst of the sloppy job
+when "forecastle Murray" (one of the Murray twins--they looked so much
+alike that the invariable greeting in the morning was "How are you,
+Murray--or are you your brother?") came aft for a bucket of fresh water.
+
+"What do you think of this?" he inquired pugnaciously. "Here we are
+scrubbing this blooming gun deck to beat the band, cleaning up the dirt
+of a two day's coaling, and now, forsooth, we are ploughing through the
+water at a fourteen or fifteen knot gait and burning up that coal almost
+as fast as we put it in."
+
+He disappeared up the galley ladder, grumbling as he went.
+
+"Another county heard from," said "Stump." "It does seem rather tough,
+but here goes"--he gave a vicious jerk to the hose he was handling and
+the stream caught "Hay" full in the neck, whereupon "Hay" saw to it that
+"Stump" had a salt-water bath.
+
+By the time "mess gear" was piped, the ship was very clean, so during
+the afternoon we were left largely to our own devices. Some wrote
+letters, though the possibility of sending them or of receiving answers
+was very remote. Others gathered in little knots and read or sewed, and
+still others took advantage of the time to "caulk off" and make up some
+lost sleep.
+
+And so passed another Sunday. Though we might not have a religious
+service we were certainly cleanly, and, therefore, at the worst, not far
+from godly.
+
+Nothing of interest occurred until early Monday morning. Several minutes
+before "mess gear" was due, a lookout at the masthead reported smoke in
+sight off the starboard bow. The engine room was signalled for full
+steam, and the "Yankee" sped away in chase.
+
+"It's our day for scrapping," said "Stump." "We've had more fighting on
+Monday than on any other day of the week. I wonder if it's a Spanish
+cruiser?"
+
+"It is heading for Trinidad, whatever it is," remarked "Hay." "Do you
+see that sloping hill just ahead? It marks the entrance to the little
+port of Trinidad. If I am not mistaken we'll find a gunboat or two in
+the harbor."
+
+[Illustration: "THE FUSILLADE WAS LIVELY"]
+
+"Hay" proved to be a prophet.
+
+An hour later, on rounding a point of land, we came upon a small, armed
+launch steaming about near an old-time roofed-in gunboat which was
+riding at anchor in the harbor. As soon as we hove in sight the gunboat
+and launch opened fire. It was at long range, however, and the
+projectiles merely stirred up the water a mile away.
+
+As the "Yankee's" guns replied, a two-masted steamer made her appearance
+from within the harbor and vanished behind the keys. The fusillade was
+lively, we firing fully one hundred rounds, but there was little damage
+done. After a time, the launch retreated, and we went outside for the
+night.
+
+"It's the last of that scrap," remarked Tommy, the boatswain's mate, as
+he piped down. "We haven't any time to devote to such small fry."
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+
+"REMEMBER THE FISH."
+
+The following morning, after "all hands," the "Yankee" started westward
+along the coast. Cienfuegos was passed, and presently the cruiser was
+taken nearer shore. The lookouts were told to keep watch for horsemen
+riding near the beach. This order aroused our flagging interest, and the
+majority of men on board maintained a careful scrutiny of the white
+strip of land just beyond the breakers.
+
+It was not until noon, however, that our search was rewarded. It was
+just after passing a deep inlet that one of the lookouts espied a group
+of men gathered near the water's edge. There seemed to be a number of
+them, and not far away could be seen a blue and white flag flying from a
+small staff.
+
+The engines were stopped, and a boat officered by Lieutenant Duncan, and
+carrying "Hay" as interpreter, went ashore. "Hay" had spent several
+years in the West Indies and was thoroughly familiar with the Spanish
+language. As he was unique in that respect on board the ship, he often
+did duty as interpreter.
+
+The boat landed in a little cove. After parleying for a while, one of
+the landing party was seen to wigwag. A few moments later the boat
+returned, bringing three Cubans, one of whom was the Cuban governor of
+Matanzas. The others were a captain and commander respectively. "Hay"
+was immediately surrounded and asked to describe what he saw ashore.
+
+"I have had the honor of photographing a detachment of the Cuban Army of
+Liberation," he replied, quizzically. "To tell the truth, it looked like
+a part of Coxey's army. There were about thirty of them, and the
+clothing of the whole outfit wouldn't supply a New England farmer with a
+season's scarecrow. They carried guns of all descriptions, some of them
+with the barrels sawed off short like cavalry carbines; and not one of
+the men looked as if he knew the meaning of a square meal."
+
+"Like Washington's army at Valley Forge, eh?" observed LeValley, joining
+the group.
+
+"Yes, and they are fighting for their liberty, too."
+
+"How did they like being photographed?" asked Tommy.
+
+"Tickled to death. When I asked them to line up they almost fell over
+each other. Next to eating, I think the poor devils love to have their
+pictures taken. They were just like children, and when I pressed the
+button they stood round waiting for the photograph to drop from the
+kodak."
+
+"Reminds me of the Cubans of Puerto Principe when the railway was built
+to that place," put in "Zere," the chief quartermaster. "A temporary
+roundhouse had been constructed, and when the first locomotive reached
+the city and was placed in it to be cleaned, all the natives from miles
+around gathered there. They crowded the windows and doors and were
+evidently waiting for something. Finally the engineer asked one of them
+what he wanted to see. 'We watch for mule to come out,' was the
+startling reply."
+
+"Mule?" echoed Flagg.
+
+"Yes, that was the only motive power known to them," grinned "Zere."
+"They thought even a Yankee engine must have a mule somewhere inside."
+
+"That's like the natives of Guatemala," spoke up "Hop," the messenger.
+"When the street cars were introduced it was the usual thing for a
+native wishing to ride, to mount the platform and knock politely on the
+door. Some one inside would rise and open it, and then the native would
+enter and shake hands all round."
+
+"Fancy doing that on a Broadway cable car," laughed "Stump."
+
+Our imagination was not strong enough for that.
+
+The Cuban guests remained with us for several hours, then went ashore,
+together with a boat-load of provisions contributed by the ship.
+
+The whaleboat returned to the ship when the watch on deck had just been
+piped to supper. The other watch, therefore, had the job of pulling her
+up. The steady tramp, tramp, began and the boat slowly rose up foot by
+foot, till it was level with the rail, then there was a sudden jar and a
+crash. In an instant six men of the crew were in the water, while the
+boat floated away by itself.
+
+There was a rush of feet on deck, loud shouts and cries of "Throw them a
+rope," "Set adrift the life buoy," "Where's that life belt?" and the
+like.
+
+The men at mess jumped up, overturning cups and plates and dishes of
+food. One forecastle man pulled off his jumper and dove in to help.
+
+The sea ladder was put over the side and "Long Tommy" went down it,
+taking with him a piece of line; this he slipped under the arms of
+Rowland, the forecastle man, who had struck an oar on the way down, and
+was hurt. The man was soon hauled up on deck. The other four were also
+rescued. One went floating calmly off on the life buoy and was picked up
+by the gig, and the rest caught rope-ends and were safely hauled aboard,
+none the worse for their involuntary bath.
+
+Lines were coiled down again, the sea ladder unshipped and put in its
+place, and soon all was quiet and shipshape again--but we discovered
+that two spit kits and a monkey-wrench had been thrown overboard to aid
+the sinking sailors.
+
+"It's an ill wind that blows nobody good," quoted the "Kid," who
+happened to be sweeper that week. "I won't have to polish the brass on
+_those_ kits again."
+
+Shortly after the return of the last boat, smoke was sighted to seaward.
+The crew was called to general quarters without delay, and our ship
+steamed out to investigate. After a brief but exciting chase, we
+discovered that the supposed enemy was the auxiliary cruiser "Dixie," a
+sister ship of the "Yankee." She was manned by the Maryland Naval
+Reserves, and her armament was composed of six-inch breechloading
+rifles, not of the rapid-fire class.
+
+It soon became evident that her commanding officer, Commander Davis, was
+superior in rank to Commander Brownson, and he took charge of affairs at
+once. Captain Brownson was rowed over to the "Dixie" to pay his
+respects, and on his return a rumor that we were to be relieved of coast
+patrol duty by the "Dixie" and to proceed to Key West, went through the
+ship like wildfire.
+
+Tom LeValley brought the news to a group of us gathered on the after gun
+deck. We were just discussing the peculiar, and apparently ridiculous,
+degrees of etiquette found among naval officers in general, as
+exemplified by the ranking of Commander Davis over Commander Brownson.
+
+"They are both commanders," Tommy was explaining, "but Commander Davis
+happens to rank Commander Brownson by sixteen numbers in the official
+list. Both entered the service November 29, 1861, and--"
+
+"Whoop!"
+
+Down the ladder charged LeValley, wildly flourishing his cap. He stopped
+in front of us and gasped: "Hurrah! we're going--going to the United
+States, fellows."
+
+"What's up?" demanded "Stump."
+
+"The 'Dixie'--"
+
+"Yes?"
+
+"She's to relieve us, and we are ordered to Key West and then to New
+York. We're going--"
+
+"Rats!" broke in "Hay," in disgust. "You can't give us any game like
+that. It's a rumor, my boy. We're never going home. The 'Yankee' is the
+modern 'Flying Dutchman,' and--"
+
+At that moment the "Kid" appeared in sight, and his beaming face
+convinced us. It was glorious news, but not one of us felt like
+cheering. Our emotions were too deep for that. The mere prospect of
+seeing home again was enough pleasure for the moment, and we were
+content to talk quietly over the welcome possibility of soon meeting
+relatives and friends.
+
+The "Yankee" was destined, however, to experience a little more service
+before dropping anchor in home waters.
+
+For several days we cruised along the coast between Casilda and
+Cienfuegos. We came to know it very well; every ravine in the mountains
+was familiar, every inlet in the coral-bound shore known to us. It began
+to grow monotonous.
+
+Time lay rather heavy on our hands, but not too heavy, for we were put
+to work, two guns' crews at a time, coaling in a new and torrid fashion:
+the coal in the after hold had not all been taken out during the
+northern cruise, so it was decided to pack it in bags, two hundred
+pounds to a bag, carry it forward and stack it in an unused ballast
+tank.
+
+Number Six and Number Eight guns' crews were among the first to engage
+in this pleasant occupation.
+
+We found heat enough below to supply a good-sized house all winter, so
+clothing seemed unnecessary. We stripped to the waist, "Cumming," a
+member of Number Six gun's crew, remarking that he thought a cool glance
+and a frozen smile would be sufficient in such a warm climate.
+
+The work was hard and dirty and the heat terrific. We saw no necessity
+for the transfer. Jack never can see the need of work unless it happens
+that some other crew is doing it.
+
+We cheered ourselves, however, by singing "There's a hot time in the old
+ship to-day."
+
+While we lay close inshore, the "Dixie" cruised outside, and toward
+evening the two vessels met, and together we went to Casilda, a port
+near Trinidad. We stood by while the "Dixie" threw a few shells into
+the fort. Two days later the "Yankee" parted from her consort and
+proceeded to the Isle of Pines.
+
+It was here one of the most laughable incidents of the cruise occurred.
+While steaming past one of the outlying islands, a small fleet of
+fishing sloops was discovered at anchor inshore. Under ordinary
+circumstances such unimportant craft would not have been molested, but
+in the present case it was suspected that they formed part of the fleet
+supplying fish to the Havana market. To destroy them was our bounden
+duty.
+
+"Man the starboard fo'c'sle six-pounder and fire a shell in their
+direction," ordered the captain from the bridge.
+
+The gun was loaded in short order, and presently a projectile went
+screeching across the water, dropping with a splash near the largest
+sloop. Several small rowboats were seen to pull away from the smacks,
+and it was evident the crews had fled in terror. Directly after dinner,
+the "Yankee's" first cutter and the second whaleboat were ordered away,
+manned and armed. A Colt machine gun was placed in the bow of the
+former, and each carried an extra squad of armed marines.
+
+When the expedition returned it had in tow five decked sloops, one of
+which contained a quantity of fresh fish. Orders were given to attach
+the latter to our stern, and to fire the others and set them adrift.
+Before this was done, however, enough fish to supply the wardroom and
+cabin messes were taken out.
+
+"The crew can have its share to-morrow," quoth the captain.
+
+The "crew" waited impatiently, but when the morrow came it was found
+that, through some one's blunder, the sloop containing the fish had been
+burned, and an empty one towed to sea with us. The joke, if it might be
+so termed, was on the crew.
+
+The watchword heretofore on the "Yankee," as on every one of Uncle Sam's
+ships, had been "Remember the Maine." Hereafter it was "Remember the
+fish." This was done so persistently that the officer who was
+responsible for the blunder was dubbed "Fish," and whenever he went near
+any member of the crew he was likely to hear, in a low tone, "Remember
+the fish."
+
+After leaving the Isle of Pines the eastern shore of Cuba was rounded
+and a straight run made for Key West. At noon on the 27th of June, just
+twenty-nine days after the "Yankee" sailed from New York, we again
+entered a home port. The time was brief as time goes, but our varied
+experiences in foreign waters made the sight of the stars and stripes
+flaunting over American soil particularly pleasing.
+
+As we neared our anchorage the most entrancing rumors were rife. We were
+to get shore liberty without doubt, and the ship was to be coaled by
+outside labor. We took no stock in the latter rumor till an officer
+voiced it--then we believed. Our clean blues were furbished up, lanyards
+scrubbed, and money counted. We understood that there was little to see
+at Key West; that it was a dull and uninteresting place. Still it was
+land, and we had not set foot ashore for almost three months.
+
+If we had not been so anxious to get ashore we might have been able to
+appreciate the marine picture.
+
+The harbor, if it could be called a harbor, was full of war vessels,
+prizes, and colliers. Three grim monitors tugged at their anchor chains,
+apparently impatient at the restraint, while a few graceful, clean-cut,
+converted yachts swung with the tide.
+
+The gunboat "Wilmington," and the cruisers "Newark" and "Montgomery,"
+floated with a bored air. In ship's language they said, Why are we
+loafing here? Why not be up and doing?
+
+The "Lancaster," a fine old frigate, the flagship of the commodore, had
+a fatherly air and seemed to say: "Be good and you will all have a
+chance."
+
+Once more we got our shore-going clothes ready, only to be disappointed,
+and again the promises made to us proved elusive. The day following our
+arrival, we were told that no shore liberty would be given at Key West,
+and while the reasons were all sufficient, a man who has set his mind on
+an outing ashore after a hundred days at sea, finds it somewhat hard to
+reconcile himself to the inevitable.
+
+One of the hardest, if not the hardest, thing we had to bear was the
+lack of letters and news from home. When one has been deprived of all
+tidings from his own people for so long the longing for word of them
+becomes almost unbearable.
+
+In the midst of our toughest work we felt that a letter from home would
+act like a strong tonic and brace us for the effort, and it would have
+done so. But no such balm came, though we eagerly scanned every incoming
+vessel for the signal "We have mail for you." Now at last, though there
+might be tons on tons of coal to be put in at Key West, though the ship
+might have to be scrubbed and painted from truck to water line, we felt
+certain we would get letters from home. Letters that we ached for. And
+so when we sighted the fleet and old fort, and realized that we had
+reached Key West and mail at last, our joy was too great for utterance.
+
+The whaleboat went ashore and brought back two bags of precious
+missives, with the sad news that eight bags had been sent on a despatch
+boat to the "Yankee" at Santiago.
+
+We were glad enough to get two bags, yet we almost gnashed our teeth
+when we thought of the eight fat pouches that were chasing us around the
+island of Cuba.
+
+The mail was brought to the wardroom and dumped out on the table for the
+commissioned officers to sort and pick out their own letters. A
+news-hungry group stood the while at the doors, watching and mentally
+grumbling that such an awfully long time was being taken to accomplish
+so simple a thing.
+
+Finally the master-at-arms was sent for and the worth-its-weight-in-gold
+mail turned over to him to distribute. To the gun deck poured the eager
+throng. The master-at-arms backed up against the scuttle-butt for
+protection, then shouted out: "Let one man from each mess get the mail;
+the rest of you stand off, or you won't get any till to-morrow." The
+rest of us stood to one side then, realizing that time would be thus
+saved.
+
+"Jimmy Legs" called out the names, and the representatives of the
+different messes took them. We heard Kennedy's name called, and a murmur
+of sympathy spread around. "Poor chap," said one, "he would give the use
+of his wounded arm for that letter."
+
+"Yes," said another; "he has to suffer homesickness as well as pain, and
+a letter from home would brace him up as nothing else could."
+
+Every man took his treasures to a quiet place, a place apart, if such
+could be found, to enjoy them alone. The few who got none--well! may I
+never see such disappointed, sorrowful faces again.
+
+The letters read and pondered over awhile, tongues began to be loosened,
+and soon all over the ship was heard the buzz of conversation. Chums
+told each other the little items of news that to them seemed the most
+important things in the world. And after all had been told and retold,
+the men gathered in groups and discussed their past months' experiences.
+
+"Do you know," said Craven (a descendant of that famous line of naval
+heroes, a seaman and member of Number Thirteen six-pounder gun's crew),
+"I think we are wonderfully fortunate to come through this experience
+as well as we have. Just think! We have been under fire five times, and
+only one man has been injured. Why," he continued, and his hearers
+nodded assent, "I used to have the most awful visions--thought I saw the
+men lying round our gun in heaps, while fresh ones jumped to take the
+places of the fallen."
+
+"And they would," said messenger "Hop," who happened to be passing on
+his way aft to deliver an order.
+
+The "Yankee" had seen some spirited fighting, though most of her crew
+had anticipated nothing more exciting than patrol duty.
+
+Moreover, it was almost certain that we had not seen the end of active
+service. At present, however, the crew settled down once more to the
+monotony of ship life in port--which is about equivalent to garrison
+duty for a soldier.
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+
+IN GOD'S COUNTRY.
+
+The "Yankee's" stay in Key West was marked by one of the most melancholy
+incidents of the cruise. Thomas Clinton LeValley, one of the first of
+the New York Naval Reserves to respond to the call for volunteers, died
+from appendicitis in the hospital ashore, to which he had been removed
+for treatment. "Tom," as he was familiarly called by his shipmates, was
+on board the "Yankee" during the five engagements of that vessel, and
+proved himself loyal and steadfast on every occasion. He was well liked
+by the officers and men of the crew, and his death was deeply regretted
+by all. It was his fate to be the one member of the New York Naval
+Reserves to lose his life in the service of his country.
+
+When a big barge heaped high with coal came alongside and was made fast,
+we began to doubt the assurances given us, that the coal would be put in
+by outside labor. A tug hove in sight shortly afterward that caused our
+gloomy faces to light up with gladness, for it carried a gang of
+negroes. The tug made fast to the barge, and its living cargo was soon
+hard at work filling the ship's bunkers.
+
+All that afternoon we "lingered in the lap of luxury," as "Bill" put it.
+At six o'clock our dusky (doubly dusky) coal heavers went ashore, their
+labor over for the day. Though the workmen had left, the work was still
+to continue. The crew coaled till twelve o'clock, working in quarter
+watches. The following day another barge came alongside and part of the
+crew had to turn to and help the hired shovellers.
+
+"So much," said "Stump," snapping his fingers, "for the officers'
+assurances."
+
+Up to this time we did not _know_ where we were going. Of course the
+"Rumor Committee" were ready with news of destinations galore. We were
+to return to our patrol duty, to join the Flying Squadron and threaten
+the coast towns of Spain, to join the blockading squadron off Havana. We
+were to do a dozen or more things just as probable or just as
+improbable.
+
+A coal barge still lay alongside the starboard side of the ship, when a
+lighter appeared and made fast to the port side, loaded with express
+packages, parts of machinery, pipes, and bags of mail for every ship on
+the Santiago blockade.
+
+"Now we will get those eight bags of mail," said a forecastle man,
+exultantly. And from that moment we knew we were going back to Cuba.
+
+But like a good many people who think they know it all--we didn't.
+
+Bunkers, holds--almost every available space, in fact, was filled with
+coal.
+
+Then began the much dreaded job of painting. Stages were hung over the
+side, each manned by two men, and with much reluctance we began to daub
+the old "Yankee" with gray paint.
+
+The men were unaccustomed to such work, though some could handle the
+brushes sold in "artist's materials" shops well enough, and they
+spattered gray paint all over themselves. It was thought easier to wash
+skins than jumpers, so many were decorated in wonderful fashion.
+
+"You would make a 'professor of tattooing' wild with envy," said Greene
+to "Steve," as the latter appeared over the rail.
+
+"Well, I don't know," retorted "Steve," "I am thinking of reporting you
+for misappropriating government property. You've got more paint on
+yourself than you put on the ship."
+
+After a day and a half of dreary work we had the satisfaction of seeing
+the vessel's sides one uniform color from stem to stern. It was a big
+job for such a short time and our arms ached at the very thought of it.
+
+The sides painted, our attention was given to the decks. They were
+swabbed thoroughly, first with a damp swab, and after they were entirely
+dry the spar deck was covered with red shellac, this being applied with
+a wide varnish brush. The gun deck was then taken in hand and treated in
+the same way.
+
+By Saturday night the ship was as fine as a "brand new jumping-jack
+before the baby sucked the paint off."
+
+Some of the men still suffered from black-and-blue spots, which,
+however, a little turpentine liniment would have banished.
+
+Rumors were rife that we would be bound for New York shortly, but few
+believed them; the circulators themselves certainly did not, of that we
+felt sure.
+
+"The idea!" said "Mourner," who, though ready to swallow most rumoristic
+pills, could not manage this one. "Go to New York with eighty bags of
+mail for the Santiago fleet! I can see us doing it."
+
+[Illustration: "THE SPAR DECK WAS COVERED WITH RED SHELLAC"]
+
+[Illustration: "THE MARINES AIRED THEIR HAMMOCKS ON THE FORECASTLE
+DECK"]
+
+"Taps" sounded at nine o'clock, and we were glad enough to turn in.
+
+When all hands were called, I rubbed my eyes in astonishment, for as I
+glanced out of the deadlight near which my hammock swung, I saw that we
+were under way and well out to sea. I put on my togs in a hurry, and
+after lashing and stowing my "dream bag," rushed on deck.
+
+Yes, sure enough, we were at sea.
+
+"Stump" came and grabbed me round the waist--he could hardly reach
+higher. "We're bound for New York," said he. "We met the 'St. Paul'
+going in and the signal boys say we signalled, 'We have urgent orders to
+proceed to New York.' What do you think of that?" he added,
+breathlessly.
+
+"With eighty bags of mail for the Santiago fleet," said I, thinking of
+the poor fellows who were longing with all their hearts for those same
+bags.
+
+"Regular navy style," added "Stump."
+
+Though it was hard on our friends off Santiago we could not be cast
+down, and the near prospect of liberty--of an opportunity to see home
+and friends, of again setting foot on shore--transformed the entire
+crew.
+
+Everywhere could be seen smiling faces. Laughter and merry chatter
+filled the air, and the rollicking songs written by "Steve" and others
+were more in evidence than ever. The daily routine of work seemed
+lighter. There was no grumbling, no fault finding; even the interminable
+task of shifting coal was carried on with actual cheerfulness. Grimy
+hands and blackened faces and tired bodies were forgotten.
+
+"There's a mighty good dinner waiting for me in the dear old house,"
+exclaimed "Stump," unctuously. "I can sniff it afar. And say, fellows,
+won't we forget--for a few hours at least--that such things as reveille
+and scrub and wash clothes and coal humping and salt-horse exist on
+earth?"
+
+"Oh, good Mr. Captain, how long will it be before we hear the welcome
+call, 'Shift into clean blue, the liberty party!' and find ourselves
+piling over the side," groaned "Hay."
+
+"You will be glad enough to come back to your Uncle Samuel," grinned
+"Steve." "When your time is up you will be waiting for the boat."
+
+"No doubt," replied Flagg. "We will be ready to complete our time of
+service, but there are some, if rumor speaks the truth--"
+
+He finished with a significant wink.
+
+He referred to the many threats of "French leave" made by certain
+members of the crew--threats which did not materialize except in a very
+few cases. The disgruntled members of the "Yankee's" crew were composed
+mainly of the "outside" men--men not of the Naval Reserves. Among the
+latter, despite the unaccustomed hardships to which they were subjected,
+a firm determination existed to remain until lawfully mustered out.
+
+The trip from Key West to New York was marked by only one important
+incident--the celebration of the Fourth of July. It was unlike that
+familiar to the majority of the crew. There were no fireworks, no
+parades, nor bands playing the national anthem. The day opened squally,
+and sharp gusts of rain swept the decks. The usual routine of work was
+proceeded with, and it was not until eight bells (noon) that we fully
+realized the date. At exactly midday a salute of twenty-one guns was
+fired, and those of us who were super-patriotic, took off our caps in
+honor of the flag. That ended the ceremony.
+
+"Never mind," said Tommy, when one of the boys bewailed the meagre
+celebration, "never mind, shipmate. There's a good time coming when we
+can whoop 'er up for Old Glory as much as we please. Then we'll make up
+for to-day. We can't expect to do much under these conditions, you
+know."
+
+The day following (a fine, _cool_, bright one, and how we did appreciate
+it!) was spent by all hands in getting the ship spick and span for the
+inspection of visitors, who were sure to be on hand to welcome us.
+
+The semi-weekly ceremony of airing hammocks and bedding was indulged in.
+The bugler blew "hammocks," whereupon all hands lined up to receive them
+from the stowers. They were then unlashed on the gun deck, and inspected
+by the officers of the different divisions, who ordered that they should
+be taken up to the spar deck. The blankets and mattresses were spread
+wherever sun and breeze could get at them. The rail, as well as the
+boats, was covered with them. Red blankets flaunted in the breeze from
+the rigging till we resembled an anarchist emigrant ship.
+
+The marines aired their hammocks on the forecastle deck in the
+neighborhood of their guns.
+
+After an hour or two, the word was passed to "stow hammocks," and soon
+all was shipshape again.
+
+This duty was performed once or twice a week, the frequency depending
+on weather and circumstances.
+
+Wednesday, July 6th, we passed Sandy Hook and entered New York harbor,
+just thirty-six days since we left it.
+
+As we made our way up the channel, a pilot boat hailed us and told us of
+Sampson and Schley's glorious victory over Cervera.
+
+Though our joy was great and our enthusiasm intense, we were greatly
+disappointed that we were not in at the death. We felt sure that if we
+had been there our skipper would have worked the old craft in near
+enough to have given us a shot.
+
+We steamed on up the bay and through the Narrows, the happiest lot of
+Jackies afloat. The captain of every vessel we met pulled his whistle
+cord until the steam gave out, and the passengers cheered and waved
+their handkerchiefs, or whatever came handy.
+
+The health officer passed us in a jiffy, and before eight bells struck
+we were safely at anchor off Tompkinsville.
+
+It transpired that we had been sent North on account of a yellow fever
+scare. The health officer proved that the fear was groundless. Again we
+set to work cleaning, scrubbing, polishing, and painting, so by the time
+our friends came crowding aboard, the ship was as neat as a new pin.
+
+The visitors--how glad we were to see them! Only one who has looked
+danger in the face and realized that there might never be a home-coming
+in this world, could understand our feelings as our relatives and
+friends--bless them--came aboard.
+
+Fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and other fellows' sisters crowded
+up the gangway to greet us.
+
+And all were welcome.
+
+The second day after we anchored, the port watch was given shore leave
+of twenty-four hours. So we donned our clean blues, and for the first
+time since May 9th, set foot on solid ground.
+
+As the port watch came over the side the following day, after its
+liberty ashore, they were met with the order "Shift into working clothes
+at once and get those shells below." The red ammunition flag was flying
+at the foremast head, and all thoughts must be given up of the good
+times ashore.
+
+The starboard watch then went on liberty ashore and the port watch
+tackled the ammunition.
+
+From noon till after ten, we were kept busy storing thirteen-inch
+shells for the biggest guns in the navy. They weigh 1,100 pounds apiece
+and are dangerous things to handle, not only on account of their weight,
+but because of the charge of powder each carries. We also loaded eight,
+six, and five-inch shells into the after hold. We turned in at eleven
+o'clock, and were roused at 3:30 next morning to begin the same heavy
+work. When the starboard watch returned the following noon, we were
+still at it, and they, too, had to pitch in and help as soon as they
+could get into working clothes.
+
+Saturday, Sunday, and Monday were spent in the same way--stowing food
+for Uncle Sam's mighty guns.
+
+The thirteen-inch shells were crated in heavy planks, bound with iron;
+slings of rope were placed around them and they were lowered slowly into
+the hold. The eight, six, and five-inch shells had a lashing of tarred
+rope and a loop by which they might be lifted and handled.
+
+Charges of smokeless powder for thirteen, eight, and six-inch guns, in
+copper canisters, were also taken aboard.
+
+When all was stowed, we carried enough explosives to blow the water out
+of the bay. At half-past two on July 12th, the anchor was raised, the
+cat falls manned, and we bade New York good-by once more. A brisk
+northeast breeze was blowing, kicking up an uncomfortable sea, and when
+Sandy Hook was passed it became necessary to close all ports and batten
+down hatches.
+
+The rolling and pitching of the ship soon began to make things
+interesting on the gun deck. Immense green seas, shipped at intervals on
+the upper deck, sent little streams of water trickling down through
+openings as yet unprotected.
+
+At evening quarters it was all we could do to stand upright. A number of
+men left their stations suddenly without permission, and seemed to take
+great interest in the sea just over the rail.
+
+As the sun sank, the wind rose, and with it came rain--rain in
+sheets--the "wettest" kind of rain.
+
+When the port watch was relieved at eight o'clock, even the veriest
+landsman among us could tell that the situation was becoming serious. We
+turned in at once, determining to get all the sleep possible in that
+pandemonium of sound.
+
+The value of hammocks in a heavy sea was proved beyond all peradventure,
+for once we got into them and closed our eyes, we hardly realized that
+the ship was almost on her beam ends much of the time.
+
+From time to time we were wakened by the crash of a mess chest, as it
+broke from its lashings and careened around the deck. The mess pans and
+pots banged and thumped. At intervals the lurching of the vessel caused
+a mess table with the accompanying benches to slide to the deck with a
+crash.
+
+At twelve, we of the port watch were wakened from our much-interrupted
+rest and ordered on deck for muster.
+
+As we slid from our hammocks we realized for the first time the fury of
+the storm. It was impossible to stand upright.
+
+The old hooker rolled so, that it was impossible to keep from sliding
+even when one lay prone on the deck. The men on lookout had all they
+could do to hang on. One moment the end of the bridge would rise high in
+air and the next almost bury itself in the seething waters.
+
+The wind roared, the lightning flashed, and the thunder rolled.
+
+The dense fog hung like a curtain round the ship, so the whistle was
+blown incessantly.
+
+The boatswain's mate ordered me to go forward and stand an hour's watch
+on the bridge. I obeyed, creeping on all fours most of the time, till I
+reached the opening between the deck houses. I escaped, by a hair's
+breadth, a sea which came over the side like a solid green wall.
+
+The man on the port end of the bridge whom I relieved, shouted in my
+ear--he could not be heard otherwise--"You want to get a good hold or
+you'll be fired overboard in a jiffy." Then he left me.
+
+It was the kind of a night one felt the need of companionship. I spent a
+lonely hour on the bridge, eyes and ears strained for signs of other
+vessels, face and hands stung by the pelting rain. Underlying all other
+thoughts was the consciousness that we carried several hundred tons of
+deadly explosive that might shift any moment or be ignited by a spark
+from a lamp and explode.
+
+The sandbags stored about the steering gear broke loose and were heaped
+in picturesque confusion. The scene aft was indescribable. A quantity of
+débris of varying nature slid across the smooth surface of the gun deck
+with a rush at every roll, making navigation a difficult, if not
+perilous, task. Later, to add to the tumult, one man's hammock was cut
+down by a falling mess table, but he escaped serious injury.
+
+It was not until the following morning that the seas subsided, but the
+day proved pleasant, and the mishaps of the preceding afternoon were
+forgotten in the excitement of reaching Norfolk, which port was reached
+by the "Yankee" shortly before dark. Later in the evening the ship was
+taken to the navy yard.
+
+"Which means that we are going to hustle more ammunition," observed
+Tommy, as we made fast to a dock.
+
+"And more stores," added "Dye."
+
+"And coal," chimed in "Stump," with a grimace. "I am glad of it, too."
+
+"Glad of it?" echoed "Dye," in surprise. "That's queer."
+
+"Not at all, dear boy," was the second loader's calm reply. "D'ye see, I
+am in training for the billet of chief deck hand on a tramp canal boat,
+and this experience is just in my line."
+
+Four days later the mooring hawsers were cast off and the "Yankee"
+steamed out between the capes en route to Santiago. From the hour we
+left Norfolk until the sighting of the Cuban coast, our time was taken
+up with drills of every description. The following extract from the log
+for July 18th, will suffice for an example:
+
+"Cleared ship for action at three bells along with general quarters.
+General quarters again half an hour after turn to at noon. Fire drill
+and abandon ship at three bells in the afternoon. General quarters
+again at two bells (9 p.m.)."
+
+Under date of July 19th, one of the crew states in his private diary:
+"Clear ship for action again. This is a very pretty drill, and is much
+liked by the boys, as it includes sending all the mess gear and
+provisions below, where most of them are usually 'pinched.' Clear ship
+for action always means an exchange of undesirable mess gear, such as
+broken benches, tables, etc. General quarters at 1:30; fired two shots
+at an invisible target with smokeless powder. Great success, this new
+powder. If we had only been provided with it before, every living
+Spaniard would have trembled at the word 'Yankee'!"
+
+"What are we doing all this clear ship, general quarters, fire drill,
+and such business for?" said a forecastle man to Craven, who, besides
+being on a deck gun, from which all that was occurring on the bridge
+could be seen, was a messenger.
+
+"Why, don't you know?" said the latter. "We have a war artist aboard,
+and all this extra drilling is being done for his special benefit, so he
+can work it up for his paper, I suppose."
+
+"Well, if we ever get that artist aboard the old 'New Hampshire' we will
+teach him a few things, so he can describe them from actual
+experience," said "Hod" the husky. "He'll be able to describe scrub and
+wash clothes, sweeping decks, washing dishes, and all the rest, most
+vividly," he continued, vindictively. "We'll show him how we get under
+the hose in the morning. Oh, we'll have a bully time with him, and I'll
+wager that when we're through the honors of naval battles will seem too
+trivial for him to draw!"
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII.
+
+THE "YANKEE" ARRIVES OFF SANTIAGO
+
+On the twenty-first of July the "Yankee" arrived off Santiago. The
+"Brooklyn" was the only warship on guard, and the absence of that grim
+line of drab-colored ships changed the whole appearance of the coast.
+The "Brooklyn" seemed lonely, though she rode the seas proudly. "See,"
+she seemed to say, "I am monarch of all I survey"; and she looked every
+inch a queen, as she swayed slowly in the long ground swell, her ensign
+snapping in the brisk breeze and Admiral Schley's flag standing out like
+a board. From our proximity to the shore we were enabled to obtain a
+better view than before. Old Morro Castle, perched above the mouth of
+the channel, seemed battered and forlorn. The Stars and Stripes floated
+on high exultingly from the very staff that formerly bore the Spanish
+colors, and we thrilled when we saw it. The wreck of the "Reina
+Mercedes" could be plainly made out, and beyond her could also be seen
+the masts and stack of the "Merrimac"--a monument to American heroism.
+
+With the U.S.S. "Yankton" (which had run out of coal) in tow, we
+proceeded to Guantanamo. While entering the bay, the first fleet of
+transports bearing troops for the invasion of Porto Rico was
+encountered. Inside the harbor a vast squadron of American ships lay at
+anchor--some forty vessels in all. The spectacle of such a mighty fleet
+bearing our beloved colors was indeed inspiring.
+
+We found the "Iowa," "Massachusetts," "Indiana," "Oregon," "Texas," "New
+York," "Marblehead," "Detroit," "Newark," "Porter," "Terror,"
+"Gloucester," the repair ship "Vulcan," several despatch boats and
+colliers in the bay. Two gunboats and several steamers captured at
+Santiago also bore the American colors.
+
+Such a fleet many an important port has never seen, and in New York
+harbor would draw immense crowds. Here the spectacle was wasted on
+unappreciative Cubans.
+
+The bay presented a lively appearance with the innumerable little
+launches and despatch boats darting about from ship to ship. Vessels
+went alongside sailing colliers to have their bunkers replenished; other
+ships entered or left at all hours; signals were continually flying
+from the flagship; occasionally a Spanish launch bearing a flag of truce
+would come down from the town, and in the midst of it all the crews of
+the different men-of-war worked on in the accustomed routine, as if
+peace and war, drills and fighting, were all a part of man's ordinary
+existence.
+
+Over a month ago we had sailed into this harbor with the "Marblehead";
+the ship cleared for action, the crews at their loaded guns, and the
+battle ensigns flying from fore and mainmast, as well as from taffrail.
+This time we entered the bay with a feeling that we were to take part in
+a great naval spectacle.
+
+As soon as we joined the fleet we became amenable to fleet discipline.
+All orders for routine work came from the flagship. "Quarters" were held
+but twice a day instead of three times, and then they were short and,
+therefore, sweet.
+
+Each morning at eight o'clock, when a war vessel is in port, the bugler
+plays "colors," while the drummer beats three rolls; those of the crew
+who are under the open sky stand at attention, silent, facing aft, where
+the flag is being hauled slowly to its place. At the completion of the
+call all hands salute; then the work is carried on. It is a beautiful
+ceremony.
+
+Saluting the "colors" morning and evening is not merely a mark of
+respect for the Government of the nation, but is an act of worship to
+the God of nations--a silent prayer for guidance and care and an
+expression of thankfulness.
+
+Shortly after "colors" the morning following our arrival at Guantanamo,
+orders were given to "turn to" on the ammunition. Launches and barges
+from other warships came alongside, and the charges of powder and the
+shells were transferred to them.
+
+When this cargo of deadly explosive began to come aboard a "magazine
+watch" was set. The ammunition was stowed in all parts of the
+ship--forward, main, and after holds were filled. A watch was set on
+each of the holds. It was their duty to watch the temperature day and
+night and to report the same to the officer of the deck every half hour.
+Extreme care was taken to guard against fire. In case fire was
+discovered, it was the duty of the man on watch to run and turn on the
+water--the key for the valve which regulated this being always carried
+on his wrist. Then he must notify the officer of the deck, shouting
+"fire" as he went, after which he must go back and with the hose
+endeavor to put out the blaze.
+
+Constant, wide-awake, alert watchfulness was necessary. It was hot and
+close below, and at night it was almost impossible to keep awake. It is
+difficult enough to keep wide awake for an hour's lookout on deck, when
+there is much to see and the air is brisk and invigorating, but it is
+quite a different matter to be roused in the middle of the night to
+stand two hours' watch in a close, hot hold, where nothing more
+interesting than cases of powder and the bare, blank sides of the ship
+are to be seen.
+
+At first, the knowledge that the lives of all on board and the safety of
+the ship herself depended on the alertness of the watch, kept us wide
+awake and anxious, but as time went on, it grew harder and harder to
+resist nature's demand for sleep; therefore, when the order was given to
+unload the ammunition, none were gladder than the men of the "magazine
+watches."
+
+After evening mess the boatswain's mate--he got his orders from the
+bridge--came aft, shouting as he walked, "All you men who want to go in
+swimming may do so right away."
+
+[Illustration: "HE GOT HIS ORDERS FROM THE BRIDGE"]
+
+[Illustration: "ALL YOU MEN WHO WANT TO GO IN SWIMMING MAY DO SO"]
+
+There was no doubt as to the popularity of that order. "All we men"
+wanted to go in swimming, and that right away. In a jiffy, white figures
+began to drop over the side with a splash, and soon shouts of glee
+filled the air. The water was warm and clear as crystal, and so dense
+with salt that a man diving, came up like a cork. In fifteen minutes the
+order "Knock off swimming" was passed, and though we left the water with
+reluctance, obedience was prompt, lest the privilege might not again be
+accorded us.
+
+After hammocks had been given out, boats hoisted--all the work of the
+day finished, in fact--most of the men gathered aft to hear the band of
+the "Oregon" play. It was a volunteer band; that is, the musicians were
+enlisted men, not assigned for the band. They played with vim and
+precision.
+
+It was almost dark; only the ships' outlines could be made out. The red
+and white signal lights twinkled at intervals at the mastheads of
+different vessels, while beams of light showed on the still, dark water
+from open ports. The whole fleet lay quiet while the men listened to the
+strains of music from the "Oregon." It was more like the rendezvous of a
+cruising yacht club than a fleet of warships gathered in the enemy's
+country.
+
+The music from the battleship ceased, and for a moment all was still
+save for the lapping of the water against the ships' sides and the
+splash of a fish as it leaped out of water.
+
+Suddenly and together, a shrill piping on all the ships broke the
+silence, followed by the hoarse cry, "All the anchor watch to muster."
+
+On all men-of-war at eight o'clock, the anchor watch is mustered. It
+consists of sixteen men--eight on duty from nine till one o'clock, the
+other eight from one till "all hands" at 5:30. The first part always
+calls its relief at one o'clock.
+
+The mustering over, all flocked aft to hear the band again, but were
+disappointed, for the concert was over.
+
+However, the men had come aft for music and music they must have in some
+shape.
+
+So "Steve" the modest was dragged out, and after some persuasion sang
+the following to the tune of "Lou, Lou, How I Love Ma Lou." "Baron," the
+gunner's mate, accompanied him on the mandolin, and Eickmann, the marine
+corporal, helped out with his guitar.
+
+    "'Way down at the Brooklyn navy yard,
+       Where ships are rigged for sea,
+     Three hundred little 'heroes'
+       Went aboard the old 'Yankee.'
+     Oh! we were young and foolish,
+       We longed for Spanish gore,
+     And so they set us working
+       As we never worked before.
+
+    CHORUS:
+        "Hard-tack and salt-horse every day,
+         Work, slave, for mighty little pay;
+         And just before we get to sleep
+         We hear the bosun pipe like this
+                   (Whistle),
+         'Up all hammocks, all hands.'
+
+    "They turn us out each morning,
+       To scrub our working clothes;
+     To polish guns and bright work,
+       To 'light' along the hose.
+     To wash down decks and ladders,
+       To coil down miles of rope,
+     To carry coal in baskets,
+       To live on air and hope.
+
+    CHORUS:
+        "Hard-tack and salt-horse every day,
+         Work, slave, for mighty little pay;
+         And when we think our work is done
+         We hear the bosun pipe like this
+                   (Whistle),
+         'Turn to.'
+
+    "Way down at Santiago,
+       We fit the forts one day.
+     The shells were bursting o'er us,
+       There was the deuce to pay.
+     We hid our inclination
+       To run and hide below,
+     Because we're little 'heroes,'
+       They've often told us so.
+
+    CHORUS:
+
+    "Hard-tack and salt-horse every day,
+    Work, slave, for mighty little pay;
+    And just as all the fight was over
+    We heard the bosun pipe like this
+              (Whistle),
+    'Gun-deck sweepers, clean sweep fore and aft.
+    Sweepers, clean your spit kits.'
+
+    "One Saturday we anchored
+      Just off the Isle of Pines,
+    To load up with pineapples,
+      And look for Spanish signs.
+    We called away the cutters,
+      With seamen filled them up,
+    And captured five small sailboats,
+      Two Spaniards and a pup.
+
+    CHORUS:
+
+    "Hard-tack and salt-horse every day,
+    Work, slave, for mighty little pay;
+    And when we'd like to talk it over
+    We heard the bosun pipe this
+        (Whistle),
+    'Pipe down.'"
+
+"That's great!" said one and all.
+
+"There is just time for the 'Intermezzo' before tattoo, 'Baron,'" said
+"Pair o' Pants," the signal boy. "Give it to us, will you?"
+
+"Baron" obligingly complied.
+
+The boys lay around in comfortable, though ungraceful, attitudes, a
+small but appreciative audience.
+
+As the last high note died away the ship's bugler began that lovely
+call, "tattoo." We listened in silence, for though we had heard it many
+times, it was always a delight to us. Then, too, it meant rest (not a
+drug in the market by any means). Every ship's crew in the harbor, at
+the same moment was listening to the call blown by their own bugler.
+
+The men tumbled below and began to prepare for the voyage to dreamland.
+
+Five minutes later, when the sleepy "taps" sounded, the decks were
+almost deserted save for the hammocks, which looked like huge cocoons
+swung horizontally.
+
+The following days till Sunday were spent in unloading powder and shell.
+The six and eight-inch charges of powder and the shell were lifted by
+hand and slid down chutes to the barges alongside. To handle the powder
+and shell for the thirteen-inch guns, steam was called into service; the
+thirteen-inch charges being lowered into the waiting boat, by the aid of
+the cargo boom and steam winch.
+
+This work was hard and the heat trying, but it was accomplished with
+good grace, for we were glad to get rid of the dangerous stuff.
+
+Sunday, after the usual inspection, several visiting lists were
+arranged, the most popular being that for the "Oregon." We all wanted to
+inspect that wonderful ship. Visiting is generally conducted on Sunday
+or after dark. The word is passed for those who wish to visit a certain
+ship to "lay aft and report to the officer of the deck." The party, all
+in clean clothes, are taken to the vessel designated and lined up. After
+being counted they are allowed to go forward, where they yarn to their
+heart's content until the word is given by the boatswain's mate for them
+to muster aft again.
+
+The "visiting party" to Uncle Sam's bulldog was cordially received and
+shown all over. The great battleship was as clean and neat as a new pin.
+She looked as if she had just come out of her builders' hands. Paint
+work spotless, brass work shining, engines fairly dazzling in their
+brightness. The crew contented and full of enthusiasm for their ship and
+commander--gallant Captain Clark!
+
+We saw the guns that helped to lay low Cervera's splendid fleet and we
+saw "the men behind the guns."
+
+Our attention was called to a Jacky sewing on a blue shirt.
+
+"Do you see that man over there?" said our guide.
+
+We answered "Yes."
+
+"Well, that's the chap that blew up one of the torpedo boats."
+
+"Is that so? Tell us about it." We gazed open-mouthed at the gunner as
+he sat cross-legged on the deck, sewing with all his might.
+
+"Yes, that's the chap. You see, the Spaniard was coming in our
+direction, and coming like greased lightning. The six-pounders on the
+superstructure had not been able to stop her, and things began to be
+interesting--"
+
+"Yes," we gasped, breathlessly, as he stopped to light his pipe.
+
+"Well, as I was saying, the blooming torpedo boat came nearer and
+nearer, and did not seem to mind the hail of six-pounders any more than
+a duck does the rain. I dunno why, for she had no protection that a
+sixer would not penetrate.
+
+"It got to be blamed exciting, when the officer of the division said to
+that feller over there, who was a captain of an eight-inch rifle, 'Try
+your hand at it.'
+
+"Bill said, 'Aye, aye, sir, give me time and I'll plunk her sure.' All
+this time the sneaking craft was coming nearer and nearer. Bill
+adjusted his sight and looked and looked, but still did not fire.
+
+"'For heaven's sake, hurry up!' said the division officer, getting
+nervous.
+
+"'In a minute, sir,' said Bill. 'As soon as I get a good bead.'
+
+"He was as cool as an ice machine, and as deliberate as an old hen, but
+he could shoot, so we held ourselves in as best we could and watched.
+After waiting for what seemed an hour, Bill pulled the lanyard and the
+old gun roared. As soon as the smoke cleared away, we looked to see the
+result of the shot. There was some wreckage floating where the torpedo
+boat had been--that was all. Bill's shot went home, and exploded in the
+boiler room, and the whole craft went up in an instant."
+
+We looked again admiringly at the man sitting there so unconcernedly,
+and then in obedience to the boatswain's call, went aft and aboard our
+cutter.
+
+All the ammunition for the fleet was unloaded by Tuesday. We still
+carried a small quantity of both powder and shell for the
+"Massachusetts."
+
+Tuesday afternoon we anchored alongside the sailing collier "Frank A.
+Palmer," and began to coal. The "Yankee's" sister ship "Prairie,"
+manned by the Massachusetts Naval Reserves, lay on the other side; we
+exchanged visits and found them good fellows, and we yarned away to our
+heart's content.
+
+We had now become, in a degree, used to coaling; our muscles were
+hardened and some long-needed labor-saving devices had been introduced,
+so the work was a little easier.
+
+Coaling continued till Friday night. During the morning of that day we
+were told that if two hundred tons were put aboard, a chance would be
+given us on the morrow to see the wrecks of Cervera's once fine vessels.
+It was all the incentive we needed, and the coal came aboard in a steady
+stream. A little after seven the required amount was in the bunkers, and
+by eight o'clock the stages and other coaling paraphernalia were stowed
+away and the "Yankee" had cast loose and was anchored by herself.
+
+The following morning dawned bright and clear. Admiral Sampson came
+aboard at 8:30. We manned the "cat falls" and got under way at once.
+
+On the way down to the wrecks, the ship was cleaned, so by the time we
+reached the ruins of the Spanish vessels, the "Yankee" was spick and
+span.
+
+We passed the wrecks of the two torpedo boats, passed the mouth of
+Santiago harbor, till finally we came to the "Almirante Oquendo" and the
+"Maria Teresa," fifteen miles west of old Morro.
+
+The two wrecks lay close together. They were a melancholy sight; the
+"Almirante Oquendo," badly listed to port, a great rent in her side,
+rusted, almost completely demolished. The "Maria Teresa" seemed in
+better shape, but many shot holes were visible in her side.
+
+It was a dreary though gratifying sight. The great green-clothed
+mountains looked down serenely on these two examples of man's handiwork
+and man's destructiveness; the blue sea dashed itself to foam against
+the coral-bound coast; and the bright sun shone over all.
+
+The admiral went over in our gig, together with the captain and
+executive officer. Several other boats went along, carrying, beside the
+regular crews, commissioned and chief petty officers.
+
+As we watched the boats bobbing in the short billows on their way, we,
+who were left behind, could not help comparing these battered hulks
+before us with our magnificent ships in Guantanamo Bay.
+
+All hail to the American seamen, "the men behind the guns"!
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX.
+
+HOPE DEFERRED.
+
+For a few days there was little to do beyond the never-ending routine
+work: scrubbing decks, cleaning paint, and polishing bright work on guns
+and equipments.
+
+We were beginning to wonder if we were to lie at anchor indefinitely,
+and if our last chance of seeing any active service had gone by.
+
+On the morning of Monday, August 1st, we had orders to get under way and
+go to sea. Tongues began to wag at once, and before we had fairly
+cleared the harbor a dozen different destinations had been picked out.
+
+It would seem as if there could be no great danger in letting the men
+have some knowledge of where they are bound when fairly at sea, with no
+beings to whom the secret might be told, save sharks and dolphins, but
+
+    "Theirs not to make reply,
+     Theirs not to reason why."
+
+The navy has little use for Jacky's brains; only his trained muscles and
+sinews. There is no life that can be depended upon to take the pride of
+intellect out of a man like that of a sailor, as Rudyard Kipling has
+shown in the case of Harvey Cheyne. We of the crew could think of many a
+cad on whom we would like to try the discipline.
+
+The most popular rumor ran to this effect: we are bound for Porto Rico
+to take part with the "Massachusetts," "New Orleans," "Dixie," and other
+ships of the fleet in a bombardment of San Juan.
+
+By the time land had faded from view, we knew that we really were bound
+for Porto Rico, but for what purpose we knew not. The rumor was correct
+in part, at least.
+
+We were glad to get to sea again. There is an undefinable feeling of
+relief, almost of joy, when the regular throbbing of the engines begins
+and the ship rolls and heaves to the swell.
+
+The spirits of the men rise; smiles lighten up their faces, and snatches
+of song can be heard as they work coiling down lines, lashing movables,
+and preparing the vessel for the rough-and-tumble conflict with the sea.
+
+As the sun sank, the waves rose. By the time the first night watch went
+on duty, the old steamer was tossing like a chip.
+
+The guns' crews of the watch on deck were ordered to sleep by their
+posts, and all was in readiness for instant action.
+
+At eleven o'clock we were roused by the call for "general quarters," and
+in a minute, all hands were in their places. We looked vainly, at first,
+for the cause of this commotion, but finally made out off our port bow
+the dim outlines of a steamer.
+
+It was only when our ship was on the top of the roll that we could make
+out our chase at all--nothing but a wall of water could be seen when we
+lay in the trough.
+
+"That boat is certainly doing her best to get away," said "Bill." "And,
+holy smoke! see how she rolls."
+
+"She can't trot in our heat," said "Dye." "We're gaining on her every
+minute."
+
+"She's not a warship," said "Long Tommy," who was lucky enough to
+possess a pair of glasses. "I wonder if we're going to get a prize at
+last?"
+
+"You forget the fishing sloops. 'Remember the fish,'" laughed "Hay."
+
+The two vessels came nearer and nearer, till finally they were within
+hailing distance.
+
+"What ship is that?" called out Captain Brownson, through the
+megaphone. "And where are you bound?"
+
+The answer came faintly over the tossing waves: "The 'Burton,' with coal
+for Santiago from Guadeloupe."
+
+"Ah, ha!" said Tommy, "we get a prize at last."
+
+"Wait a minute," said "Stump," "he is saying something else."
+
+A gust of wind came at that moment and carried most of the sound away,
+but we gathered that our hoped-for prize had papers from our consul
+allowing her free passage.
+
+There was a universal groan of disappointment, and when the order was
+given to "secure," the hose was pulled up with unnecessary violence,
+hatches were lowered, and gun closets closed with no gentle hands. Such
+keen disappointment must somehow find a vent.
+
+There was great excitement the following afternoon when the word was
+passed for all hands to get out their leggings and to wear shoes to
+midday quarters. And when we were arranged into companies, and had
+haversacks, canteens, and knapsacks doled out to us, we concluded that a
+landing party would be made up for Porto Rico.
+
+"The 'old man' is going to show the 'Spinache' that the 'Yankee' boys
+can fight on land as well as on sea," said Tommy, as he yanked at an
+obstinate haversack strap.
+
+We marched round and round the spar deck to the music of bugle and drum
+till we got well into the swing of it, and felt very martial and
+formidable indeed.
+
+The "Dixie" hove in sight at this juncture, and after a long megaphone
+conversation, we learned that the "Massachusetts," for which we had some
+ammunition, was on her way to Guantanamo, so we reluctantly turned
+around and retraced our way, the "Dixie" leading. Porto Rico was not for
+us. Alas!
+
+We felt like
+
+    "The King of France and his hundred thousand men
+     Drew their swords and put them up again."
+
+The next morning we hove-to a Norwegian steamer, the "Marie," and before
+we realized what was being done, we found that we had a prize at last. A
+snug little steamer she was, well loaded down with coal for Cervera's
+fleet.
+
+"Cutlets" went over in a whaleboat, with a prize crew of six men.
+
+"Well, well! this is almost too good to be true," said an after guard.
+"This _is_ great luck. We capture a prize and get rid of 'Cutlets' at
+the same time."
+
+To which we all said, Amen.
+
+We separated from the "Marie," and, as the "Yankee" was much the faster,
+she was soon lost to sight.
+
+The anchor had no sooner been dropped in Guantanamo Bay than our captain
+went over to the "New York," and then signals began to be displayed, and
+soon after all hands were hauling on the "cat falls."
+
+The skipper returned; the gig was pulled up to its place, and very soon
+we were ploughing the water in the open. As we went out, our prize came
+in.
+
+It seems the encounter with the "Burton" was told to the admiral, and he
+at once ordered us to go out and get her.
+
+We headed straight out. The black smoke poured out of the funnels; the
+ship shook with the pounding of the strained engines. The land faded
+from view.
+
+About two o'clock we sighted the object of our chase, and it only
+required a blank shot from the forward six-pounder to bring her to.
+
+The prize crew, consisting of six seamen, some firemen and engineers,
+and officered by Lieutenant Duncan, went over and took possession of
+our second prize in one day.
+
+Captor and captive then turned and headed for Guantanamo.
+
+The men were in high spirits. Speculation was rife as to the amount of
+prize money each would secure, and some even went so far as to plan the
+spending of it.
+
+Every one felt very gay, and as if something should be done to celebrate
+our good fortune. We would have liked to spend some money for an
+entertainment, but that was impossible.
+
+"Dick," however, was impressed into service to furnish some amusement.
+"Dick," a forecastle man, is a born story-teller, and we knew if we
+could get him started, some fun would be assured.
+
+After some pressure he acquiesced, and began the following yarn:
+
+"One day a certain Irishman, Mike Dooley by name, departed this life. He
+was much respected, and his death caused no little sorrow to his friends
+and neighbors. His wife and children were simply inconsolable. The widow
+wished to have a handsome funeral in his honor and spent her savings in
+furtherance of that plan. She had enough money for everything, except
+the silver inscription plate. But that difficulty was easily overcome,
+for 'What's the matter wid Pat Molloy painting it nately in white
+paint?' she said.
+
+"Pat, being approached on the subject, expressed his entire willingness,
+and soon after called for the casket and took it away. He was told to
+letter the following, in neat, white letters: 'Michael Dooley departed
+this life in his prime, at the age of twenty-eight.'
+
+"Pat was a bricklayer by trade, and painting was only a 'side line' with
+him.
+
+"He started to put the inscription on the casket, and got along bravely
+till he came to 'age of twenty-eight.' Then he realized that he could
+not make the figures. He puzzled over it a long while, for he did not
+like to ask and thus show up his ignorance.
+
+"Finally a bright idea struck him. Four sevens make twenty-eight--why
+not put down four sevens--that was easy!
+
+"The job was finished just in time.
+
+"The relatives and friends were gathered round to pay their last
+respects. One friend was asked to get up and make a few remarks. He did
+so and began as follows:
+
+"'I am glad to be able to say a few words on this sad occasion, a few
+words of praise for our beloved friend; for other words than praise
+could not be said of him. I am proud to have known him and to have been
+numbered among his friends. His virtues need hardly be repeated. You
+knew him well. His generosity, his friendliness, and all the rest he
+possessed. I knew him from his youth up, and I am well aware of his
+goodness, as are you. He was a good husband, a good father, and a good
+friend. It is hard to give him up, but it must be. He died at the age
+of----'
+
+"Here the speaker glanced at the casket beside which he stood, and read
+the following:
+
+MICHAEL DOOLEY
+
+DEPARTED THIS LIFE IN HIS PRIME,
+AT THE AGE OF
+7777.
+
+"'Yis, my bereaved friends,' he continued, 'he was a good father,
+husband, and friend, and none knows that better than I. He was cut off
+in the pride of manhood, you might say--in his prime, at the age of----'
+
+"He glanced at the inscription again, then, after a painful pause,
+blurted forth: 'Well, how the divil did he escape the flood?'"
+
+The sound of "tattoo" interrupted our laughter at this point, and all
+Hands tumbled below.
+
+The following day we got rid of the last of the ammunition to the
+"Massachusetts." A sigh of relief and thankfulness went up as the last
+charge of powder was taken over the side.
+
+The same day we saw some of our prize money vanish into thin air. The
+"Burton" was released, and steamed out of the harbor.
+
+It was about this time that a well-authenticated rumor went the rounds
+to the effect that we were to go with a formidable fleet to Spain,
+harass her coasts, and do up Camara's fleet. This rumor was so well
+founded that many of us believed it, and, consequently, much time was
+spent in writing farewell letters.
+
+The prospect of soon seeing the "land of the free and the home of the
+brave" was not very bright. The consensus of opinion at this time was
+that we would see our year out in Uncle Sam's service.
+
+There was considerable gloom. The start once made and the "Yankee"
+actually on her way to the land of the Dons, all would be well and all
+hands would be cheerful; but the contemplation of the long trip in the
+wrong direction was a very different matter.
+
+The air was full of rumors. All was uncertain. We continued to write
+farewell letters, while the invading fleet still lay quietly at anchor,
+but ready to sail to the ends of the earth at a few hours' notice.
+
+The night of August 10th was moonless and dark. There had been no music
+from the "Oregon's" band, and none of our men felt inclined to sing.
+
+The uncertainty had begun to tell, and all were a little depressed.
+
+I was "it" for anchor watch, and, as is often the case, the anchor watch
+manned the running small boat.
+
+We visited several vessels of the fleet, the crew staying in the boat
+while the officers went aboard. When we finally started to return to our
+own ship, we carried two of our officers, Mr. Duncan, Mr. Barnard, and
+an officer from the "Indiana." As we cleared the wall-like sides of the
+"St. Paul," we noted that the general signal call (four red lights) was
+up on the "New York." Then, as we watched, the red and white bulbs began
+to spell out a message that made us all thrill with joy. The interest of
+the moment broke down all barriers of rank, and officers and men spelled
+out the exciting words aloud.
+
+A-S-S-O-C-I-A-T-E-D  P-R-E-S-S  D-E-S-P-A-T-C-H
+S-T-A-T-E-S  T-H-A-T  P-E-A-C-E  P-R-O-T-O-C-O-L
+H-A-S  B-E-E-N  A-G-R-E-E-D  U-P-O-N.
+
+We Jackies would have liked to yell, but our lessons had been too well
+learned, and we restrained ourselves. We put the officer from the
+"Indiana" aboard his own ship and then returned to the "Yankee."
+
+As soon as the boat was secured for the night, I went around waking some
+of my particular friends to tell them the great news, forgetting that
+they could see it quite as well as I. All were too good-natured,
+however, to object; on the contrary, they seemed glad to talk about it.
+There was some dispute as to the meaning of the word "protocol"; but all
+agreed that, whatever its meaning, it must be good, coupled as it was
+with "peace."
+
+As we talked quietly, we heard faintly, softly, a verse of "Morse's"
+song:
+
+    "Our fighting cruise will soon be o'er,
+                   Hurrah! Hurrah!
+    We'll be happy the moment our feet touch shore,
+                   Hurrah! Hurrah!
+    And 'Cutlets' and 'Hubbub' and all the rest
+    May stick to the calling they're fitted for best,
+    But _we'll_ all feel gay when
+                   The 'Yankee' goes sailing home."
+
+In spite of the peace news we got orders to go out with the "Dixie" and
+blockade the Crooked Island Passage. So about four o'clock we hauled up
+the anchor and went to sea. All were gay, and many shook their hands in
+farewell to Guantanamo Bay.
+
+We were instructed to keep a sharp lookout for the steamer "Monserrat,"
+which had gained fame as a blockade runner. It was rumored that she
+carried Captain-General Blanco; that she was well armed, and had a
+captain noted for his unscrupulousness and for his fighting qualities.
+
+"I'd like to meet that ship," said "Hay," "have a good 'scrap' with her,
+get a couple of shot holes in our upper works and battle flags, and then
+bring her triumphantly into Key West or, better still, New York."
+
+"Want to go out in a blaze of glory, do you?" said Tommy, the long.
+
+"Sure. I'd like to burn some of that powder we took such trouble to
+load."
+
+This expressed the sentiments of the whole ship's company.
+
+To have one more good fight--in which we were to come out victorious, of
+course--get a few souvenir shot holes where no harm would be done, and
+then go home. This would just about have suited us.
+
+We floated around lazily all day Friday and Saturday with a chip on our
+shoulder, as it were, but no "Monserrat" came to knock it off.
+
+The lookouts at the masthead strained their eyes, and half the men not
+actually at work did likewise. All in vain; not an enemy did we see. A
+number of transports homeward bound, bearing worn but happy soldiers,
+were passed, and some came near enough to exchange cheers and good
+wishes.
+
+The screw revolved but slowly, and the ship moved just enough to give
+steerage way. Every passing wave did as it wished with the great hulk,
+and she rolled like a log in the long swell.
+
+Sunday night a change came over the almost quiet ship. The propeller
+turned with some energy; the steering engine whirred, and the "Yankee"
+changed her course. This time she headed straight for Guantanamo, and
+before many minutes we knew that we were returning to our old anchorage.
+The orders were to blockade the passage and keep a bright lookout for
+the "Monserrat"; if by Sunday at six o'clock she had not appeared, we
+were to return to the fleet.
+
+The men who were so sure that we should never see Guantanamo again wore
+a sheepish air, and those who were not so sure lorded over them and
+remarked cheerfully, "I told you so."
+
+Those of us who were sleeping at midnight were wakened and told to come
+to the port and look. Sleepily we obeyed, but the moment we reached the
+opening we were wide awake. There, not three miles off, rolling in the
+ground swell, lay a great fleet, the searchlights sweeping the heavens
+and sea; the signal lanterns twinkling.
+
+As we looked, we saw at the masthead of the foremost vessel the signal
+lights spell out A followed by D, the "Yankee's" private night signal.
+Then, and our eyes almost started from our heads as we gazed, the lights
+continued to spell:
+
+"Blockade raised; hostilities ceased."
+
+"Hurrah!" shouted some one behind me.
+
+"Wait a minute," said "Hay," "that's not all."
+
+The lights went on spelling: "We are on our way to New York. You are to
+proceed to Guantanamo."
+
+The hurrah, as we spelled out the first sentences, was followed by a
+groan, as we read the last. We were glad, indeed, to know that peace had
+come, but it was hard to see that great fleet homeward bound, and know
+that we must go back to our old post, to stay indefinitely.
+
+"Hope deferred maketh the heart sick."
+
+
+CHAPTER XX.
+
+TAPS.
+
+The days following our arrival at Guantanamo were days of keen
+expectation and equally keen disappointment. A rumor that we were to
+return home at once would start up from nowhere in particular, and
+circulate until it was believed. Then would come a denial and consequent
+discontent. The enforced idleness of riding at anchor day after day
+became so monotonous at last, that any little incident served to create
+excitement. Visiting parties between the ships were permitted
+occasionally, and the "Yankee's" crew grasped the opportunity to inspect
+some of the other auxiliary cruisers. One or two liberty parties were
+allowed ashore at Camp McCalla, from which the men returned, tired and
+warm, but full of enthusiasm and interest for the things they had seen.
+The amount of "curios" and souvenirs brought aboard would fill a museum.
+Pieces of projectiles and Mauser cartridge shells, fragments of an
+unusual red wood, and pieces of fossil rock, of which the cliff was
+composed, were stowed away in bags and ditty boxes.
+
+The bay now had a very deserted appearance. All the battleships and many
+of the cruisers had gone North. The auxiliary cruisers, "New Orleans,"
+"Newark," "Marblehead," and a number of converted yachts were all that
+remained, besides our own vessel. It was still a goodly fleet, but in
+comparison to the great squadron, seemed small.
+
+For the first time we were at a loss for something to do. Time hung
+heavy on our hands. The routine work, including morning "quarters," was
+finished by half-past ten every morning, and the balance of the day was
+spent as pleased us best, within certain well-defined limits.
+
+Much time and thought were spent in chasing down rumors, and watching
+signals from the flagship.
+
+Troopships from Santiago, laden with homeward-bound troops, sailed by
+the mouth of the harbor, but we, the first volunteers to reach the seat
+of war and to see active service, still lingered. The "Resolute" and
+"Badger" left at last, and it was rumored that we would follow next day.
+But still we lingered.
+
+Occasionally we got mail that told of home doings, and almost every
+letter finished with, "I suppose that you will soon be home, now that
+peace is declared." But still we lingered.
+
+We knew that we could hardly expect to be relieved at once; that there
+were many arrangements to be made in the Navy Department; many orders to
+be signed, and new plans to be formulated. But the thought carried
+little comfort with it. The pangs of homesickness were getting a strong
+hold on us.
+
+Dr. "Gangway" McGowan had the ship's carpenter nail a nice, smooth piece
+of board over a hole in the wire netting of his cabin door; some wag
+took advantage of the opportunity, and lettered plainly the following,
+on its white surface:
+
+[Illustration]
+
+He would have done a rushing business if he could have found a sure cure
+for homesick "heroes."
+
+On Tuesday, August 23d, our depression reached its culminating point,
+for the word had been passed unofficially that we might lay here
+indefinitely--two weeks, a month, three months--there was no telling
+when we would get away from what had become a hateful spot to us. The
+men went about with a dejected air, and while all were good-natured
+enough, there was little inclination to talk.
+
+As night drew near, we saw several troopships pass the harbor homeward
+bound, and the sight did not lighten our gloom.
+
+When the sun finally sank, we were as melancholy a crowd as ever trod a
+deck.
+
+The men gathered in little groups, bewailing in monosyllables the
+decidedly gloomy future, when some one glanced up and saw that Commodore
+Watson's flagship, the "Newark," was showing the general signal lights.
+Then, as the answering lights blazed on the other ships, the red and
+white lanterns began to spell out a message.
+
+The news spread at once that the flagship was signalling a general
+message or one of interest to the whole fleet.
+
+Soon the rail was lined with signal boys, and signal boys, _pro tem_.
+
+Those who could read them, spelled the messages aloud, letter by letter.
+
+"'Y-A-N-K-E-E'  A-N-D  'N-I-A-G-A-R-A'  W-I-L-L
+S-A-I-L  F-O-R  T-O-M-P-K-I-N-S-V-I-L-L-E  T-O-M-O-R-R-O-W.
+'D-I-X-I-E'  A-N-D  'F-E-R-N'
+W-I-L-L  G-O  T-O  H-A-M-P-T-O-N  R-O-A-D-S."
+
+With a single bound all was changed from gloom to gladness.
+
+No man could say how glad he was, but every man felt his heart grow warm
+within him. There was a deep feeling of gratitude for the providential
+care we had received, and for the happy release that now had come.
+
+"Cupid," the ship's bugler, played "Home, Sweet Home," and instead of
+mobbing him as we would have done had he played it three hours earlier,
+we applauded. He also played "America," and then "Dixie," in honor of
+our Maryland friends on our sister ship of that name. It pleased them
+mightily, as was evidenced by the cheer that came over the quiet water
+to us. Their bugler returned the compliment soon after by playing
+"Yankee Doodle."
+
+There was much good feeling when the men went below, to turn in, but not
+to sleep; we were too happy for that.
+
+As the talk and laughter gradually died down (the order, "Turn in your
+hammocks and keep silence," was not very strictly observed that night),
+a voice would be heard singing--not always the same voice:
+
+    "But we'll all feel gay when
+    The 'Yankee' goes sailing home."
+
+The following morning Scully did not have to repeat "up all hands," for
+he had hardly got the words out of his mouth before every man was
+scrambling into his clothes as fast as he could.
+
+Soon after breakfast the order was given to hoist up the catamaran, and
+then the rest of the boats were pulled up one by one. The boat's falls
+were run away with in a fashion that made the officers smile. The
+tackle-blocks fairly smoked.
+
+The only thing that marred our perfect joy was the departure of some of
+the marines to the "New Orleans." We had grown to like them all very
+much, and especially a pleasant fellow we dubbed "Happy," because of his
+unvarying cheerfulness. We had hoped to bring them all back with us, and
+were sorry to see them go.
+
+We listened with eager ears for the final order before sailing, "All
+hands on the cat falls," and just before noon we heard it. In ready
+response the men came tumbling up, and in a jiffy the anchor was pulled
+up as if it weighed five hundred, instead of five thousand pounds.
+
+The leadsman stood on his little platform and sang out, as he heaved the
+lead, the number of fathoms. It was the last touch we had of Cuban soil.
+
+As the old ship gathered headway, cheer after cheer rang out from the
+ships that were left behind, and in answer to each, our crew, which had
+gathered on the forecastle, gave three rousing hurrahs and a tiger.
+
+So we sailed out of Guantanamo Bay for the last time.
+
+It was with a feeling of sadness mixed with joy that we watched the
+headland, that stands like a guard on one side of the bay, disappear in
+the haze. We were one of the first ships to enter its then hostile
+portals. We had gained renown there; we had seen the American flag
+raised on its beautiful shores, and but a few minutes ago we heard a
+ringing American cheer come over its clear waters, bidding us Godspeed
+and a joyful home coming.
+
+The voyage home was like a triumphal journey. All hands were in high
+spirits. The gloom of a few hours before was dispelled by the talismanic
+words, "'Yankee' and 'Niagara' will sail for Tompkinsville."
+
+Though we were exceedingly glad, there was a good deal of quiet thinking
+going on.
+
+One and all realized that we had been exposed to no ordinary dangers.
+Danger from the enemy's fire; danger from a deadly climate; danger from
+the effects of unaccustomed labor; danger from wind and raging sea. We
+had been brought through safe and sound by an all-wise God to lead
+peaceful, useful, and, it is hoped, helpful lives at home.
+
+This same thought had been in our minds many times before, and with the
+feeling of thankfulness would come a sense of surprise that we should
+pass through it all without harm.
+
+We sped on and on, the ship's prow ever pointed North. We watched the
+water to note the change in color; to see when the blue water of the
+Gulf Stream should be left behind and the green northern sea should be
+entered.
+
+As we neared New York our impatience grew with every added mile, and
+this eagerness was felt by officers as well as men.
+
+We sometimes forgot that our officers were capable of feeling
+disappointment, impatience, and joy; that they also had to stand watch
+and get along on short allowance of sleep; that they, too, were subject
+to annoyances as well as we. If we had not felt this before, we fully
+realized, now, how much _our_ officers had done for us.
+
+Lieutenants Duncan, Greene, and Barnard, Dr. McGowan, Ensigns Dimock and
+Andrews, always treated us fairly and honestly.
+
+Every man has a deep-seated feeling of loyalty and affection for them
+that will last as long as life shall last.
+
+As the tropical latitudes were left astern the nights became cool, and
+the watch on deck had the novel experience of walking post in pea coats.
+Shortly after daybreak on the twenty-seventh of August the Atlantic
+Highlands were sighted, and, to quote one of the forecastle men, "All
+hands shouted to see God's country once more!"
+
+Though we had seen the Highlands, Sandy Hook, and all the familiar
+landmarks of the harbor many times, never had they seemed so attractive.
+
+The steam vessels we met tooted a welcome, as our identity became known,
+and the sailing craft dipped their colors in salute.
+
+Inside the Narrows, and ranged along the Staten Island shore, we found
+our companions of the Santiago blockade, and, as we passed through the
+fleet to our anchorage, the crew stood at "quarters" in their honor.
+
+We heard later of the great reception these tried and true fighting
+ships of Uncle Sam's had received, and we only regretted that we were
+not present to add our little mite to the applause.
+
+After two days' stay off Tompkinsville, during which time the ship was
+fairly overrun with visitors eager to see the "Yankee" and her crew of
+"heroes," we steamed through the Narrows en route for League Island.
+Orders had arrived from Washington providing for the paying off and
+discharge of the New York Naval Reserves, and little time was lost in
+obeying.
+
+On reaching League Island, the naval station near Philadelphia, we found
+the old-time war monitors "Nahant" and "Jason" in port. The crew of the
+"Nahant," made up of the New York Naval Reserves, were in readiness to
+accompany the "Yankee's" crew back to the metropolis.
+
+While waiting for the specified date--Friday, September 2d--bags were
+packed for the last time, and all preparations made for leaving the
+ship. Now that the hour for departure was rapidly approaching, many of
+the boys began to express regrets. Despite the hardships attending the
+cruise, it had brought many happy days--days made pleasurable by novel
+and strange surroundings--and it is not claiming too much to say that
+not one of the "Yankee's" crew would have surrendered his experience.
+
+Friendships had been formed, too--friendships cemented by good
+fellowship and mutual peril. Those who have spent many days at sea know
+that acquaintances made on shipboard in the midst of calms and storms
+and the dangers of the deep, are lasting. And that was now being
+impressed upon the boys of the "Yankee."
+
+While the crews of the "Nahant" and "Yankee" were preparing for the
+railway trip to New York, arrangements were being made in that city for
+a rousing welcome to the returning Naval Reserve Battalion.
+
+Shortly after ten the boys were mustered aft to hear Captain Brownson's
+parting speech. In his usual brisk manner he said that we were now to go
+back to our peaceful avocations; to our homes; to join our relatives and
+friends, and to become again private citizens. He ended by wishing us
+the best of luck.
+
+The cheers that followed shook the old ship from keel to topmast, nor
+were the cheers for Lieutenant Hubbard any the less hearty.
+
+A very few minutes after, we piled into a tug and steamed away. Little
+was said, for there was a feeling of real regret: we were fond of the
+old boat, after all.
+
+"Patt," the gunner's mate; the marines, and the few men of the engineer
+force who stayed on board, waved good-by.
+
+We boarded a special train with the crew and officers of the "Nahant,"
+and were soon speeding over the level country towards New York.
+
+After a very fast trip we reached Jersey City, where we were fitted out
+with rifles and belts, and were met by the band that was to lead us
+through the city.
+
+[Illustration: MARCHING THROUGH CITY HALL PARK, NEW YORK CITY]
+
+The people of New York turned out to give us a rousing welcome.
+
+It was a welcome we shall never forget--a welcome that made us forget
+all hardships, all dangers. Whatever pride we may have had in our
+achievements was drowned in that thunderous greeting; we were humbled,
+for real heroes could hardly have deserved such a reception.
+
+The Mayor stood in front of the City Hall and reviewed us, and later we
+were reviewed by the President himself, at Madison Square.
+
+As the head of the column turned down Twenty-sixth Street, heading to
+our old receiving ship the "New Hampshire," the band struck up "Home,
+Sweet Home." The men still marched with heads erect and eyes to the
+front, but many of those eyes were dimmed with a moisture that almost
+prevented their owners from seeing the long, homeward-bound pennant that
+floated from the masthead of the old frigate.
+
+As for the greeting given by mothers and sisters and relatives of every
+degree and by friends assembled on the "New Hampshire," that is one
+experience that cannot be described; it must be felt to be appreciated.
+Suffice it that every member of the New York Naval Battalion felt amply
+repaid for the hardships endured and the sacrifices made in the service
+of Old Glory. And if the occasion should again arise for the calling out
+of the Naval Reserves of the First New York Battalion, they, together
+with their comrades, the Naval Reserve Battalions of other cities, will
+cheerfully don their "clean whites" and respond to muster.
+
+"Pipe down!"
+
+
+APPENDIX.
+
+THE NAVAL MILITIA OF THE UNITED STATES.
+
+The Naval Militia is a volunteer organization made up of certain
+patriotic citizens of the United States, who conceived the idea that the
+country could be served by its sons as well in the naval branch of the
+National Defence as in the military. The subject of a naval volunteer
+force had been agitated for several years, but it was not until the
+latter part of June, 1891, that the first enlistments were made.
+
+Since that time the success of the organization has been continuous and
+most gratifying, and it has required only the recent war with Spain to
+prove that its value to the country at large cannot be overestimated. At
+the outbreak of hostilities, the strength of the Naval Militia
+throughout the country was 4,445 officers and enlisted men, but the rush
+of recruits incidental to the opening of the war vastly increased that
+number.
+
+The scope of the organization is naturally limited to those States
+bordering on the seacoast and the Great Lakes, but the interest taken in
+it to-day by the people is widespread and emphatic. The existence of
+this interest was amply proved by the enthusiastic welcome tendered the
+returning crews of the "Badger," "Dixie," "Prairie," "Yosemite," and
+"Yankee" by the citizens of the cities more closely concerned, and by
+the country at large.
+
+In a report made to Secretary Long in 1897 by Theodore Roosevelt, then
+Assistant Secretary of the Navy, these prophetic words were used:
+
+"The rapidity with which modern wars are decided renders it imperative
+to have men who can be ready for immediate use, and outside of the
+regular navy these men are only to be found in the Naval Militia of the
+various States. If a body of naval militia is able to get at its head
+some first-class man who is a graduate of Annapolis; if it puts under
+him as commissioned officers, warrant officers, and petty officers men
+who have worked their way up from grade to grade, year after year, and
+who have fitted themselves for the higher positions by the zeal and
+painstaking care with which they have performed their duties in the
+lower places; and if the landsmen, ordinary seamen, and seamen go in
+resolutely to do real work and learn their duties so that they can
+perform them as well as the regulars aboard our warships, taking pride
+in their performance accordingly as they are really difficult--such an
+organization will, in course of time, reach a point where it could be
+employed immediately in the event of war.
+
+"Most of the Naval Militia are now in condition to render immediate
+service of a very valuable kind in what may be called the second line of
+defence. They could operate signal stations, help handle torpedoes and
+mines, officer and man auxiliary cruisers, and assist in the defence of
+points which are not covered by the army. There are numbers of advanced
+bases which do not come under the present scheme of army coast defence,
+and which would have to be defended, at any rate during the first weeks
+of war, by bodies of Naval Militia; while the knowledge they get by
+their incessant practice in boats on the local waters would be
+invaluable.
+
+"Furthermore, the highest and best trained bodies could be used
+immediately on board the regular ships of war; this applies to the
+militia of the lakes as well as to the militia of the seacoast--and
+certainly no greater tribute is necessary to pay to the lake militia.
+Many of these naval battalions are composed of men who would not enlist
+in time of peace, but who, under the spur of war, would serve in any
+position for the first few important months."
+
+The last sentence of the above extract is of peculiar interest, inasmuch
+as it proved true in every particular. The crews of the auxiliary ships
+manned by the Naval Militia during the Spanish-American war of 1898 were
+composed of men who, in civil life, were brokers, lawyers, physicians,
+clerks, bookkeepers, or men of independent means. They sacrificed their
+personal interests for the moment, and, in their patriotic zeal,
+accepted positions of the most menial capacity on board ship.
+
+Prior to the outbreak of war they had entered into training with the
+utmost enthusiasm. The Navy Department had assigned some of the older
+vessels to the various naval brigades, to be used as training ships, and
+with these as headquarters the brigades began drilling. In addition to
+the regular routine, summer cruising was taken up.
+
+The First Battalion, New York State Militia, for instance, went in a
+body to Fisher's Island, off the eastern end of Connecticut, and there
+engaged in landing parties, camping, and sham battles. On another
+occasion the battalion embarked on board the battleships "Massachusetts"
+and "Texas," each militiaman having a regular bluejacket for a running
+mate, and doing just as he did. The two ships cruised in the vicinity of
+Fisher's Island, and a programme was carried out which included
+instruction in the different parts of the ship in great guns and
+ordnance, such drills as abandon ship, arm and away boats, clear ship
+for action, general quarters, signalling, and in the use of torpedoes.
+
+During one of the cruises of the Massachusetts Naval Brigade a
+detachment was engaged in locating signal stations on the coast from the
+New Hampshire State line to Cape Ann, and it was due to the efforts of
+this detachment that the signal stations established during the late war
+proved so efficient.
+
+The Naval Militia of Maryland, Louisiana, Illinois, and other States
+were given opportunities for instruction in the handling of guns, the
+care of wounded, in infantry drill, limited artillery practice with
+rapid-fire batteries, and all the details of naval life, and so well did
+they benefit by it that the authorities at Washington announced a
+willingness to trust any of the warships in their sole charge.
+
+It was to reach this pinnacle, as it may be termed, that the Naval
+Militia organizations of the United States had striven, and when they
+were finally called upon by the Government they proved their worth by
+boarding modern warships, doing the work of regular sailors, and
+fighting for their country with a degree of skill and zeal that has
+earned for them the commendation of their fellow-citizens.
+
+UNITED STATES NAVAL CODE FOR VISUAL SIGNALLING.
+
+To signal with flag or torch "wigwag":
+
+There are but _one_ position and _three_ motions.
+
+The _position_ is with the flag held vertically in front of the body;
+the signalman facing squarely the point to which the message is to be
+sent.
+
+
+APPENDIX
+
+The _first_ or 1 is a motion to the right of the sender.
+
+The _second_ or 2 is a motion to the left of the sender.
+
+The _third_ or 3: the flag is dropped in front of the sender and
+instantly returned to _position_.
+
+The entire code is made up of these three motions--1, 2, and 3. Every
+letter begins and ends with _position_.
+
+"WIGWAG" CODE. UNITED STATES NAVAL CODE FOR VISUAL AND
+TELEGRAPHIC
+SIGNALLING.
+
+ALPHABET.
+
+A    22
+B  2112
+C   121
+D   222
+E    12
+F  2221
+G  2211
+H   122
+I     1
+J  1122
+K  2121
+L   221
+M  1221
+N    11
+O    21
+P  1212
+Q  1211
+R   211
+S   212
+T     2
+U   112
+V  1222
+W  1121
+X  2122
+Y   111
+Z  2222
+
+NUMERALS.
+1  1111
+2  2222
+3  1112
+4  2221
+5  1122
+6  2211
+7  1222
+8  2111
+9  1221
+0  2112
+
+ABBREVIATIONS.
+
+a  after.
+b  before.
+c  can.
+h  have.
+n  not.
+r  are.
+t  the.
+u  you.
+ur your.
+w  word.
+wi with.
+y  why.
+
+x x 3 = "numerals follow" or "numerals end."
+sig. 3 = signature.
+3 = End of word.
+33 = End of sentence.
+333 = End of message.
+22, 22, 3 = I understand.
+
+The complete number opposite each letter or numeral stands for that
+letter or numeral.
+
+Example: The signal sent by Commodore Schley's flagship "Brooklyn" that
+memorable 3d of July--
+
+T  H    E    E   N   E   M     Y'   S     F     L    E   E   T
+2, 122, 12 3 12, 11, 12, 1221, 111, 212 3 2221, 221, 12, 12, 2, 3
+L, RLL, RL D RL, RR, RL, RLLR, RRR, LRL D LLLR, LLR, RL, RL, L, D
+
+I  S     C    O   M     I  N   G      O   U    T   O   F
+1, 212 3 121, 21, 1221, 1, 11, 2211 3 21, 112, 2 3 21, 2221
+R, LRL D RLR, LR, RLLR, R, RR, LLRR D LR, RRL, L D LR, LLLR
+
+H    A   R    B     O   R.
+122, 22, 211, 2112, 21, 211, 333.
+RLL, LL, LRR, LRRL, LR, LRR, DDD.
+
+R = Right = 1.          L = Left = 2.         D = Drop = 3.
+
+NIGHT SIGNALLING.
+
+The lights in the Ardois system--named after its inventor--sometimes
+called "shroud lights," are placed well up on the foremast. They are red
+and white electric bulbs. There are four of each placed in a line one
+above the other, in groups of two--- a red and white bulb together.
+Unlike the "wigwag" system, the whole letter is shown at once.
+
+The code is the same as the "wigwag." One is indicated by a red light,
+two by white, and three by the combination, white, white, red and white.
+
+Both systems may be mastered very easily by a little painstaking
+practice, and much amusement may be had through the mystification of
+those who do not understand it. A "wigwag" flag may be easily made by
+sewing a white square of muslin in the centre of a red bandana
+handkerchief.
+
+The best method of learning this system is to send simple messages,
+looking up the letters that there is any doubt about, and correcting
+mistakes as you go along.
+
+
+APPENDIX.
+
+NAVY CODE FLAGS.
+
+Messages sent by the navy code flags cannot be read except by the aid of
+the code book. There are ten numeral flags--1 to 9, and one for 0. All
+messages are made up by means of these ten flags headed by the code flag
+(whether it be geographical, telegraph, or navy list).
+
+For instance, a line of bunting is sent up on the flagship's signal
+halliards. It is read from the top down. The geographical flag flies
+first; then follow 7, 6, 3, 8. It means that the message can be found in
+the geographical list, number 7638.
+
+The repeaters are used to avoid confusion. Instead of putting two number
+1 flags together, for instance, number 1 is flown with a repeater under
+it; second repeater repeats number 2, and so on.
+
+PREPARATORY.--Over hoist. Prepare to execute subjoined order.
+
+INTERROGATION.--Alone. What is that signal? or "I don't
+understand--repeat." Above hoist puts signal in interrogative sense.
+
+ANSWERING.--Flown by ship receiving message indicates that signal is
+understood.
+
+AFFIRMATIVE.--Alone. Yes. Above hoist puts message in affirmative or
+permissive sense.
+
+NEGATIVE.--Alone. No. Above hoist puts message in negative sense.
+
+MEAL or NUMERAL.--Alone. Crew at mess. Above or below hoist--the numeral
+flags are to be taken as numbers simply.
+
+CONVOY.--Alone at fore, means naval convoy. Above hoist means use navy
+list.
+
+POSITION.--In manoeuvres, hoisted by each ship as it gets into position
+ordered; lowered when next ship gets into place.
+
+GUARD or GUIDE.--As its name implies--flown by guard or guide ship.
+
+TELEGRAPH.--Use telegraph list.
+
+DESPATCH or GEOGRAPHICAL.--Alone at fore, indicates that the ship flying
+it is carrying despatches. Above hoist. Use geographical list.
+
+CORNET.--Alone. Ship about to sail. Over number. Official number of
+ship.
+
+GENERAL RECALL.--Recalls all small boats.
+
+POWDER.--Hoisted alone in port. Taking powder on board. Alone at sea.
+Distress.
+
+
+RATING MARKS IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY.
+
+THE INSIGNIA OF RANK OF COMMISSIONED, WARRANT, AND PETTY OFFICERS.
+
+There are four classes of officers in the United States navy, and each
+has its own distinguishing mark.
+
+The commissioned officers of the line.
+
+The commissioned corps.
+
+The warrant officers.
+
+The petty officers.
+
+The first two classes are graduates of Annapolis, or regularly
+commissioned by the Government. The last two are composed of enlisted
+men who have been promoted.
+
+The rank device of the commissioned officers is worn on the
+shoulder-knot of the full dress uniform and on the collar of the service
+coat.
+
+The marks are as follows:
+
+[Illustration: REAR-ADMIRAL.]
+
+Foul anchor with silver stars at ends; and one stripe of gold lace two
+inches wide, and one of one-half inch wide above it, on sleeves.
+
+[Illustration: COMMODORE.]
+
+A star with a foul anchor at either side of it; and one stripe of gold
+lace two inches wide on sleeves.
+
+[Illustration: CAPTAIN.]
+
+A spread eagle with foul anchor at either side. Four one-half-inch
+stripes of gold lace on sleeves.
+
+[Illustration: COMMANDER.]
+
+Foul anchor with silver oak leaves at ends. Three stripes of half-inch
+gold lace on sleeves.
+
+LIEUTENANT-COMMANDER.--A silver foul anchor with a silver oak leaf at
+either end. Two stripes of half-inch gold lace with a quarter-inch
+stripe between.
+
+[Illustration: LIEUTENANT.]
+
+Silver foul anchor with two silver bars at either side. Two stripes of
+gold lace one-half inch wide on sleeves.
+
+[Illustration: LIEUTENANT--JUNIOR GRADE.]
+
+Silver foul anchor with one silver bar at either side. Two stripes of
+gold lace, half and quarter-inch, on sleeves.
+
+[Illustration: ENSIGN.]
+
+A gold foul anchor on collar or shoulder-knot and one stripe of gold
+lace on sleeves.
+
+THE COMMISSIONED CORPS.
+
+The commissioned corps' devices are substituted for the anchor by staff
+officers, who wear the same rank devices as are prescribed for line
+officers with whom they have relative rank.
+
+THE PAY CORPS.--A silver oak sprig and a narrow band of white cloth
+above and below the gold lace on sleeves.
+
+THE MEDICAL CORPS.--A spread oak leaf of gold with an acorn of silver,
+and a band of dark maroon velvet above and below the gold lace on
+sleeves.
+
+THE ENGINEER CORPS.--Four silver oak leaves, and a band of red cloth
+above and below the gold lace on sleeves.
+
+PETTY OFFICERS' RATING MARKS.
+
+All petty officers wear a rating device on the sleeve of the outer
+garment above the elbow. If they belong to the starboard watch the mark
+will be sewed on the right sleeve; if the port, on the left.
+
+[Illustration: QUARTERMASTER.]
+
+The petty officers' device always has a spread eagle above it. The
+specialty mark indicating to which department he belongs is just below
+in the angle formed by the chevrons. The chevrons indicate the class.
+Three chevrons, first class; two, second class, and so on. The chief
+petty officers have an arch of the same cloth connecting the two ends
+of the top chevron.
+
+The specialty marks are as follows:
+
+[Illustration: MASTER-AT-ARMS.]
+
+[Illustration: GUNNER'S MATES.]
+
+[Illustration: SEAMAN GUNNER.]
+
+[Illustration: CHIEF YEOMAN.]
+
+[Illustration: APOTHECARY.]
+
+[Illustration: YEOMAN--1ST, 2D, AND 3D CLASS.]
+
+[Illustration: SHIP'S PRINTER OR SCHOOLMASTER.]
+
+[Illustration: BANDMASTER.]
+
+[Illustration: MACHINISTS, BOILER-MAKERS, WATER-TENDERS, COPPERSMITHS,
+AND OILERS.]
+
+[Illustration: CARPENTER'S MATES, PLUMBERS, AND PAINTERS.]
+
+[Illustration: BLACKSMITH.]
+
+[Illustration: BOATSWAIN'S MATES AND COXSWAINS.]
+
+The seaman class is indicated by the rows of braid on the cuffs.
+
+Seamen, first class or able-bodied seamen, have three rows of braid.
+
+Seamen, second class or ordinary seamen, have two rows of braid.
+
+Seamen, third class or landsmen, have one row of braid.
+
+The watch mark for the enlisted men not petty officers consists of a
+stripe of braid on the sleeve close to the shoulder. For the seaman,
+white on blue clothes, blue on white clothes.
+
+For the engineer force, red on both white and blue clothes.
+
+The watch mark indicates the watch of which the wearer is a member. The
+starboard men wear it on the right arm, and the port men on the left.
+
+TAKING SOUNDINGS.
+
+HEAVING THE LEAD.
+
+The man using the "lead line" (as the sounding-line weighted with lead
+is called) stands on a grating that projects over the side. This is
+placed near enough so that the steersman can hear the man who "heaves
+the lead" when he calls out the number of fathoms of water. This he
+tells by the marks on the "lead line" as follows:
+
+ 2 fathoms, twelve feet, 2 strips of leather.
+ 3    "                  3 strips of leather.
+ 5    "                  white rag.
+ 7    "                  red rag.
+10    "                  leather with hole in it.
+13    "                  3 strips of leather or blue rag.
+15    "                  white rag.
+17    "                  red rag.
+20    "     2 knots.
+25    "     1 knot.
+30    "     3 knots.
+35    "     1 knot.
+40    "     4 knots.
+ 9    "     are called mark.
+11    "      "    "    deeps.
+
+The leadsman stands on his little grating and swings the lead so it just
+clears the water. When it is swinging well he lets it fly in the
+direction in which the ship is moving and then notes the depth by the
+strips of leather or rags. The result is shouted out so the steersman
+can hear and keep the vessel in the channel.
+
+THE BOATSWAIN'S CALLS.
+
+The boatswain's calls or "pipes" are very difficult to reduce to a
+musical scale, because the pitch of the instrument depends entirely on
+the amount of energy expended by the blower. The novice, after a few
+trials, would probably assert that the primitive little whistle had only
+one note--and not very much of that; but he would be surprised indeed at
+the volume of sound, the range, and the command over the instrument
+which a veteran boatswain would soon make everyday matter to him. Not
+only do these experts sound the regular calls with ear-piercing
+exactness, but actual tunes are often included in their repertoire.
+
+The pipe or whistle is held with the bulb in the centre of the palm, the
+hole being towards the wrist. The lobe to which the ring and lanyard are
+attached, serves simply as a handle.
+
+In the diagram given, the black line indicates the "pipe" or call; the
+four faint horizontal lines, the notes, and the vertical bars, the time.
+
+The roll indicated by the wavy line in the diagram is made by rapidly
+opening and closing the hand. The gradual rise and fall is effected in
+the same way, but slowly. The rattle is done by a quick movement of the
+tongue.
+
+This diagram is furnished by an old boatswain. As a rule, the calls are
+taught entirely by personal instruction, and it is believed that they
+have here been put into print for the first time. None of the ordinary
+manuals have ever given them, the young sailor having had to learn them
+by experience on shipboard.
+
+Their importance is evident from the fact that every order aboard ship
+is preceded by the pipe peculiar to the command; for though the words
+may not be heard, the whistle can always be distinguished. Even the most
+lubberly landsman, with such continuous practice, soon learns the
+meaning of the different calls, and jumps to obey them.
+
+[Illustration: THE BOATSWAIN'S CALLS]
+
+[Illustration: STATIONS OR QUARTERS FOR EXERCISE, OR PRECEDING ACTION,
+OF FIVE-INCH BREECHLOADING RIFLES.]
+
+1. First Captain, Second Boarder. 2. Second Captain, First Boarder. 3.
+First Loader, Second Boarder, 4. Second Loader, First Boarder. 5. First
+Shellman, Pumpman, Port guard. 6. Second Shellman, Fireman, Port guard.
+7. First Shellman, Second Rifleman. 8. Second Shellman, First Rifleman.
+
+1. Stands at elevating gear wheel and sights and fires the gun.
+
+2. Stands at the right and beside the breech; opens same after firing so
+shell can be taken out.
+
+3. Stands at the left training wheel--i.e., the wheel that moves the gun
+laterally. He also loads the gun.
+
+4. Stands at the right training wheel. He takes out the empty shell
+after firing, and wears heavy gloves for that purpose.
+
+5 and 6. Stand just behind No. 2 to the right of the gun. They may be
+termed emergency men. They assist with the shells, carry the wounded, if
+any; will be called away in case of fire, and are qualified to sight and
+fire the gun in case the first and second captains are wounded or
+killed. They provide revolvers and belts for Nos. 1, 2, and 3, and belts
+for Nos. 5, 6, 7, and 8. They are also port guards, and defend the ports
+in case of close action.
+
+7 and 8. Carry shells from the ammunition hoist to a position amidships
+convenient for quick transport to the gun. They are also riflemen, and
+may be called to protect any part of the ship from boarders or from fire
+on shore.
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13826 ***
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+<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13826 ***</div>
+<h1>The Project Gutenberg eBook, A Gunner Aboard the "Yankee", by Russell
+Doubleday, et al, Edited by H. H. Lewis</h1>
+<hr class="full" noshade>
+<br>
+<h1>A GUNNER ABOARD THE &quot;YANKEE&quot;</h1>
+<br>
+<br>
+<br>
+<h3>BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA</h3>
+
+<h4>OFFICERS OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL</h4>
+
+<center>
+<table summary="Officers of the national council">
+<tr>
+  <td>Honorary President, The Hon. Woodrow Wilson</td>
+  <td>Vice-President, Milton A. McRae, Detroit, Mich.</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>Honorary Vice-President, Hon. William H. Taft</td>
+  <td>Vice-President, David Starr Jordan, Stanford University, Cal.</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>Honorary Vice-President, Colonel Theodore Roosevelt</td>
+  <td>Vice-President, F.L. Seely, Asheville, N.C.</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>President, Colin B. Livingstone, Washington, D.C.</td>
+  <td>Vice-President, A. Stamford White, Chicago, Ill.</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>Vice-President, B.L. Dulaney, Bristol, Tenn.</td>
+  <td>Chief Scout, Ernest Thompson Seton, Greenwich, Connecticut</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td></td>
+  <td>National Scout Commissioner, Daniel Carter Beard, Fishing, N.Y.</td>
+</tr></table></center>
+<br />
+
+<br />
+<br />
+<center>
+NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS<br />
+THE FIFTH AVENUE BUILDING, 200 FIFTH AVENUE<br />
+TELEPHONE GRAMERCY 540<br />
+NEW YORK CITY<br />
+</center>
+<br />
+
+<center>
+<table summary="Committee">
+<tr>
+  <td>FINANCE COMMITTEE</td>
+  <td></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>John Sherman Hoyt, Chairman&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
+  <td>George D. Pratt, Treasurer</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>George D. Pratt</td>
+  <td>JAMES E. WEST Chief Scout Executive</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>Mortimer L. Schiff</td>
+  <td></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>H. Rogers Winthrop</td>
+  <td></td>
+</tr></table></center>
+
+<center>
+Additional Members of the Executive Board
+</center>
+
+<center>
+<table summary="Additional Members of the Executive Board">
+<tr>
+  <td>Ernest P. Bicknell</td>
+  <td>Prof. Jeremiah W. Jeeks&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
+  <td>Edgar M. Robinson</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>Robert Garrett</td>
+  <td>William D. Murray</td>
+  <td>Mortimer L. Schiff</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>Lee F. Hanmer</td>
+  <td>Dr. Charles P. Nell</td>
+  <td>Lorillard Spencer</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>Jobe Sherman Hoyt&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
+  <td>Frank Presbrey</td>
+  <td>Seth Spreguy Terry</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>Charles C. Jackson</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td></td>
+</tr></table></center>
+<br />
+
+<div class='blkquot'><p>July 31st, 1913.
+
+<p>     TO THE PUBLIC:&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>     In the execution of its purpose to give educational value
+     and moral worth to the recreational activities of the
+     boyhood of America, the leaders of the Boy Scout Movement
+     quickly learned that to effectively carry out its program,
+     the boy must be influenced not only in his out-of-door life
+     but also in the diversions of his other leisure moments. It
+     is at such times that the boy is captured by the tales of
+     daring enterprises and adventurous good times. What now is
+     needful is not that his taste should be thwarted but
+     trained. There should constantly be presented to him the
+     books the boy likes best, yet always the books that will be
+     best for the boy. As a natter of fact, however, the boy's
+     taste is being constantly vitiated and exploited by the
+     great mass of cheap juvenile literature.</p>
+
+<p>     To help anxiously concerned parents and educators to meet
+     this grave peril, the Library Commission of the Boy Scouts
+     of America has been organized. EVERY BOY'S LIBRARY is the
+     result of their labors. All the books chosen have been
+     approved by them. The Commission is composed of the
+     following members: George F. Bowerman, Librarian, Public
+     Library of the District of Columbia, Washington, D.C.;
+     Harrison W. Graver, Librarian, Carnegie Library of
+     Pittsburgh, Pa.; Claude G. Leland, Superintendent, Bureau of
+     Libraries, Board of Education, New York City; Edward F.
+     Stevens, Librarian, Pratt Institute Free Library, Brooklyn,
+     New York; together with the Editorial Board of our Movement,
+     William D. Murray, George D. Pratt and Frank Presbrey, with
+     Franklin K. Mathiews. Chief Scout Librarian, as Secretary.</p>
+
+<p>     In selecting the books, the Commission has chosen only such
+     as are of interest to boys, the first twenty-five being
+     either works of fiction or stirring stories of adventurous
+     experiences. In later lists, books of a more serious sort
+     will be included. It is hoped that as many as twenty-five
+     may be added to the Library each year.</p>
+
+<p>     Thanks are due the several publishers who have helped to
+     inaugurate this new department of our work. Without their
+     co-operation in making available for popular priced editions
+     some of the best books ever published for boys, the
+     promotion of EVERY BOY'S LIBRARY would have been
+     impossible.</p>
+
+<p>     We wish, too, to express our heartiest gratitude to the
+     Library Commission, who, without compensation, have placed
+     their vast experience and immense resources at the service
+     of our Movement.</p>
+
+<p>     The Commission invites suggestions as to future books to be
+     included in the Library. Librarians, teachers, parents, and
+     all others interested in welfare work for boys, can render a
+     unique service by forwarding to National Headquarters lists
+     of such books as in their judgment would be suitable for
+     EVERY BOY'S LIBRARY. </p></div>
+
+<div class='blkquot'>
+<pre>  Signed</pre>
+<img src='images/page003.jpg' width='167' height='39' alt='' title=''>
+<p>Chief Scout Executive. </p></div>
+<br />
+
+<h1>A GUNNER ABOARD THE &quot;YANKEE&quot;</h1>
+
+<br />
+<h4>ACKNOWLEDGEMENT</h4>
+
+<center>
+<p>Acknowledgements are due to J. Harper Skillen, Stewart Flagg, George
+Yardley, W.G. Wood, and E. Howe Stockwell for the use of photographs;
+and to C.B. Hayward and Allan H. Seaman for the use of notes and
+diaries.</p>
+</center>
+<br />
+<a name='front_page'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/front_page.jpg' width='300' height='415' alt='' title='THE NAVAL RESERVES LEAVING NEW YORK&mdash;GOING OFF IN THE
+TUGBOAT TO MAN THE &quot;YANKEE&quot;'>
+</center>
+
+<h5>THE NAVAL RESERVES LEAVING NEW YORK&mdash;GOING OFF IN THE
+TUGBOAT TO MAN THE &quot;YANKEE&quot; (<i>page</i> 8).</h5>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<h2>A GUNNER ABOARD THE &quot;YANKEE&quot;</h2>
+
+<center>
+FROM THE DIARY OF NUMBER FIVE<br />
+OF THE AFTER PORT GUN (RUSSELL DOUBLEDAY)<br />
+
+THE YARN OF THE CRUISE AND FIGHTS<br />
+OF THE NAVAL RESERVES IN THE<br />
+SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR<br />
+
+Edited by<br />
+H.H. LEWIS<br />
+Late a S.N.<br />
+
+With Introduction by<br />
+W.T. SAMPSON<br />
+Rear Admiral U.S.<br />
+
+1896<br />
+</center>
+<br /><br /><br />
+
+<center>
+THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY<br />
+RUSSELL DOUBLEDAY<br />
+NUMBER FIVE OF THE AFTER PORT GUN OF THE YANKEE<br />
+TO THE NAVAL RESERVE ORGANIZATIONS<br />
+THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, WHO HAVE MADE SUCH<br />
+AN ENVIABLE RECORD DURING THE SPANISH-AMERICAN<br />
+WAR AND BEFORE WHOM SUCH A<br />
+GLORIOUS FUTURE<br />
+OPENS<br />
+</center>
+<br /><br />
+
+<a name='Forward'></a><h2>AUTHOR'S FOREWORD.</h2>
+
+<h3>1898 April 1917</h3><br />
+
+<p>The successors of the crew of the &quot;Yankee&quot; are now &quot;somewhere in the
+service.&quot; The boys of the First Battalion New York Naval Militia were
+just as eager to get to sea in the service of Uncle Sam to do their part
+for the great cause, as we were in the Spring of '98.</p>
+
+<p>The old frigate &quot;Granite State&quot; (formerly the New Hampshire), living
+through three wars, has resounded to the tramp of hundreds of tars in
+the making. She is the school ship, the home ship of the First
+Battalion. Down her gangways went most of the &quot;Yankee's&quot; crew and
+between her massive decks they returned after their job was done.</p>
+
+<p>As I write it seems as if I can hear the shrill whistle of the bo'sn's
+pipe sounding in all parts of the old wooden ship, then the long drawn
+call &quot;all hands on deck.&quot; The men come tumbling up from below, touching
+their caps in salute as their heads rise above the hatch coaming. Men
+standing in battalion formation, by divisions, at attention, each man
+answers &quot;here&quot; as his name is called. Some of the voices are a little
+husky as the speaker realizes that war is on and he is about to be
+called for real service.</p>
+
+<p>And so they are mustered in. The state's sailors become Uncle Sam's
+man-o'-war's-men. The old &quot;Granite State&quot; is once more emptied of its
+crew. The decks are silent and the long, low gangways beneath the
+ancient deck beams are checked with squares of undisturbed yellow-light,
+as the sun streams through the square gun ports.</p>
+
+<p>The readers of this book can imagine the men on our great gray ships of
+war going through much the same routine followed by the &quot;Yankee's&quot; crew,
+for there has been but little change in the work and play of the
+man-o'-war's-men.</p>
+
+<p>So let us take off our caps and give the men of 1917 three cheers and a
+tiger. May they shoot straight, and keep fit.</p>
+
+<p>Pipe down.</p>
+
+<p>RUSSELL DOUBLEDAY</p><br />
+<br />
+April, 1917<br />
+Nineteen years ago this<br />
+month the &quot;Yankee's&quot;<br />
+crew went to sea.<br /><br />
+
+<a name='Intro'></a><h2>INTRODUCTION.</h2><br />
+
+
+<p>As the Commander-in-Chief of the American Naval Squadron blockading
+Santiago and the Cuban coast, the auxiliary cruiser &quot;Yankee,&quot; manned by
+the New York Naval Reserves, came immediately under my observation, and
+it is a pleasure for me to speak of the spirit and efficiency shown by
+the officers and crew during their stay under my command.</p>
+
+<p>The young men forming the ship's company of the &quot;Yankee&quot; were called
+into service several weeks prior to any other Naval Reserve battalion;
+they came from all walks of civil life, and their minds, devoted to
+peaceful pursuits, were suddenly diverted to the needs and requirements
+and the usages of naval routine. Notwithstanding this radical change,
+they have made the name of their ship a household word throughout the
+country, and have proved that the average American, whether he be clerk
+or physician, broker, lawyer, or merchant, can, on the spur of the
+moment, prove a capable fighter for his country even amid such strange
+and novel surroundings as obtain in the naval service. These young men
+have especially upheld the American supremacy in the art of gunnery, and
+have, on all occasions, proved brave and efficient.</p>
+
+<p>The conclusion of the Spanish-American War released them from their
+voluntarily assumed positions in the regular navy, but when they
+returned to civil life they carried with them the consciousness of duty
+well done at Santiago and Cienfuegos and whenever their guns were used
+in hostile action. In a word, the Naval Reserves manning the &quot;Yankee,&quot;
+in common with those on board other vessels in the service, have proved
+their aptitude for sea duty, and made apparent the wisdom of the
+Government in calling them into active service.</p>
+
+W.T. SAMPSON,<br />
+<i>Rear-Admiral, U.S.N.</i><br />
+<br />
+U.S. FLAGSHIP &quot;NEW YORK,&quot;<br />
+<i>September 3, 1898.</i><br />
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<h2>CONTENTS</h2>
+
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#Forward'><b>AUTHOR'S Forward.</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#Intro'><b>INTRODUCTION.</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#PREFACE'><b>PREFACE.</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_I'><b>I.&nbsp; IN WHICH THE &quot;YANKEE&quot; GOES INTO COMMISSION</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_II'><b>II.&nbsp; IN WHICH WE GET UNDER WAY AT LAST</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_III'><b>III.&nbsp; IN WHICH THE &quot;YANKEE&quot; CRUISES FOR PRIZES</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_IV'><b>IV.&nbsp; WE GET ORDERS TO GO SOUTH</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_V'><b>V.&nbsp; A WILD GOOSE CHASE</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_VI'><b>VI.&nbsp; WE BECOME COAL HEAVERS</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_VII'><b>VII.&nbsp; WE ENTER THE &quot;THEATRE OF WAR&quot;</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_VIII'><b>VIII.&nbsp;WE JOIN SAMPSON'S FLEET</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_IX'><b>IX.&nbsp; CLEAR SHIP FOR ACTION</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_X'><b>X.&nbsp; WE BOMBARD SANTIAGO DE CUBA</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_XI'><b>XI.&nbsp; A PERILOUS MOMENT</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_XII'><b>XII.&nbsp; IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURE</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_XIII'><b>XIII.&nbsp;A NARROW ESCAPE</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_XIV'><b>XIV.&nbsp; WE ENGAGE IN A SEA FIGHT</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_XV'><b>XV.&nbsp; COALING IN THE TROPICS</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_XVI'><b>XVI.&nbsp; &quot;REMEMBER THE FISH</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_XVII'><b>XVII.&nbsp;IN GOD'S COUNTRY</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_XVIII'><b>XVIII.&nbsp;THE &quot;YANKEE&quot; ARRIVES OFF SANTIAGO</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_XIX'><b>XIX. HOPE DEFERRED</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_XX'><b>XX.&nbsp;TAPS</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'> <a href='#APPENDIX'><b>APPENDIX.</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='LIST_OF_ILLUSTRATIONS'></a><h2>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2>
+
+<br />
+ <a href='#front_page'><b>THE NAVAL RESERVES LEAVING NEW YORK&mdash;GOING<br />OFF IN THE TUGBOAT TO MAN THE &quot;YANKEE&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page019'><b>&quot;THAT FAT MAN IN THE CELLAR WANTS ME TO<br />SLEEP IN A BAG&mdash;&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page050a'><b>&quot;THE GIG WAS LOWERED&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page050b'><b>&quot;THE MEN ON THE STAGES&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page057'><b>&quot;STAND BY, MEN. BE READY FOB INSTANT ACTION&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page077'><b>&quot;THE 'YANKEE' DROPPED HER ANCHOR OFF TOMPKINSVILLE&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page082'><b>&quot;WITH A FRIGHTFUL ROAR THE DEFECTIVE CARTRIDGE EXPLODED&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page112'><b>&quot;THE SIX-POUNDERS ON THE 'YANKEE'S' FORECASTLE JOINED IN THE CHORUS&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page115'><b>&quot;CLEAR SHIP FOR ACTION!&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page138'><b>THE BOMBARDMENT OF MORRO CASTLE, SANTIAGO</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page152'><b>ON THE GUN DECK DURING THE BOMBARDMENT</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page175'><b>THE SEARCHLIGHT &quot;SWEEPING BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE BLACK OF THE HORIZON&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page203'><b>&quot;THERE WAS TEMPORARY CONFUSION&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page221'><b>&quot;THE FUSILLADE WAS LIVELY&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page240a'><b>&quot;THE SPAR DECK WAS COVERED WITH RED SHELLAC&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page240b'><b>&quot;THE MARINES AIRED THEIR HAMMOCKS ON THE FORECASTLE DECK&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page258a'><b>&quot;HE GOT HIS ORDERS FROM THE BRIDGE&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page258b'><b>&quot;ALL YOU MEN WHO WANT TO GO IN SWIMMING MAY DO SO&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page294'><b>MARCHING THROUGH CITY HALL PARK, NEW YORK CITY</b></a><br />
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<h2>A GUNNER ABOARD THE &quot;YANKEE.&quot;</h2>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='PREFACE'></a><h2>PREFACE.</h2>
+<br />
+
+<p>When the important events of the first part of April, 1898, were shaping
+themselves toward an inevitable conflict between Spain and the United
+States of America, the authorities at Washington began to perfect their
+plans for an immediate increase of the navy. The Naval Militia of the
+country, of whom Assistant Secretary Theodore Roosevelt had a very high
+opinion, came in for early attention, and word was sent to the different
+States to prepare for service. Several days previous to the actual
+outbreak of war, messages were forwarded from the Naval Reserve
+receiving ship &quot;New Hampshire,&quot; lying at a dock in the East River, to a
+number of young men, members of the Naval Militia, residing in New York
+City. These summons contained simply a request to report at once on
+board the ship, but they resulted in a most curious and interesting
+transformation&mdash;in fact, they formed the foundation of a chain of events
+which was destined to amalgamate into a common grade&mdash;that of a naval
+bluejacket&mdash;several hundred young Americans, who, in their natural
+characters, were sons of rich men and of men of moderate means, of
+doctors and lawyers and brokers and clerks and bookkeepers, and of all
+sorts and conditions of respectable citizens. Patriotism was the
+incentive which called these youths of various stations together, and
+sheer love of country and the courage to fight her battles formed the
+cement which bound them cheerfully to their duty. To fight for pay and
+as a profession is one thing; to offer your freedom and your life, to
+endure discomforts and actual hardships, to risk health in a
+fever-stricken foreign country, and to sacrifice settled ambition for
+mere patriotism, is another. It is the latter which the Volunteer Naval
+Reserve of the United States has done, and every American citizen with a
+drop of honest blood in his veins will surely give the organization the
+praise it so richly deserves.</p>
+
+<p>On the third of May, while Cervera's whereabouts was still an absorbing
+mystery, the &quot;Yankee&quot; (an auxiliary cruiser, converted from the
+steamship &quot;El Nort&quot;) went into commission at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. She
+was manned entirely, save for the captain, executive officer, navigator,
+paymaster, and the marine guard, by members of the New York State Naval
+Militia. For four months she remained in commission, weaving the threads
+of a glorious record which will ever redound to the credit and honor of
+the Volunteer Naval Reserve. Truth is ever stranger than fiction, and
+the simple story of the boys of the gallant &quot;Yankee,&quot; as set forth in
+the diary of Number Five of the After Port Gun, should appeal to the
+heart of every reader in this great country of ours&mdash;a country made
+grander and better and more potent in the world's history by the
+achievements of such brave lads as those who formed the crew of the
+&quot;Yankee.&quot; Number Five's diary was written simply for his family, but the
+fame gained by the &quot;Yankee&quot; leads the publishers to believe that it will
+prove interesting to Americans far and wide. It is set forth in
+narrative form, but the incidents and the straightforward, simple, and
+sailor-like words are those of the actual participant. This is his
+story.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_I'></a><h2>CHAPTER I.</h2>
+
+<h3>IN WHICH THE &quot;YANKEE&quot; GOES INTO COMMISSION.</h3>
+<br />
+
+U.S.S. &quot;NEW HAMPSHIRE,&quot;<br />
+<i>April</i> 26, 1898.<br />
+<p>Report at &quot;New Hampshire&quot; immediately, ready to go on board auxiliary cruiser &quot;Yankee.&quot;</p>
+
+(Signed)<br />
+JOHN H. BARNARD,<br />
+<i>Lieut, commanding 3d Division</i>,<br />
+<i>N.Y. State Naval Militia</i>.<br />
+
+<p>It was this telegram, brief but extremely comprehensive, received early
+on the morning of the twenty-sixth of April, which sent me post-haste to
+the old receiving-ship &quot;New Hampshire,&quot; moored at the end of an East
+River dock. The telegram had been anxiously expected for several days by
+the members of the First Battalion, and when I reached the ship I found
+the decks thronged with excited groups.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;War was a certainty, and the very air was filled with rumors. The
+prevailing topic was discussed from every point of view, and within
+sixty seconds as many destinations had been picked out for the
+'Yankee.' It was variously reported that she was to go to Havana, to
+Manila, to Porto Rico, and even to Spain. This last rumor brought shouts
+of laughter, and 'Stump,' as we termed him, a well-known young insurance
+broker of New York, remarked, in his characteristic way:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It probably won't be this particular 'Yankee,' boys, that will go
+there, but there'll be others.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>There was much cleaning of kits and furbishing of cutlasses. We knew
+that we would not take the latter with us, but then it was practice, and
+we felt anxious to do something martial as a relief to our excitement.
+There was a diversion shortly before noon, when the &quot;old man&quot; (the
+captain) appeared with a number of official-looking papers in his hands.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;He's got the orders,&quot; whispered little Potter, our latest recruit.
+&quot;Whoop! we'll get away this morning, sure.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The whistle of the bosun's mate on watch echoed shrilly about the decks
+a few moments later.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Now, d'ye hear there,&quot; he shouted, hoarsely, &quot;you will break out mess
+gear and get yourselves ready for messing aboard ship.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>That did not sound as if we were destined to see our new vessel put into
+commission very soon, and there was some grumbling, but the boys fell to
+work with good grace, and we were soon preparing for our stay aboard the
+old frigate. The officer of the deck was lenient, however, and the
+majority of the crew secured permission to sleep at home that night.</p>
+
+<p>The following Monday, on reporting on board the &quot;New Hampshire,&quot; we
+learned that the entire detail selected to man the &quot;Yankee&quot; would
+proceed to that ship shortly after eight bells. Word was passed that our
+enlistment papers&mdash;for we were to regularly enter Uncle Sam's naval
+service&mdash;would be made out, and that our freedom and liberty, as some of
+the boys put it, would cease from that hour. The latter statement made
+little impression. We had entered the Naval Reserves for business, if
+business was required, and we expected hardships as well as fun.</p>
+
+<p>A navy-yard tug, sent by the Commandant, steamed alongside at two
+o'clock, and the company was marched on board without delay. The boys
+were eager to enter on this, their first real detail, and, in the rush
+to gain the deck of the tug, young Potter slipped from the rail and fell
+with a mighty splash into the water. &quot;Man overboard!&quot; bawled his
+nearest mate, and &quot;Man overboard!&quot; echoed one hundred and fifty voices.
+There was a scramble for the side, and the tug's deck hand, assisted by
+several of our fellows, fished Potter from the river with a boat hook.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hereafter, please ask permission before you leave the ship,&quot;
+facetiously remarked the officer in charge.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Humph! as if I meant to do it,&quot; grunted Potter, wringing the East River
+from his duck shirt.</p>
+
+<p>We caught our first view of the &quot;Yankee&quot; as we steamed past the cob dock
+at the yard. We were favorably impressed at once. She is a fine-looking
+ship, large, roomy, and comfortable, with lines which show that she is
+built for speed. As her record is twenty knots an hour, the latter
+promise is carried out. The &quot;Yankee&quot; was formerly the &quot;El Norte,&quot; one of
+the Morgan Line's crack ships, and, when it was found necessary to
+increase the navy, she was purchased, together with other vessels of the
+same company, and ordered converted into an auxiliary cruiser. Gun
+mounts were placed in the cargo ports, beams strengthened, magazines
+inserted, and interior arrangements made to accommodate a large crew.
+The &quot;Yankee's&quot; tonnage is 4,695 tons; length, 408 feet; beam, 48 feet.
+The battery carried consists of ten five-inch quick-firing
+breechloaders, six six-pounders, and two Colt automatic guns. After
+events proved conclusively the efficiency of the &quot;Yankee's&quot; armament.</p>
+
+<p>The detail was taken alongside the &quot;Yankee&quot; by the tug. We had our first
+meeting with our new captain, Commander W.H. Brownson, of the regular
+navy. His appearance and his kindly greeting bore out the reputation he
+holds in the service as a gentleman and a capable officer. It is well to
+say right here that Commander Brownson, although a strict
+disciplinarian, was ever fair and just in his treatment of the crew. Our
+pedigrees were taken for the enlistment papers, and the questions asked
+us in regard to our ages, occupations, etc., proved that the Government
+requires the family history of its fighters. The following day each man
+was subjected to a rigid physical examination. The latter ceremony is so
+thorough that a man needs to be perfect to have the honor of wearing the
+blue shirt. Personally, when I finally emerged from the examining room,
+I felt that my teeth were all wrong, my eyes crossed, my heart a wreck,
+and that I was not only a physical ruin, but a gibbering idiot as well.
+That I really passed the examination successfully was no fault of the
+naval surgeon and his assistants.</p>
+
+<p>After the medical department had finished with us, the enlistment papers
+were completed, and we became full-fledged &quot;Jackies,&quot; as &quot;Stump&quot; termed
+it. The members of the battalion were rated as landsmen, ordinary
+seamen, and able-bodied seamen, according to their skill, and a number
+of men, hastily enlisted for the purpose, were made machinists, firemen,
+coal-passers, painters, and carpenters. Some of these had seen service
+in the regular navy, and they were visibly horny-handed sons of toil.
+One Irishman, whose brogue was painful, looked with something very like
+contempt on the Naval Reserve sailors.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Uncle Sam is a queer bird,&quot; several of us overheard him remark to a
+mate. &quot;He do be making a picnic av this war wid his pleasure boats an'
+his crew av pretty b'yes. If we iver tackle the Spaniards, there'll be
+many a mama's baby on board this hooker cryin' for home, swate home.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hod,&quot; a six-footer, who played quarter-back on a famous team not long
+ago, took out his notebook and made an entry.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I'll spot that fellow and make him eat his words before we get into
+deep water,&quot; he said, quietly. He was not the only one to make that
+vow, and it was plain that Burke, the Irishman, had trouble in store for
+him.</p>
+
+<p>On our return to the &quot;New Hampshire,&quot; the battalion was placed under the
+regular ship's routine. All the men were divided into two watches,
+starboard and port. The port watch, for instance, goes on duty at eight
+bells in the morning, stands four hours, and is then relieved by the
+starboard watch; this routine continues day and night, except from four
+until eight in the afternoon, when occur the dog watches, two of them,
+two hours long each, stood by the port and starboard men respectively.
+The dog watches are necessary to secure a change in the hours of duty
+for each watch.</p>
+
+<p>From now on we were given a taste of the actual work of the service.
+Details were made up each morning and sent to the &quot;Yankee&quot; to assist in
+getting her in readiness for service. One of the first duties was to
+carry on board and stow away in the hold one hundred kegs of mess pork.
+As each keg contained one hundred pounds, the task was not easy for men
+unaccustomed to manual labor. Still there was no complaint. In fact, the
+only growling heard so far had come from some of the men who had seen
+service in the regular navy. Burke, the fireman, declaimed loudly
+against the &quot;shoe leather an' de terrer-cotter hard-tack which they do
+be tryin' to feed to honest workers. As for the slops they call coffee,
+Oi wouldn't give it to an Orangeman's pig!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The food served out on board the &quot;New Hampshire&quot;&mdash;being the usual
+Government ration of salt-horse, coffee, and hard-tack&mdash;was vastly
+different from that to which the majority of the boys were accustomed,
+but it was accepted with the good grace displayed by the members of the
+Reserve on every occasion. All these little discomforts are, as the
+Navigator (a commissioned officer of the regular navy) remarked, &quot;merely
+incidental to the service.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>As the time approached when we were to board the &quot;Yankee&quot; for good, the
+ordinary watches were abandoned, and only anchor watches kept. An anchor
+watch is a detail of five or six men, selected from the different parts
+of the ship, who do duty, really, as watchmen, during the night. Two
+days before the order arrived to leave the &quot;New Hampshire,&quot; it was found
+necessary to station several men, armed with guns and fixed bayonets, on
+the dock near the ship, to stop men from taking the &quot;hawser route&quot;
+ashore. The firemen and coal-passers had been refused shore leave, or
+liberty, as it is called, because of their habit of getting
+intoxicated, pawning their uniforms, and loitering ashore. Truth to
+tell, the guns and bayonets had little effect, as the offenders were old
+in the business.</p>
+
+<p>The second night after the order was put in force it happened that
+&quot;Hod,&quot; who was rated as an able seaman, was on duty with gun and bayonet
+on that end of the dock opposite the forecastle. He had just relieved
+the man whose watch ended at midnight, and he stood thoughtfully
+watching the twinkling lights on the opposite side of the mighty East
+River. There was so much to occupy his mind in a situation which was
+both charming and fascinating that he remained motionless for several
+minutes. Presently there came a slight, scraping sound, and the end of a
+rope struck the dock almost at his feet.</p>
+
+<p>Glancing up, &quot;Hod&quot; saw a man's figure, dimly outlined in the gloom, slip
+from the topgallant forecastle and quickly descend the rope. It was
+evidently one of the men taking &quot;French&quot; leave, and it was the sentry's
+duty to give the alarm at once. But &quot;Hod&quot; had other views in this
+particular case. Hastily stepping back into the shadows, he laid his gun
+upon the floor of the dock, and rolled up his sleeves with an air that
+meant business. The next moment the absconder dropped from the rope.</p>
+
+<p>As he prepared to slip past the ship a sinewy hand was placed upon his
+shoulder, and another equally sinewy caught him by the collar.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Burke, suppose you return aboard ship,&quot; said &quot;Hod,&quot; quietly. &quot;You are
+not going to hit the Bowery this time.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The Irish fireman attempted to wrench himself free, then he struck out
+at &quot;Hod&quot; with all the force of his right arm. The quarter-back's
+practice on the field came into play, and the college graduate tackled
+his opponent in the latest approved style. The struggle was short and
+decisive, and it resulted in Burke declaring his willingness to return
+to the ship.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The next time you try to size up a new shipmate be sure you are on to
+his curves,&quot; remarked &quot;Hod,&quot; as he escorted his prisoner over the
+gangway. &quot;You will find some of 'mama's pretty boys' rather tough nuts
+to crack.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The day following this little episode found the members of the State
+Naval Militia detailed to form the crew of the &quot;Yankee&quot; in full
+possession of the cruiser which they were to sail to glory or defeat in
+defense of their country. The ship's company, two hundred and
+twenty-five in all, boarded the auxiliary warship without ceremony, and
+were speedily set to work hoisting in provisions, removing to the yard
+all unnecessary stuff with which the ship was littered, and getting her
+generally in condition for sailing. The work was extremely hard, but it
+was done without demur.</p>
+
+<p>A naval officer attached to the yard stood near me at one time during
+the afternoon, and I heard him remark to a visitor who had accompanied
+him on board: &quot;You will find an object lesson in this scene. These young
+men working here at the hardest kind of manual labor, buckling down
+cheerfully to dirty jobs, were, a few days ago, living in luxury in the
+best homes in New York City. The older men were clerks, or lawyers, or
+physicians, and not one of them had ever stained his hands with toil.
+Look at them now.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Unconsciously I glanced across the deck to where three men were hauling
+upon a whip, or block-and-tackle, which was being used to hoist huge
+boxes and casks of provisions on board. The three men were working
+sturdily, and it would have been difficult to recognize in them, with
+their grimy faces and soiled duck uniforms, a doctor, a bank cashier,
+and a man-about-town well known in New York City. Near the forward
+hatch, industriously swabbing the deck, was a black-haired youth whose
+father helps to control some of the largest moves on 'Change. Scattered
+about the gangway were others, some painting, some rolling barrels, and
+a number engaged in whipping in heavy boxes of ammunition. They were all
+cheerful, and the decks resounded with merry chatter and whistling and
+song.</p>
+
+<p>I turned to myself. My hands were brown and smeared and bruised. My
+uniform, once white, was streaked and stained with tar. I wore shoes
+innocent of blacking and made after a pattern much admired among
+navvies. I had an individual ache in every bone of my body, and I was
+hungry and was compelled to look forward to a dinner of odorous
+salt-horse, hard bread, and &quot;ennuied&quot; coffee, but I was happy&mdash;I had to
+admit that. Perhaps it was the novelty of the situation, perhaps it was
+something else, but the fact remained that I would not have left the
+ship or given up the idea of going on the cruise for a good deal.</p>
+
+<p>We worked hard all day, and, when mess gear was piped for supper, we
+could hardly repress a sigh of heartfelt relief. The food, bad as it
+was, was welcome, and when I reluctantly swung away from the mess table
+I felt much better. At six bells, shortly before hammocks were piped
+down, the &quot;striker,&quot; or helper, for our mess cook, said mysteriously:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Don't turn in early, Russ, there's going to be a little fun. 'Bill' and
+'Stump' have young Potter on a string. It will be great.&quot;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_II'></a><h2>CHAPTER II.</h2>
+
+<h3>IN WHICH WE GET UNDER WAY AT LAST.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The hint of possible fun that night was sufficient to keep me alert.
+&quot;All work and no play, etc.,&quot; was part of our code aboard the &quot;Yankee,&quot;
+and goodness knows we had worked hard enough getting the ship ready for
+sailing to be permitted a little sport. Then, again, any badgering of
+young Potter would be innocent amusement, so I laid by and waited,
+keeping my eye on &quot;Bill.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Bill,&quot; by the way, was the captain of our mess, a jolly good fellow,
+popular, and always in evidence when there was any skylarking on foot.</p>
+
+<p>Hammocks were piped down at seven bells (7:30 p.m.), and, as it was our
+first experience on board the &quot;Yankee,&quot; there was some confusion. A
+number of new recruits had joined that afternoon, and their efforts to
+master the mysteries of the sailor's sleeping outfit were amusing. A
+naval hammock differs largely from those used ashore. A hammock aboard
+ship is of canvas, seven feet long, with holes a few inches apart at
+each end, through which are reeved pieces of strong cord. The latter are
+called clews, and they meet at an iron ring, which is attached to the
+hooks in the carline beams when the hammock is in position for use. When
+a hammock is properly slung it hangs almost straight, with very little
+sagging. To get in properly, one grasps two hoops near the head, and,
+with an agile spring, throws body and feet into the canvas bed. This
+requires a knack, and is learned only after a more or less painful
+experience. A three-inch mattress and two blankets go with each outfit.
+For sheets a bag-like mattress cover is used, and, in lieu of the downy
+pillows of home, the sailor must be content with his shoes rolled up
+inside his trousers or flannel shirt. With it all, however, the naval
+hammock is very comfortable. There is the advantage of being able to not
+only wash your blankets and sheets, but your bed as well. Once each
+month clean hammocks are issued and the old ones scrubbed.</p>
+
+<p>While I was below, rigging up my clews, I saw a commotion on the other
+side of the deck. The master-at-arms was expostulating with one of the
+new recruits who had reported that afternoon. Suddenly the latter called
+out, angrily, &quot;I'll see if I have to, durn you!&quot; and bolted for the
+upper deck. The master-at-arms followed him at once, and several of us
+followed the master-at-arms to see the excitement. We reached the
+quarter-deck just as the recruit came to a stop in front of the officer
+on watch.</p>
+
+<a name='page019'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page019.jpg' width='300' height='448' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+
+<h5>&quot;THAT FAT MAN IN THE CELLAR WANTS ME TO SLEEP IN A
+BAG&mdash;&mdash;&quot; <i>(page</i> 19).</h5>
+
+<p>&quot;What's the matter with you?&quot; demanded the latter, curtly. &quot;What's up?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Th-th-that m-m-man down in the&mdash;the cellar wants me to sleep in a bag,
+durn him,&quot; gasped the recruit, waving his lanky arms, &quot;and I won't do it
+for him or no one else.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Cellar?&quot; Then the officer shouted with laughter.</p>
+
+<p>The recruit was sent back to the &quot;New Hampshire&quot; next day, but it was
+long before the master-at-arms was known by any other name or title than
+&quot;the man in the cellar.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>A few minutes before tattoo, &quot;Bill&quot; and &quot;Stump&quot; came up and intimated by
+signs that I was to accompany them to the forward part of the berth
+deck. On reaching the extreme end, which was occupied by an immense
+hawser reel, &quot;Bill&quot; indicated a hammock which was swinging with the
+forward clews directly above the great spool, or reel.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;If young Potter doesn't think this old hooker is haunted I'll never
+play another joke,&quot; he chuckled. &quot;Get in and show him, 'Stump.'&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The latter grasped two hooks, gave himself a swing, landed in the
+hammock, and in an instant struck the deck with a thump, the hammock
+under him. As he rolled out I rubbed my eyes. The hammock had swiftly
+returned to its former position!</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It isn't hoodooed,&quot; grinned &quot;Bill.&quot; &quot;Just look here.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>He hauled up on the head clews and presently a five-inch shell appeared
+above the top of the reel. The shell was fastened to the end of the
+hammock lashing, at the other end of which was attached the ring. The
+lashing led over the hook, and the weight of the shell was just
+sufficient to keep the hammock in its place. As I finished inspecting
+the clever contrivance, the boatswain's mate piped tattoo.</p>
+
+<p>We hurried away to watch from a distance. Laughing and singing, the
+fellows trooped down to prepare for turning in; the hard labor of the
+day had not dampened their spirits. The deck soon presented an animated
+scene. A number of us had slept long enough on board the &quot;New Hampshire&quot;
+to become accustomed to man-o'-war style, but the new recruits were like
+so many cats in a strange garret. They stood about, glancing doubtfully
+at their hammocks and then at their clothes. They did not know just what
+to do with either.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;How do you get into the thing, I wonder?&quot; asked the fellow from Harlem,
+eyeing his suspended bed.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Borrow the navigator's step-ladder,&quot; suggested the coxs'n of the gig.
+&quot;He keeps it in the chart room.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The greatest difficulty was the disposal of our clothes. There were no
+wardrobes nor closets nor convenient hooks, and it was strictly against
+the rule to leave anything lying around decks. The question was solved
+presently by an old naval sailor, who calmly made a neat roll of his
+duck jumper and trousers and another of his shoes and shirt. The latter
+he tucked into his clews at the foot, and the other he used as a pillow.
+We thanked our lucky stars we did not have creased trousers, smooth
+coats, vests, white shirts, collars, and neckties to dispose of.</p>
+
+<p>In due time young Potter, who had stayed on deck viewing the scenery
+until chased by the corporal of the guard, came down and made for his
+hammock. Four dozen pairs of eyes watched him with delightful
+anticipation. Unconscious of the attention he was attracting, he doffed
+his clothes and brought out something from his black bag which proved
+to be a night-shirt! If there was any compunction in regard to the trick
+intended for him, it instantly vanished. A sailor with a night-shirt was
+legitimate prey.</p>
+
+<p>Whistling softly, the victim prepared himself for the swing, grasped the
+hooks, and then, with good momentum, landed in the hammock. There was a
+swish, a distinct thud, and young Potter rolled out upon the deck with a
+gasp of amazement. Turning as quickly as he could, he looked up and saw
+the hammock swinging in its proper place. It was physical labor for us
+to keep from howling with glee at the expression on his face. He glanced
+sheepishly about to see if his catastrophe had been observed; then he
+made another attempt. This time a heave of the ship sent him even more
+quickly to the deck, and he landed with a bump that could have been
+heard in the cabin. He was fighting mad when he again scrambled to his
+feet.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I can lick the lubber who threw me out,&quot; he shouted.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Stop that talking,&quot; came from the master-at-arms' corner. &quot;Turn in and
+keep quiet about the decks.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Potter grumbled something under his breath, then he made a careful
+search in the vicinity of his hammock. It was worth a dollar admission
+to see him poke about with, the end of a broom. He found nothing
+suspicious, and proceeded to try again. Very gingerly he grasped the
+hooks, and he experimented with one foot before trusting his whole
+weight to the hammock. The second he released his hold of the hooks he
+fell, and the fall was even greater than before.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The blamed thing is spooky!&quot; he howled, as he gathered himself
+together. He made a quick run for the ladder leading on deck, but was
+stopped by the master-at-arms, who demanded an explanation. While they
+were arguing, &quot;Bill&quot; and I quickly fixed the hammock, casting off the
+shell and concealing it behind a black bag. We had barely finished when
+the chief petty officer came up and examined the clews. He tested them
+by applying his own weight, then gave the crestfallen and astounded
+Potter a few terse words of advice about eating too much supper. Five
+minutes later the deck was quiet.</p>
+
+<p>The hard labor of the previous day&mdash;such labor as hauling and pulling,
+handling heavy boxes and casks, and bales and barrels of provisions and
+ammunition&mdash;had made me dead tired, and I slept like a log until
+reveille. This unpleasant function occurred at three bells (half-past
+five o'clock), and it consisted of an infernal hubbub of drums and
+bugles and boatswains' pipes, loud and discordant enough to awaken the
+seven sleepers. We roused in a hurry, and, with eyes scarcely open,
+began to lash up our hammocks.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Seven turns, no more, no less,&quot; bawled the master-at-arms. &quot;Get just
+seven turns of the lashing around your hammocks, and get 'em quick. If
+you can't pass your hammock through a foot ring, you'll go on the
+report. Shake a leg there!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The rumor had gone about that it was the custom to &quot;swat&quot; the last man
+with a club, and there was a great scramble. We found the hammock
+stowers in the nettings, which were large boxes on the gun deck, and our
+queer canvas beds were soon stowed away for the day. As the reveille
+hour is too early for breakfast, coffee and hard-tack is served out by
+each mess cook. The coffee is minus milk, but it is hot and palatable,
+and really acts as a tonic.</p>
+
+<p>The first order of the day is to scrub down decks and clean ship
+generally, but, as the &quot;Yankee&quot; was still in the throes of preparation,
+we were spared that disagreeable work and permitted to arrange our
+belongings for the long voyage before us. In the service each man is
+allowed a black bag about three feet six inches high, and twelve inches
+in diameter, and a small wooden box, eighteen inches square, known as a
+&quot;ditty box,&quot; to keep his wardrobe in. All clothing is rolled, and
+careful sailors generally wrap each garment in a piece of muslin before
+consigning it to the black bag. In the ditty box are kept such articles
+as toothbrush, brush and comb, small hand glass, writing material, and
+odds and ends. Each bag and box is numbered, and must be kept in a
+certain place. At first we thought it wouldn't be possible to keep our
+clothing in such a small space, but experience taught us that we would
+have ample room.</p>
+
+<p>The following days until the eighth of May were days of manual labor,
+which hardened our muscles and placed a fine edge on our appetites. To
+see the men who had been accustomed to a life of luxury toiling away
+with rope and scrubbing brush and paint pot, working like day laborers,
+and happy at that, was really a remarkable spectacle. For my part, I
+noticed with surprise that scratched and bruised hands&mdash;scratched so
+that the salt water caused positive pain&mdash;did not appeal to me. I tore
+off a corner of my right thumb trying to squeeze a large box through the
+forward hatch, and the only treatment I gave it was a fragment of rather
+soiled rag and a little vaseline borrowed from a mate. To quit work and
+apply for the first aid to injured never struck me. Ashore I would
+probably have called a doctor.</p>
+
+<p>The day before we left the yard one of my mates sprained his back
+lifting a box of canned meat. In civil life he had been a lawyer with a
+promising practice, his office being with one of the best known men of
+the bar. He gave it up and joined the Naval Reserves because, as he
+expressed it, &quot;To fight for one's country is a patriot's first duty.&quot;
+When the accident happened, he refused to go below to the sick bay until
+the doctor stated that rest for a few days at least was absolutely
+necessary.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It isn't that I mind the hurt, boys,&quot; he said, with a smile, as he was
+assisted to the hatch, &quot;but I hate to be knocked out in my first
+engagement, and that with a box of canned corned beef.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The monotony of work was broken on the ninth of May, when preparations
+were made to leave the yard. The destination was only Tompkinsville, but
+there was not a man on board but felt that, as the last hawser was cast
+off, we were fairly started on our cruise in search of action. As the
+&quot;Yankee&quot; was assisted away from the wharf by a Government tug, a number
+of friends gathered ashore cheered lustily and waved their hats and
+handkerchiefs. The scene had been repeated time without end, no doubt,
+but it went to our hearts all the same, and there was many a husky note
+in the cheers we gave in return.</p>
+
+<p>There was also encouragement in the whistles we received as we dropped
+down the East River, and we felt as if our small share in the war would
+be appreciated by those compelled to stay at home. We steamed directly
+to the vicinity of Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island, anchored off
+Tompkinsville, and then picked up a berth there for the night. Half way
+down the bay we met a tug carrying a committee from the &quot;Sons of the
+Revolution&quot; of New York State. The committee had been selected by the
+society to present us with a set of colors. The tug accompanied us to
+our anchorage, then the committee came on board. The ceremony of
+presentation was rather picturesque.</p>
+
+<p>The visitors gathered on the bridge, the ship's bugler sounded the
+assembly, and in obedience to the call we lined up on the forward deck.
+We wore the white duck service uniform, including trousers, jumper, and
+cap. Some of the uniforms had suffered in contact with pitch, but the
+general effect was good. When everything was in readiness, the chairman
+of the committee presented the set of colors and said:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Captain Brownson, officers and men of the 'Yankee,' I have the honor,
+on behalf of the Society of the Sons of the Revolution in the State of
+New York, to present these colors to the members of the Naval Reserve of
+the State of New York, who have enlisted for service under your
+command.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>He continued by hoping that the colors would ever float victorious, and
+said that he did not doubt it, and then our skipper made a little speech
+in reply. The affair wound up with a round of cheers and general
+congratulations. The flags were handsome, and, as it came to pass, they
+flaunted amid battle smoke before many weeks.</p>
+
+<p>Our stay off Tompkinsville was to be short, but we had time to become
+acquainted with a characteristic naval oddity known as the bumboat.
+Diligent inquiries among the old sailors on board the &quot;Yankee&quot; failed to
+enlighten me as to the derivation of the name, but the consensus of
+opinion was that these floating peddlers sold articles which, to use a
+slang phrase, were pretty &quot;bum.&quot; Experience has given the opinion some
+color of truth. Our bumboat boarded us early and stayed with us until
+the corporal of the guard called &quot;time.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>She came laden with pies and doughnuts, pins and needles, tape and
+buttons and whisk brooms and shoe blacking, handkerchiefs, ties,
+scissors, soap, writing paper, envelopes, ink, pens, cakes, bread,
+jelly, pocket knives, and a schedule of prices that would have brought a
+blush of envy to the face of a Swiss inn-keeper. As the boys had not yet
+grown entirely accustomed to what is called &quot;Government straight,&quot; i.e.,
+salt meat and hard-tack, the bumboat did a thriving business. Young
+Potter's bill was tremendous, and Mrs. Bumboat bade him a regretful
+farewell when she visited us for the last time.</p>
+
+<p>At three in the afternoon of the tenth we hoisted anchor on our way to
+sea. Our good friends had not deserted us, and a number of them, aboard
+several tugs, accompanied us as far as the Narrows. The &quot;God-speed&quot;
+given us as we steamed away would have been a fine object lesson to our
+future antagonists.</p>
+
+<p>Up to the present we had been concerned simply with the preparations for
+war, but it was destined that before another twenty-four hours had
+passed we would have a taste of the actual realities.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Yankee&quot; was to see service.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_III'></a><h2>CHAPTER III.</h2>
+
+<h3>IN WHICH THE &quot;YANKEE&quot; CRUISES FOR PRIZES.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>It was evening, the evening of the day on which the &quot;Yankee&quot; sailed from
+Tompkinsville bound out on her maiden cruise as an auxiliary ship of
+war. The afternoon had passed without event, save that which attacks the
+amateur sailor when he first feels the heaving swell of old ocean. The
+crew had shaken into its place, and the men of the watch on deck were
+commencing to appreciate their responsibilities.</p>
+
+<p>The ship was quiet, save for the faint chug-chug of the propeller under
+the stern and the occasional clang of a shovel in the fire room deep
+down in the innermost reaches of the ship. The sun had vanished in a
+hazy cloud which portended a stiff breeze, but the wind was still
+gentle, and, as it swept across the decks from off the port quarter, it
+seemed grateful indeed to those who came from below for a breath of air.</p>
+
+<p>Orders had been issued to darken the decks. The running lights of red
+and green were still in the lamp room, and, except for a soft, rosy
+glow from the binnacle-bowl, there was a blackness of night throughout
+the upper part of the ship. Cigars and pipes and cigarettes had been
+tabooed, and doors were opened in the deck houses only after the inside
+lights had been lowered to a flickering pin point.</p>
+
+<p>Up on the forward bridge Captain Brownson stood talking in a low voice
+to the executive officer, Lieutenant Hubbard. The lurching swing of the
+ship caused them to sway back and forth against the rail and a metallic
+sound came from a sword scabbard suspended from the captain's belt. The
+presence of this sword, betrayed by the clatter it made, told a secret
+to several sailors gathered under the lee of the pilot house, and one
+said, in an excited whisper:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;There's something up, Chips. The old man is fixed for trouble. I'm
+going aft and stand by.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The speaker started off, but before he had taken ten steps the shrill
+blast of a bugle suddenly broke the stillness of the night. The
+discordant notes rang and echoed through the ship, and, while the sound
+was still trembling in the air, two score of shadowy figures sprang up
+from different parts of the deck and scurried toward the ladders leading
+below.</p>
+
+<p>The transformation was instant and complete.</p>
+
+<p>From a ship stealthily pursuing its way through the darkness&mdash;a part of
+the mist&mdash;the &quot;Yankee&quot; became the theatre of a scene of the most intense
+activity.</p>
+
+<p>There was no shouting, no great clamor of sound; nothing but the
+peculiar shuffling of shoes against iron, the hard panting of hurrying
+men, the grating of breech-blocks, low muttered orders from officer to
+man, and a multitude of minor noises that seemed strange and weird and
+uncanny in this blackness.</p>
+
+<p>A belated wardroom boy, still carrying a towel across his arm, slips
+from the cabin and hastens forward to his station in the powder
+division. The navigator, an officer of the regular navy, whose ideas of
+discipline are based on cast iron rules, espies the laggard and
+administers a sharp rebuke. A squad of marines dash from the &quot;barracks&quot;
+below and line up at the secondary battery guns on the forecastle. Some
+of the marines are hatless and coatless, and one wiry little private
+shambles along on one foot. He stumbles against a hatch-coaming and
+kicks his shoe across the deck.</p>
+
+<p>Suddenly an order comes out of the gloom near the main hatch and is
+carried from gun to gun.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Cast loose and provide!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The hitherto motionless figures waiting at the battery spring into
+activity. Hands move nimbly at the training and elevating gear.
+Breech-blocks are thrown open, sights adjusted, the first and second
+captains take their places, the former with the firing lanyard in
+readiness for use at his gun; then there is silence again as the officer
+in charge of the division holds up one hand as a signal that all is
+prepared. Then comes the word to load.</p>
+
+<p>In a twinkling the ammunition hoists are creaking with their burdens and
+boxes of shell appear on deck. These are quickly lifted to the guns and
+taken in hand by the loaders. The latter do their part of the general
+work thoroughly and with despatch, and presently the breech-blocks are
+swung to and the battery is ready for action.</p>
+
+<p>In the meantime there has been systematic preparation in other parts of
+the auxiliary cruiser. Down in the sick bay aft, the surgeon and his
+assistants have made ready for their grewsome task. Cases of glittering
+instruments have been opened, lint and bandages and splints are in their
+proper places, and the apothecary and bayman are getting the cots in
+trim for instant use.</p>
+
+<p>In the fire room the firemen and coal-passers are heaping up the
+furnaces, a couple of men hurry away to attend to the fire mains, and,
+standing by in readiness for duty, are the engineers and crew of the off
+watch. The carpenters are ready below with shot-hole plugs, and
+everywhere throughout the ship can be found officers and sailors and
+marines and men of the &quot;black gang,&quot; each at his proper station in
+readiness for the word to begin action.</p>
+
+<p>But that word does not come. Instead a stentorian command is heard from
+the bridge:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Secure!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Laughing and joking, the crew of the &quot;Yankee&quot; hasten to restore the ship
+to its former state. All this has been a drill, the drill known as
+general quarters. It is the first time it has been held under service
+conditions, and when the captain steps down from the bridge and says in
+his brisk, authoritative way, &quot;Very well done, very well done indeed,&quot;
+the boys of the cruiser are satisfied and happy.</p>
+
+<p>Twice during the night the drill is repeated. There is no grumbling
+because of disturbed sleep, for a rumor has gone about the ship that
+Spanish vessels have been seen off the coast, and even the cranks on
+board admit that drills and exercises are necessary.</p>
+
+<p>Sea watches have been set, and the rules followed when under way are now
+operative. A brief explanation of the routine attending the first hours
+of a naval day may help to make succeeding descriptions more plain. The
+ship's daily life commences with the calling of the ship's cook at
+3:30 a.m. The ordinary mess cooks are awakened at four o'clock, so that
+coffee can be prepared for the watch. Coffee is always served with
+hard-tack to the watch coming on deck at four. It is all the men get
+until breakfast at 7:30, and a great deal of work must be accomplished
+before that time.</p>
+
+<p>After the hard-tack and coffee had been consumed&mdash;and it went to that
+spot always reserved for good things&mdash;the lookouts of the other watch on
+the port and starboard bridge and the patent life buoys port and
+starboard quarter were relieved. As soon as the first streaks of dawn
+Were to be seen a long-drawn boatswain's pipe, like the wail of a lost
+soul, came from forward, and the order &quot;scrub and wash clothes&quot; given.</p>
+
+<p>A day or two before the &quot;Yankee&quot; left the navy yard, one of the pretty
+girls who had come over to visit her asked: &quot;Where do you have your
+washing done? It must require a great many washerwomen to keep the
+clothes of this dirty [glancing rather disdainfully at her somewhat
+grimy friend] crew clean.&quot; Though we knew that the luxury of a laundry
+would not fall to our lot, we were at a loss as to the method pursued to
+clean clothes.</p>
+
+<p>We soon learned.</p>
+
+<p>We who had been anticipating an order of this sort came running forward
+with bundles of clothes that would discourage a steam laundry. This was
+the first opportunity we had had to clean up. The forecastlemen led out
+the hose, which was connected to the ship's pump, and, after wetting
+down the forecastle deck (where all clothes must be scrubbed), we were
+told we might turn to.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Kid,&quot; who was the youngest member of the crew aboard, very popular
+with officers and men, and who afterward became the ship's mascot, said,
+&quot;How do you work this, anyway?&quot; I confessed that I was in the dark
+myself, but proposed that we watch &quot;Patt,&quot; the gunner's mate, who had
+served in the navy before. Presently we saw him lay his jumper flat on
+the deck, wet it thoroughly with water from the hose, then rub it with
+salt-water soap. Then he fished out a stiff scrubbing brush and began to
+scrub the jumper as if it was a floor. We then understood the
+significance of the order <i>scrub</i> and wash clothes. In salt water the
+clothes have not only to be washed, but scrubbed as well.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Kid&quot; remarked, &quot;Well, I'll be switched,&quot; and forthwith fell on his
+knees and proceeded to follow &quot;Patt's&quot; example.</p>
+
+<p>Though we scrubbed manfully, &quot;putting our backs into it&quot; and &quot;using
+plenty of elbow grease,&quot; as instructed, still the result was hardly up
+to our expectations. The navigator remarked, as we were &quot;stopping&quot; the
+clothes on the line, &quot;You heroes might scrub those clothes a little bit;
+it does not take a college education to learn how to wash clothes.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>I agreed with the &quot;Kid&quot; that, though cleanliness was next to Godliness,
+cleanliness, like Godliness, was often a difficult virtue to acquire. We
+found it almost impossible to be cleanly without the aid of fresh water,
+so the schemes devised to avoid the executive's order and get it were
+many and ingenious.</p>
+
+<p>One man would go to the ship's galley, where the fresh water hand-pump
+was, and, without further ado, begin to fill his bucket, remarking, if
+the cook attempted to interfere, that he had to scrub paint work or he
+had orders from the doctor to bathe in fresh water. These excuses would
+be successful till too many men came in with buckets and plausible
+excuses, when the cook would shut down on the scheme for the time. The
+man with fresh water was the envy of his fellows, and must needs be
+vigilant, or bucket and water would disappear mysteriously.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Kid&quot; happened to be next me when &quot;stopping&quot; his clothes on the
+line, and remarked, as he tied the last knot on his last jumper, &quot;I like
+to be clean as the next chap, but this scrubbing clothes on your knees
+is no snap.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>He stopped to feel them.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Why, I can feel the corns growing on them already. How often do we have
+to do this scrubbing job, anyhow?&quot; he asked.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You <i>can</i> do it every morning, if you really feel inclined,&quot; I replied,
+smiling at his rueful countenance; &quot;clothes can only be washed during
+the morning watch (four to eight), I understand, and, as the starboard
+men are on duty one day during that time and the port watch the next,
+each is supposed to 'scrub and wash clothes' in his own watch. See?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Kid&quot; looked up at the dripping line of rather dingy clothes, then
+down at his red and soapy knees, and said, as he turned to go aft,
+&quot;Well, when we get back to New York, I am going to have a suit of whites
+made of celluloid that can be washed with a sponge.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>At 6:30 the order &quot;knock off scrubbing clothes&quot; was given, and then all
+hands of the watch &quot;turned to&quot; and scrubbed decks, scoured the gratings
+and companion-way ladders with sand and canvas, brass work was polished,
+paint work wiped down, and everything on board made as spick and span as
+a new dollar.</p>
+
+<p>A vast quantity of water is brought from over the side through the
+ship's pump, and the men work in their bare feet. In fact, the usual
+costume during this period of the day consists of a pair of duck
+trousers and a thin shirt. On special occasions even the shirt is
+dispensed with. During warm weather it is delightful to splash around a
+water-soaked deck, but there are mornings when a biting wind comes from
+the north, and the keenness of winter is in the air, and then Jackie,
+compelled to labor up to his knees in water, casts longing glances
+toward the glow of the galley fire, and makes his semi-yearly vow that
+he will leave the &quot;blooming&quot; service for good and go on a farm.</p>
+
+<p>This scrubbing of decks and scouring of ladders put an extra edge on our
+appetites, so we agreed with &quot;Stump&quot; when he said, &quot;I feel as if I could
+put a whole bumboat load of stuff out of commission all by my lonely.&quot;
+&quot;Stump's&quot; appetite was out of proportion to his size.</p>
+
+<p>When the boatswain's mate gave his peculiar long, quavering pipe and the
+order &quot;spread mess gear for the watch below,&quot; at 7:20, we of the watch
+on deck realized that there was still forty minutes to wait. Every man's
+hunger seemed to increase tenfold, so that even the odor of boiling
+&quot;salt-horse&quot; from the galley did not trouble us.</p>
+
+<p>Finally the order came, &quot;on deck all the starboard watch&quot;; followed by
+the boatswain's mess call for the watch on deck. The scramble to get
+below and to work with knife, fork, and spoon resembled a fire panic at
+a theatre. It is first come first served aboard ship, and the man who
+lingers often gets left.</p>
+
+<p>The gun deck of the &quot;Yankee,&quot; like the gun deck of most war vessels, is
+Jack's living room. Here he sleeps, in what he facetiously calls his
+folding-bed, which is swung from the deck beams above; here he enjoys
+the various amusements that an ordinary citizen would call work; here he
+goes through his drills; here he fights, not his shipmates, but his
+country's enemies, and here he eats.</p>
+
+<p>The remark, &quot;he spread his legs luxuriously under the mahogany,&quot; would
+hardly apply to Jack's mode of dining. His table is a swinging affair
+that is hung on the hammock hooks&mdash;a mere board a couple of feet wide
+and twelve or fourteen feet long, having a ridge around the edge to keep
+the plates from sliding off in a seaway. Jack's dining chairs are called
+&quot;mess benches,&quot; and consist of a long folding bench that with the table
+can be stowed away in racks overhead when not in use. A mess chest for
+each mess, an enamelled iron plate and cup, and a knife, fork, and spoon
+for each man complete the &quot;mess gear&quot; outfit.</p>
+
+<p>The ship's company is divided into messes, each man being assigned to a
+certain mess at the same time his billet number or ship's number is
+given to him. There are from fifteen to thirty men in a mess. Each has
+its own &quot;berth-deck cook,&quot; who prepares the food for the galley; each,
+too, has a mess caterer, or striker, whose business it is to help the
+mess cook and see that all goes well. The caterer is a volunteer from
+the mess, and generally serves for a week, when another volunteer takes
+his place. If the quantity or quality of the food is not up to
+expectations, it would be better for the caterer that he be put down in
+the &quot;brig&quot; out of harm's way, for Jack is apt to speak his mind in
+vigorous English, and his mind and stomach have generally formed a close
+alliance.</p>
+
+<p>The twenty minutes allowed for meals are well spent, and the clatter of
+knives and forks attests the zest with which Uncle Sam's
+man-o'-war's-man tackles his not always too nice or delicate fare. The
+nine dollars a month allowed by the navy for rations is expended by the
+paymaster of the vessel, not by the men, so, if the paymaster concludes
+that the men shall have &quot;salt-horse,&quot; rice, and hard-tack, Jack gets
+&quot;salt-horse,&quot; rice, and hard-tack, and that is all he does get unless
+his mess cook and caterer are unusually prudent and save something from
+the previous day's rations, or the mess has put up some extra money and
+has &quot;private stores.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>As the man with the biggest appetite or the fellow who eats slowly are
+putting away the last morsel of cracker hash or the last swallow of
+coffee, &quot;Jimmy Legs&quot; (the master-at-arms) comes around, shouting as he
+goes, &quot;Shake a leg there, we want to get this deck cleared for
+quarters.&quot; He is often followed by the boatswain's mate of the watch,
+who echoes his call, and between them they clear the deck. Then begins
+the real work of the day.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_IV'></a><h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2>
+
+<h3>WE GET ORDERS TO GO SOUTH.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>Shortly after breakfast the &quot;Yankee&quot; came to anchor outside of
+Provincetown, Mass. An hour later a large man-of-war was discovered
+steaming toward us. Rumors were rife at once, and the excitement
+increased when the vessel, which proved to be the gallant cruiser
+&quot;Columbia,&quot; passed close alongside, and the captain was observed to lean
+over the bridge railing with a megaphone in his hands.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;'Yankee' ahoy!&quot; came across the water.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hello, 'Columbia!'&quot; replied Captain Brownson.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I have orders for you.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Whoop! we are going to Cuba,&quot; cried young Potter. &quot;It's dead sure this
+time. They can't do without us down&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Silence!&quot; called out the executive officer, sternly. &quot;Corporal of the
+guard, see to that man.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Poor Potter is sent below in disgrace amid the chuckles and jeers of
+his unsympathetic shipmates. The little episode nearly earned him many
+hours of extra duty.</p>
+
+<p>In the meantime the &quot;Columbia's&quot; captain had communicated the welcome
+intelligence that we were to cruise to the southward at once to look for
+several suspicious vessels that had been sighted in the vicinity of
+Barnegat. This promised action so strongly that a cheer went up from the
+crew. This time even the officers joined in.</p>
+
+<p>Very shortly after came the order &quot;All hands on the cat falls,&quot; at which
+every man Jack came running forward. The blue-clothed figures poured up
+the companion-ways like rats out of a sinking ship, for &quot;all hands on
+the cat falls&quot; means up anchor, and up anchor meant new experiences,
+perhaps a brush with a Spanish man-of-war or the capture of a Spanish
+prize. The anchor was yanked up and guided into place on its chocks in a
+hurry, and soon the &quot;Yankee&quot; was under way and headed southward. As we
+passed the &quot;Columbia,&quot; the men of both ships stood at attention, feet
+together, hands at the side, heads up, silent. So a ship is saluted in
+the United States Navy, a ceremony dignified and impressive, though not
+as soul-stirring as the American cheer.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Scuttle Butt Navigators,&quot; or, as the &quot;Yankee&quot; boys called them,
+the Rumor Committee, were very busy that bright day in May. According to
+them we were to sail seaward and discover Cervera's fleet, the
+whereabouts of which was then unknown. We were to sail south and bombard
+Havana. The older, wiser heads laughed at such rumors, and said it was
+foolishness, but all were ready and anxious to listen to the wildest
+tales.</p>
+
+<p>All the time the ship was getting under way the routine work was going
+on. The sweepers had obeyed the order given by the boatswain's mate,
+accompanied by the pipe peculiar to that order, &quot;Gun-deck sweepers,
+clean sweep fore and aft; sweepers, clean your spit kits.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>At twenty minutes past nine the bugle sounded the first or officers'
+call to quarters, a call that sounded like &quot;Get your sword on, get your
+sword on, get your sword on, get your sword on, get your sword on right
+away!&quot; Ten minutes later came &quot;assembly,&quot; and the men rushed to their
+places at the guns and their stations in the powder divisions.</p>
+
+<p>After our division had been mustered, &quot;Long Tommy,&quot; the boatswain's mate
+and captain of our gun, said to &quot;Hay,&quot; &quot;I think we'll have some shooting
+to-day. I saw the gunners' mates rigging a target.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Good!&quot; said &quot;Hay,&quot; &quot;what does it look like?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Why,&quot; explained Tommy, &quot;it's a triangular sail, having a black spot
+painted in the middle, supported by a raft, also triangular, which is
+floated by three barrels, one at each corner.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Can't be very big,&quot; said &quot;Stump.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;About ten feet at the base, tapering to a point. The red flag that
+flies from the top is perhaps fourteen feet from the water, I should
+say.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;And they expect us to hit that?&quot; broke in &quot;Lucky bag Kennedy.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Of course,&quot; said Tommy the confident, &quot;and we shall.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>As soon as the officers of the different divisions had returned from the
+bridge, where they had been to report, the quick, sharp bugle call which
+summons the crew to general quarters was sounded.</p>
+
+<p>As the first notes were heard, the men scattered as if a bomb with a
+visible burning fuse had fallen in their midst. Some hurried to lead out
+the hose, some to get the gun sights and firing lanyards, some to get
+belts and revolvers for the guns' crews, some down into the hot, dark
+magazines, and some to open up the magazine hoists. All was apparent
+confusion, but was in reality perfect discipline. Soon boxes of shell
+were ready by the guns, but the order &quot;load&quot; had not yet been given.</p>
+
+<p>The triangular target was then lowered over the side and cast loose. In
+a few minutes the six-pounders on the spar deck began to bark. &quot;Getting
+the range, I guess,&quot; said &quot;Hod,&quot; who had sneaked over from the powder
+division to get a look at the target.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Pretty near it,&quot; replied &quot;Stump,&quot; as a shot splashed close to the
+triangular piece of canvas.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Here comes Scully,&quot; some one whispered; &quot;now we'll have a chance.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The captain says fire when ready, at 1,500 yards,&quot; said Scully,
+saluting Mr. Greene, the officer of the division. &quot;Captain says, sir,
+instruct your men to shoot at the top of the roll, and a little over,
+rather than under the target,&quot; continued he, saluting again.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Port battery take stations for exercise, load, set your sights at 1,500
+yards, and when ready, fire.&quot; Mr. Greene's orders came sharp and clear;
+there was never any misunderstanding of them.</p>
+
+<p>Most of us of Number Eight's gun crew had never stood near a big gun
+when it spoke, and most of us dreaded it and felt inclined to run away
+out of ear-shot. It was our business to stand by, however, so we stood
+by while Tommy, firing lanyard in hand, sighted the machine.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Right!&quot; he sung out to &quot;Stump&quot; and &quot;Flagg,&quot; who were at the training
+wheels. &quot;Right handsomely,&quot; added Tommy, working the elevating gear, as
+the gun moved slowly round. The gun roared and jumped back on its mount
+six or eight inches, but promptly slid back again&mdash;forced back by
+powerful springs. The shell sped on its way, humming as it went, and
+struck a little short of the target, sending up a great fountain as it
+was exploded by the impact with the water.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hay&quot; pulled the breech lever and the breech plug came out, allowing
+&quot;Stump,&quot; who wore heavy gloves for the purpose, to extract the empty
+shell. This he dropped in the concrete waterway, then ran to his place
+at the training wheel; a fresh shell had been put in the gun, meanwhile,
+and it was ready for business again. A number of good shots were made by
+different gunners. Enough to show that, amateur tars that we were, there
+was the making of good gunners in us. As the &quot;Kid,&quot; in his overweening
+confidence, said, &quot;Ain't we peaches? When we get down south we will have
+a little target practise, and the 'dagos' will be so scared that they
+will haul down their colors tight away.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>During the day we steamed slowly along, a bright lookout being kept by
+the men at the foremast-head for suspicious steamers. After dinner at
+eight bells (12 o'clock), the smoking lamp, which hangs near the scuttle
+butt aft, was kept lighted about fifteen minutes. Smoking is allowed
+aboard only when the smoking lamp is lighted, and as &quot;Hay&quot; was wont to
+say, it was lighted &quot;when you did not want to smoke.&quot; At ten minutes
+past one &quot;turn to&quot; was piped by the boatswain's mates, followed by the
+call for sweepers. Then came the order, &quot;Stand by your scrub and wash
+clothes.&quot; So the &quot;Kid&quot; and I hastened forward, both anxious to see if
+our initial clothes-washing venture was a success. We had depended on
+the sun to bleach our much be-scrubbed clothes, but&mdash;well&mdash;I would have
+left them where they were if I could. As for the &quot;Kid's&quot;&mdash;after holding
+them off at arm's length for a while, he remarked, &quot;Why, I would not use
+such rags to clean my bicycle at home,&quot; and threw them overboard. He was
+always a reckless chap.</p>
+
+<p>The infantry drill we had at afternoon quarters at 1:30, served to keep
+us busy. The same thing had been gone through on the &quot;New Hampshire&quot;
+many a time and oft. We found it rather difficult to march straight and
+keep a good line on a swaying deck. So we were kept at it until we had
+got the hang of it. We were still parading to and fro on the spar deck,
+when some one sighted land off the starboard bow. The dismissal call was
+given none too soon, for the curiosity as to what we were heading for
+made discipline lax and attention far from close.</p>
+
+<p>We soon learned that this was Block Island.</p>
+
+<p>The gig was lowered, and the captain and mail orderly went ashore.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Now we'll get our real orders,&quot; said Potter. &quot;Ho! for the Spanish
+main,&quot; he shouted, forgetting his narrow escape of the day before.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It will be Ho! for the ship's brig, and Ho! for five days on bread and
+water, if you don't look out,&quot; said &quot;Stump,&quot; dryly.</p>
+
+<p>About dark, the gig came back again, bringing the captain in it and the
+mail orderly&mdash;but no mail, and how we did long for a word from home. A
+scrap of newspaper, even, would be a blessing.</p>
+
+<p>We had just sat down to evening mess when the order, &quot;All hands on the
+gig falls!&quot; was given, and the master-at-arms chased us off the gun
+deck. Soon the measured tread of many feet could be heard, and then the
+order was given by the officer of the deck to the coxswain of the
+gig, &quot;Secure your boat for sea.&quot;</p>
+
+<a name='page050a'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page050a.jpg' width='328' height='300' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>&quot;THE GIG WAS LOWERED&quot; (<i>page</i> 50)</h5>
+
+<a name='page050b'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page050b.jpg' width='342' height='300' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>&quot;THE MEN ON THE STAGES&quot; (<i>page</i> 78)</h5>
+
+<p>So we were to go off again. Where?</p>
+
+<p>Within a short time we were under way again. The usual watches were set,
+but very few of the boys went below. The mere rumor that the enemy was
+prowling along the coast was enough to prevent sleep. My watch went on
+duty at four o'clock. We were not called in the usual way, by the
+boatswain's whistle, but each man was roused separately. This in itself
+was sufficient to lend an air of intense interest to the scene.</p>
+
+<p>On reaching the deck I found that the night had grown stormy. A chill
+wind was blowing off the coast, rendering pea coats and watch caps
+extremely comfortable. A fine rain began to fall shortly after four, and
+by the time I had taken my post forward as a lookout it had increased to
+a regular squall.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Yankee&quot; was a splendid sea boat, but in the course of an hour the
+choppy waves kicked up by the storm set her to bobbing about like the
+proverbial cork. The gloom of the night had changed to a blackness that
+made it impossible to see an arm's length away. Standing on the
+starboard bridge, I could scarcely distinguish the faint white foam
+gathered under the forefoot. Aft there was nothing visible save a
+length of stay which seemingly began at nothing and ended in darkness.</p>
+
+<p>The howling of the wind through the taut cordage of the foremast, the
+sullen plunging of the ship's hull in the trough of the sea, the rise to
+a wave crest and the poising there before falling once more, the smell
+of the dank salt air, and the occasional spurt of spray over the leaning
+bow, all made a scene so novel to me that I forgot Spanish ships and my
+duty and stood almost entranced.</p>
+
+<p>It was a dereliction for which I was to suffer. In the midst of my
+reverie a hand was suddenly placed upon my shoulder and I heard a
+familial voice exclaim sternly:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Lookout, what do you mean by sleeping on post? Why did you not report
+that light?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>It was Captain Brownson!</p>
+
+<p>Asleep on post! The accusation was grave enough to startle me, and I
+lost no time in stammering a denial. Luckily, the discovery of the
+strange light, which was just faintly visible dead ahead, occupied the
+commander's attention for the moment and I escaped further rebuke.</p>
+
+<p>Captain Brownson hurried to the bridge and presently word was passed to
+go to quarters at once. The ports were opened, ammunition made ready
+for both the main and secondary batteries, and the crew stood at their
+guns in readiness for action. It was a very impressive sight, the grim
+weapons just showing in the dim lantern light, the great cartridges
+standing close to the breeches, the men quiet and steady, their faces
+showing anxiety but perfect self-control.</p>
+
+<p>I was proud to belong to such a crew, for the majority thought that an
+action was imminent, and perhaps a superior foe to be fought, yet there
+was no sign of that fear which is supposed to attack the novice in
+battle. It was a convincing proof of American bravery and self-reliance.</p>
+
+<p>In the meantime the engines had been called on for full speed, and the
+ship throbbed and swayed with the increased power. Extra men were
+presently sent below to the fire room, and it soon became evident that
+we were in actual chase of the suspicious vessel. From my station at the
+after port gun I was enabled to catch an occasional glimpse of the sea
+through the open port.</p>
+
+<p>The squall had passed in part and the night was growing lighter. The
+rain still fell, though fitfully, and at times a dash of water entered
+the port, besprinkling gun and crew and fighting tackle, leaving great
+drops that glistened like dew in the waning light of the lanterns.
+Alongside, white-capped waves raced with the ship.</p>
+
+<p>As the gloom lightened, the horizon spread, and presently, away in the
+distance, a dark spot, like a smudge upon a gray background, became
+visible. &quot;Long Tommy,&quot; attached to my gun, leaned far out of the port
+with an exclamation of excitement.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;By George! it's another ship,&quot; he added.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;We are in a nest of the Dagoes,&quot; cried young Potter, rather wildly. &quot;We
+have run into an ambuscade.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You've got a great chance to become a dead hero,&quot; remarked the first
+gun captain dryly.</p>
+
+<p>Word was passed from above to break out more shell, and presently the
+navigator slipped down the ladder and made a close inspection of the
+different five-inch guns. As he went from crew to crew he gave whispered
+instructions to the officers in charge.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The old man expects trouble this trip,&quot; whispered Tommy. He coolly
+stripped off his shirt and stood, half-naked, the muscles of his
+athletic chest and arms gleaming like white marble in the uncertain
+light. Most of us followed his example, and the spectacle of the swaying
+groups of men, bared for action, added a dramatic tinge to the scene.</p>
+
+<p>Below, the powerful engines throbbed with a pulsation that set every
+bolt and joint creaking, the strident echoes of the firemen's shovels
+could he heard scraping against the iron floor, and little whistlings of
+steam came like higher notes in the general tune. Even the noises of the
+ship were strange and weird and impressive.</p>
+
+<p>The crews had been standing in readiness at their stations for almost an
+hour when it suddenly became noticeable that the darkness of night was
+giving way before a gradual dawn. The glimmering flame in the lanterns
+faded and waned, objects buried in gloom began to assume shape, and the
+edges of the open ports grew sharp and more defined. Constant waiting
+brought a relaxation of discipline, and the members of the different
+crews grouped about the ports and eagerly searched for the chase.</p>
+
+<p>The smudge on the horizon had long since disappeared, but directly ahead
+could be seen the faint outlines of a steamer. A dense cloud of smoke
+was pouring from her funnel, and it was plainly apparent that she was
+making every effort to escape. This in itself was enough to stamp her
+identity, and we shook our clenched fists exultantly after her.</p>
+
+<p>The night broke rapidly. In the east a rosy tinge proclaimed the coming
+sun. Just as the first glitter of the fiery rim appeared above the
+horizon, a gray, damp mist swept across the water, coming like an
+impenetrable wall between the &quot;Yankee&quot; and the chase.</p>
+
+<a name='page057'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page057.jpg' width='300' height='345' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>&quot;STAND BY, MEN. BE READY FOR INSTANT ACTION&quot; (<i>page</i>
+57).</h5>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_V'></a><h2>CHAPTER V.</h2>
+
+<h3>A WILD GOOSE CHASE.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>A howl of disappointment went up from the crew.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Oh, if she was only within range,&quot; cried &quot;Hay,&quot; smiting the breech of
+the five-inch rifle with his hand. &quot;Just one shot, just one shot.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Guns' crews will remain at stations,&quot; ordered the first lieutenant from
+near the ladder. &quot;Stand by, men. Be ready for instant action.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hurray! the old man won't give it up,&quot; cheered &quot;Stump,&quot; under his
+voice. &quot;That's the stuff. Now, if only that measly fog lifts and we get
+a trifle nearer, we'll do something for the old flag.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The minutes passed slowly. It was heartbreaking work, this waiting and
+watching, and there was not one of the &quot;Yankee's&quot; crew but would have
+given a year's pay to have seen the mist lift long enough to bring us
+within range.</p>
+
+<p>Suddenly, just as the fervent wish was trembling on our lips, &quot;Hod
+Marsh,&quot; who was near the port, cried out joyfully:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;She's fading, fellows, she's fading!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Like a theatre curtain being slowly raised, the mist lifted from the
+surface of the water. Little by little the expanse of ocean became
+visible, and at last we, who were watching eagerly, saw the hull of a
+steamer appear, followed by masts and stack and upper rigging. An
+exclamation of bitter disappointment came from Tommy. &quot;Durned if it
+ain't an old tramp!&quot; he groaned. &quot;Fellows, we are sold.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>And so it proved.</p>
+
+<p>The fog lifted completely in the course of an hour and we secured a good
+view of our &quot;will o' the wisp&quot; of the night's chase. It was a great
+lumbering tramp, as high out of the water as a barn, and as
+weather-stained as a homeward-bound whaler. She slouched along like a
+crab, each roll of the hull showing streaks of marine grass and
+barnacles. There was little of man-o'-war &quot;smartness&quot; in her make-up, of
+a verity.</p>
+
+<p>For several days the &quot;Yankee&quot; cruised up and down the coast between
+Delaware Breakwater and Block Island. Many vessels were sighted, and on
+two occasions it was considered expedient to sound &quot;general quarters,&quot;
+but nothing came of it. We finally concluded that the enemy were
+fighting shy of the vicinity of New York, and all began to long for
+orders to the southward.</p>
+
+<p>Drill followed drill during these waiting days. Target practice was held
+whenever practicable, and the different guns' crews began to feel
+familiar with the rapid-fire rifles.</p>
+
+<p>The men, accustomed to a life of ease and plenty, found this first
+month's work an experience of unparalleled hardship.</p>
+
+<p>Their hands, better fitted for the grasp of pen and pencil, were made
+sore and stiff by the handling of hawsers, chains, and heavy cases.
+Bandages on hands, feet, and, in some cases, heads, were the popular
+form of adornment, and the man who did not have some part of his anatomy
+decorated in this way was looked upon as a &quot;sloper,&quot; or one who ran away
+from work. For how could any one do his share without getting a finger
+jammed or a toe crushed?</p>
+
+<p>The work that was done, too, during this month of cruising along the
+coasts of Long Island and New Jersey was hard and incessant. Drills of
+all kinds were frequent, and sleep at a premium.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Yankee&quot; at this time was attached to the Northern Patrol Fleet, of
+which Commodore Howell was the commander. It was her business to cruise
+along the coast from Block Island south to Delaware Breakwater, and
+watch for suspicious vessels. This duty made constant movement
+necessary, and unwearying vigilance on the part of the lookouts
+imperative.</p>
+
+<p>Rainy, foggy weather was the rule, and &quot;oilers&quot; and rubber boots the
+prevailing fashion in overclothing. Sea watches were kept night and day;
+half of the crew being on duty all the time, and one watch relieving the
+other every four hours.</p>
+
+<p>The watch &quot;on deck&quot; or on duty on a stormy night found it very tedious
+waiting for the &quot;watch below&quot; to come and relieve them. The man who
+could tell a story or sing a song was in great demand, and the man who
+could get up a &quot;Yankee&quot; song was a popular hero. The night after our
+wild goose chase, described in the last chapter, the port watch had the
+&quot;long watch&quot;; that is, the watch from 8 p.m. to midnight, and from four
+to eight the next morning&mdash;which allowed but four hour's sleep.</p>
+
+<p>It was raining and the decks were wet and slippery. The water dripped
+off the rims of our sou'westers in dismal fashion, and the fog hung like
+a blanket around the ship, while the sea lapped her sides unseen. Our
+fog-horn tooted at intervals, and everything was as damp, dark, and
+forlorn as could be.</p>
+
+<p>A knot of men were gathered under the lee of the after deckhouse,
+huddled together for warmth and companionship. There was &quot;Stump,&quot;
+&quot;Bill,&quot; Potter, and a number of others.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Say! can't any one sing, or tell a yarn, or whistle a tune, or dance a
+jig?&quot; said &quot;Bill&quot; in a muffled tone. &quot;If some one does not start some
+kind of excitement I will go to sleep in my tracks, and Doctor 'Gangway'
+says I mustn't sleep out of doors.&quot; His speech ended in a fit of
+coughing and a succession of sneezes.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Here, 'Morse,' give us that new song of yours,&quot; said &quot;Steve,&quot; as
+another oilskinned figure joined the group. &quot;Morse&quot; and &quot;Steve&quot; were our
+chief song writers. Each sat on a quarter six-pounder, one on the
+starboard, the other on the port. &quot;I will, if you chaps will join in the
+chorus,&quot; answered &quot;Morse.&quot; &quot;No, thank you,&quot; he added, as some one handed
+him an imaginary glass. &quot;<i>Nature</i> has wet my whistle pretty thoroughly
+to-night.&quot; &quot;Stump,&quot; in his most impressive manner, stepped forward, and
+in true master-of-ceremonies style introduced our entertainer. He was
+enlarging on the undoubted merits of the composer and singer, and had
+waxed really eloquent, when a strong gust of wind blew the water that
+lodged in the awning squarely down his neck. This dampened his ardor but
+not our spirits.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Morse,&quot; like the good fellow he was, got up and sang this song to the
+tune of &quot;Billy Magee Magaw&quot;:</p>
+
+<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'>
+<span>When the &quot;Yankee&quot; goes sailing home again,<br /></span>
+<span class='i16'>Hurrah! Hurrah!<br /></span>
+<span>We'll forget that we're &quot;Heroes&quot; and just be men,<br /></span>
+<span class='i16'>Hurrah! Hurrah!<br /></span>
+<span>The girls will giggle, the boys will shout,<br /></span>
+<span>We'll all get a bath and be washed out,<br /></span>
+<span>And we'll all feel gay when<br /></span>
+<span>The &quot;Yankee&quot; goes sailing home.<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>The city bells will peal for joy,<br /></span>
+<span class='i16'>Hurrah! Hurrah!<br /></span>
+<span>To welcome home each wandering boy,<br /></span>
+<span class='i16'>Hurrah! Hurrah!<br /></span>
+<span>And all our sisters and cousins and girls<br /></span>
+<span>Will say &quot;Ain't they darlings?&quot; and &quot;<i>See</i> the pearls!&quot;<br /></span>
+<span>So we'll all feel gay when<br /></span>
+<span>The &quot;Yankee&quot; goes sailing home.<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>Our patrolling cruise will soon be o'er,<br /></span>
+<span class='i16'>Hurrah! Hurrah!<br /></span>
+<span>We'll be happy the moment our feet touch shore,<br /></span>
+<span class='i16'>Hurrah! Hurrah!<br /></span>
+<span>And &quot;Cutlets&quot; and &quot;Hubbub&quot; and all the rest<br /></span>
+<span>May stick to the calling they're fitted for best,<br /></span>
+<span>But <i>we'll</i> all feel gay when<br /></span>
+<span>The &quot;Yankee&quot; goes sailing home.<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>Even &quot;Bill&quot; was able to find voice enough to shout &quot;Good!&quot; and give
+&quot;Morse&quot; a resounding slap on his wet oilskinned shoulder. The song
+voiced our sentiments exactly, and cheered us a lot. None of us believed
+that &quot;Our patrolling cruise would soon be o'er,&quot; however, and hardly a
+man would have taken his discharge had it been offered to him that
+moment. We had put our names to the enlistment papers and had promised
+to serve Uncle Sam on his ship the &quot;Yankee&quot; faithfully. We had gone into
+this thing together, and we would see it through together. Still we
+would &quot;All feel gay when the 'Yankee' goes sailing home.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That reminds me of a story,&quot; began Potter, when &quot;Long Tommy,&quot; the
+boatswain's mate of the watch, interrupted with, &quot;Potter, take the
+starboard bridge. I will send a man to relieve you at the end of an
+hour.&quot; So Potter went forward to relieve his mate, who had stood an hour
+of lookout duty on the starboard end of the bridge.</p>
+
+<p>He went forward, swaying with the motion of the ship, his oilskin
+trousers making a queer, grating noise as one leg rubbed against the
+other, and &quot;Stump&quot; said, &quot;I'll bet he won't stay with us long; he talks
+too much.&quot; A prophetic remark, as future events proved.</p>
+
+<p>The group broke up after this. Some who were not actually on lookout
+duty went into the hot fire room, and after taking off their outer
+clothing, tried to snatch a few winks of sleep. The &quot;watch on deck&quot; was
+not allowed to go below at night, so the only shelter allowed us was the
+fire room and the main companion-way. The latter could hold but a few
+men, and the only alternative was the fire or &quot;drum&quot; room, into which
+the heat and gas from the furnaces ascended from the bowels of the ship,
+making it impossible for a man to breathe the atmosphere there for more
+than half an hour at a time. The after wheel-house was sometimes taken
+advantage of by the more venturesome of the boys, but the risk was
+great, for &quot;Cutlets&quot; was continually prowling around, and the man found
+taking shelter there would receive tongue lashings hard to bear, with
+abuse entirely out of proportion to the offence.</p>
+
+<p>A little before twelve o'clock we heard the boatswain's pipe, and the
+long drawn shout, &quot;On deck all the starboard watch,&quot; and &quot;All the
+starboard watch to muster.&quot; So we knew that we would soon be relieved,
+and would be able to take the much-needed four hours' sleep in our
+&quot;sleeping bags,&quot; as &quot;Hay&quot; called them. The starboard men came slowly up,
+rubbing their eyes, buttoning their oilskins, and tying their
+sou'westers on by a string under their chins as they walked.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hurry up there, will you?&quot; calls out a port watch man, as the men of
+the other watch sleepily climb the ladder. &quot;Get a move on and give us a
+chance to get out of this beastly wet.&quot; A sharp retort is given, and the
+men move on in the same leisurely way. The men of both watches are
+hardly in the best of humors. It is not pleasant to be waked up at
+midnight to stand a four hours' watch in the rain and fog, nor is it the
+most enjoyable thing in life to be delayed, after standing a four hours'
+watch in the rain, realizing all the time that each minute of waiting
+takes that precious time from the scant four hours' sleep.</p>
+
+<p>But finally &quot;all the watch&quot; is piped, and we go below and flop into our
+hammocks, to sleep as soundly and dreamlessly as babies. A sailor will
+sleep like a dead man through all kinds of noises and calls, but the
+minute his own watch is called he is wide awake in an instant, from
+sheer force of habit.</p>
+
+<p>So when the boatswain's mate went around with his pipe, singing out as
+he dodged in and out among the swinging hammocks, &quot;On deck all the port
+watch,&quot; each of us jumped out of his swaying bed and began to climb
+into his damp clothes and stiff &quot;oilers.&quot; We then made our way through
+the darkness, often bumping our heads on the bottom of hammocks, and
+earning sleepy but strongly worded rebukes from the occupants; colliding
+with stanchions, and stubbing our toes on ring bolts and hatch covers.
+All arrived at length, formed an unsteady line on the forecastle deck,
+and answered to our names as they were called by the boatswain's mate.
+So began another day's work on one of Uncle Sam's ships.</p>
+
+<p>It was Sunday, and after a while the fog lifted and the sun came out
+strong and clear. All the men who were off duty came on deck to bask in
+the sun, and to get dried and thawed out.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Steve&quot; poked his uncombed, sleepy head through the &quot;booby&quot; hatch cover.
+&quot;Well, this is something like! If the 'old man' will let us take it easy
+after inspection, I won't think life in the navy is so bad after all.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Well, inspection and general muster and the reading of the ship's bible
+will take up most of the morning,&quot; said gunner's mate &quot;Patt,&quot; as he
+emerged from the hatch after &quot;Steve,&quot; wiping his grimy hands on a wad of
+waste, for he had been giving the guns a rub. &quot;And if we don't have to
+go chasing an imaginary Spaniard or lug coal from the after hold
+forward, we'll be in luck,&quot; he continued.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What about the 'ship's bible'? What is 'general muster'?&quot; queried half
+a dozen of us.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Why,&quot; said &quot;Patt,&quot; &quot;the ship's bible is the book of rules and
+regulations of the United States Navy. It is read once a month to the
+officers and crew of every ship in the navy. The officers and crew will
+be mustered aft&mdash;you'll see&mdash;the deck force and engineer force on the
+port side, the petty officers on the starboard side forward, the
+commissioned officers on the starboard side aft, and the marines
+athwartships aft. This forms three sides to a square. See?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I don't see the use of all this,&quot; broke in the irreverent &quot;Kid.&quot; &quot;Do we
+have to stand there and have war articles fired at us?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That's what, 'Kid,'&quot; replied &quot;Patt,&quot; good-naturedly.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;After all hands have taken their places,&quot; continued our informant, &quot;the
+'old man' will walk down the galley ladder in that dignified way of his,
+followed by the executive officer. 'Mother Hubbub' will then open the
+blue-covered book that he carries, and read you things that will make
+your hair stand on end and cause you to consider the best wording for
+your last will and testament.&quot; &quot;Patt&quot; was very impressive, and we stood
+with open mouths and staring eyes.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;When old 'Hubbub' opens the book, all hands, even the captain, will
+take off their hats and stand at attention. Then the war articles will
+be read to you. You will learn that there are twenty-seven or more
+offences for which you are liable to be shot&mdash;such as sleeping on post,
+desertion, disobedience, wilful waste of Government property, and so
+forth; you will be told that divine service is recommended whenever
+possible&mdash;in short, you are told that you must be good, and that if you
+are not there will be the deuce to pay. Then the captain will turn to
+'Scully' and say, 'Pipe down,' whereupon 'Scully' and the other bosun's
+mates will blow a trill on their pipes, and all hands will go about
+their business.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>So concluded our oracle.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Gee whiz!&quot; said the &quot;Kid.&quot; &quot;I nearly got into trouble the other night,
+for I almost dozed when I was on the buoy. I'm not used to getting along
+on eleven hours' sleep in forty-eight yet,&quot; he added, apologetically.</p>
+
+<p>We all looked forward to &quot;general muster&quot; with a good deal of interest,
+and when it occurred, and the captain had inspected our persons,
+clothes, the ship, and mess gear, we decided that &quot;Patt's&quot; description
+fitted exactly, and were duly impressed with its solemnity.</p>
+
+<p>We found to our sorrow that we of Number Eight's crew were not to enjoy
+sunshine undisturbed, but were soon put to work carrying coal in baskets
+from the after hold forward, and dumping it in the bunker chutes.</p>
+
+<p>This work had been going on almost every day, and all day, since we left
+Tompkinsville. The coal was in the after hold and was needed in the
+bunkers forward, so every piece had to be shovelled into bushel baskets,
+hoisted to the gun deck, and carried by hand to the chute leading to the
+port and starboard bunkers. A dirty job it was, that not only blackened
+the men, but covered the deck, the mess gear, the paint work, and even
+the food, with coal dust.</p>
+
+<p>Number Eight's crew had been at this pleasant occupation for about an
+hour, with the cheerful prospect of another hour of the same diversion.
+&quot;Hay&quot; was running the steam winch, &quot;Stump&quot; was pulling the baskets over
+the hatch coaming as they were hauled up by the winch, and the other
+five were carrying.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Say, this is deadly slow, tiresome work,&quot; said &quot;Flagg,&quot; who was
+carrying with me. &quot;I'd give almost anything for a little excitement.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The last word had scarcely been uttered when there came the sounds of
+'commotion on deck. A voice cried out in sharp command, the rudder
+chains creaked loudly, the ship heeled over to starboard, and then we
+who were at the open port saw a long, snaky object shoot out from the
+edge of the haze and bear down upon us.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;My heaven!&quot; shouted &quot;Stump,&quot; &quot;it's a torpedo boat!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The commotion on deck had given us some warning, but the sudden dash of
+the long, snaky torpedo boat from out the haze came as a decided shock.
+For one brief moment we of the after port stood as if turned to stone,
+then every man ran to his quarters and stood ready to do his duty. With
+a cry, our second captain sprang to the firing lanyard. Before he could
+grasp it, however, the officer of the division was at his side.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Stop!&quot; he exclaimed authoritatively.</p>
+
+<p>The interruption was fortunate, for, just then, a swerve of the oncoming
+torpedo boat revealed a small flag flying from the taffrail staff. It
+was the American ensign.</p>
+
+<p>The reaction was great. Forgetting discipline, we crowded about the port
+and laughed and cheered like a lot of schoolboys. Potter, in his joy and
+evident relief, sent his canvas cap sailing through the air. A rebuke,
+not very stern, however, came from the lieutenant in charge of the
+division, and we shuffled back to our stations.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Cricky! what a sell,&quot; exclaimed the second rifleman, grinning. &quot;I was
+sure we had a big job on our hands this time. I'm rather glad it is one
+of our fellows after all.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I'm not,&quot; spoke up young Potter, blusteringly. &quot;What did we come out
+here for, hey? I say it's a confounded shame. We might have had a chance
+to send one of the Spaniards to the bottom.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It may be a Dago after all,&quot; suggested &quot;Bill,&quot; glancing from the port.
+&quot;The flag doesn't mean anything. They might be flying Old Glory as a
+<i>ruse de guerre</i>. By George! That craft looks just like the 'Pluton.'&quot;</p>
+
+<p>We, who were watching, saw Potter's face lengthen. He peered nervously
+at the rapidly approaching torpedo boat, and then tried to laugh
+unconcernedly.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You can't 'string' me,&quot; he retorted. &quot;That's one of your Uncle Samuel's
+boats all right. See! they are going to hail us.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>A bell clanged in the engine room, then the throbbing of the machinery
+slackened to a slow pulsation. The rudder chains rattled in their
+fair-leaders, and presently we were steaming along, with the torpedo
+craft a score of yards off our midships.</p>
+
+<p>On the forward deck of the latter stood two officers clad in the uniform
+of the commissioned service. One placed a speaking trumpet to his lips
+and called out:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Cruiser ahoy! Is that the 'Yankee'?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You have made a good guess,&quot; shouted Captain Brownson. &quot;What boat is
+that?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;'Talbot' from Newport. Any news? Sighted you and thought we would speak
+you.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Our commander assured them that we were in search of news ourselves. The
+&quot;Talbot's&quot; officers saluted and then waved a farewell.</p>
+
+<p>The narrow, low-lying craft spun about in almost her own length, a
+series of quick puffs of dense black smoke came from the funnels, and
+then the haze swallowed up the whole fabric.</p>
+
+<p>We were left to take our discomfiture with what philosophy we could
+muster. When &quot;secure&quot; was sounded we left our guns with a sense of great
+danger averted and a feeling of relief.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_VI'></a><h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2>
+
+<h3>WE BECOME COAL HEAVERS.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The little strip of North American coast between Delaware Breakwater and
+Block Island is very interesting, and, in places, beautiful. The long
+beaches and bare sand dunes have a solemn beauty all their own.</p>
+
+<p>Though the boys on the &quot;Yankee&quot; took in and appreciated the loveliness
+of this bit of coast, they were getting rather familiar with it and
+somewhat bored. They longed for &quot;pastures new.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Summer had almost begun, but still the fog and rain held sway. The ship
+crept through the night like a big gray ghost&mdash;dark, swift, and, except
+in the densest fogs, silent. Pea-coats were an absolute necessity, and
+woolen gloves would have been a great comfort. All this in the blooming,
+beautiful month of May!</p>
+
+<p>One bleak morning the starboard watch was on duty. We of the port watch
+had turned in at four (or, according to ship's time, eight bells). We
+were glad to be between decks, and got under way for the land of Nod
+without delay. It seemed as if we had been asleep but a few minutes,
+when &quot;Scully,&quot; chief boatswain's mate, came down the gun deck gangway,
+shouting loud enough to be heard a mile away: &quot;All hands, up all
+hammocks;&quot; then, as the disposition to get up was not very evident,
+&quot;Show a leg there; ham and eggs for breakfast.&quot; This last was a little
+pleasantry that never materialized into the much-coveted and long
+abstained from delicacy.</p>
+
+<p>The hammocks were lashed up and stowed away in the &quot;nettings,&quot; as the
+lattice-like receptacles are called, leaving the deck clear for the work
+of the day.</p>
+
+<p>Mess gear for the &quot;watch below&quot; had just been piped, and we were glad;
+even the thought of burnt oatmeal and coffee without milk was pleasant
+to us.</p>
+
+<p>The ports were closed and the gun deck was dark and dismal. The fog
+oozed in through every crack and cranny, and all was very unpleasant.</p>
+
+<p>Of a sudden there was a sharp reverberation that sounded so much like
+the report of a big gun that all hands jumped.</p>
+
+<p>The course of the ship was changed, and the jingle bell sounded. The
+&quot;Yankee&quot; forged on at full speed in the direction from which the sound
+had come.</p>
+
+<p>We all stood in expectant attitudes, listening for another report. We
+had about made up our minds that our ears had deceived us, when another
+explosion, louder and nearer than the first, reached us.</p>
+
+<p>On we rushed&mdash;toward what we knew not&mdash;through a fog so thick that the
+water could be seen but dimly from the spar deck.</p>
+
+<p>The suspense was hard to bear, and the desire to do something almost
+irresistible. The men unconsciously took their regular stations for
+action, the guns' crews gathered round their guns, the powder divisions
+in the neighborhood of the ammunition hoists.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I wish Potter was here,&quot; said &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;I rather think he would be
+white around the gills. This sort of business would give him a bad case
+of 'cold feet.'&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Oh, he had 'cold feet' a few days after we left New York, and wrote to
+his friends to get his discharge,&quot; said &quot;Bill.&quot; &quot;Got it and quit two
+weeks after we left New York, the duffer,&quot; added &quot;Hay.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Yankee&quot; still steamed on into the bank of fog.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Cupid,&quot; the ship's bugler, began to play the call for general
+quarters, but was stopped by a sharp command from the bridge.</p>
+
+<p>What was it all about? Was it to be tragedy or farce?</p>
+
+<p>Then Scully came down the starboard gangway, a broad smile on his ruddy
+face.</p>
+
+<p>A clamoring group gathered round him instantly. &quot;What is it?&quot; &quot;Is the
+'old man' playing a joke on us?&quot; &quot;Do you suppose Cervera has got over to
+this side?&quot; &quot;Scully,&quot; overwhelmed with questions, put up his hands
+protestingly.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;No, no; none of those things,&quot; said he. &quot;What do you suppose we have
+been doing for the last twenty minutes?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>We confessed we did not know.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Chasing thunder claps&mdash;nothing more nor less than thunder claps! And
+we'll see nothing worse on this coast,&quot; he added sententiously, as soon
+as he could get his breath.</p>
+
+<p>The wind rose, and while it blew away the fog in part, it kicked up a
+nasty sea, in which the &quot;Yankee&quot; wallowed for hours, waiting for the fog
+to clear enough to make the channel and enter New York harbor. It seemed
+we had been heading for New York, and we did not know it. It was not the
+custom aboard that hooker to give the men any information.</p>
+
+<a name='page077'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page077.jpg' width='413' height='300' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>&quot;THE 'YANKEE' DROPPED HER ANCHOR OFF TOMPKINSVILLE&quot;(<i>page</i> 77).</h5>
+
+<p>When we learned for sure that we were bound for New York, our joy was
+beyond measure.</p>
+
+<p>Shore leave was the chief topic of conversation. And every man not on
+duty went down into his black bag, fished out his clean blues, and set
+to work sewing on watch marks and cap ribbons. For Jack must be neat and
+clean when he goes ashore.</p>
+
+<p>The mud-hook was dropped in the bay off Tompkinsville, Thursday, May
+26th, seventeen days after we left the navy yard. It seemed seventeen
+months.</p>
+
+<p>An &quot;anchor watch&quot; of sixteen men was set for the night, and most of us
+turned in early to enjoy the first good sleep for many weary days.</p>
+
+<p>All hands were turned out at five o'clock. We woke to find a big coal
+barge on either side of the ship.</p>
+
+<p>After breakfast the order &quot;turn to&quot; was given. &quot;All hands coal ship,
+starboard watch on the starboard lighter, port watch on the port
+lighter.&quot; From seven o'clock in the morning till twelve o'clock that
+night, the crew of the &quot;Yankee&quot;&mdash;aforetime lawyers, physicians, literary
+men, brokers, merchants, students, and clerks&mdash;men who had never done
+any harder work than play football, or row in a shell&mdash;coaled ship
+without any rest, other than the three half hours at meal times. About
+the hardest, dirtiest work a man could do.</p>
+
+<p>The navy style of coaling is different from that customary in the
+merchant service. In the latter, the dirty work is done in the quickest,
+easiest way possible. The ship is taken to a coal wharf and the coal is
+slid down in chutes, or barges are run alongside and great buckets,
+hoisted by steam, swing the black lumps into the hold or bunker.</p>
+
+<p>The navy style, as practised on the &quot;Yankee,&quot; was quite different. The
+barges were brought alongside, the men divided into gangs&mdash;some to go in
+the hold of the barge, some to go on the platforms, some to carry on the
+ship herself. The barge gang shovelled the coal into bushel baskets;
+these were carried to the men on the stages; and the latter passed them
+from one to the other, to the gun deck; finally, the gang on the vessel
+carried the baskets to the bunker holes, and dumped them. The ship was
+well provided with hoisting machines, but, for some reason, this help
+was not permitted us.</p>
+
+<p>It was a long, inexpressibly dreary day's work, and though undertaken
+cheerfully and with less complaining than would have been believed
+possible, the drudgery of it was a thing not easily forgotten. Before
+the day had ended, all hope of getting ashore was lost, for we were
+told that no liberty would be given.</p>
+
+<p>The following day and half of our stay in New York harbor was spent in
+the same way&mdash;shovelling, lifting, and carrying coal. The eyes of many
+of us were gladdened by the sight of friends and relatives, who were
+allowed aboard when mess gear was piped, and put off when &quot;turn to&quot;
+sounded. We were pleased to see our friends, but our friends, on the
+contrary, seemed shocked to see us. One dainty girl came aboard, and, as
+she came up the gangway, asked for a forecastle man. The word was passed
+for him. He had just finished his stint of coaling, and was as black as
+a negro. In his haste to see his sister, he neglected to clean up, and
+appeared before her in his coal heaver's make-up.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You, Will? I won't believe it! I won't, I won't, I won't!&quot; And for a
+second she covered her face with her hands. Then she picked out the
+cleanest spot on his grimy countenance and kissed him there, while we
+looked on in envy.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Yankee&quot; at last receiving orders to sail for the front, left
+Tompkinsville May 29th. We passed out of the Narrows with a feeling of
+relief. The work we had just finished was the hardest we had ever
+experienced. It was particularly tantalizing because we were almost in
+sight of our homes, but could not visit them. A starving man suffers
+more from hunger if pleasant food is placed within sight, but beyond his
+reach.</p>
+
+<p>However, we were to go to the front at last, and we rejoiced at the
+prospect of being really useful to our country.</p>
+
+<p>The following day, Decoration Day, dawned pleasantly, both wind and
+weather being all that could be desired.</p>
+
+<p>Directly after dinner we were sent to quarters for target practice. The
+target was dropped astern, and the ship steamed ahead to the required
+distance. Word was given to the marines manning the six-pounders to
+prove their skill.</p>
+
+<p>The port forecastle six-pounder, using a shell containing cordite, a
+powerful English explosive, was in charge of a marine corporal named
+J.J. Murray, who acted as captain of the gun. After firing several
+rounds with marked success, Murray saw that the gun was loaded for
+another trial.</p>
+
+<p>Standing at the breech, he steadied the gun with his left arm and
+shoulder, seized the pistol-grip, placed his finger on the trigger, and
+then slowly and carefully brought the target within the sighting line in
+readiness to fire.</p>
+
+<p>The other members of the gun's crew were at their proper stations.
+Numbers 2 and 3, respectively second captain and first loader and
+shellman, were directly behind the corporal. They saw him steady the
+piece again, take another careful aim, then noted that his finger gave a
+quick tug at the trigger.</p>
+
+<p>The result was a dull click but no explosion.</p>
+
+<p>The corporal stepped back from his place in vexation. He had succeeded
+in getting a fine &quot;bead&quot; just as the cartridge failed.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Blast the English ammunition!&quot; he exclaimed. &quot;It's no good.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The other men at the gun nodded approval. Their experience bore out the
+corporal's assertion. They also knew that the cordite cartridges were
+not adapted to American guns, and should not have been used. But they
+were marines and they were accustomed to obey orders without comment.</p>
+
+<p>Captain Brownson had noticed the incident and he sent word to delay
+opening the breechblock until all danger of explosion had passed. After
+waiting some time, Corporal Murray proceeded to extract the shell. He
+took his place at the breech, while No. 2 unlocked the plug and swung it
+open.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Now we'll see what is the matter,&quot; he began. &quot;I guess it is another
+case of&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>He never finished the sentence. With a frightful roar the defective
+cartridge exploded, sending fragments of shell and parts of the
+breech-block into the corporal's face and chest. He was hurled with
+terrific force to the deck, where he lay motionless, mortally wounded.</p>
+
+<p>Numbers 2 and 3 of the unfortunate gun's crew did not escape, the former
+being struck down with the hand lever, which penetrated his arm. The
+injured men received prompt attention from the surgeon and his
+assistants, but Corporal Murray was beyond mortal aid. He died ten
+minutes after the accident.</p>
+
+<p>He was a good soldier, jolly and light-hearted, and a great favorite
+with the crew. The peculiar feeling of antagonism which is supposed to
+exist between the sailors and marines did not obtain in his case.</p>
+
+<p>In the navy the hammock which serves the living as a bed by night is
+also their coffin and their shroud. It so served Corporal Murray.</p>
+
+<a name='page082'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page082.jpg' width='300' height='402' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>&quot;WITH A FRIGHTFUL ROAR THE DEFECTIVE CARTRIDGE EXPLODED&quot;
+<i>(page 82)</i>.</h5>
+
+<p>Shortly after four bells (six o'clock) on the evening of the day on
+which the accident occurred, the boatswain's mate sent the shrill piping
+of his whistle echoing through the ship, following it with the words,
+doleful and long drawn out:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;All hands shift-ft-ft into clean-n-n blue and stand by to bury the
+dead-d-d!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>When the crew assembled on the gun deck in obedience to the call, the
+sun was just disappearing beyond the edge of the distant horizon. Its
+last rays entered the open port, showing to us the dead man's figure
+outlined under an American flag. The body had been placed upon a grating
+in front of an open port, and several men were stationed close by in
+readiness to launch it into the sea.</p>
+
+<p>The ceaseless swaying of the ship in the trough of the sea, the engines
+having been stopped, set the lines of blue uniformed men swinging and
+nodding, and, as the surgeon, Dr. McGowan, read the Episcopal service,
+it seemed in the half light as if every man were keeping time with the
+cadence.</p>
+
+<p>The words of the service, beautiful and impressive under such novel
+circumstances, echoed and whispered along the deck, and at the sentence,
+&quot;We commit this body to the deep,&quot; the grating was raised gently and,
+with a peculiar <i>swish</i>, the body, heavily weighted, slid down to the
+water's edge and plunged sullenly into the sea. A moment more and the
+service was finished, the bugler sounding &quot;pipe down.&quot; A salute, three
+times repeated, was fired by sixteen men of the marine guard.</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<p>The voyage down the coast was utilized in making good men-o'-war's men
+of the &quot;Yankee's&quot; crew. Captain Brownson believes thoroughly in the
+efficacy of drill, and he lost no time in living up to his belief. When
+all the circumstances are taken into consideration, the task allotted to
+the captain of the &quot;Yankee&quot; by the fortunes of war, was both peculiar
+and difficult.</p>
+
+<p>On his return from Europe, where he had been sent to select vessels for
+the improvised navy, he was ordered by the Navy Department at Washington
+to take command of the auxiliary cruiser &quot;Yankee.&quot; This meant that he
+was to assume charge of a ship hastily converted from an ordinary
+merchant steamer, and to fight the battles of his country with a crew
+composed of youths and men whose whole life and training had hitherto
+followed totally different lines.</p>
+
+<p>It was a &quot;licking of raw material into shape&quot; with a vengeance.</p>
+
+<p>When the &quot;Chesapeake&quot; sailed forth to fight her disastrous battle with
+the British ship &quot;Shannon,&quot; her crew was made up of men untrained in
+the art of war. The result was the most humiliating naval defeat in the
+history of the United States. The same fate threatened Captain Brownson.
+There was this difference in the cases, however. The &quot;Chesapeake&quot; had
+little time for drilling, while the &quot;Yankee&quot; was fully six weeks in
+commission before her first shot was fired in action. Every minute of
+those six weeks was utilized.</p>
+
+<p>During the trip down the coast from New York general quarters were held
+each day, and target practice whenever the weather permitted. In
+addition to these drills the crew was exercised in man and arm boats,
+abandon ship, fire drill, infantry drill, and the many exercises
+provided by the naval regulations. Before the &quot;Yankee&quot; had been in the
+Gulf Stream two days, the various guns' crews were almost letter-perfect
+at battery work. As it happened, the value of good drilling was soon to
+be demonstrated.</p>
+
+<p>As we neared Cuba, the theatre of our hopes and expectations, we were
+scarcely able to control ourselves. The bare possibility of seeing real
+war within a few days made every man the victim of a consuming
+impatience. Rumors of every description were rife, and the many weird
+and impossible tales invented by the ship's cook and the captain's
+steward&mdash;the men-o'-war oracles&mdash;would have put even Baron Munchausen to
+the blush.</p>
+
+<p>The Rumor Committee, otherwise known as the &quot;Scuttle-butt Navigators,&quot;
+to which every man on board was elected a life member the moment he
+promulgated a rumor, was soon actively engaged, and it was definitely
+settled that the &quot;Yankee&quot; was to become the flagship of the whole fleet,
+our captain made Lord High Admiral, and the whole Spanish nation swept
+off the face of the globe, in about thirteen and a half seconds by the
+chronometer.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_VII'></a><h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2>
+
+<h3>WE ENTER THE &quot;THEATRE OF WAR.&quot;</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The shrill pipe of the bosun's whistle, followed by the order &quot;All hands
+to muster,&quot; reached our ears a day or two out from New York. We were
+enjoying an hour of well-earned leisure, so it was with reluctance that
+we obeyed and went aft on the gun deck. All hands are seldom called to
+muster, so we knew that something of importance was in the wind.</p>
+
+<p>After the three-sided hollow square had been formed, the captain
+appeared. The small men stood on tip-toe, and the tall men craned their
+necks.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;We are about to enter the theatre of war,&quot; said the captain, in his
+sharp, decisive way, &quot;and I expect every man to do his duty, to redouble
+his efforts to preserve discipline, to perfect drills. Drills will, of a
+necessity, be frequent and hard. I would have you understand that our
+best protection is the fire from our own guns. The more rapid and
+accurate our fire, the safer we shall be. Pipe down.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>After we had been dismissed, the men formed little groups and discussed
+the captain's speech.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I like the 'old man's' talk,&quot; said the &quot;Kid,&quot; condescendingly; &quot;it's to
+the point and short. But how in the name of common sense are we going to
+find time to drill with more frequency? Three times a day and once or
+more at night, allows us just about time enough to eat and do the
+necessary routine work, to say nothing about sleeping. Clear ship,
+general quarters, and fire drill during the day, and general quarters
+after ten last night. That's already somewhat frequent, methinks,&quot; he
+concluded, suppressing a yawn.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Well, if we are to have any scraps,&quot; said &quot;Bill,&quot; &quot;we certainly must
+know how to work the ship and the guns. For, as the skipper said, 'our
+own fire is our best protection.'&quot;</p>
+
+<p>We bowled along at a good fifteen-knot gait, day after day and night
+after night. The weather was magnificent and the climate delightful. It
+was full moon, and such a moon as few of us had seen before&mdash;so bright
+that letters could be and were written by her silvery light.</p>
+
+<p>Though drills of all sorts were of constant occurrence, there were times
+after mess when we could &quot;caulk off&quot; and enjoy the glorious weather.
+Our experience of bad weather along the coast of New Jersey and Long
+Island had given us keen zest for the good conditions we were now
+enjoying. We were sailing along in the warm waters of the Gulf
+Stream&mdash;the Gulf weed peculiar to that current slipping by as we forged
+through it. &quot;Stump,&quot; &quot;Dye,&quot; of Number Eight's gun crew, a witty chap and
+a good singer, &quot;Hay,&quot; and I were leaning over the taffrail, looking into
+the swirling water made by the propeller's thrust, when &quot;Dye&quot; remarked:
+&quot;This is the queerest water I ever saw in all my days; it looks like the
+bluing water our laundress used to make, with the suds mixed in.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The smooth sea was dark and clear as could be, but where churned by the
+propeller it turned to the color of turquoise.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I really believe,&quot; said &quot;Bill,&quot; as he joined the group, &quot;that we could
+use it to turn our whites blue.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>It was a delight and marvel to us all; we would have liked nothing
+better than to have spent hours gazing at these wonderful colors.</p>
+
+<p>As we stood absorbed in the sight before us, we were interrupted by the
+short, sharp ringing of the ship's bell&mdash;a dozen or more strokes given
+in quick succession followed, after a short pause, by two more strokes.</p>
+
+<p>Some one shouted &quot;Fire, boys!&quot; and all hands rushed for their
+stations&mdash;some to the hose-reel, some below to the gun deck to close the
+ports, and some to the berth deck to receive the hose when it came down.
+We did not know whether it was drill or actual fire, but the skipper's
+talk of the night before gave us unusual energy, and the preparations
+were made in record time. The canvas hose was pulled along the deck with
+a swish, the nozzle grasped by the waiting hands below and carried with
+a run away aft on the berth deck. The fire was supposed to be raging at
+this point, as was indicated by the two last strokes of the alarm
+signal.</p>
+
+<p>While the hose was being led out, sturdy arms tugged at the port
+lanyards and pulled them to. Others battened down the hatches, to keep
+the draught from adding fury to the flames.</p>
+
+<p>All this was done in less time than it takes to tell it, and the men
+stood at their posts, perspiring and panting from the quick work.</p>
+
+<p>We had hardly time to catch our breath when the order &quot;Abandon ship&quot; was
+heard. Immediately there was a scurry of feet, and a rush for the upper
+deck; but some stayed below to carry ship's bread and canned meats to
+the boats&mdash;two cases of bread and two cases of meat for the large boats,
+and one case of each for the smaller. The crews and passengers of each
+boat gathered near it. Every man had been assigned to a boat either as
+crew or passenger, and when the order &quot;abandon ship&quot; was given, every
+one knew instantly where to go for refuge.</p>
+
+<p>Though we had already gone through this &quot;fire drill&quot; and &quot;abandon ship&quot;
+(one always followed the other), it had then been done in peaceful
+waters and in a perfunctory way. Now that we were entering &quot;the theatre
+of war,&quot; we felt the seriousness of it all, and realized that what was
+now a mere drill might become a stern reality.</p>
+
+<p>The order &quot;Secure&quot; was given; the hose was reeled up, the ports opened,
+and the provisions returned to their places in hold and store room. The
+men went to their quarters, and so stood till the bugler blew &quot;retreat.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The time not devoted to drills was taken up in getting the ship ready
+for the serious work she was to undertake.</p>
+
+<p>All woodwork on the gun deck not in actual use was carried below or
+thrown overboard, and the great cargo booms were either taken down and
+stowed safely away, where the splinters would not be dangerous, or were
+covered with, canvas.</p>
+
+<p>These preparations had a sinister look that made us realize, if we had
+not done so before, that this was real war that we were about to engage
+in&mdash;no sham battle or man[oe]uvres.</p>
+
+<p>The men went about their work more quietly and thoughtfully, for one and
+all now understood their responsibilities. If the ship made a record for
+herself, the crew would get a large share of the credit; and if she
+failed to do the work cut out for her, on the crew would be laid the
+blame. If the men behind the guns and the men running the engines did
+not do their work rapidly and well, disaster and disgrace would follow.</p>
+
+<p>As we neared the scene of conflict, the discipline grew more and more
+strict. Before a man realized that he had done anything wrong, his name
+would be called by the master-at-arms and he would be hauled &quot;up to the
+mast&quot; for trial.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You ought to see the gang up at the mast,&quot; said &quot;Stump,&quot; one bright
+afternoon. &quot;'Mac' and 'Hod Marsh' have gathered enough extra duty men to
+do all the dirty work for a month.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What were you doing up there?&quot; asked a bystander.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Why, I thought I heard my name called, and as discretion is the better
+part of valor, I lined up with the rest, and I was glad I did, too, for
+it was good sport.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Maybe you thought it was sport, but how about the chaps that were
+'pinched'? Who was up before the skipper, anyhow?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Oh, there was a big gang up there&mdash;I can't remember them all; 'Lucky
+Bag Kennedy' was there, for being late at general quarters the other
+day. When the captain looked at him in that fierce way of his and asked
+what he had to say for himself, 'Lucky Bag' said he didn't realize the
+time. The skipper could hardly keep his face straight. 'Four hours,' he
+said, and that was all there was to it.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Poor 'Lucky Bag,'&quot; came from all sides as &quot;Stump&quot; paused to take
+breath.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Then there was 'Big Bill,' the water tender,&quot; continued &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;He
+was hauled up for appearing on the spar deck without a uniform. When the
+skipper asked him what he had to say for himself, 'Big Bill' cleared his
+throat with a <i>woof</i>&mdash;you know how it sounds: the ship shakes and
+trembles when he does it&mdash;and the 'old man' fairly tottered under the
+blast. 'Big Bill' explained that he could not get a uniform big enough
+for him, because the paymaster could not fit him out. The captain
+almost grinned when he heard the excuse, and 'Big Bill'&mdash;well, he
+enjoyed the situation, I'll bet a month's pay.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>There was a little pause here, and we heard a great voice rumbling from
+below. Then we knew that &quot;Big Bill&quot; was telling his intimates all about
+it, embellishing the story as only he could do.</p>
+
+<p>We laughed sympathetically as the shouts of glee rose to our ears. We
+had all enjoyed his good-humored Irish wit.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Well, who else was in trouble this afternoon, 'Stump'?&quot; said &quot;Mourner,&quot;
+the inquisitive.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Oh, a lot of unfortunate duffers. Several who were put on the report
+for being slow in lashing up their hammocks got a couple of hours extra
+duty each. One or two were there because they had clothes in the 'lucky
+bag'&mdash;they had left them round the decks somewhere, and the
+master-at-arms had grabbed them. The owners had to go on the report to
+get the clothes out. It cost them a couple of hours each.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Well, how did you get out of it?&quot; said I, when &quot;Stump&quot; paused to
+breathe.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I was nearly scared to death,&quot; he continued, after a minute or two. &quot;My
+name was not called, and the rank thinned out till there were only a
+few of us left. I began to think that some special punishment was being
+reserved for me, and that the captain was waiting so he could think it
+over. What my offence was I could not imagine; my conscience was clear,
+I vow. As I stood there in the sun I thought over the last few days, and
+made a confession to myself, but couldn't think of anything very wicked.
+Had I unintentionally blocked a marine sentry's way and thus interfered
+with him in the performance of his duty? I had visions at this point of
+myself in the 'brig,' existing on bread and water. Had I inadvertently
+gone into 'Cutlet's' pet after wheel-house? I was in a brown study,
+conjuring up imaginary misdeeds, when a voice sounded in my ear: 'Here,
+my man; what do you want?' I looked around, dazed, at the captain, who
+stood by, the closed report book in his hand. Then I realized that my
+being there was a mistake, so I saluted and said, 'Nothing, sir.'&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That's a very nice tale,&quot; said &quot;Dye.&quot; &quot;We'll have to get 'Mac' to
+verify it.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's straight,&quot; protested &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;Ask the skipper himself if you want
+to.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The old boat ploughed her way through the blue waters of the Gulf Stream
+at the rate of from fourteen to fifteen knots an hour. The skies were
+clear and the sun warm and bright&mdash;cool breeze tempered its heat and
+made life bearable. The ship rolled lazily in the long swell and the
+turquoise wake boiled astern. We steamed for days without sighting a
+sail or a light; we were &quot;alone on a wide, wide sea.&quot; At times schools
+of dolphins would race and shoot up out of the water alongside, much to
+our glee. All the beauties of these tropical waters were new to us.
+Every school of flying fish and flock of Mother Carey's chickens brought
+crowds to the rail. The sunsets were glorious, though all too short, and
+the sunrises, if less appreciated, just as fine.</p>
+
+<p>At night the guns' crews of the &quot;watch on deck&quot; slept round their loaded
+guns, one man of each crew always standing guard. The men of the powder
+divisions manned the lookout posts.</p>
+
+<p>All hands were in good spirits, calmed somewhat, however, by the thought
+that soon we might be in the thick of battle, the outcome of which no
+man could tell.</p>
+
+<p>It was during this voyage that friendships, begun on the Block
+Island-Barnegat cruise, were cemented. The life aboard ship tended to
+&quot;show up&quot; a man as he really was. His good and bad qualities appeared so
+that all might see. Was he good-natured, even-tempered, thoughtful, his
+mates knew it at once and liked him. Was he quick-tempered, selfish,
+uncompanionable, it was quite as evident, and he had few friends.
+Sterling and unsuspected qualities were brought out in many of the men.</p>
+
+<p>Every man felt that we must and would stand together, and with a will do
+our work, be it peaceful or warlike.</p>
+
+<p>Where were we bound? Were we to join the Havana blockading fleet? Were
+we destined for despatch and scout duty? Or were we to take part in
+actual conflict?</p>
+
+<p>It was while we were settling these questions to our own satisfaction on
+the morning of June 2d, that a hail came from the lookout at the
+masthead forward.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Land O!&quot; he shouted, waving his cap. &quot;Hurray! it's Cuba!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The navigator, whose rightful surname had been converted by the
+facetious Naval Reserves into &quot;Cutlets,&quot; for reasons of their own, lost
+no time in rebuking the too enthusiastic lookout.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Aloft, there, you measly lubber! What in thunder do you mean? Have you
+sighted land?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Ye-es, sir-r,&quot; quavered the lookout.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Then why don't you say so without adding any conjectures of your own?&quot;
+commented the irascible Lieutenant &quot;Cutlets,&quot; severely.</p>
+
+<p>The rest of the crew were too deeply interested in the vague streak of
+color on the horizon to pay any attention to the &quot;wigging&quot; of the man at
+the masthead. We knew that the dun-hued streak rising from the blue
+shadows of the ocean was Cuba, and we could think or talk of nothing
+else.</p>
+
+<p>Somewhere beyond that towering mountain was Santiago, the port in which
+the flea-like squadron of Admiral Cervera was bottled up, and there was
+a deadly fear in our hearts that the wily Spaniard would sally forth to
+battle before we could join our fleet.</p>
+
+<p>We pictured to ourselves the gray mountain massed high about the narrow
+entrance of Santiago Bay, the picturesque Morro Castle, squatting like a
+grim giant above the strait, and outside, tossing and bobbing upon the
+swell of a restless sea, the mighty semicircle of drab ships waiting,
+yearning for the outcoming of the Dons. We of the &quot;Yankee,&quot; I repeat,
+were in an agony of dread that we would arrive too late.</p>
+
+<p>Cape Maysi, the scene of many an adventurous filibustering expedition,
+was passed at high noon, and at eight bells in the evening the anchor
+was dropped off Mole St. Nicholas, a convenient port in the island of
+Hayti. As we steamed into the harbor we passed close to the auxiliary
+cruiser &quot;St. Louis.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The anchor was scarcely on the bottom when the gig was called away. We
+awaited the return of Captain Brownson with impatience. The news he
+brought was reassuring, however. Nothing of moment had occurred since
+our departure from New York. Within an hour we were again out at sea,
+this time en route to Santiago.</p>
+
+<p>There was little sleep on board that night, and when morning dawned,
+every man who could escape from below was on deck watching, waiting for
+the first glimpse of Admiral Sampson's fleet. Shortly after daylight,
+the squadron was sighted. The scene was picturesque in the extreme.</p>
+
+<p>The gray of early dawn was just giving way before the first rays of a
+tropical sun. Almost hidden in the mist hovering about the coast were a
+number of vague spots seemingly arranged in a semicircle, the base of
+which was the green-covered tableland fronting Santiago. The spots were
+tossing idly upon a restless sea, and, as the sun rose higher, each
+gradually assumed the shape of a marine engine of war. Beyond them was
+a stretch of sandy, surf-beaten coast, and directly fronting the centre
+ship could be seen a narrow cleft in the hill&mdash;the gateway leading to
+the ancient city of Santiago de Cuba.</p>
+
+<p>As we steamed in closer to the fleet we saw indications that something
+of importance had occurred or was about to occur. Steam launches and
+torpedo boats were dashing about between the ships, strings of
+parti-colored bunting flaunted from the signal halliards of the flagship
+&quot;New York,&quot; and nearer shore could be seen one of the smaller cruisers
+evidently making a reconnaissance.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;We are just in time, Russ,&quot; exclaimed &quot;Stump,&quot; jubilantly. &quot;The fleet
+is getting ready for a scrap. And we'll be right in it.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>I edged toward the bridge. The first news would come from that quarter.
+Several minutes later, Captain Brownson, who had been watching the
+signals with a powerful glass, closed the instrument with a snap, and
+cried out to the executive officer:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hubbard, you will never believe it.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What's happened?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The reply was given so low that I could catch only a few words, but it
+was enough to send me scurrying aft at the top of my speed. The news was
+startling indeed.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_VIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER VIII.</h2>
+
+<h3>WE JOIN SAMPSON'S FLEET.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>As the &quot;Yankee&quot; steamed in toward the blockading fleet off the entrance
+to Santiago harbor, the scurrying torpedo boats and the many little
+launches darting here and there like so many beetles on a pond, became
+more apparent, and it was plainly evident to all that something of great
+importance had recently happened.</p>
+
+<p>The scattered remarks made by Captain Brownson on the bridge formed,
+when pieced together, such a wonderful bit of news that I could scarcely
+contain myself as I hurried aft. I wanted to stop and fling my cap into
+the air. I felt like dancing a jig and hurrahing and offering praise for
+the fact that I was an American.</p>
+
+<p>As it happened, I was not the only member of the &quot;Yankee's&quot; crew that
+had overheard the &quot;old man's&quot; words. The second captain of the after
+port five-inch gun, a jolly good fellow, known familiarly as &quot;Hay&quot; by
+the boys, chanced to be under the bridge. As I raced aft on the port
+side he started in the same direction on the starboard side of the spar
+deck. His legs fairly twinkled, and he beat me to the gangway by a neck.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What do you think?&quot; I heard him gasp as I came up. &quot;Talk of your
+heroes! Whoop! Say, I'm glad I am a son of that old flag aft there. It's
+the greatest thing that ever happened.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What?&quot; chorused a dozen voices.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Last night&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Yes.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Last night a volunteer crew&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hurry up, will you?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Last night, or rather early this morning, a volunteer crew, under the
+command of a naval constructor named Hobson, took the collier 'Merrimac'
+into the mouth of the harbor and&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That old tub?&quot; interrupted a marine who had served in the regular navy,
+incredulously. &quot;Why, she's nothing but a hulk. She hasn't a gun or&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;She didn't go in to fight,&quot; said &quot;Hay.&quot; &quot;They were to block up the
+channel with her.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;To block up the channel?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Yes. Cervera and his fleet are in the harbor, you know, and the scheme
+was to keep them from coming out.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Did they succeed?&quot; chorused the whole group of eager listeners.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Yes, but&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The conclusion of &quot;Hay's&quot; sentence was drowned in a wild whoop of joy, a
+whoop that brought a number of other &quot;Yankees&quot; to the spot, and also a
+gesture of remonstrance from the executive officer on the bridge.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Wait, boys,&quot; I said, gently; &quot;you haven't heard all.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>There was quiet at once.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hobson and his brave men succeeded in accomplishing their object, but
+they have paid the penalty for it.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Not dead?&quot; asked one in almost a whisper.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;So the captain read the signals. The 'Merrimac' went in about three
+o'clock this morning. It seems she reached the channel all right, but
+she was discovered and sent to the bottom with all on board.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hay&quot; took off his cap reverently, and the others instantly followed his
+example. Nothing more was said. The glory of the deed was overshadowed
+by the supposed fate of the gallant volunteer crew.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Yankee&quot; steamed in to a position designated by the flagship, and
+the captain went aboard to pay his respects to Admiral Sampson. A
+Spanish tug, flying a flag of truce, which had emerged from the harbor
+at noon, met one of our tugs, also flying a flag of truce, and almost
+immediately a string of signals went up to the signal yard of the &quot;New
+York.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Then came such a burst of cheers and whistling and tossing of hats from
+every ship in the fleet that it seemed as if every officer and sailor in
+Sampson's squadron had suddenly gone daft. Like wildfire, the glorious
+news spread&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>Hobson and his men were safe!</p>
+
+<p>The tug from the harbor had brought an officer sent by Admiral Cervera
+himself with a message stating that the brave naval constructor and all
+his crew had been captured alive and were now prisoners in Morro Castle.
+Later, a press boat came alongside and confirmed the news through a
+megaphone.</p>
+
+<p>The excitement on board the &quot;Yankee,&quot; like that throughout the fleet,
+was tremendous. Those in the North who had received both the news of the
+feat and the rescue at the same time, can hardly understand the
+revulsion of feeling which swept through the American ships gathered
+off Santiago. It was like hearing from a supposed dead friend.</p>
+
+<p>These heroes were comrades&mdash;nay, brothers. They wore the blue and they
+were fighting for Old Glory. Their praise was ours and their deed
+redounded to the eternal credit and fame of the American navy. Small
+wonder that we welcomed the news of their safety, and cheered until our
+throats were husky and our eyes wet with something more than mere
+exertion.</p>
+
+<p>All hail to Richmond Pearson Hobson and his men!</p>
+
+<p>Heroes all!</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<p>During the afternoon of our arrival, when we finally secured time to
+look about us, we were struck with the appearance of the really
+formidable fleet of warships collected under Admiral Sampson's flag. For
+size of individual ships and weight of armor and armament, there had
+never been anything in the history of the United States to equal it.</p>
+
+<p>The fleet consisted of the powerful battleships &quot;Iowa,&quot; &quot;Indiana,&quot;
+&quot;Massachusetts,&quot; and &quot;Texas,&quot; the two splendid armored cruisers &quot;New
+York&quot; and &quot;Brooklyn,&quot; cruisers &quot;New Orleans&quot; and &quot;Marblehead,&quot; converted
+yachts &quot;Mayflower,&quot; &quot;Josephine,&quot; and &quot;Vixen,&quot; torpedo boat &quot;Porter,&quot;
+cable boat &quot;Adria,&quot; gunboat &quot;Dolphin,&quot; and the auxiliary cruisers &quot;St.
+Louis&quot; and &quot;Yankee.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The vessels formed a semicircular line, completely enclosing the
+entrance to Santiago harbor. From where the &quot;Yankee&quot; rested, on the
+right wing, a fine view of the coast could be obtained. Two insurgent
+camps were plainly visible&mdash;one on the beach and another in the hills,
+which at that point rose to the height of fully four thousand feet.
+Morro Castle, a grim, sullen, gray embattled fort, directly overlooking
+the channel, was in plain sight, and here and there could be seen little
+green or sand-colored mounds, marking the site of earthworks.</p>
+
+<p>The stretch of blue sea, edged by the tumbling surf-beaten beach, and
+the uprising of foliage-covered hills, all brought out clearly by a
+tropical sun, formed a picture as far removed from the usual setting of
+war as could be. But war was there, and the scenery appealed to few.
+There was more interest in the drab hulls of the fleet and the outward
+reaching of the mighty guns.</p>
+
+<p>That evening&mdash;the evening of June 3d&mdash;the &quot;Yankee's&quot; decks presented an
+animated spectacle. The novel surroundings and the prospect of action
+kept the boys interested. The &quot;Rumor Committee&quot; was in active session,
+and one of its principal members, the captain's orderly, brought the
+news forward that the auxiliary cruiser would surely lead a procession
+of battleships into Santiago harbor the following day.</p>
+
+<p>This was a little too strong for even the marines to swallow. We lay
+down by our loaded guns that night, feeling that it was well to be
+within easy reach of our defenders.</p>
+
+<p>Hammocks were laid on the deck close to each five-inch breechloader, and
+the regular watch was doubled. Lack of experience made all these warlike
+preparations very impressive, and it was some time before the boys fell
+asleep. For my part, such a restlessness possessed me that, after trying
+to woo slumber for a half hour, I left my place and crawled over nearer
+the open port.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hello, Russ,&quot; whispered a voice, apparently from the outside. &quot;Just
+lean out here if you want to cool off. Isn't the night air fine?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>A small figure wriggled in from where it had been hanging over the port
+sill, and in the faint light I recognized &quot;Kid,&quot; as we called him, the
+smallest boy on board, and so pleasant and popular that we had
+unanimously elected him the mascot of the ship.</p>
+
+<p>I was glad to see that it was &quot;Kid.&quot; His fund of ready wit and his
+never-failing good-nature made him a welcome companion at all times. He
+did not belong to my gun, being a &quot;powder monkey&quot; on No. 16, a
+six-pounder on the spar deck, but &quot;Kid&quot; was privileged, and he could
+have penetrated to the captain's cabin with impunity.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Thought I'd drop down here for a rest,&quot; he began, stretching himself
+and yawning. &quot;Too much tramping about on deck to sleep. Say, looks as if
+we were going to have a little rain, doesn't it?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The moon had just passed behind a scurrying cloud, causing the silvery
+sparkle of its reflection to suddenly fade from the surface of the
+water. The lights and shadows on the nearby beach changed to a streaky
+dark smudge. There was a damp touch to the air.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;This would be a proper night for one of those sneaking torpedo boats to
+give us a scare,&quot; resumed &quot;Kid,&quot; thoughtfully. &quot;Funny ways of fighting
+those Dagoes have, eh? It's like prisoner's base that I played when I
+was a boy.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Kid's&quot; eighteen years were a mature age in his opinion.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The two torpedo craft in Santiago harbor could do a great deal of
+damage if they were properly handled,&quot; I ventured. &quot;They are
+magnificent vessels of their class. Look what Cushing did with a slow
+steam launch and a powder can on the end of a stick.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The case was different.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Yes, but&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Cushing was an American,&quot; interrupted the boy convincingly.</p>
+
+<p>There was silence for awhile and we lolled in the port, gazing idly at
+the black spots in the gloom representing the blockading fleet. Between
+us and the shore was the &quot;New Orleans,&quot; the faint tracery of her masts
+just showing above the distant background of the hills. The dampness in
+the air had increased, and a dash of rain came in the open port.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What were you doing at the mast this morning, 'Kid'?&quot; I asked by way of
+variety.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Had a mustering shirt in the lucky bag.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>I heard the boy chuckle. There was an escapade behind the remark.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You know that wardroom Jap with the bad eye?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Yes.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It was his shirt.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;But how&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It was this way. You know how hard it has been to put up with
+'government straight' as a steady diet, don't you?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>I nodded. As &quot;government straight&quot; meant the extremely simple bill of
+fare provided by Uncle Sam, consisting of salt beef, pork, hardtack,
+beans, and canned butter, with an occasional taste of dried fruit, I was
+compelled to admit my acquaintance with it.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Well, the other night I got to dreaming that I was back in New York,&quot;
+resumed &quot;Kid.&quot; &quot;I dreamt I dropped into a bang-up restaurant and ordered
+beefsteak, fried potatoes, pie, and&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>A groan came from one of the gun's crew, who was within hearing, and
+&quot;Kid&quot; lowered his voice.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hit him where he lived, I guess,&quot; he chuckled. &quot;Well, I woke up so
+hungry that I couldn't stand it any longer. I looked up the Jap and
+struck him for a hand-out. He wanted a shirt, and I wanted something to
+eat, and we made a bargain. I brought him my extra mustering shirt&mdash;it
+was too large for me, anyway&mdash;and he gave me some bread and butter, cold
+potted tongue, three bananas, and&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;For mercy's sake, stow that,&quot; muttered a voice from back of the
+gun-mount. &quot;Don't we suffer enough?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That's 'Hand-Out' Hood,&quot; grinned &quot;Kid.&quot; &quot;He's kicking because he didn't
+get it. Well, I gave the shirt to the Jap, and what did he do but lose
+it. My name was on the collar, and 'Jimmy Legs' put me on the report.
+The 'old man' was easy, though. Gave me four hours extra duty. I asked
+him if I couldn't work it out in the wardroom pantry.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Kid's&quot; chuckle came to a sudden stop, and he leaned out through the
+port.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What's the matter?&quot; I asked.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Thought I saw something moving over there near the beach.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Must have been a shadow.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Guess so. Still, it looked like some kind of a&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Bang!</p>
+
+<p>The sharp report of a rapid-fire gun cut short his words. Another
+followed almost instantly, then came a regular volley. The effect on the
+crew of the &quot;Yankee&quot; was instantaneous. The men sleeping at the guns
+scrambled to their feet, hammocks were kicked out of the way, and before
+the word to go to general quarters was passed, every member of the crew
+was at his station.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I thought I saw something moving inshore,&quot; cried &quot;Kid,&quot; as he scurried
+away.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's a Spanish torpedo boat,&quot; muttered &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;Great Scott! just
+listen to the 'New Orleans.' She's firing like a house afire.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Suddenly there came a deep, thunderous roar. It was the voice of a
+thirteen-inch gun on the &quot;Massachusetts.&quot; Sixty seconds later the
+six-pounders on the &quot;Yankee's&quot; forecastle joined in the chorus, and the
+action became general.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Do not fire without orders, men,&quot; cautioned Lieutenant Greene, the
+officer in charge of our division. &quot;Just take it easy and bide your
+time.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>It was our first experience in actual fighting, and our anxiety to &quot;let
+loose&quot; was almost overwhelming. We were held to our stations so rigidly
+that but few glimpses could be caught of the outside. The &quot;New Orleans,&quot;
+on our starboard, was still rattling away.</p>
+
+<p>Notwithstanding our own inaction (the gun deck battery was not used),
+there was a certain exhilaration in even listening to the sounds of
+conflict, and the eager, tense faces surrounding the guns reflected in
+the dim light of the deck lanterns such a fierce desire to fight that
+they were absolutely transfigured.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Can't stand this much longer,&quot; muttered &quot;Hay,&quot; the second captain, as a
+peculiarly vicious report came from the direction of the
+&quot;Massachusetts.&quot; &quot;Why don't they give a fellow a chance?&quot;</p>
+
+<a name='page112'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page112.jpg' width='300' height='363' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>&quot;THE SIX-POUNDERS ON THE 'YANKEE'S' FORECASTLE JOINED IN
+THE CHORUS&quot; (<i>page</i> 112).</h5>
+
+<p>&quot;Steady, men,&quot; admonished Lieutenant Greene. &quot;Don't be impatient. Our
+turn will come soon. Steady!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>A turn of the hull&mdash;we were under way at half speed&mdash;brought the land on
+the port bow just then. The moon suddenly emerged from behind the
+clouds, and we who were nearest the port, distinctly saw a long, black
+object fade into the obscurity of the coast almost directly under Morro
+Castle.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;She's escaped!&quot; groaned &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;It's the torpedo boat, and she is
+safe again.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>As if to prove the truth of his words the guns on the &quot;New Orleans&quot; and
+&quot;Massachusetts&quot; became silent; then word was sent below to &quot;secure.&quot; Our
+first action was disappointing, but there was little grumbling. We knew
+full well that momentous events were bound to occur before long.</p>
+
+<p>The following morning, shortly after daybreak, the torpedo boat &quot;Porter&quot;
+steamed alongside. Her coming created some excitement, and the
+&quot;Yankee's&quot; crew promptly lined the railing.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What's that object on the deck?&quot; asked &quot;Stump,&quot; pointing to a long
+brass cylinder lying abaft the after conning tower.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's a torpedo, but not like those used in our navy,&quot; replied &quot;Hay.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Captain Brownson leaned over the end of the bridge and waved his hand to
+Lieutenant Fremont, the &quot;Porter's&quot; commander. The latter was smiling,
+and as we watched, he made a gesture toward the mysterious brass
+cylinder.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;See that thing, Brownson?&quot; he called out.</p>
+
+<p>The captain nodded.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It almost paid you a visit last night.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;We picked it up near shore this morning and sunk another. That Spanish
+torpedo boat made a great attempt to sink one of our ships, and, if I am
+not mistaken, the 'Yankee' was her intended prey. Congratulations.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>As the &quot;Porter&quot; steamed away we felt very much like congratulating
+ourselves. This was grim war of a certainty. Like the boy who was blown
+a mile in a cyclone without injury, we experienced a certain pride that
+we really had been in danger.</p>
+
+<p>About the middle of the afternoon a signal was seen on the flagship. It
+was read at once, and immediately the boatswain's mate passed a call
+that sent a thrill of anticipation through us. It was:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;All hands clear ship for action!&quot;</p>
+
+<a name='page115'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page115.jpg' width='300' height='344' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>&quot;CLEAR SHIP FOR ACTION!&quot; (<i>page</i> 115).]</h5>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_IX'></a><h2>CHAPTER IX.</h2>
+
+<h3>CLEAR SHIP FOR ACTION.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The boatswain's mate's shrill piping and the long drawn out cry, &quot;All
+hands clear ship for action!&quot; was not entirely unexpected. An unusual
+activity on the part of the signal men on the flagship &quot;New York&quot; had
+not escaped our notice, and when the summons to prepare for battle
+echoed through the &quot;Yankee's&quot; decks it found us in readiness for prompt
+obedience.</p>
+
+<p>At the time the call sounded a number of us were standing in the port
+waist idly watching the fleet and the shore. &quot;Bill,&quot; a member of the
+powder division, whose father is a prominent real estate broker of New
+York, and whose great talent is for practical joking and general fun
+making, was telling a story. As we scattered at the summons, he started
+below with me. Even the circumstances could not prevent him following
+his hobby, and he whispered as we hurried along:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Say, Russ, this reminds me of a good story I once heard. There was a
+man who was too lazy to live and the neighbors finally decided to bury
+him. So they took him out to the village graveyard one morning before
+day and&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Here, you men, pass this mess chest below,&quot; interrupted an officer,
+beckoning to us. &quot;Bill&quot; grasped one end of the object indicated and
+lugged it to the hatch.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;They took the lazy man to the village graveyard, as I was saying,&quot;
+resumed &quot;Bill,&quot; &quot;and they buried him up to his neck in the earth. Then
+they hid back of tombstones and&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Less talking there, men,&quot; exclaimed the navigator, hurrying past us.
+&quot;You 'heroes' do too much yarning to suit me. Get those things below at
+once. Shake it up.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;They are in an almighty hurry,&quot; grumbled &quot;Bill.&quot; &quot;The forts won't move.
+They'll be there to-morrow, I guess. Well, as I was saying, the
+villagers concealed themselves behind convenient tombstones and waited
+to see what the lazy man would do when he woke up. By and by day broke,
+and just as the sun gilded the windows of the old church the fellow who
+was buried up to his neck&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Chase those mess chests below, bullies,&quot; called out the boatswain's
+mate, dropping down the ladder a few feet away. &quot;Lively there; the 'old
+man' wants to break a record. When you have finished, hustle to the oil
+and paint lockers and help carry all inflammable material to the spar
+deck.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>For several minutes &quot;Bill&quot; worked away in silence. Between us we managed
+to lower a number of chests into the hold where they would be out of the
+way; then we disposed of more objects liable to produce unwelcome
+splinters, and finally we started toward the paint locker.</p>
+
+<p>The gun deck presented a scene of the most intense activity. The process
+of clearing ship for action requires the united efforts of the entire
+crew. On vessels of the regular service, such as the &quot;New York&quot; or
+&quot;Indiana,&quot; where everything has been constructed with a view to the
+needs of battle, the work is thoroughly systematized and comparatively
+easy. The &quot;Yankee,&quot; being a merchant steamer hastily converted into a
+vessel of war, presented greater difficulties.</p>
+
+<p>However, the crew was fairly familiar with its duties and the work
+progressed at a rapid rate. When &quot;Bill&quot; and I reached the paint locker
+we found several others preparing to convey the oil to the deck. It was
+a momentary respite, and &quot;Bill&quot; took advantage of it.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;When the sun rose the fellows hiding behind the tombstones saw the lazy
+man open his eyes,&quot; he resumed hurriedly. &quot;He looked around and took in
+all the details of the scene, the old church with the windows glowing
+redly, the weeping willows shaking and trembling in the crisp morning
+breeze, the rows of sod-covered mounds, the crumbling tombstones, and on
+one side the old rickety fence marking the passing of the road. All this
+he saw and then&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hear the news, fellows?&quot; interrupted the &quot;Kid,&quot; suddenly approaching.
+&quot;We are going to&mdash;what's the matter, 'Bill'?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>For &quot;Bill&quot; had caught him by the slack of the shirt and one arm and was
+hustling him along the deck. The &quot;Kid,&quot; looking aggrieved, went his way,
+and &quot;Bill&quot; returned.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;As I was saying,&quot; he continued calmly; &quot;the lazy fellow saw all those
+things, then he threw back his head and laughed and laughed until the
+tears rolled down his cheeks. 'Whoop!' he cried, 'this is the best piece
+of luck I've struck yet. Hurray! blamed if it ain't the resurrection day
+and I'm the first feller above ground. Whoop!'&quot;</p>
+
+<p>After I had finished laughing I picked up a can of oil and asked:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Where's the similarity, 'Bill'? It's a good story, but you said this
+reminded you of it.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Humph! aren't we going to see the resurrection of some of these old
+Spanish fossils around here to-day?&quot; &quot;Bill&quot; demanded. &quot;And aren't we the
+first volunteer force on the spot? I guess that makes the story
+apropos.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>As the &quot;Yankee&quot; was the first vessel manned by Naval Reserves to reach
+the scene of hostilities, I could not deny &quot;Bill's&quot; claim. Seeing the
+success of one story, he was on the point of telling another, when word
+came to hasten the clearing of the ship for action, and we were
+compelled to devote our energies to the work in hand.</p>
+
+<p>The decks were sanded&mdash;a precaution that made more than one wonder if
+the spilling of blood was really anticipated; all boats and spare booms
+were covered with canvas to prevent the scattering of splinters, the
+steel hatch covers were closed down, hammocks were broken out of the
+racks and made to serve as an added protection to the forward
+wheel-house, and everything possible done to make the ship fit for
+action.</p>
+
+<p>The time taken to gain this end did not exceed ten minutes, which was
+almost a record. Signals were displayed stating that we were in
+readiness, then all hands were called to general quarters. As we hurried
+to our stations I saw the entire blockading fleet moving slowly
+shoreward.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;We are going to bombard the Dagoes this trip for sure,&quot; observed the
+first captain of Number Eight as we lined up. &quot;I see their finish.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Don't be too sure,&quot; said &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;There's many a slip between the
+muzzle and the target. Maybe we won't do much after all. Just to make it
+interesting I'll bet you a dinner at Del's that we will only chuck a
+bluff. What d'ye say?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Done, if you make it for the whole ship's company,&quot; chuckled the first
+captain.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Stump&quot; shook his head.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;A dinner at Del's for over two hundred hungry Reserves, and on a salary
+of $35 per month. Nope. Not on your life.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Cast loose and provide,&quot; came the order.</p>
+
+<p>There were a few moments of rapid work, then the battery was reported in
+readiness for firing. Through the open port we could catch a glimpse of
+the other vessels of the fleet, and the spectacle formed by the
+low-lying battleships, the massive cruisers, and the smaller, but
+equally defiant gunboats, was one long to be remembered.</p>
+
+<p>Every ship was cleared for business. On the vessels of the &quot;Oregon&quot;
+class nothing could be seen but the gray steel of turrets and
+superstructure. The &quot;New York&quot; and the &quot;Brooklyn&quot; were similarly
+cleared. On the bridges could be seen groups of officers, but the decks
+were empty. Every man was at his gun.</p>
+
+<p>The ships steamed in to within a short distance of the beach and then
+formed a semicircle, the heavier vessels taking the centre where they
+could directly face the forts. The little &quot;Dolphin&quot; was on the extreme
+right of the line, with the &quot;Yankee&quot; next.</p>
+
+<p>When within easy range of the guns ashore there ensued a wait. No signal
+to fire came from the flagship, and there did not seem to be any move
+toward opening the battle by the forts. We stood at our guns in silence,
+awaiting the word, until finally patience ceased to be a virtue.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Seems to me they ought to do something,&quot; murmured &quot;Stump,&quot; glancing
+shoreward rather discontentedly. &quot;Ain't we fair targets?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Why don't the admiral tell us to sail in?&quot; queried the first captain in
+the same tone. &quot;The day is fine and the range is good. There's the
+beggars plain enough with their measly old forts. What more is wanted?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Wish they would pipe down and light the smoking lamp,&quot; said the second
+loader. &quot;It would be a great deal more fun than standing here like a
+dummy.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The sun had passed beyond the top of the hills, but the light was
+sufficiently strong to bring out in plain relief the batteries guarding
+the entrance to Santiago. Grim Morro Castle appeared almost deserted.
+The red and yellow banner of Spain flaunted lazily from the ramparts,
+but only here and there could be distinguished the little black dots
+representing the soldiers on guard. The earthworks and smaller forts
+were equally idle.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;We won't get anything out of them to-day,&quot; remarked &quot;Stump&quot; decisively.
+&quot;It must be one of their eternal feast days when they won't even fight.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;There goes a signal on the flagship,&quot; exclaimed the first loader,
+pointing out the port. &quot;I'll bet a dollar it's&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The signal to pull out again,&quot; groaned &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;Didn't I say so?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The admiral intends to postpone the bombardment for some reason,&quot; I
+ventured. &quot;Perhaps it's too late in the day.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Whatever the cause, it was now plain that we would not engage the forts.
+In obedience to the signals on the &quot;New York,&quot; which were repeated by
+the &quot;Brooklyn,&quot; the whole fleet returned to the former station several
+miles from shore. The word to &quot;secure&quot; was passed and presently the
+&quot;Yankee&quot; had resumed its former condition of armed watchfulness.</p>
+
+<p>That evening after supper there was a gathering of the choice spirits of
+the crew in the vicinity of the after wheel-house. &quot;Dye,&quot; the chief
+member of the &quot;Yankee's&quot; choir, started one of &quot;Steve's&quot; little songs,
+which, although rendered very quietly in deference to the rules observed
+on blockade, was greatly enjoyed. The air was &quot;Tommy Atkins,&quot; and the
+words ran as follows:</p>
+
+<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;They made us sign our papers for a year,<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>And dressed us in a natty sailor's suit;<br /></span>
+<span>They taught us how to heave the lead and steer,<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>And how to handle guns and how to shoot.<br /></span>
+<span>We fancied we'd be leaving right away<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>To capture prizes on the Spanish Main,<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>And be raising merry hades<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>With the dusky Spanish laddies,<br /></span>
+<span>And within a month come steaming home again.<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>CHORUS.<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;But instead we ran a ferry<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>All along the Jersey shore,<br /></span>
+<span>And our turns were empty very,<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>And our hands were awful sore.<br /></span>
+<span>We would give our bottom dollar<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>Just to see a cable car,<br /></span>
+<span>Just to hear a newsboy holler,<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>Just to smoke a good cigar.<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;In times of peace we do not have to sweep<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>Or carry coal or stand on watch all night;<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>We do not have to scrub down decks or keep<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>Our toothbrush chained, or brasswork shining bright.<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>We never washed our faces in a pail,<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>We never heard the fog-horn's awful shriek,<br /></span>
+<span class='i6'>We never ate salt horse,<br /></span>
+<span class='i6'>We combed our hair, of course,<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>And we never wore our stockings for a week.&quot;<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>CHORUS.<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>&quot;Suppose you 'heroes' pipe down there,&quot; came from the darkness just
+then. &quot;What do you think this is, a concert hall?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's 'Cutlets,'&quot; muttered &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;He would like to make the ship a
+funeral barge.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>We sat in silence for a while, watching the retreating form of the
+navigator passing forward; then Tom Le Valley, a zealous member of
+Number Nine gun's crew, spoke up.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Do you see those two lights twinkling over there about where the
+'Dolphin' should be, fellows?&quot; he asked.</p>
+
+<p>Some one yawned and nodded.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Reminds you of a story, eh?&quot; asked &quot;Bill,&quot; who was leaning against the
+rail. &quot;Well, come to think of it I remember a&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Several years ago I happened to be a patient in a hospital over in
+Brooklyn,&quot; continued Tom. &quot;I was almost well and about to leave the
+place when a man in the upper ward&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I had a cousin once who used to travel a great deal,&quot; interrupted
+&quot;Bill,&quot; taking a seat on the deck with his back against a bitt. &quot;One
+time he happened to be in a small town just outside of Dublin, Ireland.
+The inn was crowded and he had to take up his quarters with a family who
+occasionally rented out rooms. A circus and menagerie was giving
+exhibitions in the city, and one night the biggest monkey escaped from
+its cage and skipped out. They instituted a search at once, but the
+animal could not be found. Well, it happened that the family with whom
+my cousin was stopping consisted of father and mother and one son about
+ten years old. The boy, whose name was Mike, was a regular limb. Always
+in mischief and&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;As I was saying,&quot; broke in Tom at this juncture, &quot;when I was about to
+leave the hospital, a man in the upper ward concluded to depart this
+world for a better one. It happened about eight o'clock in the evening,
+and, as was usual in such cases, the nurse on watch was supposed to get
+several convalescent patients and a stretcher and carry the body down to
+a little wooden house a hundred yards from the main building. The nurse,
+with whom I was on friendly terms, had an important case to attend to
+just then and he asked me if I wouldn't take charge of the stretcher
+party. Well, we started down the yard, I leading the way with a lantern,
+and we finally reached the little house. We entered and&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Some people think they are the only story tellers in the group,&quot;
+remarked &quot;Bill&quot; with mild sarcasm at that interesting point. &quot;To tell a
+good story with a point to it is an art. Now, as I was saying, this boy
+Mike would rather get into mischief than eat a&mdash;what's the Irish for
+potato?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Spud,&quot; suggested &quot;Hod.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Murphy,&quot; said &quot;Stump.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Well, it's immaterial. Anyway the boy was full of mischief. The night
+the monk got away he had been sent to bed early because of some trick he
+had played. He slept in a little room at the head of the stairs leading
+to the second story. His window opened on a lean-to shed, and, as it was
+a warm evening, the sash was raised. Shortly after the youngster got to
+bed, something slipped over the back fence, and after prowling about the
+yard for a moment, climbed upon the shed and through the window into the
+room where Mike was just in the act of falling asleep. The thing, which
+was about the youngster's size, crept over the floor toward the bed,
+and then with a spring, landed squarely upon&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Some people use more wind in telling a story than would fill a
+maintop-sail,&quot; drawled Tom. &quot;There's nothing like getting at your
+subject. Now, when we reached the little wooden house we entered, and
+after accomplishing our errand, started back to the main building. While
+on the way it suddenly occurred to me that I had forgotten to close the
+door between the two rooms of which the house was composed. There was an
+open window in the front room, and there was no telling what might get
+in. I told the fellows to go on and I tasked back to the little house. I
+still carried the lantern, but just as I reached the door, it went out.
+I tell you, I felt like letting the whole thing go, but I didn't want to
+get the nurse into trouble. So I unlocked the front door, opened it,
+and, Great Scott! I saw&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;There's everything in choosing a subject when you want to tell a good
+story,&quot; calmly interrupted Bill. &quot;This story I am trying to tell has a
+laugh in it. You don't have to keep your hair down with both hands and
+feel the cold chills playing tag up and down your spinal column, like
+you have to do when some people are trying to yarn. Well, when the thing
+that had crept through the window landed on the bed, Mike let out a
+yell that could have been heard in Dublin. 'Ow-w-w!' he whooped,
+scrambling to the floor. He caught one sight of the visitor, and then
+made a dash for the window and slid clear to the ground, leaving pieces
+of shirt and his epidermis on every nail on the shed roof. The noise he
+made roused the father and mother below, and the latter started for the
+stairs. 'That b'ye 'll be the death av me yet,' she complained. 'I'll go
+up and give him a slap.' She lost no time in reaching the little room,
+and when she entered she saw the bed with what she thought was Mike
+under the clothes. 'Mike, ye rascal,' she exclaimed, 'turn down the
+sheet this minute. It's mesilf as'll tache ye to raise a noise at this
+time o' night. For shame, ye spalpane! What, ye won't obey your own
+mother? I'll show ye. Take that!' She brought her hand down upon the
+figure outlined under the sheet with a resounding whack. The next second
+the thing leaped from the bed squarely into her arms. 'Wow! Murther!
+Mike, what have ye been doing?' she howled, adding at the top of her
+voice, 'Patrick, Patrick, come quick! The b'ye has got hold of your hair
+restorer. He's all covered with hair and he's gone daft. Murther!' With
+that the father made for the stairs as fast as his legs could carry
+him. Just as he got to the top&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The sight I saw when I opened the outer door of the little house almost
+knocked me silly,&quot; broke in Tom, rather excitedly. &quot;There in the other
+room gleamed&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;When Patrick reached the second floor,&quot; interrupted Bill, raising his
+voice, &quot;he felt something strike him full in the chest; then two hairy
+arms clasped him about the throat and&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;In the other room gleamed two&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Oh, give a fellow a chance, will you?&quot; cried Bill. &quot;You want the whole
+floor. What do you think&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Sh-h-h! here comes the executive officer,&quot; hastily whispered &quot;Stump.&quot;
+&quot;We've made too much racket. Let's go into the after wheel-house.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;We must be quiet about it,&quot; spoke up the &quot;Kid,&quot; warningly. &quot;'Cutlets'
+is chasing around to-night, and if he catches us in there he'll raise
+Cain.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;All right,&quot; replied Bill. &quot;And I'll finish that story if I have to stay
+up all night.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Same here,&quot; retorted Tom, with evident determination. &quot;Come on.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>And we all followed the twain.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_X'></a><h2>CHAPTER X.</h2>
+
+<h3>WE BOMBARD SANTIAGO DE CUBA.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The after wheel-house on board the &quot;Yankee&quot; was a round structure of
+steel built on the spar deck directly over the counter. It contained a
+steering wheel to be used in case the wheel in the pilot-house should be
+disabled. When the chill winds of May and early June were blowing off
+the northern coast during the &quot;Yankee's&quot; period of cruising in that
+vicinity, the after wheel-house formed a snug and comfortable retreat
+for the men of the watch.</p>
+
+<p>It was freely used for that purpose until the navigator chanced to
+discover the fact. He forthwith issued orders forbidding any person to
+enter the house, except on duty. His order, like many others, received
+respectful consideration&mdash;when he happened to be looking. In the present
+case we were so eager to hear the conclusion of the stories being
+related by the rival yarn-spinners, that we were fain to brave
+&quot;Cutlets'&quot; displeasure. Led by Bill and Tom, we piled inside.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What I was trying to say,&quot; spoke up the former, getting the first
+opening, &quot;was that when Patrick reached the top of the stairs, something
+struck him full in the chest, and two hairy arms were thrown about his
+neck. The sudden shock sent him tumbling backward, and he fell kerflop!
+down the steps. Up above, his wife was howling to beat the band, 'Mike,
+Mike, ye spalpane! You do be killing your poor father. Och! why did I
+live to see this day?' In the meantime the real Mike&mdash;for the one inside
+was the escaped monk from the menagerie&mdash;had scooted for the police.
+They came, a half dozen of them, and as they entered the front door&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Time!&quot; chuckled &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;Give Tom a chance.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;As I opened the front door of the little wooden house where we had
+placed the body,&quot; said Tom, prompt to take advantage of the opportunity,
+&quot;I saw two gleaming eyes glaring at me from the inner room. I tell you,
+my heart fell clean down into my boots.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Should think it would,&quot; muttered the &quot;Kid,&quot; peering about the
+wheel-house with a shiver. &quot;Ugh!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I dropped the lantern,&quot; resumed Tom, &quot;and staggered back. Just then
+a&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Half dozen policemen entered the front door just as Patrick and the
+supposed Mike reached the bottom of the stairs,&quot; broke in Bill, taking
+up the thread of his story. &quot;Well, when the Irish coppers saw Pat with
+the monk hanging around his neck they thought the old Nick had him. They
+started to run, but the old woman reached the lower floor in time to see
+both Mike and the monkey. She grabbed a broom, but the monk slipped
+through the front door, and&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That's the end of your story. And a good job it is too,&quot; remarked Tom.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It is better than having no end,&quot; retorted Bill. &quot;You spin out a yarn
+to beat the band.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's getting late,&quot; spoke up &quot;Hod,&quot; yawning. &quot;If you fellows are going
+to chew the rag all night I&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Only a word more,&quot; interrupted Tom. &quot;As I staggered back I fell into
+the arms of the nurse, who had come down to see what kept me. I
+explained in a hurry, and he lit a match. We both went in and
+discovered&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Sh-h-h! Get out of here, you fellows,&quot; suddenly spoke up a voice at the
+door on the starboard side. &quot;Here comes 'Cutlets'!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>There was a scramble for the opposite door, and in much less time than
+is taken in the telling, the wheel-house was empty. We huddled in the
+shadows for a moment; then dodged forward. As we reached the hatch I
+heard the &quot;Kid&quot; ask Tom:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Say, what was it you saw? Tell a fellow, won't you?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Two brass knobs on an old chest,&quot; was the calm reply.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Huh!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The following day being Sunday, was given over to rest and recreation
+and the writing of letters, until late in the afternoon. The day dawned
+clear but very warm. There was very little breeze stirring, and the spar
+and gun decks, where we spent the most of our time, were almost
+stifling. &quot;Corking mats,&quot; as they are termed in naval parlance, were
+very much in evidence. The sailor's &quot;corking mat&quot; is a strip of canvas
+which he spreads upon the deck to protect his clothing from the tarry
+seams, when he feels the necessity for a siesta or nap, which is quite
+often.</p>
+
+<p>Toward evening we were put to work at a task which gave welcome promise
+of coming action. Under the direction of the executive officer we broke
+out a number of bags of coal from the orlop deck and piled them five
+deep, and about the same number in height, around the steam steering
+engine under the forward wheel-house. This was to give added protection
+to a vital part of the ship.</p>
+
+<p>The work was hard and unpleasant, especially to men who had not spent
+the major portion of their lives at manual labor, but it was one of
+those disagreeable fortunes of war to which we were growing accustomed,
+and we toiled without comment. That night when we turned in, that is,
+those who were fortunate enough to have the &quot;off watch,&quot; it was
+generally rumored about the decks that the fleet would surely bombard
+early the following morning.</p>
+
+<p>About two bells (five o'clock) the different guns' crews, who were
+sleeping at the batteries, were called by the boatswain's mates, and
+told to go to breakfast at once.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's coming,&quot; exclaimed &quot;Hay,&quot; joyfully. &quot;The old 'Yankee' will see her
+real baptism of fire to-day. 'Kid,' you young rat, you'll have a chance
+to dodge shells before you are many hours older.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You may get a chance to stop one,&quot; retorted the boy.</p>
+
+<p>After a hurried meal, word to clear ship for action was passed, and the
+&quot;Yankee's&quot; boys set to work with a vim. The task was done more
+thoroughly than usual. The boats and wooden hatches were covered with
+canvas, everything portable that would splinter was sent below, the
+decks were sanded, and all the inflammable oils were placed in a boat
+and set adrift for the &quot;Justin,&quot; one of the colliers, to pick up.</p>
+
+<p>The day seemed fitted for the work we had in hand. The sky was overcast,
+and occasionally a rain squall would sweep from the direction of the
+land, and envelop the fleet. It was not a cold, raw rain, like that
+encountered in more northern latitudes in early summer, but a dripping
+of moisture peculiarly grateful after the heat of the previous day.</p>
+
+<p>Shortly before seven o'clock, the members of the crew were in readiness
+for business. The majority had removed their superfluous clothing, and
+it was a stirring sight to watch the different guns' crews, stripped to
+the waist and barefooted, standing at their stations. There was
+something in the cool, practical manner in which each man prepared for
+work that promised well, and it should be said to the everlasting credit
+of the Naval Reserves that they invariably fought with the calmness and
+precision of veterans whenever they were called upon.</p>
+
+<p>In the present case, there would have been some excuse for
+faint-heartedness. The crew of the &quot;Yankee,&quot; made up of men whose
+previous lives had been those of absolute peace, who had never heard a
+shot fired in anger before their arrival at Santiago, who had left home
+and business in defence of the flag&mdash;these men went about their
+preparations for attacking the fortifications with as little apparent
+concern as if it were simply a yachting trip.</p>
+
+<p>There was no holding back, no hesitancy, no looks of concern or anxiety,
+but when the signal to advance inshore appeared on the &quot;New York,&quot; at
+six bells (seven o'clock), there was a feeling of relief that the time
+of waiting was over.</p>
+
+<p>We were to be in it at last.</p>
+
+<p>The flagship's signal to advance in formation was obeyed at once. Moving
+in double column, the fleet stood in toward the batteries. The first
+line, as we saw from the after port, was composed of the &quot;Brooklyn,&quot;
+&quot;Texas,&quot; &quot;Massachusetts,&quot; and &quot;Marblehead.&quot; The line to which the
+&quot;Yankee&quot; was attached, included, besides that vessel, the &quot;New York,&quot;
+&quot;Oregon,&quot; &quot;Iowa,&quot; and &quot;New Orleans.&quot; When within three thousand yards
+from shore, the first line turned toward the west, leaving us to steam
+in the opposite direction.</p>
+
+<p>The batteries ashore could now be plainly distinguished. Morro Castle,
+grim and defiant, seemed to ignore our coming, if the absence of life
+was any proof. Lower down on the other side of the entrance where the
+Estrella and Catalena batteries were located, there seemed to be more
+activity. Men could also be seen running about in some new batteries a
+little to the eastward of Morro Castle. It was evident to us at once
+that the enemy had not anticipated an attack on such a rainy, windy day.</p>
+
+<p>On swept the two lines of ships without firing a shot until they formed
+a semicircle, with the heavier vessels directly facing the forts; then
+the &quot;New York&quot; opened fire with one of her heavy guns, the &quot;Iowa&quot;
+following immediately. At this moment, 7:45 a.m., the ships were
+arranged as follows, counting from the right: &quot;New York,&quot; &quot;Yankee,&quot; &quot;New
+Orleans,&quot; &quot;Massachusetts,&quot; &quot;Oregon,&quot; &quot;Iowa,&quot; &quot;Indiana,&quot; &quot;Texas,&quot;
+&quot;Marblehead,&quot; and &quot;Brooklyn.&quot; Guarding the extreme left were the &quot;Vixen&quot;
+and &quot;Suwanee,&quot; and doing similar duty on the other flank were the
+&quot;Dolphin&quot; and &quot;Porter.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The shot from the flagship was the signal for a general bombardment.
+There was no settled order of firing, but each ship just &quot;pitched in,&quot;
+to use a common expression, and banged away at the forts with every
+available gun.</p>
+
+<p>The scene on the gun deck of the &quot;Yankee&quot; was one never to be forgotten.
+When the word to commence firing reached us, we sprang to the work at
+once. Each crew paid strict attention to its own station, and the
+routine of loading and firing went on with the regularity of clockwork.
+A number of boxes of the fixed ammunition had been &quot;whipped&quot; up from
+below while we were steaming into position, and there was no lack of
+death-dealing food for the hungry maws of the battery.</p>
+
+<p>Not much could be seen of the outside at first, as the task in hand
+claimed our strict attention, but after a while an occasional glimpse
+was obtained of the other ships and the forts. The heavy battleships,
+the &quot;Indiana,&quot; &quot;Oregon,&quot; &quot;Massachusetts,&quot; &quot;Iowa,&quot; and &quot;Texas,&quot; were lost
+in the dense smoke of their guns. It was thrilling to see them, like
+moving clouds, emitting streams of fire which shot through the walls of
+vapor like flashes of lightning athwart a gloomy sky.</p>
+
+<a name='page138'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page138.jpg' width='357' height='300' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>THE BOMBARDMENT OF MORRO CASTLE, SANTIAGO (<i>page</i> 138).</h5>
+
+<p>The noise was terrific. It seemed to gather at times in such an
+overwhelming, soul-stunning clamor of sound, that the very air was rent
+and split and shattered, and the senses refused further burden. There
+was no possibility of hearing the human voice, save at odd intervals
+when a brief cessation occurred in the firing. Orders were transmitted
+by gestures.</p>
+
+<p>The smoke was thick and stifling, the saltpetre fumes filling the throat
+and lungs, until breathing was difficult. The dense bank of vapor
+enveloping the ship also rendered it almost impossible to aim with any
+accuracy. We of Number Eight gun were early impressed with this fact,
+and &quot;Hay,&quot; the second captain, exclaimed during a lull:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's that fellow in charge of Number Six. He won't give us any show.
+Just look how he's working his crew. Did you ever see the beat of it?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The captain of Number Six, a broker of considerable note in New York, a
+member of the Calumet Club, and the son of a distinguished captain in
+the Confederate navy, was fighting his gun with savage energy. Under his
+direction, and inspired by a running fire of comments from him, the
+different members of Number Six crew were literally pouring a hail of
+steel upon the batteries. The firing was so rapid, in fact, that it kept
+our port completely filled with smoke, much to our sorrow.</p>
+
+<p>Notwithstanding that fact, &quot;Hay,&quot; the second captain of Number Eight,
+did such marvellous shooting, that word presently came from Captain
+Brownson on the bridge, publicly commending him. We were correspondingly
+elated, and worked all the harder.</p>
+
+<p>It was not until we had been firing some time that we began to take
+particular note of our surroundings. At first the novelty of the
+situation and a state of excitement, natural under the circumstances,
+kept us absorbed in our duties, but when it became apparent that the
+engagement was to be a matter of hours&mdash;and also that the Spaniards did
+not aim very well&mdash;we commenced to look about.</p>
+
+<p>One of the first things to strike me personally, and it was rather
+humorous, was the appearance of &quot;Stump,&quot; the second loader. Orders had
+early been given to avoid exposing ourselves to the enemy's fire as much
+as possible. &quot;Stump,&quot; than whom no more daring and aggressive man could
+be found on board, thought it wise to obey, so he crouched behind the
+gun-mount and compressed himself so as to be out of range. From this
+position he had only to reach out one hand to train the gun, which was
+his special duty. Meanwhile, he continually urged &quot;Hay&quot; to keep on
+firing.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Doesn't make any difference whether you can see or not,&quot; he exclaimed.
+&quot;Shoot anyway. Give it to the beggars! That's the ticket, old chap. Now
+another. Whoop! did you see that land? Ah-h-h! we are the people.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>As the novelty of the scene gradually wore off we began to enjoy it
+hugely. We pumped away at the guns, commenting freely on the enemy's
+marksmanship. We felt more like a party watching a fireworks display
+than the crew of a warship engaged in bombarding a number of forts.</p>
+
+<p>The two lines were steaming back and forth in front of the batteries,
+firing as the guns would bear. At first, Morro Castle and the smaller
+forts maintained a spirited fire, but finally their response to our
+fusillade slackened considerably, and it became evident that they had
+been driven from their guns.</p>
+
+<p>The difference in aim between the Spanish gunners and ours was very
+perceptible. Their shells invariably passed over the ships or landed
+short, and at no time during the engagement were any of the American
+vessels in imminent danger. This was not due to length of range either,
+as the lines were maintained at from two to four thousand yards. As Bill
+put it, &quot;Any Dago that can't hit a flock of barn doors like this fleet,
+had better go back home and hoe onions.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The ships of our fleet also made better targets than did the batteries
+ashore. It was certainly easy to distinguish the position of each
+vessel, but as the Spanish batteries were nearly all situated a short
+distance back from the crest of the ridge with a background little
+different in color from that of the battery, we found it difficult to
+locate them at times. Our elevation had to be perfect, as with an inch
+or two below or above, the projectile would either vanish in the
+distance or take effect on the cliffs below the batteries.</p>
+
+<p>We of Number Eight gun, when the &quot;Yankee&quot; was steaming with the
+starboard broadside bearing, managed to slip across the deck and watch
+the firing from the ports and deadlights. It was really beautiful to see
+the landing of the great shells upon the forts and surrounding earth.
+Some battered into the soft spots on the cliffs, sending huge masses of
+dirt and d&eacute;bris high into the air; then when the explosion came, there
+would follow a great cloud of dust resembling the wavering smoke over a
+city fire.</p>
+
+<p>Others struck the harder portions of the cliff, bursting into a shower
+of fragments, each kicking up its own pother of dirt and shattered rock.
+At times a shell would land in a crack in the face of the hill, and
+immediately following would come an upheaval of stones. These boulders,
+many of them of immense size, would roll down the slope and splash in
+the water at the base, creating a series of fountain-like cascades.</p>
+
+<p>Accompanying the display was a continuous roar of explosion and
+detonation that echoed and reechoed across the water like the pealing of
+tropical thunder. In fact, it was these noises, mingled with the fierce
+reports of our guns, which impressed us the most. Taking it all in all,
+the scene was spectacular in the extreme.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Boys,&quot; remarked No. 7 of our crew&mdash;&quot;Morrie,&quot; we called him&mdash;&quot;this sight
+is worth all the coaling and standing watches and poor food we have had
+to put up with. I would experience it all over again just to see this
+bombardment.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>And we heartily agreed with him.</p>
+
+<p>After a time it seemed as if the admiral was determined to plump shells
+into the vicinity of Santiago until there was nothing left to fire at.
+There had been a continuous outpouring of projectiles from the guns of
+the fleet for over an hour, yet that grim line of gray steel fortresses
+still passed and repassed in front of the forts.</p>
+
+<p>It was really growing monotonous, when something occurred at the gun to
+which I was attached that served to give us an exciting minute or two.
+&quot;Hay&quot; had just fired a shot which caught one of the new batteries
+directly in the centre. The shell was extracted, and another inserted,
+but when the second captain pressed the electric firing lanyard, there
+was no report. The shell had missed fire.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Long Tommy&quot; reached forward to open the breech, but was stopped by a
+sharp order from the divisional officer.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Don't open that breech till I give the word,&quot; he said.</p>
+
+<p>The electrical connections were examined and the contacts scraped
+bright.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Stand by,&quot; said &quot;Hay&quot; finally; &quot;let's try her again.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The great gun moved slowly on its pivot while &quot;Hay&quot; worked the elevating
+gear. The orders came sharp and clear through the roar of the cannon and
+the shriek of the shells.</p>
+
+<p>As we watched our young gun captain, we saw his set face grow even more
+determined, and we knew that he had got his sight to suit him and that
+he was about to fire the gun.</p>
+
+<p>With a gesture of disgust he threw down the firing lanyard.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's no go,&quot; he said, &quot;that cartridge will have to come out.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>We looked at one another; it was a serious moment. The bombardment was
+now at its height, and the thunderous roaring of the guns was increasing
+with every passing second. Above and around us the vicious reports of
+the &quot;Yankee's&quot; five-inch rapid-firers seemed like one continuous volley.
+A hoarse cheer came from a nearby ship, proclaiming the landing of some
+favored shot.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hurry, fellows,&quot; shouted &quot;Hay&quot; in an ecstasy of impatience. &quot;Lively
+there; we're missing all the sport.&quot;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_XI'></a><h2>CHAPTER XI.</h2>
+
+<h3>A PERILOUS MOMENT.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The scene on the gun deck of the &quot;Yankee&quot; at that moment would have made
+an eloquent subject for the brush of a Meissonier. It was the deck of a
+warship in battle, and the spectacle enacted was accompanied, by an
+orchestra of the mighty guns of a fleet in action.</p>
+
+<p>Imagine a compartment of steel, a compartment filled with smoke that
+surged and eddied as the ship lunged forward or rolled upon a heavy
+swell.</p>
+
+<p>Imagine scattered about in this pungent vapor many groups of men, men
+half-naked, perspiring; their glistening bodies smeared and stained with
+the grime of conflict.</p>
+
+<p>Imagine in the centre of one of these groups a wicked, menacing gun&mdash;a
+five-inch breechloader, its long, lean barrel raised shoulder-high upon
+the apex of a conical gun-mount, near the base of which are significant
+wooden cases, some empty and others filled with elongated, formidable
+cartridges; and pails of black, dirty water ascum with powder; and other
+objects each significant of war.</p>
+
+<p>Imagine these things, and then understand that this gun, made to be
+turned against an enemy, has now turned against its workers. In the
+bore, pent in by the polished breechblock, is a cartridge which has
+failed in its duty. It is apparently defective.</p>
+
+<p>The tide of battle is surging on; other ships of the bombarding fleet
+are still pouring their shot and shell upon the grim array of forts
+ashore; other guns of this ship are pursuing their duty with savage
+energy. But this gun is silent.</p>
+
+<p>The men wax impatient. It is the height of the conflict. Many shots have
+been fired, and many more will yet be required to subdue the enemy. To
+be &quot;out of action&quot; will mean passiveness in the face of the enemy.
+Anything but that.</p>
+
+<p>There is a rivalry between the guns' crews. It is a rivalry as to which
+shall make the best shots and create the most damage. The members of
+Number Eight&mdash;the after gun on the port side&mdash;are proud of their record.
+Their second captain&mdash;he whom they call &quot;Hay&quot;&mdash;has received the public
+commendation of the captain himself, sent down from the bridge in the
+midst of the battle. It is a mark of distinction not given freely, and
+Number Eight is eager for more honors.</p>
+
+<p>But the men have not forgotten a similar case, occurring on the voyage
+down the coast, when another cartridge failed, and on being extracted
+from the breech chamber, exploded, killing a marine corporal and
+wounding others.</p>
+
+<p>The men of Number Eight have not forgotten that tragedy, and that is why
+their gun is now to them a menacing creature of steel, whose breath may
+be the breath of death. They stand in groups, they eye it, they
+speculate, and they feel that a desperate and perilous duty is before
+them.</p>
+
+<p>The risk must be taken. The cartridge must be extracted. It is a fortune
+of war which all who enlist must expect. But it is one thing to fall
+before an enemy's blow, and another to lose your life at the stroke of
+your own weapon.</p>
+
+<p>The officer of the division steps forward.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;We will see if we can't take it out without much danger,&quot; he says,
+briefly. &quot;Bring a rope.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>One is hastily procured, and the first captain&mdash;a great, brawny,
+good-natured fellow, who has spent years at sea&mdash;deftly fastens the
+bight of the rope to the handle of the breechblock. He then retreats a
+short distance and signifies his readiness.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;When I give the word,&quot; calls out the officer, &quot;pull handsomely.
+Ready&mdash;pull away!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>From out the smoke-filled compartment men lean forward,
+eagerly&mdash;anxiously. They instinctively shrink back as the breech plug
+slowly moves. Then, when it finally opens, revealing the brass head of
+the cartridge inside the firing chamber, a sigh of relief comes from
+all.</p>
+
+<p>But the danger is not yet over.</p>
+
+<p>The defective projectile must be taken out and tossed into the sea. The
+second loader steps forward at a signal from the gun captain. This
+second loader is &quot;Stump.&quot; He shows no fear, but draws out the heavy
+cartridge, handling it as he would a harmless dummy, and passes it to
+another man and myself. Carrying it between us&mdash;and carrying it
+gingerly&mdash;we hasten to the side, and with a powerful swing, launch the
+hundred-pound projectile through the open port.</p>
+
+<p>It barely clears the port sill, coming so close to it, in fact, that for
+one breathless second we think that it will strike. As the shell passes
+from view, another sigh of relief comes from the spectators. &quot;Hay&quot;
+passes a grimy towel over his perspiring face.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Whew! that was a ticklish moment,&quot; he said, solemnly. &quot;I'd just as soon
+not handle any more defective shells.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Which exactly represented our sentiments.</p>
+
+<p>Three minutes later Number Eight was barking away at the forts ashore,
+and the episode of the cartridge that missed fire was a thing of the
+past.</p>
+
+<p>The bombardment of Santiago had now lasted over an hour. As yet not one
+of the American vessels had been reached by a shell, nor had the forts
+suffered any perceptible damage. The fleet, roaring and thundering, was
+swinging back and forth through the great semicircle, the smoke from the
+guns was banking along the beach, and from Morro Castle and its
+attending batteries came sharp, defiant answers to the interminable
+volleys fired by our squadron.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's a good thing Uncle Sam's shot locker is pretty capacious,&quot;
+remarked Flagg, as we shoved another cartridge into the yawning breech
+of our five-inch gun. &quot;If we haven't fired over three hundred rounds
+since seven o'clock I can't count.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It'll be double that before we get through,&quot; grunted &quot;Long Tommy,&quot; as
+we stepped back from the loaded gun. &quot;Steady, there. Stand by!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>A motion to &quot;Hay,&quot; who held the firing lanyard, and almost instantly
+came the sharp, vicious report of the breechloader. Each man sprang back
+to his station, and the process of reloading went on without delay. The
+battle smoke from Number Six, which had filled our port for some time,
+cleared away just then, enabling us to see &quot;Hay's&quot; last shot strike
+squarely upon the outer line of earthworks of the Punta Gorda battery.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Splendid shot, 'Hay'!&quot; exclaimed our division officer, briefly.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Bully, that's what it is&mdash;bully!&quot; cried &quot;Stump,&quot; patting the second
+captain upon the back.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hurray! it's knocked out a gun,&quot; reported &quot;Dye,&quot; from nearer the port.
+&quot;I saw the piece keel over backward.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>There was no time for further comment. When a gun's crew is firing at
+will, and the excitement of combat has taken possession of the
+individual members, the task in hand requires all one's attention. We of
+Number Eight had suffered one delay, and we really felt that the lost
+time must be made up.</p>
+
+<p>Personal impressions in battle have been described in prose and poem
+until the subject is hackneyed, but it may be of interest to note that
+the impressions experienced by the novices in naval warfare manning the
+&quot;Yankee,&quot; during the bombardment of Santiago, consisted mainly of one
+feeling. It was well-voiced by &quot;Hod,&quot; who said many days later:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I felt just as I did one time when I attended Barnum's circus in
+Madison Square Garden. They had three rings, two platforms, a lot of
+tight-ropes and trapezes and other things all going at the same time.
+Before I had been in the place three minutes I was wishing for a hundred
+eyes. And that is the way I felt at Santiago.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>What we saw of the bombardment was limited to the range of our gun port,
+but that little was worth all the hardships and toil and discomforts of
+the whole cruise. The spectacle of the fleet itself was almost enough.
+To see the great ships ploughing through the water, each enveloped in a
+shroud of smoke, shot here and there with tinges of ruddy flame; to see
+that mighty line swinging and swaying in front of the enemy; to see the
+shells land and explode in fort and battery; to see the great gaps torn
+in cliff and earthworks; to see the geyser-like fountains of water spout
+up here and there as the Spanish shells struck the surface of the
+bay&mdash;to see all this, and to hear the accompanying thunder and
+booming of the guns, was payment in full for coal handling and
+standing watch and &quot;Government straight.&quot; Not one of the &quot;Yankee&quot; boys
+would have missed the spectacle for anything earth could offer.</p>
+
+<a name='page152'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page152.jpg' width='300' height='308' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>ON THE GUN DECK DURING THE BOMBARDMENT (<i>page</i> 152).</h5>
+
+<p>During the second hour of the attack we were enabled to observe the work
+being done by other vessels of the fleet. Near us was the gallant &quot;New
+Orleans,&quot; the ship purchased from Brazil. Her foreign build made it easy
+to distinguish her, and, as she was the only craft using smokeless
+powder, she presented a prominent mark. The guns on board the &quot;New
+Orleans&quot; were being served rapidly and with precision, and we saw a
+number of shots strike well within the limits of the batteries.</p>
+
+<p>At our end of the line the flagship &quot;New York,&quot; the &quot;Iowa,&quot; and the
+&quot;Oregon&quot; were pouring an appalling fire into some new earthworks near
+Morro Castle. It was seen that but very few shots were sent in the
+direction of the latter, and it transpired that Admiral Sampson had
+issued strict orders to the fleet to avoid endangering Lieutenant Hobson
+and his brave companions, who were supposed to be imprisoned in old
+Morro. Before the end of the second hour the &quot;New York&quot; and the &quot;New
+Orleans&quot; had succeeded in completely silencing Cayo Battery,
+dismantling the guns and wrecking the outer fortifications.</p>
+
+<p>At the other end of the line Admiral Schley's division was doing
+splendid work. We could see the &quot;Massachusetts,&quot; &quot;Brooklyn,&quot; and &quot;Texas&quot;
+move in toward shore and open fire at close range. It was a stirring
+sight, this mighty duel between warships and forts. As compared with the
+cliffs and hills of the land, the ships seemed veritable pigmies, but in
+this strife the pigmies were all powerful.</p>
+
+<p>The guns of the fleet were working havoc in the forts ashore, and we
+could see the Spanish artillerymen abandon battery after battery. Cayo,
+Punta Gorda, Estrella, and Catalena were rapidly being vacated. The
+former was entirely out of the fight, and the others were replying only
+at intervals. Presently the &quot;Massachusetts&quot; and &quot;Marblehead&quot; advanced
+within two thousand yards of the Estrella fortification and began such a
+terrific firing that within a few minutes a great cloud of smoke
+appeared above the works. The Spanish guns became quiet at once, and a
+rousing cheer went up from the fleet.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hay,&quot; in his exuberance, wanted to send a five-inch shell from our gun
+at the burning fort, but the distance was too great and he was
+compelled to be content with a couple of well-aimed shots at the
+nearest battery.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I wish we had thirteen-inch guns and the range was about ten feet,&quot;
+grumbled &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;I'd like to smash the whole outfit in a pair of
+minutes. By Cricky! we have poured enough good old American steel into
+those forts to build a bridge across the Atlantic, but the dagoes are
+still giving us guff.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It won't last much longer,&quot; said Tommy reassuringly. &quot;From the looks of
+those batteries they haven't much fight left. I'll bet a hardtack
+against a prune we haul off at four bells.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Licked?&quot; queried Flagg.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Nope.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Will the Spaniards give up?&quot; asked &quot;Dye.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Tommy hesitated before replying. It was a brief lull and we were resting
+at the gun. The crew, grimy, dirty, battle-stained and tired, was glad
+to lean against the side of the deck or a convenient stanchion. Tommy's
+long service in the regular navy as apprentice and seaman made his
+opinions official, and we were always glad to listen to his
+explanations.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Will the Spaniards give up?&quot; repeated &quot;Dye.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Yes, and no,&quot; replied the first captain thoughtfully. &quot;You see, it's
+this way. Those dagoes are not fools by any means. They have selected
+good places for their batteries, and they know earthworks are hard to
+destroy. They aren't like the old-style stone forts that could be
+knocked to pieces in no time. When a shell, even a thirteen-incher, hits
+a mound of earth it tears up the dirt and spoils the look of the
+parapet, but it really doesn't do much harm. To completely ruin an
+earthwork battery, you must dismantle every gun in it. And that's pretty
+hard to do. Mark my words, those fellows will give us a shot of defiance
+after we quit.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What's the idea of all this bombarding then?&quot; asked &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;We'd be
+much better 'caulking off,' seems to me.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;And think what it costs the Government,&quot; I suggested. &quot;The cost of the
+projectiles and the wear and tear to guns and ships must be something
+enormous.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Tommy's answer was drowned in the thundering roar of the &quot;New York's&quot;
+battery, which opened fire just then a short distance away, but it was
+evident he agreed with me. A moment later Number Eight went into action
+once more, and we worked the breechloader without cessation until the
+conclusion of the bombardment, which came a half hour later.</p>
+
+<p>The fortifications ashore had entirely ceased firing, and at ten
+o'clock a signal to stop bombarding appeared on the flagship. It was
+obeyed with reluctance, and it was evident the crews of the various
+ships were anxious and eager to continue. As the fleet drew off there
+was a puff of smoke in one corner of Punta Gorda battery and a shell
+whizzed over the &quot;Massachusetts.&quot; A second shot came from one of the
+earthworks, and still another from Punta Gorda; then the firing ceased
+again.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Didn't I tell you so?&quot; quietly remarked Tommy. &quot;The beggars ain't
+licked yet.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;But they got a taste of Uncle Sam's strength,&quot; said Flagg.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;And I'll bet anything they haven't enough whole guns left to equip one
+small fort,&quot; added &quot;Stump.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I heard the skipper say the destruction of life must be enormous,&quot;
+spoke up the &quot;Kid,&quot; stopping on his way aft to deliver a message. &quot;He
+watched the whole thing with his glass. He told 'Mother Hubbub' the
+moral effect was worth all the trouble.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That's an expert opinion,&quot; observed &quot;Hay,&quot; wiping off the breech of the
+gun. &quot;Now you've had your little say, youngster, so just trot along.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The fleet presently reached its former station several miles off shore,
+and the bombardment of Santiago was at an end.</p>
+
+<p>No attempt was made to clean ship until late in the afternoon. The men
+were permitted to lie around decks and rest, smoke, and discuss the
+fight, which they did with exceeding interest. When dinner was piped at
+noon, the shrill call of the boatswain's whistle was welcome music. A
+sea battle is a good appetizer.</p>
+
+<p>About four o'clock in the afternoon the fleet was treated to a spectacle
+both novel and humorous. The little &quot;Dolphin,&quot; a gunboat of not fifteen
+hundred tons displacement, which was keeping guard close in shore, began
+to use her guns. A battery near the channel returned the fire, but the
+plucky little craft maintained her position, and from the series of
+rapid reports coming from her four-inch breechloaders and six-pounders,
+it was evident she had something important on hand.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Yankee&quot; was signalled to run in to her assistance, but before we
+could reach a position, the &quot;Dolphin&quot; had accomplished her task. It was
+not until then that we discovered what she had been doing.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;May I never see home again if the gunboat hasn't corralled a railway
+train in a cut!&quot; exclaimed &quot;Patt.&quot; &quot;Just look there, fellows. See that
+ridge of earth on the other side of the channel? Just under it is a
+track running into a cut and&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The 'Dolphin' has closed up both ends,&quot; interrupted &quot;Stump,&quot; with a
+laugh. &quot;She's knocked down a pile of earth and d&eacute;bris on the track and
+the, train can't get out. What a bully trick.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Flagg produced a glass, and after a careful scrutiny reported that he
+could see part of the train lying on its side at the eastern end of the
+cut. He could also distinguish a number of bodies, and it was plain that
+the Spanish loss had been heavy. It was not until later that we learned
+the details, which were as follows:</p>
+
+<p>After the bombardment the &quot;Dolphin&quot; remained at her station, firing
+occasionally at the batteries ashore. She was directly opposite a cut in
+the cliff, through which runs a little railway connecting the iron mines
+with the dock in Santiago harbor. During the bombardment, a train loaded
+with Spanish troops remained in the cut, and at its conclusion attempted
+to leave. It was espied by the &quot;Dolphin&quot; and driven back. It tried the
+other end with like results, and for an hour this game of hide-and-seek
+was kept up, to the discomfiture of the train. While waiting for the
+train to appear at either end, the gallant little gunboat shelled a
+small blockhouse, and in time disabled it. Then she steamed back to the
+fleet and reported that she had &quot;wrecked a trainload of troops and
+dismantled a blockhouse.&quot; When she left for her station again she was
+applauded by the whole squadron. We learned later that one hundred and
+fifty men were killed on the train.</p>
+
+<p>Shortly after supper the &quot;Yankee's&quot; whaleboat was called away and sent
+to the flagship, returning an hour later with sealed orders from the
+admiral.</p>
+
+<p>At midnight we quietly steamed from our station and passed out to sea,
+our destination being unknown to all save the commanding officer.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_XII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XII.</h2>
+
+<h3>IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURE.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>When a man-of-war sails from port under what are called &quot;sealed orders,&quot;
+which means that the orders given to the captain by the admiral are not
+to be opened for a certain number of hours, or until the ship reaches a
+certain degree of latitude, there is a mystery about the affair which
+appeals strongly to the crew.</p>
+
+<p>We of the &quot;Yankee&quot; felt very curious as to our destination when we left
+Santiago that night, and the interest was greatly stimulated by the
+discovery, before we had gone very far, that the &quot;St. Louis&quot; and
+&quot;Marblehead&quot; were following us.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Rumor Committee&quot; went into active session without delay.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Bet I can guess it,&quot; said &quot;Stump,&quot; as a half dozen of us met in the
+gangway. &quot;We are bound for a cable station somewhere.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;To cable the news of the fight?&quot; said Flagg.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;No. That was done by one of the other ships.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What then?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;To get permission from Washington to go ashore and reclaim all that
+steel we wasted in the bombardment.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>There was a laugh at this sally.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I have been figuring on the cost of the fight,&quot; remarked &quot;Hay,&quot; after a
+pause. &quot;A five-inch shell is worth $60, and as we fired about two
+hundred and fifty, it means just $15,000 worth of five-inchers alone.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Then there are the six-pounders.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;They cost $20 a shot,&quot; resumed &quot;Hay,&quot; reflectively. &quot;I guess we must
+have fired about a million of them.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hardly that,&quot; smiled Tommy, &quot;but we expended enough to bring the total
+up to $18,000 at the very least. War is a costly thing, boys.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>When the quartermaster on duty came off watch he joined us in the
+gangway, and reported that we were steering a straight course to the
+southward.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;If we keep it up we'll land somewhere near the Antarctic Ocean,&quot;
+remarked Kennedy, doubtfully. &quot;I wonder&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I know, I know,&quot; broke in the &quot;Kid,&quot; eagerly. &quot;We're going for ice.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The burning question was solved at daybreak. The morning sun brought
+into view a stretch of highland which proved to be Cuba. We had steamed
+out to sea on scouting duty, and had doubled on our tracks, as it were.
+The port we found to be Guantanamo, a small place some forty miles to
+the eastward of Santiago.</p>
+
+<p>The town itself lies on a bay connected with the sea by a tortuous and
+winding channel. The entrance is protected by a fort and several
+blockhouses, and when we steamed inshore we espied the &quot;St. Louis&quot; and
+&quot;Marblehead&quot; laying to, waiting for us outside.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Marblehead&quot; preceding us, we entered the harbor, and the two ships
+began a lively bombardment, while the &quot;St. Louis&quot; lay outside. Shortly
+after the firing began, a Spanish gunboat was seen steaming out past the
+fort. A few shots in her direction sent her scurrying back again, and
+that was the last seen of her during the fight. After the battle of the
+previous day, this affair seemed insignificant, and aroused little
+interest.</p>
+
+<p>The blockhouses were destroyed and the fort silenced after a short
+period of firing, and the &quot;St. Louis&quot; proceeded with the duty which
+evidently had caused our visit. It was the cutting of a cable
+connecting Guantanamo with the outer world.</p>
+
+<p>Our little fleet steamed to sea in the afternoon, returning just before
+dark. The fort, showing signs of reanimation, was treated to another
+bombardment, which effectually settled it. A small fishing hamlet
+composed of a dozen flimsy huts of bamboo was set on fire and burned to
+the ground. When we left Guantanamo shortly after dark, bound back for
+Santiago, we had the satisfaction of knowing that one more blow had been
+struck against Spanish rule in the fair isle of Cuba.</p>
+
+<p>At dawn the following day, Santiago was sighted. The fleet was still
+lying off the entrance like a group of huge gray cats watching a mouse
+hole. As we passed in, the flagship began signalling, and it soon became
+noised about the ship that we had received orders to leave for Mole St.
+Nicholas after dark.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It looks as if the 'Yankee' will come in handy as a messenger boy,&quot;
+said &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;When the admiral wants 'any old thing' he tells his flag
+officer to send the Naval Reserve ship.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's a good thing to be appreciated,&quot; grinned &quot;Dye.&quot; &quot;To tell the
+truth, though, I'd rather be on the move than lying here watching the
+land.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;We don't want to be away when Cervera comes out,&quot; remarked Flagg.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;When he comes out,&quot; retorted &quot;Stump,&quot; emphasizing the first word
+meaningly. &quot;The old gentleman knows when he is well off and he'll stay
+inside.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Which, as the Texan said when he was accused of stealing a horse,&quot; put
+in Tommy, &quot;remains to be proved. Just you keep your eye on the gun and
+wait.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;There goes another string of signals on the 'New York,'&quot; exclaimed
+&quot;Dye,&quot; pointing toward the flagship. &quot;Whiz! I'd hate to be a signalman
+aboard of her. They are always at it.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The flagship of a fleet like that assembled in front of Santiago during
+the blockade, is certainly kept very busy. In the naval service,
+everything in the way of routine emanates from the flagship. Every ship
+in the squadron, for instance, takes the uniform of the day from her.
+The number of sick each morning must be reported by signal; all orders
+(and they are legion) are transmitted by wigwag or bunting; scores of
+questions are asked daily by each ship, and it is indeed seldom that the
+signal yards of a flagship are bare of colored flags.</p>
+
+<p>In the American navy the present methods of communication are by the
+use of flags representing numerals, by the Meyer code of wigwag signals,
+and by a system of colored electric bulbs suspended in the rigging. The
+latter system is called after its inventor, Ardois.</p>
+
+<p>In the daytime, when ships are within easy distance, wigwagging is
+commonly used. A small flag attached to a staff is held by the signalman
+in such a position that it can be seen by the ship addressed. A code
+similar to the Morse telegraph alphabet is employed. By this system the
+flag, when waved to the right, represents 1, or a dot; and 2, or a dash,
+when inclined to the left. Each word is concluded by bringing the flag
+directly to the front, which motion is called 3. Naval signalmen,
+generally apprentices, become very expert, and the rapidity with which
+they can wigwag sentences is really remarkable.</p>
+
+<p>The Ardois system of night signalling consists of electric lights
+attached to the rigging. There are four groups of double lamps, the two
+lamps in each group showing red and white respectively. By the
+combination of these lights letters can be formed, and so, letter by
+letter, a word, and thence an order, can be spelled out for the guidance
+of the ships of a squadron. The lamps are worked by a keyboard generally
+placed on the upper bridge.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;flag hoist&quot; system, as it is termed, consists of the displaying of
+different flags at some conspicuous place like the masthead. There are a
+great many flags and pennants, differing in color, shape, and design,
+each having its own particular meaning, and when three or four are shown
+aloft together, a number is formed, the significance of which can only
+be determined by referring to a code book. Each navy has a private code,
+which is guarded with great care. So particular are Governments in this
+respect, that the commanding officer of every ship has instructions to
+go to any length to destroy the code book, if capture is imminent.
+During the late war with Spain it was reported at one time that the
+Spanish code had been secured. This means that the Dons will be
+compelled to adopt an entirely new code of signals.</p>
+
+<p>Besides the above systems, signalling in the navy includes various other
+devices. For instance, the fog whistle can be utilized in connection
+with the Meyer system of numerals. One toot represents 1, two short
+toots 2, and a long blast the end of a word. In a fog, this is the only
+means practicable. Similar sounds can be made by horn or gunfire. At
+night searchlights are often used by waving the beam from the right to
+the left, thus forming an electric wigwag, or by flash like the
+heliograph. On small ships not fitted up with the Ardois system, the
+Very night signal is used. This consists of a pistol made for the
+purpose, which discharges lights similar to those found in the ordinary
+Roman candles. The colors are red and green, and they are fired in
+combinations expressing the numbers from 1 to 9 and 0, so that the
+numbers to four digits contained in the signal book may be displayed.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Yankee&quot; was rigged with the Ardois lamps, and she also carried all
+the necessary signal flags and other paraphernalia required to
+communicate with other vessels of the fleet. The signalmen on board had
+been drilled in their work as members of the Naval Reserve prior to the
+beginning of the war, and they were experts to a man.</p>
+
+<p>On the evening of June 8th, while we were idling about decks awaiting
+the order to get under way, a small boat came alongside, having as a
+passenger a captain of the army. He proved to be a special agent who had
+succeeded in visiting the vicinity of Santiago, and was on his way to
+Mole St. Nicholas for the purpose of cabling to Washington. The
+mysterious manner in which he boarded the ship, and the quickness with
+which we steamed from port, created some excitement, and we felt the
+importance of our mission.</p>
+
+<p>The night was dark and muggy&mdash;an ideal time for torpedo-boat work, and
+extra lookouts were posted by order of the captain. Nothing of interest
+occurred, however, until early next morning. The ship was ploughing
+along at a steady gait, and those of the watch who were not on actual
+duty were snatching what sleep they could in out-of-the-way corners,
+when suddenly the call to &quot;general quarters&quot; was sounded. Long practice
+caused prompt obedience, and the various guns' crews were soon ready for
+action.</p>
+
+<p>Very few of us knew just what was on foot until the &quot;Kid,&quot; in passing,
+contrived to convey the interesting information that a big Spanish fleet
+had been sighted dead ahead.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That's funny,&quot; remarked &quot;Stump,&quot; trying to peer from the port. &quot;We are
+not changing our course any. Surely the 'old man' doesn't intend to
+tackle them alone.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I guess the 'Kid' is 'stringing' us,&quot; observed Tommy, sagely. &quot;He's up
+to that trick every time. We're not chasing Spanish fleets alone. The
+captain knows his business all right, all right.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Word was brought from the upper deck presently, that we were in pursuit
+of a strange steamer which had been discovered lurking on the horizon.
+She failed to respond to our signals, and chase was made forthwith. The
+&quot;Yankee's&quot; speed soon proved superior to that of the stranger, and
+within an hour we had her close aboard.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's an English tramp from the looks of her,&quot; reported &quot;Hay,&quot; who had a
+choice position near the gun port. &quot;She's got a dozen people on the
+bridge and they are badly scared.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>A blank six-pounder was fired, but she did not heed it, so a shot was
+fired across the stranger's bows, and she hove-to in short order.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Steamer ahoy!&quot; came faintly to our ears from on deck. &quot;What steamer is
+that?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The answer reached us in disjointed sentences, but we heard enough to
+set us laughing. Tommy smacked his hand upon the breech of the gun and
+chuckled: &quot;It's one of those everlasting press boats. The sea is full of
+'em.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What in the deuce did they run for, I wonder?&quot; exclaimed Kennedy.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Afraid of us, I suppose. It's ticklish times around here, and I don't
+blame them. Press boats are not made to fight, you know.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That idea doesn't carry out their motto,&quot; drawled &quot;Dye.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;How's that?&quot; asked Flagg, innocently.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Why, they claim that the pen is mightier than the sword, don't they?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>After the laugh had subsided, &quot;Morrie,&quot; one of the Rochester detail, who
+acted as a shellman in the crew of Number Eight, said seriously:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I am a great admirer of the press representatives down here, fellows.
+They are capable, good writers, and there is not a branch of the whole
+outfit that has been more faithful to duty. They were sent here to get
+the news, and they get it every time. There has never been a war more
+ably reported than this, and, although the correspondents have to hustle
+day and night, they still find time to keep us informed, and to give us
+an occasional paper from home. They are good fellows all.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Amen!&quot; said &quot;Hay.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>After a time, the press boat sheered off, and we continued on our
+course. Later in the morning another steamer was sighted. The &quot;Yankee&quot;
+was sent after her at full speed. The chase crowded on all steam, but
+she was soon overhauled, and found to be a Norwegian trader. After a
+satisfactory explanation she was permitted to go. Three hours later the
+&quot;Yankee&quot; dropped anchor off Mole St. Nicholas, a Haytian seaport
+brought into some prominence through the location of a cable station.</p>
+
+<p>Mole St. Nicholas is a little collection of tropical-looking houses set
+among palm trees at the foot of a large hill, which in places aspires to
+the dignity of a mountain. The town itself is rather picturesquely
+situated, the foliage-covered background and beautiful inlet of pure
+clear water giving it a natural setting very attractive to our eyes.</p>
+
+<p>After we had been anchored an hour or so, a bumboat came out, manned by
+a crew of two coal-black negroes who spoke a French patois, intermingled
+with comical English. The boat itself was a queer, stubby craft
+propelled by home-made oars. Before the morning was well advanced the
+ship was surrounded by boats carrying shells, limes, prickly pears,
+green cocoanuts, bananas, fish, and &quot;water monkeys.&quot; The latter were
+jugs made of a porous clay, and they were eagerly purchased. The &quot;water
+monkey&quot; is a natural cooler, and when placed in a draught of air will
+keep water at a temperature delightful in a warm latitude.</p>
+
+<p>We parted with our mysterious passenger, the army officer, and weighed
+anchor just as the sun was setting. Lookouts were posted early, and
+special instruction given by the captain to maintain a vigilant watch.
+The fact that we were in the very theatre of war, and that several
+Spanish cruisers, including the Spanish torpedo boat &quot;Terror,&quot; were
+reported as being in the vicinity, kept a number of us on deck.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It is one thing lying off a port with a lot of other ships and
+bombarding a few measly earthworks, and another to be sneaking about in
+the darkness like this, not knowing when you will run your nose against
+an enemy twice as large,&quot; said Flagg, as several of Number Eight's crew
+met on the forecastle. &quot;I tell you, it feels like war.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Reminds me of a story I heard once,&quot; put in &quot;Stump,&quot; lazily. He was
+lounging over the rail with his back to us and his words came faintly.
+The deck was shrouded in gloom, and the vague outlines of the
+pilot-house, only a dozen feet away, was the length of our vision aft. A
+soft, purling sound came from over the side where the waves lapped
+against the steel hull. A shovel grated stridently now and then in the
+fire room, and occasionally a block rattled or a halliard flapped
+against the foremast overhead. The surroundings and the strange, weird
+&quot;feel&quot; of the darkness were peculiarly impressive.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I don't know whether we care to hear any story,&quot; observed &quot;Hay.&quot;
+&quot;Better keep it until later, 'Stump.' The night's too wonderful to do
+anything except lounge around and think. Whew! isn't it dark?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;This story I was going to tell you requires a setting like this,&quot;
+replied &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;It is about a ship that started from England years and
+years ago. She had as passengers a lot of lunatics who were to be
+experimented upon by a doctor about as crazy as they. He bought the
+ship, fitted it up with a number of little iron cages, and set forth
+with his queer cargo. Ten days out, the lunatics broke from their
+quarters and captured the vessel. One of them, who had been a sea
+captain in his time, took charge, and proceeded to carry out a little
+idea of his own, which was to make sane people crazy.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That was turning the tables with a vengeance,&quot; drawled &quot;Dye,&quot; from his
+perch on an upturned pail. &quot;I wonder if he was any relation to
+'Cutlets'?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;A lineal ancestor, I'll bet a biscuit,&quot; chimed in &quot;Hay.&quot; &quot;Don't you
+remember the quotation, 'By these acts you will know their forefathers,'
+or something like that?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Well,&quot; resumed &quot;Stump,&quot; &quot;the crazy captain put the doctor and the crew
+in the cages and began to feed them hardtack and berth-deck scouse and
+salt-horse and&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<a name='page175'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page175.jpg' width='300' height='446' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>THE SEARCHLIGHT &quot;SWEEPING BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE BLACK OF THE HORIZON&quot; (<i>page</i> 175).</h5>
+
+<p>&quot;Must have been a Government naval contractor in his time,&quot; murmured
+&quot;Morrie.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I bet I know the rest,&quot; exclaimed the &quot;Kid,&quot; coming up in time to grasp
+the situation. &quot;The captain set his prisoners to carrying coal from the
+after hold forward and then back again, didn't he?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;If you fellows think you can tell the story better than I can, go
+ahead,&quot; retorted &quot;Stump,&quot; in disgust. &quot;You are like a lot of old maids
+at a sewing circle. I give&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What was that?&quot; suddenly cried &quot;Hay,&quot; springing to his feet. &quot;If it
+wasn't a flash of light I'll eat my&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>A figure hastily emerged from the gloom aft.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Go to your stations at once, you men,&quot; called out a voice. &quot;General
+quarters!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>As we scurried toward the hatch a great shaft of light appeared off the
+port beam, and began sweeping back and forth across the black of the
+horizon.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Good heavens!&quot; exclaimed &quot;Hay,&quot; &quot;it's a searchlight on some man-of-war.
+We're in for it now!&quot;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_XIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XIII.</h2>
+
+<h3>A NARROW ESCAPE.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The finger of light sweeping the heavens above the distant horizon meant
+to us the presence either of friend or foe, and the question was one we
+had little desire to solve at that moment. Rumors of Spanish warships
+lurking in the waters adjacent to Cuba were rife, and it had even been
+stated that another squadron inferior only to Cervera's fleet was
+somewhere in the neighborhood.</p>
+
+<p>We of the &quot;Yankee&quot; were willing, and I may say, without undue boasting,
+eager to meet any vessel of equal size or even larger, but to give
+battle to a whole fleet was a little too much. Nevertheless, when the
+word was passed to go to &quot;general quarters,&quot; there was no sulking nor
+hesitancy.</p>
+
+<p>The battery was ready in record time.</p>
+
+<p>Our gun was placed in trim, ammunition hatches opened, cartridges
+whipped on deck, and the piece prepared for instant use so rapidly that
+the officer of the division, Lieutenant Greene, gave us warm praise.</p>
+
+<p>Then we waited.</p>
+
+<p>It is difficult for a layman&mdash;a citizen who has not experienced the test
+of action and danger in battle&mdash;to understand or appreciate our feelings
+that night. It is hard to describe them, to paint with mere words the
+intense seriousness and gravity of the situation. You can imagine a dark
+night at sea&mdash;a night so black that the senses feel oppressed. You can
+add to these a thrill of impending danger and a vision of capture by a
+cruel enemy and the thought that the very next second will sound the
+signal for an uproar and outbreak of combat, but your impressions will
+fall far short of the reality&mdash;that must be experienced to be
+appreciated.</p>
+
+<p>As we stood at our stations surrounding Number Eight gun, I tried to
+read the faces of my companions, to see if I could find in them traces
+of worry or anxiety, or of fear. The situation warranted even the latter
+emotion. The dim light cast by the nickering battle lanterns sent
+fantastic shadows dancing over deck and bulkhead, and caused the men at
+the guns to resemble, in their stained white working clothes, so many
+gaunt spectres.</p>
+
+<p>But they were spectres with a grim purpose in view, and as the officer
+of the division strode back and forth, alert and watchful, they followed
+his movements with their eyes, eager for the word that would set them in
+action. They were not veterans, and their experience in war could have
+been measured by days, but they were honestly ready to fight and to shed
+the last drop of their blood for the flag waving over the taffrail.</p>
+
+<p>It was a ticklish situation. Even the &quot;Kid,&quot; with his careless,
+happy-go-lucky mind, would have admitted that; but as time passed
+without bringing a break in the monotony of waiting, we began to feel
+restless. The tension was still great, but the first sense of
+apprehension was gone.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I do wish something would happen,&quot; muttered &quot;Hay,&quot; after a while. &quot;Can
+you see anything from that port, 'Morrie'?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;A wall of blackness, that's all,&quot; replied the Rochester man.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;We've changed our course several times,&quot; spoke up Flagg. &quot;I think the
+'old man' is scooting for cover.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Fool if he didn't,&quot; growled Tommy. &quot;They have a pretty habit of
+court-martialling naval officers when they risk their ship
+unnecessarily. If Captain Brownson should fail to do all in his power
+to escape from what his judgment tells him is overwhelming odds, he'd
+find himself in trouble. Discretion is the better part of valor, even in
+the navy.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Suddenly we began to notice a peculiar glow tinging the darkness, and
+reflecting from the polished parts of the gun. It came suddenly and with
+a spurt of ruddy light unmistakable.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's a fire somewhere,&quot; exclaimed Flagg. &quot;Look! it's getting brighter.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It comes from this ship,&quot; cried &quot;Stump,&quot; edging toward the port. &quot;Is it
+possible the old hooker is on fire?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>We waited for the ringing of the alarm bell, or the call to &quot;fire
+quarters,&quot; but the minutes slipped by without the summons. Outside, the
+ruddy glare tinged the surface of the sea, sparkling from foam-crested
+waves, and forming a circle of dancing light through which the &quot;Yankee&quot;
+speeded on in her flight for safety.</p>
+
+<p>Our curiosity increased apace, and we watched eagerly for passing
+messengers or for some stray word that would explain the peculiar
+phenomenon. It was Kennedy who finally solved the mystery&mdash;Kennedy the
+luckless, he whom we dubbed &quot;Lucky Bag,&quot; because of his propensity to
+allow his wearing apparel to find its way into the clutches of &quot;Jimmy
+Legs.&quot; Kennedy had slipped near the port and was trying to perform the
+difficult feat of scanning the upper deck from the opening.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Come back here and stop that 'rubber-necking,' No. 7,&quot; called out
+Tommy. &quot;Do you want to get on the report?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;For the hundred and 'steenth time,&quot; added &quot;Stump,&quot; with a grin.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Perhaps he's seasick,&quot; suggested &quot;Dye.&quot; &quot;It's about due. He hasn't
+heaved up his boots since noon.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Did you hear what 'Cutlets' said to him yesterday?&quot; spoke up &quot;Hay.&quot; &quot;He
+was 'wigging' Kennedy, and he remarked in his tender way, 'Look here,
+you hero, why don't you brace up and be a man? You are continually sick
+or on the report, and you aren't worth your salt. Get down below now,
+and fill your billet.' Poor devil! he tries to do his best, I guess.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Just then Kennedy faced around toward us and we saw that he was
+laughing.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What do you think?&quot; he said. &quot;It's a fire after all.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;A fire? Where?&quot; we gasped simultaneously.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;In the furnaces. I saw a big flame leaping from the funnel. Gee! they
+must be whooping her up below to beat the band. Coal piled up to the
+top of the flues.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's oil,&quot; exclaimed Tommy, gravely. &quot;They are feeding the fires with
+crude oil. That means the last resort, fellows. The 'old man' is trying
+to get every ounce of steam possible.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Our curiosity satisfied, we felt more at ease, and we lounged at our
+stations and listened to the banging of furnace doors and grating of
+shovels in the fire room below. Occasionally one of us would venture an
+opinion or try to exchange views, and &quot;Stump&quot; even started a story, but
+in the main we were quiet and watchful.</p>
+
+<p>From the swaying and trembling of the hull it was evident the &quot;Yankee&quot;
+was being pushed at her utmost speed. Mess gear rattled in the chests,
+the deck quivered, and from down in the lower depths came the quick
+throb-throb of the overworked engines. Presently the red glare caused by
+the upleaping flames from the funnel died away, and darkness settled
+down again.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I guess we are making it,&quot; observed Tommy. &quot;We have been a good two
+hours racing at this gait, which means a matter of almost forty miles.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;They might let us take a run on deck,&quot; grumbled Flagg. &quot;What's the use
+of holding up this gun all night? It's getting monotonous.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Here comes the 'Kid,'&quot; exclaimed &quot;Dye.&quot; &quot;He may have some news.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The youngster brought a message to Lieutenant Greene. As he started off,
+he whispered:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;We are going to 'secure' in a few moments. It has been a great scoot. I
+heard the captain say to 'Mother Hubbub' that it would go down in
+history as a masterly retreat.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Was it a Spanish fleet?&quot; queried &quot;Hay.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;They are not certain. The skipper now thinks that it was a convoy of
+transports bringing the army of occupation. He didn't stop to find out,
+though. Say, you fellows look tired. Why don't you 'pipe down'?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>He scurried off with a laugh, and we were just settling back for another
+siege of it when the welcome order came to &quot;secure.&quot; The order was
+executed in a jiffy, and then those who had the off watch piled into
+their hammocks with a celerity seldom equalled. Santiago was reached
+early the following morning, and before the day was over we heard that
+our neighbors of the night before were, as the captain had suspected, a
+fleet of transports bringing troops from the United States.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Which doesn't alter the fact that we displayed wisdom in taking a
+'sneak,'&quot; commented Tommy, grimly. &quot;It's a clever chief who knows when
+to retreat.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The great gray ships still tossed idly on the rolling blue sea when we
+took our station at the right of the line.</p>
+
+<p>It seemed more like a panorama, arranged for the amusement of an
+admiring crowd, than a fleet of floating forts ready at a moment's
+notice to pour out death and destruction.</p>
+
+<p>The flagship &quot;New York,&quot; gay with signal bunting, was the centre of a
+fleet of launches and small boats. The boats' crews, in white duck,
+lounged in their places, while the captains were aboard conferring with
+the admiral.</p>
+
+<p>The torpedo boat &quot;Porter&quot; flashed in and out between the grim
+battleships in an almost playful way.</p>
+
+<p>A signal boy on the &quot;Brooklyn&quot; held a long wigwag conversation with the
+flagship, the bit of bright color showing sharply against the
+lead-colored turret.</p>
+
+<p>It was hard to realize that only a few days ago these same ships, that
+now rested so calmly and majestically, were enveloped in clouds of
+smoke, their great guns spitting forth fire and a fearful hail of steel.</p>
+
+<p>We looked at picturesque old Morro on the bluff, and there, close to
+the lighthouse, still floated the Spanish colors. It was aggravating,
+and we would like to have shot the hateful bunting away.</p>
+
+<p>We had no sooner reached our station than the boatswain's call echoed
+from one end of the ship to the other, &quot;Away gig.&quot; Whereupon the gig's
+crew rushed below and &quot;broke out&quot; clean whites. No matter what happens,
+the gig's crew must always be clean, both in person and apparel.</p>
+
+<p>Our gig soon joined the fleet of waiting boats at the flagship's
+gangway, and lay there while the captain went aboard.</p>
+
+<p>The skipper returned about noon and went forward. Immediately, we heard
+the cry &quot;All hands on the gig falls.&quot; Then, before the boat was fairly
+out of water, we heard the engine bell jingle.</p>
+
+<p>We were off again.</p>
+
+<p>Some active member of the &quot;Rumor Committee&quot; said we were bound for
+Jamaica. And after consultation with a signal boy, who came aft to read
+the patent log, we found that we were heading for that island.</p>
+
+<p>The wind was dead ahead and blowing fresh and cool, but the sun was hot,
+and the boatswain's mates were instructed to keep the men in the shade
+as much as possible.</p>
+
+<p>The stress and strain of the night before made the few hours of
+&quot;caulking off,&quot; that we now enjoyed, particularly grateful.</p>
+
+<p>We lay so thick on the windward side of the spar deck under the awning,
+that it would have been difficult to find foot room.</p>
+
+<p>Every hour a signal boy came running aft to read the log, which was
+attached to the taffrail on the starboard quarter. The log worked on the
+same principal as a bicycle cyclometer. It had two dials that indicated
+the miles and fractions of miles as they were reeled off. A long,
+braided line, having what we called a &quot;twister&quot; attached, trailed behind
+in the water and made the wheels go round, a certain number of
+revolutions to the mile.</p>
+
+<p>Hour after hour the ship rushed through the water. The engines throbbed
+in a regular, settled sort of way, that reminded one of a man snoring.
+The wind blew softly and caressingly. The ship rolled easily in the long
+swell. It was soothing and restful, and we felt quite reconciled to life
+in the navy. We almost forgot that we were on an engine of war; that
+there was enough ammunition below to blow up several &quot;Maine's,&quot; and that
+we were cruising in the enemy's country.</p>
+
+<p>The men talked cheerfully of home, pursuits, and pleasures, for it was
+too fine, too bright, to be depressed.</p>
+
+<p>Finally the sun went down in a blaze of glory, dropping suddenly into
+the sea as it is wont to do in the tropics.</p>
+
+<p>In a few minutes it was dark. In these latitudes there is practically no
+twilight; the sun jumps into his full strength in the morning, and
+quenches his glory in the sea before one realizes the day is gone.</p>
+
+<p>Soon after dark the lookouts began to report lights, and before long we
+found ourselves steaming into a fine harbor, which we learned was Port
+Antonio.</p>
+
+<p>A delightful feeling of security stole over us. We were at anchor in a
+friendly port, the inhabitants of which spoke the same tongue as we did
+and sympathized with us. We turned in at the earliest possible moment,
+and as we lay in our &quot;elevated folding beds,&quot; as &quot;Hay&quot; called them, we
+could hear unmistakable shore sounds&mdash;the barking of dogs, the crowing
+of cocks, and according to some active imaginations, even the bell of a
+trolley car.</p>
+
+<p>At one o'clock we were wakened by the call, &quot;All hands on the cat
+falls.&quot; We slipped out of our &quot;dream bags&quot; with the best grace we could
+muster, and went forward to pull up the anchor to its place on the
+forecastle deck.</p>
+
+<p>So we gave up the pleasant idea that we were to spend the night
+undisturbed, and the guns' crews of the watch on deck made themselves as
+comfortable as possible under the circumstances, on their wooden couch
+around the guns; viz., the deck.</p>
+
+<p>When the sun rose next morning, we found that land was plainly visible
+from the port side, and we soon learned that we were still in Jamaican
+waters and would arrive at Montego Bay about ten o'clock.</p>
+
+<p>The programme was carried out to the dot.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Yankee&quot; steamed into the beautiful bay, the crew &quot;at quarters,&quot; in
+honor of the English man-of-war &quot;Indefatigable,&quot; which lay at anchor
+there, and we had hardly let down our anchor when a fleet of &quot;bumboats&quot;
+came chasing out to us.</p>
+
+<p>Though an American warship had never visited this port before, we seemed
+to be recognized by these enterprising marine storekeepers as easy prey.</p>
+
+<p>The native &quot;bumboat&quot; is a dugout affair very narrow for its length, and
+seemingly so cranky that we marvelled at the size of the sail carried.
+They brought fruits of all kinds, and tobacco, so we didn't stop to
+criticise their rig, but showed plainly that we were right glad to see
+them.</p>
+
+<p>The boatmen and women were all colored people and, like the race the
+world over, were most fantastically and gaily clothed. The women wore
+bright-hued calico dresses, and brighter bandana handkerchiefs on their
+heads. The men wore flaming neckties, gay shirts, and, in some cases,
+tall white or gray beaver hats.</p>
+
+<p>The boats were filled with yellow, green, and red fruits and
+brightly-colored packages of tobacco, the whole making a most vivid and
+brilliant display of color.</p>
+
+<p>The crew bought eagerly, regardless of price. Limes, oranges, mangoes,
+bananas, and pineapples came over the side in a steady stream, while an
+equally steady, though smaller, stream of silver went back to the boats.</p>
+
+<p>It was a harvest day for the Montego Bay &quot;bumboatmen.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Though we bought the fruits without hesitation, we bit into them
+gingerly, for, to most of us, many of them were strange.</p>
+
+<p>Tom LeValley brought me a mango and said that I could have it if I would
+sample it and tell what it was like. I accepted, for I had not been
+lucky enough to get near a boat to buy for myself.</p>
+
+<p>He handed me something that looked like a pear but was of the color of
+an orange. I was just about to bite into it when I chanced to look up. I
+saw that I was the target of all eyes. Putting on a bold front, I sunk
+my teeth in the yellow rind. I found it was pleasant to the taste, but
+unlike anything that I had ever put in my mouth before. Still the
+fellows gazed at me. Was it a trick mango I had tackled so recklessly? I
+determined not to be stumped, and took a good big bite. In a moment, I
+discovered why I was the &quot;observed of all observers.&quot; The last bite
+loosened a good deal of the peel, and the thing began to ooze. It oozed
+through my fingers and began to run down my sleeve; it dripped on my
+trousers and made an ineradicable stain; my face was smeared with it, my
+hands were sticky with it, my mouth was full of it, and still the blamed
+thing oozed.</p>
+
+<p>Then the unfeeling crowd laughed. Some one shouted &quot;get under the hose.&quot;
+Another yelled &quot;Swab ho,&quot; whereupon a none too clean deck swab was
+brought and applied to my face and hands, protests being unavailing.</p>
+
+<p>I afterwards remarked to Tom that he had better try experiments on
+himself, or present me with a bathtub along with the next mango, and I
+have since learned that a Distinguished Person came to the same
+conclusion when first introduced to this deceitful fruit.</p>
+
+<p>We enjoyed our stay in this beautiful island port very much, and it was
+with great reluctance that we obeyed the order to &quot;haul on the cat
+falls.&quot; As we were walking away with that heavy line, we saw a liberty
+party from the English warship start for shore in the ship's cutters,
+and we envied them with all our hearts.</p>
+
+<p>The town looked very attractive, set as it was on the side and at the
+base of a high hill, the red-tiled roofs of its houses showing against
+the graceful, green palm trees. On our left, a grove of cocoanut palms
+flourished, and beneath grazed a herd of cattle.</p>
+
+<p>Soon the ship began to back out, and then, as the bay grew wider, she
+turned slowly and headed for the open.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Lash your mess chests,&quot; said messenger &quot;Kid&quot; to the berth deck cooks.
+&quot;Orders from the officer of the deck,&quot; he added.</p>
+
+<p>He turned to us, who were standing by the open port. &quot;I guess we'll have
+a lively time of it, for I heard 'Cutlets' say the barometer is dropping
+at a terrible rate.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Kid&quot; scurried further aft to give the order to the boatswain's
+mates and master-at-arms.</p>
+
+<p>We looked out to seaward and noted the black sky and the rising wind.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I guess you 'heroes' will have a chance to show what right you have to
+be called seamen,&quot; said &quot;Stump,&quot; mimicking &quot;Cutlets.&quot;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_XIV'></a><h2>CHAPTER XIV.</h2>
+
+<h3>WE ENGAGE IN A SEA FIGHT.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>&quot;Watch on deck, put on your oilers,&quot; shouted the boatswain's mates.</p>
+
+<p>The order came none too soon, for as the last man ran up the
+companion-way ladder, the rain began to drop in sheets.</p>
+
+<p>The rising wind drove the rain in our faces with stinging force, and we
+were soon wet as drowned rats.</p>
+
+<p>The white-capped seas raced alongside, and the &quot;Yankee&quot; heaved and
+tossed like a bucking bronco. The lookouts at the masthead swayed
+forward and back, to and fro, dizzily, and the officer of the deck on
+the bridge had difficulty in keeping his feet. The pots and pans in the
+galley banged noisily, and ever and anon the screw was lifted out of the
+water, and for a few turns shook the ship from stern to stem with its
+accelerated speed.</p>
+
+<p>A number of men who had partaken too freely of tropical fruits manned
+the rail and seemed too much interested in the seething water below to
+notice the rain that was dripping down their necks.</p>
+
+<p>For a time, things were very lively aboard the old hooker, and, though
+in the main unpleasant, the grandeur of the sea in the tempest made up
+for all discomforts. The flash of the lightning, the roar of the
+thunder, the hum and whistle of the wind through the rigging, and the
+swish of the seas as they dashed themselves to spray against the sides
+of the ship&mdash;all this made an impressive chorus, more stirring even than
+the roar of cannon and the shriek of shell.</p>
+
+<p>When &quot;hammocks&quot; was blown by the ship's bugler at a quarter to seven, we
+found it difficult to make our way forward to the nettings. One moment
+we were toiling up the deck's steep incline; the next, the ship would
+bury her prow, and we were rushing forward pell mell. The boat seemed to
+be endowed with diabolical intelligence that night. A man might,
+perchance, stoop to tie his shoe or examine a freshly stubbed toe, when
+the ship would seem to divine that she had him at a disadvantage, and
+would leap forward so that he would immediately stand on his head, or
+affectionately and firmly embrace a convenient stanchion. &quot;Pride cometh
+before a fall,&quot; and the man who thought he had caught the swing and
+could walk a chalk line on the deck, soon found that the old boat knew a
+new trick or two, and in a twinkling of an eye he was sawing the air
+frantically with his arms, in his efforts to keep his balance.</p>
+
+<p>Though the force of the tropical storm was soon spent, the sea continued
+high, and locomotion was difficult.</p>
+
+<p>The hammocks were given out by the &quot;hammock stowers&quot; of the watch on
+duty. They called out the numbers stenciled on our &quot;dream bags,&quot; and the
+owners stepped forward and claimed them. As soon as a man secured his
+hammock he immediately slung it in place, unlashed it, and arranged the
+blankets to his liking.</p>
+
+<p>A group gathered around the capstan aft, after the hammock ceremony had
+been completed.</p>
+
+<p>Some one said, &quot;I'm glad I can sleep in a hammock a night like this; the
+heave of the ship will be hardly felt.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Yes,&quot; responded the &quot;Kid,&quot; &quot;I wouldn't swap my 'sleeping bag' for the
+captain's bed, to-night.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That reminds me,&quot; said &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;Speaking of beds&mdash;when we were in New
+York a friend of mine came aboard to see me. He had a sister, but left
+her at home.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You can thank your lucky stars he did. If she'd seen your weary,
+coal-covered visage, you could not even have been a brother to her,&quot;
+interrupted &quot;Hay.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I guess you're right,&quot; responded &quot;Stump,&quot; with an appreciative grin.
+&quot;Anyhow, she did not come. So when her brother got home she plied him
+with questions&mdash;this he wrote me afterwards&mdash;wanted to know how I
+looked, asked what the ship was like, inquired about our food, and then
+she questioned him about my stateroom. Was it prettily decorated? Whose
+photograph occupied the place of honor on my dressing table?</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Billy, my friend,&quot; explained &quot;Stump,&quot; &quot;is a facetious sort of chap, so
+he told her that of course such a large crew could not <i>all</i> have
+staterooms, but <i>I</i> had a very nice one, that could be folded when not
+in use, and put to one side out of the way. It was made of canvas, he
+said, so constructed that it would always swing with the ship, and so
+keep upright in a rolling sea.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;She listened intently, and finally broke out enthusiastically: 'How
+nice!'</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Billy almost had a fit at that, and I nearly had, when I read his
+letter.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>We all laughed heartily and trooped below to enjoy a few hours' sleep
+in our &quot;folding staterooms.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The next day dawned bright and clear, and warm; with nothing to remind
+us of the storm of the night before except the seedy look on the faces
+of some of the &quot;heroes&quot; who were prone to seasickness.</p>
+
+<p>The sun had not been up many hours when the masthead lookout shouted,
+&quot;Sail ho!&quot; To which the officer of the deck replied, &quot;Where away?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Dead ahead, sir. Looks like one of the vessels of the fleet, sir.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>And so we joined the squadron again, after an absence of twenty-four
+hours.</p>
+
+<p>Nothing had occurred while we were away. Cervera's fleet was still
+&quot;bottled up&quot; in Santiago harbor, and the American fleet held the cork so
+effectively that even a torpedo boat could not get out.</p>
+
+<p>After preparing the ship for the usual Sunday inspection, and arraying
+ourselves in clean whites, polished shoes, and stockings, we thought we
+had done all the work that would be required of us for the day. But when
+the gig returned, bringing the skipper from the flagship, we learned
+that we were to get under way right after dinner, and steam to the
+westward.</p>
+
+<p>After &quot;turn to&quot; was sounded at 1:15 o'clock, we noted a long string of
+signal flags flying from the signal yard, which we found requested
+permission from the flagship to proceed at once. As the affirmative
+pennant on the &quot;New York&quot; slowly rose to its place on the foremast, the
+&quot;Yankee's&quot; jingle bell sounded, and the ship began to gather headway.</p>
+
+<p>At &quot;afternoon quarters&quot;&mdash;1:30&mdash;a drill, new to us, was taught; called by
+the officers &quot;physical drill,&quot; and by the men &quot;rubber-necking.&quot; We
+hardly felt the need of exercise. The swinging of a swab and use of sand
+and canvas, to say nothing of &quot;scrub and wash clothes&quot; before breakfast,
+seemed to us sufficient work to keep our muscles in good condition; but
+it is one of the axioms in the navy that &quot;Satan finds some mischief
+still for idle hands to do,&quot; so the men were soon lined up&mdash;sufficient
+space being given each man to allow him to swing his arms, windmill
+fashion, without interfering with his neighbor.</p>
+
+<p>A regular calisthenic exercise was gone through, such as may be seen in
+gymnasiums all over the country; but instead of a steady, even floor,
+upon which it would be quite easy to stand tiptoe, on one foot, or
+crouched with bended knees, it was quite a different matter to do these
+&quot;stunts&quot; on the constantly rolling deck.</p>
+
+<p>At the order, &quot;Knee stoop, one,&quot; we bent our knees till we sat on our
+heels. &quot;Heads up, hands on the hips, there!&quot; said Mr. Greene of our
+division, as some one obeyed an almost irresistible impulse to keep his
+balance by putting out his hand. The man obeyed, but at that instant the
+ship gave a lurch, and the poor chap fell over on his head and almost
+rolled down the berth-deck hatch.</p>
+
+<p>The laugh that followed was promptly suppressed, and though the exercise
+was not carried out with a great deal of grace or ease, Mr. Greene
+seemed to be satisfied with the first attempt.</p>
+
+<p>We steamed along all the afternoon past the coast of Cuba and within
+plain sight of the beautiful, surf-rimmed beach. We looked for signs of
+the enemy, but not a living thing could be seen. Not a sign of human
+habitation; not an indication that any human being had ever set foot on
+this desolate land. So beautiful, so grand, so lonely was it that we
+longed to go ashore and shout, just to set a few echoes reverberating in
+the hills.</p>
+
+<p>Toward night, we turned seaward, and the land was lost to view; at the
+same time the &quot;Yosemite,&quot; manned by the Michigan Naval Reserves, who
+had accompanied us thus far, dropped out of sight in the haze. She was
+bound for Jamaica.</p>
+
+<p>A ship painted the &quot;war color&quot; now in vogue in the United States navy,
+will disappear as if by magic when dusk comes on. The lead color makes
+any object covered with it invisible in half light or a haze.</p>
+
+<p>There had been much speculation during the day and evening as to our
+probable destination, but we remained in ignorance until the next
+morning, when it became known that our orders were to call at the port
+of Cienfuegos, a prominent city of southern Cuba, some three hundred and
+thirty miles from Santiago.</p>
+
+<p>It was reported that the object of our visit was to intercept and
+capture a blockade runner said to be aiming for that port. The news
+received an enthusiastic welcome fore and aft. The billet of &quot;fleet
+messenger&quot; was becoming tiresome.</p>
+
+<p>The land had been sighted at two bells (nine o'clock), and all hands
+were looking for Cienfuegos, but it was past one before the mouth of the
+harbor was gained. The &quot;Yankee's&quot; crew were at regular quarters at the
+time, but a hurried order to dismiss and clear ship for action sent the
+different guns' crews scurrying to their stations.</p>
+
+<p>To add to the interest, word came from the bridge to train the guns aft
+and to do everything possible to disguise the cruiser.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;We are to masquerade as a blooming merchantman,&quot; chuckled &quot;Dye.&quot; &quot;This
+reminds me of my boyhood days when I read pirate stories. Do you
+remember that yarn about Kydd, where he rigged painted canvas about his
+ship and hid all the ports, 'Stump'? It was great. The whole piratical
+crew, with the exception of a dozen men, kept below, and when a poor
+unfortunate ship came along, the bloodthirsty villains captured her.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I wish they had caught you at the same time,&quot; retorted &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;Then
+we wouldn't be bothered with your infernal cackle. Here, give me a hand
+with this mess chest.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>By this time the task of preparing for action was an old story, and we
+made short work of it. The call to &quot;general quarters&quot; followed without
+delay, and, as we prepared the battery for action, word came from above
+that a large gunboat, showing Spanish colors, was leaving the harbor in
+our direction.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Which means a scrap of the liveliest description,&quot; muttered Tommy.
+&quot;They evidently take us for a trader without guns, and they'll attack
+us sure.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Boom!</p>
+
+<p>A six-pounder gave voice from the spar deck, instantly followed by a
+five-inch breechloader in the waist. Number Eight was loaded, and &quot;Hay,&quot;
+who held the firing lanyard, snatched another sight, then stood erect
+with left hand in the air.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Ready, sir,&quot; he called out to the officer of the division.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Fire!&quot; came the reply promptly.</p>
+
+<p>With the word a vicious report shook the deck, and the gun muzzle
+vanished in a cloud of smoke. Eager hands opened the breech, others
+inserted another cartridge, there was a shifting of the training lever,
+a turn of the elevating wheel, then &quot;Hay&quot; stood back once more, and
+coolly made the electrical connection.</p>
+
+<p>Following the second report came a dull, booming sound, apparently from
+a distance. We eyed one another significantly.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's a fort,&quot; quoth &quot;Dye.&quot; &quot;We've got to tackle both sea and land
+forces.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Presently, while we were hard at work sending shots at the Spanish
+gunboat, which was in lively action a short distance away, we became
+aware of a peculiar whirring noise&mdash;a sound like the angry humming of a
+swarm of hornets. It would rise and fall in volume, then break off short
+with a sharp crash. Suddenly, while glancing through the port, I saw
+something strike the surface, sending up a great spurt of water. It was
+followed by a dull, muffled report which seemed to shake the ship.</p>
+
+<p>It was a shell!</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Whiz! they are coming pretty fast,&quot; remarked Flagg. &quot;That last one
+didn't miss us by a dozen yards.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;This isn't Santiago shooting,&quot; put in Tommy. &quot;These beggars know how to
+aim.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>During the next ten minutes the fighting was fast and furious. It was
+load and fire and load again without cessation. There was the old
+trouble in regard to the smoke, and half the time we had to aim blindly.
+Notwithstanding that fact, &quot;Hay&quot; did so well that word came from Captain
+Brownson complimenting him warmly.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Yankee&quot; seemed to be the centre of a series of eruptions. The
+Spanish shells kept the water continually boiling, and with the
+splashing of each projectile there would arise a geyser-like fountain
+accompanied by a muffled explosion which could be plainly felt on board
+the ship.</p>
+
+<a name='page203'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page203.jpg' width='300' height='315' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>&quot;THERE WAS TEMPORARY CONFUSION&quot; (<i>page</i> 208).</h5>
+
+<p>It was the first real naval battle experienced by us&mdash;the bombardment of
+Santiago being of an entirely different calibre&mdash;and it needed only the
+grewsome setting of surgeons and wounded and blood to make it complete.
+That soon came.</p>
+
+<p>We of Number Eight gun were working at our stations, so intent on our
+duties that the uproar of shot and shell outside claimed little
+attention, when suddenly there came a louder explosion than usual
+directly in front of the open port.</p>
+
+<p>There was a blinding flash, a puff of stifling smoke, and then Kennedy,
+who was just approaching the gun with a shell, staggered back, and
+almost fell to the deck. Tommy, the first captain, made a gesture as if
+brushing something from his breast, and then leaped to the injured man's
+assistance.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It was a piece of shell,&quot; cried &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;It came through the port.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>There was temporary confusion. The surgeon and his assistants came on a
+run, but before they could reach the spot, Kennedy recovered and
+advanced to meet them. He presented a horrible spectacle, with his face
+and neck and body spattered with blood, and we who were nearest saw that
+he had been frightfully wounded in the left shoulder.</p>
+
+<p>Notwithstanding that fact, he remained cool and steady, and never made
+the slightest indication that he was suffering. When he finally
+disappeared down the berth-deck ladder we exchanged glances of surprise
+and sympathy.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That isn't Kennedy,&quot; murmured &quot;Stump,&quot; softly.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;We didn't know him after all,&quot; said &quot;Hay.&quot; &quot;Poor devil! I hope he isn't
+badly injured.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;He has been in the hardest kind of luck since we left New York,&quot; spoke
+up Tommy. &quot;Seasick half the time, always in trouble, and bucking against
+homesickness and everything else. And now he has to be wounded. It's a
+shame.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Our thoughts were with our comrade as we served the gun, and when word
+came a few moments later that he was doing fairly well, we could hardly
+repress a cheer.</p>
+
+<p>There was little time, however, for displaying emotion. We were right in
+the thick of the fight, and the &quot;Yankee's&quot; battery was being worked to
+the limit. It seemed as if the air fairly reeled with the noise and
+clamor of combat. Shells buzzed and shrieked about us, and smoke
+gathered in thick, stifling clouds all about the ship.</p>
+
+<p>While we were laboring, stripped to the waist, and trying our utmost to
+disable or sink the Spanish gunboat, an incident was occurring on deck
+which seemed more fitted for the pages of a novel than those of a story
+of facts.</p>
+
+<p>It was a display of daredevil courage seldom equalled in warfare.</p>
+
+<p>The lad whom we familiarly termed the &quot;Kid&quot; was the central figure and
+the hero. The diary of No. 5 of the after port gun, from which this
+narrative is taken, says of him: &quot;'Kid' Thompson is the ship's human
+mascot and all-round favorite with officers and men. His bump of respect
+is a depression, but his fund of ready wit and his unvarying good nature
+are irresistible. He is eighteen years of age, and is a 'powder monkey'
+on Number Sixteen, a six-pounder on the spar deck. This gun and Number
+Fifteen were the last to obey the order to cease firing during the
+bombardment of Santiago.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>During the fight with the Spanish gunboat it chanced that the port
+battery was not engaged for a brief period, so the &quot;Kid,&quot; with the rest
+of Number Sixteen crew, were at rest. To better see the shooting the
+&quot;Kid&quot; climbed upon the after wheel-house roof. The shells from the
+gunboat and the forts were dropping all around, fore and aft, port and
+starboard; they whistled through the rigging, and exploded in every
+direction, sending their fragments in a veritable hail of metal on all
+sides.</p>
+
+<p>The fact that the &quot;Yankee&quot; had so far escaped injury aroused in the
+&quot;Kid's&quot; breast a feeling of the utmost contempt for the Spanish gunners.
+Coolly standing upon his feet, he assumed the pose of a baseball player,
+and holding a capstan bar in his hands, called out tauntingly:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Here, you dagoes, give me a low ball, will you? Put 'em over the
+plate!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>As a shell would fly past with a shriek, he would strike at it, shouting
+at the same time:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Put 'em over the plate, I say. Do you expect me to walk up to the
+fo'c's'le to get a rap at 'em? Hi, there! wake up!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Then as a shot fell short, he laughed: &quot;Look at that drop, will you? Do
+you think I'm going to dive for it?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>A moment later a shell flew past so close that the windage almost
+staggered him, but the daring lad only cried banteringly: &quot;That's more
+like it. One more a little closer and I'll show you a home run worth
+seeing.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>And so it went until he was espied from the bridge and peremptorily
+ordered down.</p>
+
+<p>In the meantime, while this little episode was in progress, we on the
+gun deck were laboring without cessation. A dozen shots had been fired
+from Number Eight alone, when suddenly another fort secured the range,
+and began a deadly fusillade.</p>
+
+<p>The situation was becoming extremely serious!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_XV'></a><h2>CHAPTER XV.</h2>
+
+<h3>COALING IN THE TROPICS.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The well-directed fire of the forts at the entrance to Cienfuegos was
+rapidly making the &quot;Yankee's&quot; position untenable, and it soon became
+apparent that we would have to give way before overwhelming odds.
+Fifteen minutes after the battle began between the Spanish gunboat and
+the &quot;Yankee,&quot; the former beat a hasty retreat, steaming back into the
+harbor.</p>
+
+<p>It was plainly evident, however, that she had been badly hulled, as she
+yawed wildly while passing from sight behind the headlands. This of
+itself was victory enough for the present, and at the end of twenty
+minutes' firing, we withdrew out of range.</p>
+
+<p>Our object in the first place was, as we ascertained from forward during
+the day, to intercept a Spanish blockade runner, the &quot;Purissima
+Concepcion&quot;; so we laid off the harbor and waited for the coming of the
+ship, which was supposed to have left Jamaica for Cienfuegos. The day
+was spent in cleaning up after our brief but lively battle, and when
+night came, we were again shipshape.</p>
+
+<p>Shortly after daybreak the following morning, the lookout aloft reported
+that a steamer, evidently a man-of-war, was emerging from the harbor.
+The crew were called to &quot;general quarters&quot; at once, and every
+preparation made to give the stranger a lively reception. She proved,
+however, to be the German warship &quot;Geier&quot; bound for Santiago.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;In time of peace prepare for war&quot; is a good adage, but the reverse is
+also true. Peaceful pursuits are of a necessity carried out even in the
+face of the enemy.</p>
+
+<p>At &quot;evening quarters&quot; new hammocks were doled out, and all hands were
+instructed to scrub the old ones next morning and turn them in.</p>
+
+<p>By this time we had become quite expert laundrymen, but we had never
+tackled a stiff canvas hammock, and the prospect was far from pleasant;
+the following morning, however, we learned how to perform this final
+feat of cleansing; after which we felt qualified to wash anything&mdash;from
+a handkerchief to a circus tent.</p>
+
+<p>As &quot;Hay&quot; said, &quot;I feel equal to applying for the position of general
+housework man, if I lose my job. I can sew&mdash;you ought to see the
+elegant patch I put on the seat of my old blues&mdash;I can 'scrub and wash'
+clothes, I can sweep beautifully, I can make a bed with neatness and
+despatch. And I have been known to get on my knees and scrub the deck.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You're not the only one,&quot; growled Bill. &quot;Why, even 'Dirty Greene'
+escapes the aforetime customary 'calling down.'&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Greene was a clever fellow, a student at Harvard, the owner of a yacht,
+and a good sailor, but his college education did not help him to get his
+clothes clean. That was a study that had been left out of his university
+curriculum. The consequence was that he, with a good many others, was
+&quot;called down&quot; at every inspection.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Greene is getting it in the neck now,&quot; said his friend &quot;Steve&quot;; &quot;but I
+think he will get even some day with his cousin, the lieutenant of his
+division.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;How's that?&quot; we chorused.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Why, you see he owns a schooner yacht. And his cousin, the lieutenant,
+is very fond of sailing and never fails to accept an invitation to go
+cruising on her. Some day when the lieutenant is aboard, Greene will
+look him over and discover that his shoes are not polished, that his
+hair has not been combed properly, or his white duck trousers are not
+immaculate. He will then be sent below in disgrace to repair these
+faults, and our friend Greene will have the merry Ha! Ha! on him. 'He
+who laughs last, laughs best.'&quot;</p>
+
+<p>We one and all wished we owned yachts and could invite some of the other
+officers&mdash;&quot;Cutlets&quot; in particular.</p>
+
+<p>Blockading duty is monotonous work, though the strain on the lookouts is
+intense. During the day, a bright lookout must be kept for the lightest
+tinge of smoke on the horizon, and at night for the faintest glimmer of
+light, or a deeper shadow on the rim of the ocean that would betray a
+ship.</p>
+
+<p>It was Tuesday night, and time hung heavy on our hands. Eight bells had
+not sounded, and, though hammocks had been given out, neither watch
+could turn in. It was with particular glee, therefore, that we welcomed
+the news that &quot;Steve&quot; had composed an up-to-date verse to his &quot;Tommy
+Atkins&quot; song. After some persuasion&mdash;for he is a modest chap&mdash;he
+consented to sing it for us.</p>
+
+<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;The first two verses of this song were writ<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>Before we sailed away for Cuba's Isle;<br /></span>
+<span>And since that time the Spaniards we have fit,<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>And chased their gunboats many a weary mile.<br /></span>
+<span>We've heard the bullets whistling overhead.<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>We've heard the shells fly by and called it sport,<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>And down at Cienfuegos<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>We proved ourselves courageous<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>By tackling both a gunboat and a fort.<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>CHORUS.<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span class='i2'>&quot;Now we'd <i>like</i> to run a ferry,<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>All along the Jersey shore;<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>Fighting Spaniards, it is very<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>Nice, but we don't want&mdash;no more.<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>We would give our bottom dollar,<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>And of that you need not fear,<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>Just to hear the masthead holler<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>Brooklyn navy yard is here.&quot;<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>&quot;That's very good, 'Steve,'&quot; said Greene, &quot;but I can't quite agree to
+that line: 'Fighting Spaniards it is very nice, but we don't want&mdash;no
+more.' I'd like to have a few more raps at 'em.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You are such a bloodthirsty chap,&quot; said Flagg, &quot;you slam the charges
+into your old Number Seven as if you would like to wipe out the whole
+enemy with one fell swoop.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Well,&quot; replied Greene, thoughtfully, &quot;a man does get awfully excited
+when the guns begin to bark.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>And every one of us knew exactly how he felt.</p>
+
+<p>We maintained a close vigil until the sixteenth of June&mdash;two days
+later&mdash;then sailed for Santiago. Shortly after entering port we were
+informed that the Spanish gunboat with which we had been engaged off
+Cienfuegos had sunk, sent to the bottom by our fire; a bit of news
+highly appreciated.</p>
+
+<p>Our stay in Santiago was short, the &quot;Yankee&quot; leaving for Guantanamo the
+next day at eleven o'clock. On reaching the latter port we found
+evidences of a considerable change in the condition of affairs. On our
+former visit, as the reader will remember, we had engaged in an
+interesting argument with a gunboat, a blockhouse, and a fort, driving
+the boat back into the harbor and silencing the fort. The good work done
+that day had borne fruit.</p>
+
+<p>On entering the bay we found several of our vessels quietly riding at
+anchor&mdash;the &quot;Oregon,&quot; &quot;Marblehead,&quot; &quot;Dolphin&quot; (of railway-train fame),
+the ambulance ship &quot;Solace,&quot; the &quot;Panther,&quot; &quot;Suwanee,&quot; and three or four
+colliers and despatch boats.</p>
+
+<p>But that which attracted our instant attention and brought an
+involuntary cheer from us, was the sight of Old Glory, flaunting proudly
+from a tall flagstaff erected on the site of the former Spanish
+blockhouse.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hurray!&quot; shouted &quot;Stump,&quot; &quot;it's the first American flag to fly over
+Cuba. And we dug the hole to plant it.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That's right,&quot; assented &quot;Dye.&quot; &quot;We are the people.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What's that camp on top of the hill?&quot; queried Flagg, indicating a
+number of tents gleaming in dots of white against the background of
+green foliage.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It is the marine camp,&quot; explained &quot;Hay.&quot; &quot;Didn't you hear about it in
+Santiago? Why, man, it's the talk of the fleet. The marine corps has
+been adding to its laurels again. The other day eight hundred of them
+landed from the 'Panther' and fairly swept the place of Spaniards,
+fighting against three times their number. It was great.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The marines have a fine record,&quot; put in Tommy. &quot;I've been shipmates
+with them for years, and I am free to confess that they always do their
+duty.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;And are always faithful,&quot; remarked &quot;Dye.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That's their motto, 'Semper fidelis.' They have lived up to it in every
+war. They antedate the navy, you know.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;How's that?&quot; asked the &quot;Kid,&quot; who was willing to absorb knowledge at
+times.</p>
+
+<p>Tommy produced an ancient book from his ditty box, and proceeded to
+read an extract in a loud, sonorous voice. It was as follows:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Resolved, That two battalions of marines be raised, consisting of one
+colonel, two lieutenant-colonels, two majors, and other officers, as
+usual in other regiments; that they consist of an equal number of
+privates with other battalions; that particular care be taken that no
+persons be appointed to offices or enlisted into said battalions but
+such as are good seamen, or so acquainted with maritime affairs as to be
+able to serve to advantage on sea when required, that they be enlisted
+and commissioned to serve for and during the present war with Great
+Britain and the colonies, unless dismissed by order of Congress, that
+they be distinguished by the names of the First and Second Battalions of
+Marines.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The date of that resolution,&quot; added Tommy, with the air of a
+schoolmaster impressing a particular point, &quot;is November 10, 1775, which
+was before any naval vessel had been sent to sea by the Continental
+Congress. So you see the marines can claim priority in point of
+service.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;And priority in point of landing in Cuba,&quot; added &quot;Hod.&quot; &quot;Here's to
+them.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Our discussion on the subject of marines was cut short by a summons to
+coal ship, a task which had come to form the greatest thorn in the flesh
+of all on board the &quot;Yankee.&quot; The ship was run alongside the collier
+&quot;Sterling,&quot; and the port watch was set to work at once.</p>
+
+<p>From four to six and from eight to twelve p.m., and from four to eight
+the next morning the port watch shovelled, hoisted, and carried coal.</p>
+
+<p>Coaling in the tropics is a very different thing from similar work in
+northern latitudes. The exertion of shovelling, or lifting the heavy
+baskets, added to the intense heat of the weather, makes of it a task
+extremely trying even to those of the strongest physique. During the
+time thus spent in Guantanamo two of the &quot;Yankee's&quot; crew were overcome
+by heat and exhaustion, and compelled to ask for medical attendance.</p>
+
+<p>Our appearance beggared description. The exertion brought out a profuse
+perspiration on our half-naked bodies, to which the coal-dust stuck,
+thick and black. The black rubbed off in spots, showing the white skin
+beneath, the result being a most ludicrous mottled effect. A dime museum
+manager would make a fortune if he could have exhibited some of us as
+the piebald wild men from Guantanamo. It was not till afterward,
+however, that we could appreciate the humor of our looks. During the
+thick of the work we were too busy to note the funny side of things; in
+fact, we felt quite sure that there was nothing funny about it. It is
+impossible to awaken the sense of humor in a man who is plying a heavy
+shovel in the hold of a collier, or lugging a weighty basket, while the
+temperature is soaring to unknown altitudes.</p>
+
+<p>The ship had to be supplied with fuel, however, and as the crew had
+neglected to ingratiate themselves with a good-natured fairy to wish it
+aboard for them, they had to do the work with the best grace possible.</p>
+
+<p>During a &quot;spell&quot; of resting, &quot;Hay,&quot; who was a bit of a philosopher in
+his way, glanced about decks at the groups of panting, perspiring men,
+and remarked:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It would be an object lesson to some of our friends in New York if they
+were to see us now. Just look at those fellows. Not one had ever before
+been compelled by ill-fortune to soil his hands with toil, yet when war
+threatened, and it was necessary to man ships in their country's
+service, they cheerfully took upon themselves the labor's of a common
+sailor, and not only fought for the flag, but worked hard for it in
+menial tasks.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Menial tasks is good,&quot; said &quot;Dye,&quot; ruefully eyeing the baskets piled
+high with coal.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Self-laudation is bad form,&quot; spoke up Flagg, &quot;but I think the Naval
+Reserves who are manning the different auxiliary cruisers&mdash;the
+'Yosemite,' 'Prairie,' 'Dixie,' 'Badger,' 'Yankee,' and the monitors&mdash;as
+well as those serving on board the regular ships, should be given credit
+for their patriotism.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The boys will get it when the time comes,&quot; remarked &quot;Stump,&quot;
+confidently. &quot;And while we are waiting we'll just carry a little more
+coal. Get in line there.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Kennedy, all this time, was bearing up under his trouble splendidly, and
+when the launch of the hospital ship &quot;Solace&quot; came alongside to take him
+away, we could hardly repress a cheer. He was lowered over the side in a
+chair. As the launch steamed away, carrying Kennedy and two other
+shipmates who had been overcome by heat, there was a lump in many a
+throat.</p>
+
+<p>It was not until almost dark the next day that the bunkers were filled.
+At three bells (half-past five o'clock) we dropped the collier and
+steamed to sea en route down the coast. Shortly after ten the &quot;Yankee&quot;
+passed the fleet off Santiago. The electric searchlights in use on the
+ships nearer shore made a particularly brilliant display. The rays were
+turned directly upon the entrance to the harbor, and it was plainly
+evident that not even a small boat could emerge without being
+discovered.</p>
+
+<p>All day Sunday we steamed out of sight of land, our course being to the
+westward and our speed a good fourteen knots.</p>
+
+<p>For four hours in the morning we scrubbed the gun deck, washed the white
+paint work with fresh water and soap, scrubbed the deck with stiff
+&quot;kiyi&quot; brushes, and polished off the bright work. By noon the deck had
+its pristine immaculate look. We were in the midst of the sloppy job
+when &quot;forecastle Murray&quot; (one of the Murray twins&mdash;they looked so much
+alike that the invariable greeting in the morning was &quot;How are you,
+Murray&mdash;or are you your brother?&quot;) came aft for a bucket of fresh water.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What do you think of this?&quot; he inquired pugnaciously. &quot;Here we are
+scrubbing this blooming gun deck to beat the band, cleaning up the dirt
+of a two day's coaling, and now, forsooth, we are ploughing through the
+water at a fourteen or fifteen knot gait and burning up that coal almost
+as fast as we put it in.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>He disappeared up the galley ladder, grumbling as he went.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Another county heard from,&quot; said &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;It does seem rather tough,
+but here goes&quot;&mdash;he gave a vicious jerk to the hose he was handling and
+the stream caught &quot;Hay&quot; full in the neck, whereupon &quot;Hay&quot; saw to it that
+&quot;Stump&quot; had a salt-water bath.</p>
+
+<p>By the time &quot;mess gear&quot; was piped, the ship was very clean, so during
+the afternoon we were left largely to our own devices. Some wrote
+letters, though the possibility of sending them or of receiving answers
+was very remote. Others gathered in little knots and read or sewed, and
+still others took advantage of the time to &quot;caulk off&quot; and make up some
+lost sleep.</p>
+
+<p>And so passed another Sunday. Though we might not have a religious
+service we were certainly cleanly, and, therefore, at the worst, not far
+from godly.</p>
+
+<p>Nothing of interest occurred until early Monday morning. Several minutes
+before &quot;mess gear&quot; was due, a lookout at the masthead reported smoke in
+sight off the starboard bow. The engine room was signalled for full
+steam, and the &quot;Yankee&quot; sped away in chase.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's our day for scrapping,&quot; said &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;We've had more fighting on
+Monday than on any other day of the week. I wonder if it's a Spanish
+cruiser?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It is heading for Trinidad, whatever it is,&quot; remarked &quot;Hay.&quot; &quot;Do you
+see that sloping hill just ahead? It marks the entrance to the little
+port of Trinidad. If I am not mistaken we'll find a gunboat or two in
+the harbor.&quot;</p>
+
+<a name='page221'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page221.jpg' width='300' height='325' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>&quot;THE FUSILLADE WAS LIVELY&quot; (<i>page</i> 221)</h5>
+
+<p>&quot;Hay&quot; proved to be a prophet.</p>
+
+<p>An hour later, on rounding a point of land, we came upon a small, armed
+launch steaming about near an old-time roofed-in gunboat which was
+riding at anchor in the harbor. As soon as we hove in sight the gunboat
+and launch opened fire. It was at long range, however, and the
+projectiles merely stirred up the water a mile away.</p>
+
+<p>As the &quot;Yankee's&quot; guns replied, a two-masted steamer made her appearance
+from within the harbor and vanished behind the keys. The fusillade was
+lively, we firing fully one hundred rounds, but there was little damage
+done. After a time, the launch retreated, and we went outside for the
+night.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's the last of that scrap,&quot; remarked Tommy, the boatswain's mate, as
+he piped down. &quot;We haven't any time to devote to such small fry.&quot;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_XVI'></a><h2>CHAPTER XVI.</h2>
+
+<h3>&quot;REMEMBER THE FISH.&quot;</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The following morning, after &quot;all hands,&quot; the &quot;Yankee&quot; started westward
+along the coast. Cienfuegos was passed, and presently the cruiser was
+taken nearer shore. The lookouts were told to keep watch for horsemen
+riding near the beach. This order aroused our flagging interest, and the
+majority of men on board maintained a careful scrutiny of the white
+strip of land just beyond the breakers.</p>
+
+<p>It was not until noon, however, that our search was rewarded. It was
+just after passing a deep inlet that one of the lookouts espied a group
+of men gathered near the water's edge. There seemed to be a number of
+them, and not far away could be seen a blue and white flag flying from a
+small staff.</p>
+
+<p>The engines were stopped, and a boat officered by Lieutenant Duncan, and
+carrying &quot;Hay&quot; as interpreter, went ashore. &quot;Hay&quot; had spent several
+years in the West Indies and was thoroughly familiar with the Spanish
+language. As he was unique in that respect on board the ship, he often
+did duty as interpreter.</p>
+
+<p>The boat landed in a little cove. After parleying for a while, one of
+the landing party was seen to wigwag. A few moments later the boat
+returned, bringing three Cubans, one of whom was the Cuban governor of
+Matanzas. The others were a captain and commander respectively. &quot;Hay&quot;
+was immediately surrounded and asked to describe what he saw ashore.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I have had the honor of photographing a detachment of the Cuban Army of
+Liberation,&quot; he replied, quizzically. &quot;To tell the truth, it looked like
+a part of Coxey's army. There were about thirty of them, and the
+clothing of the whole outfit wouldn't supply a New England farmer with a
+season's scarecrow. They carried guns of all descriptions, some of them
+with the barrels sawed off short like cavalry carbines; and not one of
+the men looked as if he knew the meaning of a square meal.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Like Washington's army at Valley Forge, eh?&quot; observed LeValley, joining
+the group.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Yes, and they are fighting for their liberty, too.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;How did they like being photographed?&quot; asked Tommy.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Tickled to death. When I asked them to line up they almost fell over
+each other. Next to eating, I think the poor devils love to have their
+pictures taken. They were just like children, and when I pressed the
+button they stood round waiting for the photograph to drop from the
+kodak.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Reminds me of the Cubans of Puerto Principe when the railway was built
+to that place,&quot; put in &quot;Zere,&quot; the chief quartermaster. &quot;A temporary
+roundhouse had been constructed, and when the first locomotive reached
+the city and was placed in it to be cleaned, all the natives from miles
+around gathered there. They crowded the windows and doors and were
+evidently waiting for something. Finally the engineer asked one of them
+what he wanted to see. 'We watch for mule to come out,' was the
+startling reply.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Mule?&quot; echoed Flagg.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Yes, that was the only motive power known to them,&quot; grinned &quot;Zere.&quot;
+&quot;They thought even a Yankee engine must have a mule somewhere inside.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That's like the natives of Guatemala,&quot; spoke up &quot;Hop,&quot; the messenger.
+&quot;When the street cars were introduced it was the usual thing for a
+native wishing to ride, to mount the platform and knock politely on the
+door. Some one inside would rise and open it, and then the native would
+enter and shake hands all round.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Fancy doing that on a Broadway cable car,&quot; laughed &quot;Stump.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Our imagination was not strong enough for that.</p>
+
+<p>The Cuban guests remained with us for several hours, then went ashore,
+together with a boat-load of provisions contributed by the ship.</p>
+
+<p>The whaleboat returned to the ship when the watch on deck had just been
+piped to supper. The other watch, therefore, had the job of pulling her
+up. The steady tramp, tramp, began and the boat slowly rose up foot by
+foot, till it was level with the rail, then there was a sudden jar and a
+crash. In an instant six men of the crew were in the water, while the
+boat floated away by itself.</p>
+
+<p>There was a rush of feet on deck, loud shouts and cries of &quot;Throw them a
+rope,&quot; &quot;Set adrift the life buoy,&quot; &quot;Where's that life belt?&quot; and the
+like.</p>
+
+<p>The men at mess jumped up, overturning cups and plates and dishes of
+food. One forecastle man pulled off his jumper and dove in to help.</p>
+
+<p>The sea ladder was put over the side and &quot;Long Tommy&quot; went down it,
+taking with him a piece of line; this he slipped under the arms of
+Rowland, the forecastle man, who had struck an oar on the way down, and
+was hurt. The man was soon hauled up on deck. The other four were also
+rescued. One went floating calmly off on the life buoy and was picked up
+by the gig, and the rest caught rope-ends and were safely hauled aboard,
+none the worse for their involuntary bath.</p>
+
+<p>Lines were coiled down again, the sea ladder unshipped and put in its
+place, and soon all was quiet and shipshape again&mdash;but we discovered
+that two spit kits and a monkey-wrench had been thrown overboard to aid
+the sinking sailors.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's an ill wind that blows nobody good,&quot; quoted the &quot;Kid,&quot; who
+happened to be sweeper that week. &quot;I won't have to polish the brass on
+<i>those</i> kits again.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Shortly after the return of the last boat, smoke was sighted to seaward.
+The crew was called to general quarters without delay, and our ship
+steamed out to investigate. After a brief but exciting chase, we
+discovered that the supposed enemy was the auxiliary cruiser &quot;Dixie,&quot; a
+sister ship of the &quot;Yankee.&quot; She was manned by the Maryland Naval
+Reserves, and her armament was composed of six-inch breechloading
+rifles, not of the rapid-fire class.</p>
+
+<p>It soon became evident that her commanding officer, Commander Davis, was
+superior in rank to Commander Brownson, and he took charge of affairs at
+once. Captain Brownson was rowed over to the &quot;Dixie&quot; to pay his
+respects, and on his return a rumor that we were to be relieved of coast
+patrol duty by the &quot;Dixie&quot; and to proceed to Key West, went through the
+ship like wildfire.</p>
+
+<p>Tom LeValley brought the news to a group of us gathered on the after gun
+deck. We were just discussing the peculiar, and apparently ridiculous,
+degrees of etiquette found among naval officers in general, as
+exemplified by the ranking of Commander Davis over Commander Brownson.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;They are both commanders,&quot; Tommy was explaining, &quot;but Commander Davis
+happens to rank Commander Brownson by sixteen numbers in the official
+list. Both entered the service November 29, 1861, and&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Whoop!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Down the ladder charged LeValley, wildly flourishing his cap. He stopped
+in front of us and gasped: &quot;Hurrah! we're going&mdash;going to the United
+States, fellows.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What's up?&quot; demanded &quot;Stump.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The 'Dixie'&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Yes?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;She's to relieve us, and we are ordered to Key West and then to New
+York. We're going&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Rats!&quot; broke in &quot;Hay,&quot; in disgust. &quot;You can't give us any game like
+that. It's a rumor, my boy. We're never going home. The 'Yankee' is the
+modern 'Flying Dutchman,' and&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>At that moment the &quot;Kid&quot; appeared in sight, and his beaming face
+convinced us. It was glorious news, but not one of us felt like
+cheering. Our emotions were too deep for that. The mere prospect of
+seeing home again was enough pleasure for the moment, and we were
+content to talk quietly over the welcome possibility of soon meeting
+relatives and friends.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Yankee&quot; was destined, however, to experience a little more service
+before dropping anchor in home waters.</p>
+
+<p>For several days we cruised along the coast between Casilda and
+Cienfuegos. We came to know it very well; every ravine in the mountains
+was familiar, every inlet in the coral-bound shore known to us. It began
+to grow monotonous.</p>
+
+<p>Time lay rather heavy on our hands, but not too heavy, for we were put
+to work, two guns' crews at a time, coaling in a new and torrid fashion:
+the coal in the after hold had not all been taken out during the
+northern cruise, so it was decided to pack it in bags, two hundred
+pounds to a bag, carry it forward and stack it in an unused ballast
+tank.</p>
+
+<p>Number Six and Number Eight guns' crews were among the first to engage
+in this pleasant occupation.</p>
+
+<p>We found heat enough below to supply a good-sized house all winter, so
+clothing seemed unnecessary. We stripped to the waist, &quot;Cumming,&quot; a
+member of Number Six gun's crew, remarking that he thought a cool glance
+and a frozen smile would be sufficient in such a warm climate.</p>
+
+<p>The work was hard and dirty and the heat terrific. We saw no necessity
+for the transfer. Jack never can see the need of work unless it happens
+that some other crew is doing it.</p>
+
+<p>We cheered ourselves, however, by singing &quot;There's a hot time in the old
+ship to-day.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>While we lay close inshore, the &quot;Dixie&quot; cruised outside, and toward
+evening the two vessels met, and together we went to Casilda, a port
+near Trinidad. We stood by while the &quot;Dixie&quot; threw a few shells into
+the fort. Two days later the &quot;Yankee&quot; parted from her consort and
+proceeded to the Isle of Pines.</p>
+
+<p>It was here one of the most laughable incidents of the cruise occurred.
+While steaming past one of the outlying islands, a small fleet of
+fishing sloops was discovered at anchor inshore. Under ordinary
+circumstances such unimportant craft would not have been molested, but
+in the present case it was suspected that they formed part of the fleet
+supplying fish to the Havana market. To destroy them was our bounden
+duty.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Man the starboard fo'c'sle six-pounder and fire a shell in their
+direction,&quot; ordered the captain from the bridge.</p>
+
+<p>The gun was loaded in short order, and presently a projectile went
+screeching across the water, dropping with a splash near the largest
+sloop. Several small rowboats were seen to pull away from the smacks,
+and it was evident the crews had fled in terror. Directly after dinner,
+the &quot;Yankee's&quot; first cutter and the second whaleboat were ordered away,
+manned and armed. A Colt machine gun was placed in the bow of the
+former, and each carried an extra squad of armed marines.</p>
+
+<p>When the expedition returned it had in tow five decked sloops, one of
+which contained a quantity of fresh fish. Orders were given to attach
+the latter to our stern, and to fire the others and set them adrift.
+Before this was done, however, enough fish to supply the wardroom and
+cabin messes were taken out.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The crew can have its share to-morrow,&quot; quoth the captain.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;crew&quot; waited impatiently, but when the morrow came it was found
+that, through some one's blunder, the sloop containing the fish had been
+burned, and an empty one towed to sea with us. The joke, if it might be
+so termed, was on the crew.</p>
+
+<p>The watchword heretofore on the &quot;Yankee,&quot; as on every one of Uncle Sam's
+ships, had been &quot;Remember the Maine.&quot; Hereafter it was &quot;Remember the
+fish.&quot; This was done so persistently that the officer who was
+responsible for the blunder was dubbed &quot;Fish,&quot; and whenever he went near
+any member of the crew he was likely to hear, in a low tone, &quot;Remember
+the fish.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>After leaving the Isle of Pines the eastern shore of Cuba was rounded
+and a straight run made for Key West. At noon on the 27th of June, just
+twenty-nine days after the &quot;Yankee&quot; sailed from New York, we again
+entered a home port. The time was brief as time goes, but our varied
+experiences in foreign waters made the sight of the stars and stripes
+flaunting over American soil particularly pleasing.</p>
+
+<p>As we neared our anchorage the most entrancing rumors were rife. We were
+to get shore liberty without doubt, and the ship was to be coaled by
+outside labor. We took no stock in the latter rumor till an officer
+voiced it&mdash;then we believed. Our clean blues were furbished up, lanyards
+scrubbed, and money counted. We understood that there was little to see
+at Key West; that it was a dull and uninteresting place. Still it was
+land, and we had not set foot ashore for almost three months.</p>
+
+<p>If we had not been so anxious to get ashore we might have been able to
+appreciate the marine picture.</p>
+
+<p>The harbor, if it could be called a harbor, was full of war vessels,
+prizes, and colliers. Three grim monitors tugged at their anchor chains,
+apparently impatient at the restraint, while a few graceful, clean-cut,
+converted yachts swung with the tide.</p>
+
+<p>The gunboat &quot;Wilmington,&quot; and the cruisers &quot;Newark&quot; and &quot;Montgomery,&quot;
+floated with a bored air. In ship's language they said, Why are we
+loafing here? Why not be up and doing?</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Lancaster,&quot; a fine old frigate, the flagship of the commodore, had
+a fatherly air and seemed to say: &quot;Be good and you will all have a
+chance.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Once more we got our shore-going clothes ready, only to be disappointed,
+and again the promises made to us proved elusive. The day following our
+arrival, we were told that no shore liberty would be given at Key West,
+and while the reasons were all sufficient, a man who has set his mind on
+an outing ashore after a hundred days at sea, finds it somewhat hard to
+reconcile himself to the inevitable.</p>
+
+<p>One of the hardest, if not the hardest, thing we had to bear was the
+lack of letters and news from home. When one has been deprived of all
+tidings from his own people for so long the longing for word of them
+becomes almost unbearable.</p>
+
+<p>In the midst of our toughest work we felt that a letter from home would
+act like a strong tonic and brace us for the effort, and it would have
+done so. But no such balm came, though we eagerly scanned every incoming
+vessel for the signal &quot;We have mail for you.&quot; Now at last, though there
+might be tons on tons of coal to be put in at Key West, though the ship
+might have to be scrubbed and painted from truck to water line, we felt
+certain we would get letters from home. Letters that we ached for. And
+so when we sighted the fleet and old fort, and realized that we had
+reached Key West and mail at last, our joy was too great for utterance.</p>
+
+<p>The whaleboat went ashore and brought back two bags of precious
+missives, with the sad news that eight bags had been sent on a despatch
+boat to the &quot;Yankee&quot; at Santiago.</p>
+
+<p>We were glad enough to get two bags, yet we almost gnashed our teeth
+when we thought of the eight fat pouches that were chasing us around the
+island of Cuba.</p>
+
+<p>The mail was brought to the wardroom and dumped out on the table for the
+commissioned officers to sort and pick out their own letters. A
+news-hungry group stood the while at the doors, watching and mentally
+grumbling that such an awfully long time was being taken to accomplish
+so simple a thing.</p>
+
+<p>Finally the master-at-arms was sent for and the worth-its-weight-in-gold
+mail turned over to him to distribute. To the gun deck poured the eager
+throng. The master-at-arms backed up against the scuttle-butt for
+protection, then shouted out: &quot;Let one man from each mess get the mail;
+the rest of you stand off, or you won't get any till to-morrow.&quot; The
+rest of us stood to one side then, realizing that time would be thus
+saved.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Jimmy Legs&quot; called out the names, and the representatives of the
+different messes took them. We heard Kennedy's name called, and a murmur
+of sympathy spread around. &quot;Poor chap,&quot; said one, &quot;he would give the use
+of his wounded arm for that letter.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Yes,&quot; said another; &quot;he has to suffer homesickness as well as pain, and
+a letter from home would brace him up as nothing else could.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Every man took his treasures to a quiet place, a place apart, if such
+could be found, to enjoy them alone. The few who got none&mdash;well! may I
+never see such disappointed, sorrowful faces again.</p>
+
+<p>The letters read and pondered over awhile, tongues began to be loosened,
+and soon all over the ship was heard the buzz of conversation. Chums
+told each other the little items of news that to them seemed the most
+important things in the world. And after all had been told and retold,
+the men gathered in groups and discussed their past months' experiences.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Do you know,&quot; said Craven (a descendant of that famous line of naval
+heroes, a seaman and member of Number Thirteen six-pounder gun's crew),
+&quot;I think we are wonderfully fortunate to come through this experience
+as well as we have. Just think! We have been under fire five times, and
+only one man has been injured. Why,&quot; he continued, and his hearers
+nodded assent, &quot;I used to have the most awful visions&mdash;thought I saw the
+men lying round our gun in heaps, while fresh ones jumped to take the
+places of the fallen.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;And they would,&quot; said messenger &quot;Hop,&quot; who happened to be passing on
+his way aft to deliver an order.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Yankee&quot; had seen some spirited fighting, though most of her crew
+had anticipated nothing more exciting than patrol duty.</p>
+
+<p>Moreover, it was almost certain that we had not seen the end of active
+service. At present, however, the crew settled down once more to the
+monotony of ship life in port&mdash;which is about equivalent to garrison
+duty for a soldier.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_XVII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XVII.</h2>
+
+<h3>IN GOD'S COUNTRY.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The &quot;Yankee's&quot; stay in Key West was marked by one of the most melancholy
+incidents of the cruise. Thomas Clinton LeValley, one of the first of
+the New York Naval Reserves to respond to the call for volunteers, died
+from appendicitis in the hospital ashore, to which he had been removed
+for treatment. &quot;Tom,&quot; as he was familiarly called by his shipmates, was
+on board the &quot;Yankee&quot; during the five engagements of that vessel, and
+proved himself loyal and steadfast on every occasion. He was well liked
+by the officers and men of the crew, and his death was deeply regretted
+by all. It was his fate to be the one member of the New York Naval
+Reserves to lose his life in the service of his country.</p>
+
+<p>When a big barge heaped high with coal came alongside and was made fast,
+we began to doubt the assurances given us, that the coal would be put in
+by outside labor. A tug hove in sight shortly afterward that caused our
+gloomy faces to light up with gladness, for it carried a gang of
+negroes. The tug made fast to the barge, and its living cargo was soon
+hard at work filling the ship's bunkers.</p>
+
+<p>All that afternoon we &quot;lingered in the lap of luxury,&quot; as &quot;Bill&quot; put it.
+At six o'clock our dusky (doubly dusky) coal heavers went ashore, their
+labor over for the day. Though the workmen had left, the work was still
+to continue. The crew coaled till twelve o'clock, working in quarter
+watches. The following day another barge came alongside and part of the
+crew had to turn to and help the hired shovellers.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;So much,&quot; said &quot;Stump,&quot; snapping his fingers, &quot;for the officers'
+assurances.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Up to this time we did not <i>know</i> where we were going. Of course the
+&quot;Rumor Committee&quot; were ready with news of destinations galore. We were
+to return to our patrol duty, to join the Flying Squadron and threaten
+the coast towns of Spain, to join the blockading squadron off Havana. We
+were to do a dozen or more things just as probable or just as
+improbable.</p>
+
+<p>A coal barge still lay alongside the starboard side of the ship, when a
+lighter appeared and made fast to the port side, loaded with express
+packages, parts of machinery, pipes, and bags of mail for every ship on
+the Santiago blockade.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Now we will get those eight bags of mail,&quot; said a forecastle man,
+exultantly. And from that moment we knew we were going back to Cuba.</p>
+
+<p>But like a good many people who think they know it all&mdash;we didn't.</p>
+
+<p>Bunkers, holds&mdash;almost every available space, in fact, was filled with
+coal.</p>
+
+<p>Then began the much dreaded job of painting. Stages were hung over the
+side, each manned by two men, and with much reluctance we began to daub
+the old &quot;Yankee&quot; with gray paint.</p>
+
+<p>The men were unaccustomed to such work, though some could handle the
+brushes sold in &quot;artist's materials&quot; shops well enough, and they
+spattered gray paint all over themselves. It was thought easier to wash
+skins than jumpers, so many were decorated in wonderful fashion.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You would make a 'professor of tattooing' wild with envy,&quot; said Greene
+to &quot;Steve,&quot; as the latter appeared over the rail.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Well, I don't know,&quot; retorted &quot;Steve,&quot; &quot;I am thinking of reporting you
+for misappropriating government property. You've got more paint on
+yourself than you put on the ship.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>After a day and a half of dreary work we had the satisfaction of seeing
+the vessel's sides one uniform color from stem to stern. It was a big
+job for such a short time and our arms ached at the very thought of it.</p>
+
+<p>The sides painted, our attention was given to the decks. They were
+swabbed thoroughly, first with a damp swab, and after they were entirely
+dry the spar deck was covered with red shellac, this being applied with
+a wide varnish brush. The gun deck was then taken in hand and treated in
+the same way.</p>
+
+<p>By Saturday night the ship was as fine as a &quot;brand new jumping-jack
+before the baby sucked the paint off.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Some of the men still suffered from black-and-blue spots, which,
+however, a little turpentine liniment would have banished.</p>
+
+<p>Rumors were rife that we would be bound for New York shortly, but few
+believed them; the circulators themselves certainly did not, of that we
+felt sure.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The idea!&quot; said &quot;Mourner,&quot; who, though ready to swallow most rumoristic
+pills, could not manage this one. &quot;Go to New York with eighty bags of
+mail for the Santiago fleet! I can see us doing it.&quot;</p>
+
+<a name='page240a'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page240a.jpg' width='352' height='300' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>&quot;THE SPAR DECK WAS COVERED WITH RED SHELLAC&quot; (<i>page</i> 240)</h5>
+
+<a name='page240b'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page240b.jpg' width='347' height='300' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>&quot;THE MARINES AIRED THEIR HAMMOCKS ON THE FORECASTLE DECK&quot; (<i>page</i> 244).</h5>
+
+<p>&quot;Taps&quot; sounded at nine o'clock, and we were glad enough to turn in.</p>
+
+<p>When all hands were called, I rubbed my eyes in astonishment, for as I
+glanced out of the deadlight near which my hammock swung, I saw that we
+were under way and well out to sea. I put on my togs in a hurry, and
+after lashing and stowing my &quot;dream bag,&quot; rushed on deck.</p>
+
+<p>Yes, sure enough, we were at sea.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Stump&quot; came and grabbed me round the waist&mdash;he could hardly reach
+higher. &quot;We're bound for New York,&quot; said he. &quot;We met the 'St. Paul'
+going in and the signal boys say we signalled, 'We have urgent orders to
+proceed to New York.' What do you think of that?&quot; he added,
+breathlessly.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;With eighty bags of mail for the Santiago fleet,&quot; said I, thinking of
+the poor fellows who were longing with all their hearts for those same
+bags.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Regular navy style,&quot; added &quot;Stump.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Though it was hard on our friends off Santiago we could not be cast
+down, and the near prospect of liberty&mdash;of an opportunity to see home
+and friends, of again setting foot on shore&mdash;transformed the entire
+crew.</p>
+
+<p>Everywhere could be seen smiling faces. Laughter and merry chatter
+filled the air, and the rollicking songs written by &quot;Steve&quot; and others
+were more in evidence than ever. The daily routine of work seemed
+lighter. There was no grumbling, no fault finding; even the interminable
+task of shifting coal was carried on with actual cheerfulness. Grimy
+hands and blackened faces and tired bodies were forgotten.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;There's a mighty good dinner waiting for me in the dear old house,&quot;
+exclaimed &quot;Stump,&quot; unctuously. &quot;I can sniff it afar. And say, fellows,
+won't we forget&mdash;for a few hours at least&mdash;that such things as reveille
+and scrub and wash clothes and coal humping and salt-horse exist on
+earth?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Oh, good Mr. Captain, how long will it be before we hear the welcome
+call, 'Shift into clean blue, the liberty party!' and find ourselves
+piling over the side,&quot; groaned &quot;Hay.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You will be glad enough to come back to your Uncle Samuel,&quot; grinned
+&quot;Steve.&quot; &quot;When your time is up you will be waiting for the boat.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;No doubt,&quot; replied Flagg. &quot;We will be ready to complete our time of
+service, but there are some, if rumor speaks the truth&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>He finished with a significant wink.</p>
+
+<p>He referred to the many threats of &quot;French leave&quot; made by certain
+members of the crew&mdash;threats which did not materialize except in a very
+few cases. The disgruntled members of the &quot;Yankee's&quot; crew were composed
+mainly of the &quot;outside&quot; men&mdash;men not of the Naval Reserves. Among the
+latter, despite the unaccustomed hardships to which they were subjected,
+a firm determination existed to remain until lawfully mustered out.</p>
+
+<p>The trip from Key West to New York was marked by only one important
+incident&mdash;the celebration of the Fourth of July. It was unlike that
+familiar to the majority of the crew. There were no fireworks, no
+parades, nor bands playing the national anthem. The day opened squally,
+and sharp gusts of rain swept the decks. The usual routine of work was
+proceeded with, and it was not until eight bells (noon) that we fully
+realized the date. At exactly midday a salute of twenty-one guns was
+fired, and those of us who were super-patriotic, took off our caps in
+honor of the flag. That ended the ceremony.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Never mind,&quot; said Tommy, when one of the boys bewailed the meagre
+celebration, &quot;never mind, shipmate. There's a good time coming when we
+can whoop 'er up for Old Glory as much as we please. Then we'll make up
+for to-day. We can't expect to do much under these conditions, you
+know.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The day following (a fine, <i>cool</i>, bright one, and how we did appreciate
+it!) was spent by all hands in getting the ship spick and span for the
+inspection of visitors, who were sure to be on hand to welcome us.</p>
+
+<p>The semi-weekly ceremony of airing hammocks and bedding was indulged in.
+The bugler blew &quot;hammocks,&quot; whereupon all hands lined up to receive them
+from the stowers. They were then unlashed on the gun deck, and inspected
+by the officers of the different divisions, who ordered that they should
+be taken up to the spar deck. The blankets and mattresses were spread
+wherever sun and breeze could get at them. The rail, as well as the
+boats, was covered with them. Red blankets flaunted in the breeze from
+the rigging till we resembled an anarchist emigrant ship.</p>
+
+<p>The marines aired their hammocks on the forecastle deck in the
+neighborhood of their guns.</p>
+
+<p>After an hour or two, the word was passed to &quot;stow hammocks,&quot; and soon
+all was shipshape again.</p>
+
+<p>This duty was performed once or twice a week, the frequency depending
+on weather and circumstances.</p>
+
+<p>Wednesday, July 6th, we passed Sandy Hook and entered New York harbor,
+just thirty-six days since we left it.</p>
+
+<p>As we made our way up the channel, a pilot boat hailed us and told us of
+Sampson and Schley's glorious victory over Cervera.</p>
+
+<p>Though our joy was great and our enthusiasm intense, we were greatly
+disappointed that we were not in at the death. We felt sure that if we
+had been there our skipper would have worked the old craft in near
+enough to have given us a shot.</p>
+
+<p>We steamed on up the bay and through the Narrows, the happiest lot of
+Jackies afloat. The captain of every vessel we met pulled his whistle
+cord until the steam gave out, and the passengers cheered and waved
+their handkerchiefs, or whatever came handy.</p>
+
+<p>The health officer passed us in a jiffy, and before eight bells struck
+we were safely at anchor off Tompkinsville.</p>
+
+<p>It transpired that we had been sent North on account of a yellow fever
+scare. The health officer proved that the fear was groundless. Again we
+set to work cleaning, scrubbing, polishing, and painting, so by the time
+our friends came crowding aboard, the ship was as neat as a new pin.</p>
+
+<p>The visitors&mdash;how glad we were to see them! Only one who has looked
+danger in the face and realized that there might never be a home-coming
+in this world, could understand our feelings as our relatives and
+friends&mdash;bless them&mdash;came aboard.</p>
+
+<p>Fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and other fellows' sisters crowded
+up the gangway to greet us.</p>
+
+<p>And all were welcome.</p>
+
+<p>The second day after we anchored, the port watch was given shore leave
+of twenty-four hours. So we donned our clean blues, and for the first
+time since May 9th, set foot on solid ground.</p>
+
+<p>As the port watch came over the side the following day, after its
+liberty ashore, they were met with the order &quot;Shift into working clothes
+at once and get those shells below.&quot; The red ammunition flag was flying
+at the foremast head, and all thoughts must be given up of the good
+times ashore.</p>
+
+<p>The starboard watch then went on liberty ashore and the port watch
+tackled the ammunition.</p>
+
+<p>From noon till after ten, we were kept busy storing thirteen-inch
+shells for the biggest guns in the navy. They weigh 1,100 pounds apiece
+and are dangerous things to handle, not only on account of their weight,
+but because of the charge of powder each carries. We also loaded eight,
+six, and five-inch shells into the after hold. We turned in at eleven
+o'clock, and were roused at 3:30 next morning to begin the same heavy
+work. When the starboard watch returned the following noon, we were
+still at it, and they, too, had to pitch in and help as soon as they
+could get into working clothes.</p>
+
+<p>Saturday, Sunday, and Monday were spent in the same way&mdash;stowing food
+for Uncle Sam's mighty guns.</p>
+
+<p>The thirteen-inch shells were crated in heavy planks, bound with iron;
+slings of rope were placed around them and they were lowered slowly into
+the hold. The eight, six, and five-inch shells had a lashing of tarred
+rope and a loop by which they might be lifted and handled.</p>
+
+<p>Charges of smokeless powder for thirteen, eight, and six-inch guns, in
+copper canisters, were also taken aboard.</p>
+
+<p>When all was stowed, we carried enough explosives to blow the water out
+of the bay. At half-past two on July 12th, the anchor was raised, the
+cat falls manned, and we bade New York good-by once more. A brisk
+northeast breeze was blowing, kicking up an uncomfortable sea, and when
+Sandy Hook was passed it became necessary to close all ports and batten
+down hatches.</p>
+
+<p>The rolling and pitching of the ship soon began to make things
+interesting on the gun deck. Immense green seas, shipped at intervals on
+the upper deck, sent little streams of water trickling down through
+openings as yet unprotected.</p>
+
+<p>At evening quarters it was all we could do to stand upright. A number of
+men left their stations suddenly without permission, and seemed to take
+great interest in the sea just over the rail.</p>
+
+<p>As the sun sank, the wind rose, and with it came rain&mdash;rain in
+sheets&mdash;the &quot;wettest&quot; kind of rain.</p>
+
+<p>When the port watch was relieved at eight o'clock, even the veriest
+landsman among us could tell that the situation was becoming serious. We
+turned in at once, determining to get all the sleep possible in that
+pandemonium of sound.</p>
+
+<p>The value of hammocks in a heavy sea was proved beyond all peradventure,
+for once we got into them and closed our eyes, we hardly realized that
+the ship was almost on her beam ends much of the time.</p>
+
+<p>From time to time we were wakened by the crash of a mess chest, as it
+broke from its lashings and careened around the deck. The mess pans and
+pots banged and thumped. At intervals the lurching of the vessel caused
+a mess table with the accompanying benches to slide to the deck with a
+crash.</p>
+
+<p>At twelve, we of the port watch were wakened from our much-interrupted
+rest and ordered on deck for muster.</p>
+
+<p>As we slid from our hammocks we realized for the first time the fury of
+the storm. It was impossible to stand upright.</p>
+
+<p>The old hooker rolled so, that it was impossible to keep from sliding
+even when one lay prone on the deck. The men on lookout had all they
+could do to hang on. One moment the end of the bridge would rise high in
+air and the next almost bury itself in the seething waters.</p>
+
+<p>The wind roared, the lightning flashed, and the thunder rolled.</p>
+
+<p>The dense fog hung like a curtain round the ship, so the whistle was
+blown incessantly.</p>
+
+<p>The boatswain's mate ordered me to go forward and stand an hour's watch
+on the bridge. I obeyed, creeping on all fours most of the time, till I
+reached the opening between the deck houses. I escaped, by a hair's
+breadth, a sea which came over the side like a solid green wall.</p>
+
+<p>The man on the port end of the bridge whom I relieved, shouted in my
+ear&mdash;he could not be heard otherwise&mdash;&quot;You want to get a good hold or
+you'll be fired overboard in a jiffy.&quot; Then he left me.</p>
+
+<p>It was the kind of a night one felt the need of companionship. I spent a
+lonely hour on the bridge, eyes and ears strained for signs of other
+vessels, face and hands stung by the pelting rain. Underlying all other
+thoughts was the consciousness that we carried several hundred tons of
+deadly explosive that might shift any moment or be ignited by a spark
+from a lamp and explode.</p>
+
+<p>The sandbags stored about the steering gear broke loose and were heaped
+in picturesque confusion. The scene aft was indescribable. A quantity of
+d&eacute;bris of varying nature slid across the smooth surface of the gun deck
+with a rush at every roll, making navigation a difficult, if not
+perilous, task. Later, to add to the tumult, one man's hammock was cut
+down by a falling mess table, but he escaped serious injury.</p>
+
+<p>It was not until the following morning that the seas subsided, but the
+day proved pleasant, and the mishaps of the preceding afternoon were
+forgotten in the excitement of reaching Norfolk, which port was reached
+by the &quot;Yankee&quot; shortly before dark. Later in the evening the ship was
+taken to the navy yard.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Which means that we are going to hustle more ammunition,&quot; observed
+Tommy, as we made fast to a dock.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;And more stores,&quot; added &quot;Dye.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;And coal,&quot; chimed in &quot;Stump,&quot; with a grimace. &quot;I am glad of it, too.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Glad of it?&quot; echoed &quot;Dye,&quot; in surprise. &quot;That's queer.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Not at all, dear boy,&quot; was the second loader's calm reply. &quot;D'ye see, I
+am in training for the billet of chief deck hand on a tramp canal boat,
+and this experience is just in my line.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Four days later the mooring hawsers were cast off and the &quot;Yankee&quot;
+steamed out between the capes en route to Santiago. From the hour we
+left Norfolk until the sighting of the Cuban coast, our time was taken
+up with drills of every description. The following extract from the log
+for July 18th, will suffice for an example:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Cleared ship for action at three bells along with general quarters.
+General quarters again half an hour after turn to at noon. Fire drill
+and abandon ship at three bells in the afternoon. General quarters
+again at two bells (9 p.m.).&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Under date of July 19th, one of the crew states in his private diary:
+&quot;Clear ship for action again. This is a very pretty drill, and is much
+liked by the boys, as it includes sending all the mess gear and
+provisions below, where most of them are usually 'pinched.' Clear ship
+for action always means an exchange of undesirable mess gear, such as
+broken benches, tables, etc. General quarters at 1:30; fired two shots
+at an invisible target with smokeless powder. Great success, this new
+powder. If we had only been provided with it before, every living
+Spaniard would have trembled at the word 'Yankee'!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What are we doing all this clear ship, general quarters, fire drill,
+and such business for?&quot; said a forecastle man to Craven, who, besides
+being on a deck gun, from which all that was occurring on the bridge
+could be seen, was a messenger.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Why, don't you know?&quot; said the latter. &quot;We have a war artist aboard,
+and all this extra drilling is being done for his special benefit, so he
+can work it up for his paper, I suppose.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Well, if we ever get that artist aboard the old 'New Hampshire' we will
+teach him a few things, so he can describe them from actual
+experience,&quot; said &quot;Hod&quot; the husky. &quot;He'll be able to describe scrub and
+wash clothes, sweeping decks, washing dishes, and all the rest, most
+vividly,&quot; he continued, vindictively. &quot;We'll show him how we get under
+the hose in the morning. Oh, we'll have a bully time with him, and I'll
+wager that when we're through the honors of naval battles will seem too
+trivial for him to draw!&quot;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_XVIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XVIII.</h2>
+
+<h3>THE &quot;YANKEE&quot; ARRIVES OFF SANTIAGO</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>On the twenty-first of July the &quot;Yankee&quot; arrived off Santiago. The
+&quot;Brooklyn&quot; was the only warship on guard, and the absence of that grim
+line of drab-colored ships changed the whole appearance of the coast.
+The &quot;Brooklyn&quot; seemed lonely, though she rode the seas proudly. &quot;See,&quot;
+she seemed to say, &quot;I am monarch of all I survey&quot;; and she looked every
+inch a queen, as she swayed slowly in the long ground swell, her ensign
+snapping in the brisk breeze and Admiral Schley's flag standing out like
+a board. From our proximity to the shore we were enabled to obtain a
+better view than before. Old Morro Castle, perched above the mouth of
+the channel, seemed battered and forlorn. The Stars and Stripes floated
+on high exultingly from the very staff that formerly bore the Spanish
+colors, and we thrilled when we saw it. The wreck of the &quot;Reina
+Mercedes&quot; could be plainly made out, and beyond her could also be seen
+the masts and stack of the &quot;Merrimac&quot;&mdash;a monument to American heroism.</p>
+
+<p>With the U.S.S. &quot;Yankton&quot; (which had run out of coal) in tow, we
+proceeded to Guantanamo. While entering the bay, the first fleet of
+transports bearing troops for the invasion of Porto Rico was
+encountered. Inside the harbor a vast squadron of American ships lay at
+anchor&mdash;some forty vessels in all. The spectacle of such a mighty fleet
+bearing our beloved colors was indeed inspiring.</p>
+
+<p>We found the &quot;Iowa,&quot; &quot;Massachusetts,&quot; &quot;Indiana,&quot; &quot;Oregon,&quot; &quot;Texas,&quot; &quot;New
+York,&quot; &quot;Marblehead,&quot; &quot;Detroit,&quot; &quot;Newark,&quot; &quot;Porter,&quot; &quot;Terror,&quot;
+&quot;Gloucester,&quot; the repair ship &quot;Vulcan,&quot; several despatch boats and
+colliers in the bay. Two gunboats and several steamers captured at
+Santiago also bore the American colors.</p>
+
+<p>Such a fleet many an important port has never seen, and in New York
+harbor would draw immense crowds. Here the spectacle was wasted on
+unappreciative Cubans.</p>
+
+<p>The bay presented a lively appearance with the innumerable little
+launches and despatch boats darting about from ship to ship. Vessels
+went alongside sailing colliers to have their bunkers replenished; other
+ships entered or left at all hours; signals were continually flying
+from the flagship; occasionally a Spanish launch bearing a flag of truce
+would come down from the town, and in the midst of it all the crews of
+the different men-of-war worked on in the accustomed routine, as if
+peace and war, drills and fighting, were all a part of man's ordinary
+existence.</p>
+
+<p>Over a month ago we had sailed into this harbor with the &quot;Marblehead&quot;;
+the ship cleared for action, the crews at their loaded guns, and the
+battle ensigns flying from fore and mainmast, as well as from taffrail.
+This time we entered the bay with a feeling that we were to take part in
+a great naval spectacle.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as we joined the fleet we became amenable to fleet discipline.
+All orders for routine work came from the flagship. &quot;Quarters&quot; were held
+but twice a day instead of three times, and then they were short and,
+therefore, sweet.</p>
+
+<p>Each morning at eight o'clock, when a war vessel is in port, the bugler
+plays &quot;colors,&quot; while the drummer beats three rolls; those of the crew
+who are under the open sky stand at attention, silent, facing aft, where
+the flag is being hauled slowly to its place. At the completion of the
+call all hands salute; then the work is carried on. It is a beautiful
+ceremony.</p>
+
+<p>Saluting the &quot;colors&quot; morning and evening is not merely a mark of
+respect for the Government of the nation, but is an act of worship to
+the God of nations&mdash;a silent prayer for guidance and care and an
+expression of thankfulness.</p>
+
+<p>Shortly after &quot;colors&quot; the morning following our arrival at Guantanamo,
+orders were given to &quot;turn to&quot; on the ammunition. Launches and barges
+from other warships came alongside, and the charges of powder and the
+shells were transferred to them.</p>
+
+<p>When this cargo of deadly explosive began to come aboard a &quot;magazine
+watch&quot; was set. The ammunition was stowed in all parts of the
+ship&mdash;forward, main, and after holds were filled. A watch was set on
+each of the holds. It was their duty to watch the temperature day and
+night and to report the same to the officer of the deck every half hour.
+Extreme care was taken to guard against fire. In case fire was
+discovered, it was the duty of the man on watch to run and turn on the
+water&mdash;the key for the valve which regulated this being always carried
+on his wrist. Then he must notify the officer of the deck, shouting
+&quot;fire&quot; as he went, after which he must go back and with the hose
+endeavor to put out the blaze.</p>
+
+<p>Constant, wide-awake, alert watchfulness was necessary. It was hot and
+close below, and at night it was almost impossible to keep awake. It is
+difficult enough to keep wide awake for an hour's lookout on deck, when
+there is much to see and the air is brisk and invigorating, but it is
+quite a different matter to be roused in the middle of the night to
+stand two hours' watch in a close, hot hold, where nothing more
+interesting than cases of powder and the bare, blank sides of the ship
+are to be seen.</p>
+
+<p>At first, the knowledge that the lives of all on board and the safety of
+the ship herself depended on the alertness of the watch, kept us wide
+awake and anxious, but as time went on, it grew harder and harder to
+resist nature's demand for sleep; therefore, when the order was given to
+unload the ammunition, none were gladder than the men of the &quot;magazine
+watches.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>After evening mess the boatswain's mate&mdash;he got his orders from the
+bridge&mdash;came aft, shouting as he walked, &quot;All you men who want to go in
+swimming may do so right away.&quot;</p>
+
+<a name='page258a'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page258a.jpg' width='345' height='300' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>&quot;HE GOT HIS ORDERS FROM THE BRIDGE&quot; <i>(page</i> 258)</h5>
+
+<a name='page258b'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page258b.jpg' width='341' height='300' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>&quot;ALL YOU MEN WHO WANT TO GO IN SWIMMING MAY DO SO&quot; <i>(page</i> 258).</h5>
+
+<p>There was no doubt as to the popularity of that order. &quot;All we men&quot;
+wanted to go in swimming, and that right away. In a jiffy, white figures
+began to drop over the side with a splash, and soon shouts of glee
+filled the air. The water was warm and clear as crystal, and so dense
+with salt that a man diving, came up like a cork. In fifteen minutes the
+order &quot;Knock off swimming&quot; was passed, and though we left the water with
+reluctance, obedience was prompt, lest the privilege might not again be
+accorded us.</p>
+
+<p>After hammocks had been given out, boats hoisted&mdash;all the work of the
+day finished, in fact&mdash;most of the men gathered aft to hear the band of
+the &quot;Oregon&quot; play. It was a volunteer band; that is, the musicians were
+enlisted men, not assigned for the band. They played with vim and
+precision.</p>
+
+<p>It was almost dark; only the ships' outlines could be made out. The red
+and white signal lights twinkled at intervals at the mastheads of
+different vessels, while beams of light showed on the still, dark water
+from open ports. The whole fleet lay quiet while the men listened to the
+strains of music from the &quot;Oregon.&quot; It was more like the rendezvous of a
+cruising yacht club than a fleet of warships gathered in the enemy's
+country.</p>
+
+<p>The music from the battleship ceased, and for a moment all was still
+save for the lapping of the water against the ships' sides and the
+splash of a fish as it leaped out of water.</p>
+
+<p>Suddenly and together, a shrill piping on all the ships broke the
+silence, followed by the hoarse cry, &quot;All the anchor watch to muster.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>On all men-of-war at eight o'clock, the anchor watch is mustered. It
+consists of sixteen men&mdash;eight on duty from nine till one o'clock, the
+other eight from one till &quot;all hands&quot; at 5:30. The first part always
+calls its relief at one o'clock.</p>
+
+<p>The mustering over, all flocked aft to hear the band again, but were
+disappointed, for the concert was over.</p>
+
+<p>However, the men had come aft for music and music they must have in some
+shape.</p>
+
+<p>So &quot;Steve&quot; the modest was dragged out, and after some persuasion sang
+the following to the tune of &quot;Lou, Lou, How I Love Ma Lou.&quot; &quot;Baron,&quot; the
+gunner's mate, accompanied him on the mandolin, and Eickmann, the marine
+corporal, helped out with his guitar.</p>
+
+<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;'Way down at the Brooklyn navy yard,<br /></span>
+<span class='i3'>Where ships are rigged for sea,<br /></span>
+<span class='i1'>Three hundred little 'heroes'<br /></span>
+<span class='i3'>Went aboard the old 'Yankee.'<br /></span>
+<span class='i1'>Oh! we were young and foolish,<br /></span>
+<span class='i3'>We longed for Spanish gore,<br /></span>
+<span class='i1'>And so they set us working<br /></span>
+<span class='i3'>As we never worked before.<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>CHORUS:<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>&quot;Hard-tack and salt-horse every day,<br /></span>
+<span class='i5'>Work, slave, for mighty little pay;<br /></span>
+<span class='i5'>And just before we get to sleep<br /></span>
+<span class='i5'>We hear the bosun pipe like this<br /></span>
+<span class='i15'>(Whistle),<br /></span>
+<span class='i5'>'Up all hammocks, all hands.'<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;They turn us out each morning,<br /></span>
+<span class='i3'>To scrub our working clothes;<br /></span>
+<span class='i1'>To polish guns and bright work,<br /></span>
+<span class='i3'>To 'light' along the hose.<br /></span>
+<span class='i1'>To wash down decks and ladders,<br /></span>
+<span class='i3'>To coil down miles of rope,<br /></span>
+<span class='i1'>To carry coal in baskets,<br /></span>
+<span class='i3'>To live on air and hope.<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>CHORUS:<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>&quot;Hard-tack and salt-horse every day,<br /></span>
+<span class='i5'>Work, slave, for mighty little pay;<br /></span>
+<span class='i5'>And when we think our work is done<br /></span>
+<span class='i5'>We hear the bosun pipe like this<br /></span>
+<span class='i15'>(Whistle),<br /></span>
+<span class='i5'>'Turn to.'<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;Way down at Santiago,<br /></span>
+<span class='i3'>We fit the forts one day.<br /></span>
+<span class='i1'>The shells were bursting o'er us,<br /></span>
+<span class='i3'>There was the deuce to pay.<br /></span>
+<span class='i1'>We hid our inclination<br /></span>
+<span class='i3'>To run and hide below,<br /></span>
+<span class='i1'>Because we're little 'heroes,'<br /></span>
+<span class='i3'>They've often told us so.<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>CHORUS:<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;Hard-tack and salt-horse every day,<br /></span>
+<span>Work, slave, for mighty little pay;<br /></span>
+<span>And just as all the fight was over<br /></span>
+<span>We heard the bosun pipe like this<br /></span>
+<span class='i10'>(Whistle),<br /></span>
+<span>'Gun-deck sweepers, clean sweep fore and aft.<br /></span>
+<span>Sweepers, clean your spit kits.'<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;One Saturday we anchored<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>Just off the Isle of Pines,<br /></span>
+<span>To load up with pineapples,<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>And look for Spanish signs.<br /></span>
+<span>We called away the cutters,<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>With seamen filled them up,<br /></span>
+<span>And captured five small sailboats,<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>Two Spaniards and a pup.<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>CHORUS:<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;Hard-tack and salt-horse every day,<br /></span>
+<span>Work, slave, for mighty little pay;<br /></span>
+<span>And when we'd like to talk it over<br /></span>
+<span>We heard the bosun pipe this<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>(Whistle),<br /></span>
+<span>'Pipe down.'&quot;<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>&quot;That's great!&quot; said one and all.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;There is just time for the 'Intermezzo' before tattoo, 'Baron,'&quot; said
+&quot;Pair o' Pants,&quot; the signal boy. &quot;Give it to us, will you?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Baron&quot; obligingly complied.</p>
+
+<p>The boys lay around in comfortable, though ungraceful, attitudes, a
+small but appreciative audience.</p>
+
+<p>As the last high note died away the ship's bugler began that lovely
+call, &quot;tattoo.&quot; We listened in silence, for though we had heard it many
+times, it was always a delight to us. Then, too, it meant rest (not a
+drug in the market by any means). Every ship's crew in the harbor, at
+the same moment was listening to the call blown by their own bugler.</p>
+
+<p>The men tumbled below and began to prepare for the voyage to dreamland.</p>
+
+<p>Five minutes later, when the sleepy &quot;taps&quot; sounded, the decks were
+almost deserted save for the hammocks, which looked like huge cocoons
+swung horizontally.</p>
+
+<p>The following days till Sunday were spent in unloading powder and shell.
+The six and eight-inch charges of powder and the shell were lifted by
+hand and slid down chutes to the barges alongside. To handle the powder
+and shell for the thirteen-inch guns, steam was called into service; the
+thirteen-inch charges being lowered into the waiting boat, by the aid of
+the cargo boom and steam winch.</p>
+
+<p>This work was hard and the heat trying, but it was accomplished with
+good grace, for we were glad to get rid of the dangerous stuff.</p>
+
+<p>Sunday, after the usual inspection, several visiting lists were
+arranged, the most popular being that for the &quot;Oregon.&quot; We all wanted to
+inspect that wonderful ship. Visiting is generally conducted on Sunday
+or after dark. The word is passed for those who wish to visit a certain
+ship to &quot;lay aft and report to the officer of the deck.&quot; The party, all
+in clean clothes, are taken to the vessel designated and lined up. After
+being counted they are allowed to go forward, where they yarn to their
+heart's content until the word is given by the boatswain's mate for them
+to muster aft again.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;visiting party&quot; to Uncle Sam's bulldog was cordially received and
+shown all over. The great battleship was as clean and neat as a new pin.
+She looked as if she had just come out of her builders' hands. Paint
+work spotless, brass work shining, engines fairly dazzling in their
+brightness. The crew contented and full of enthusiasm for their ship and
+commander&mdash;gallant Captain Clark!</p>
+
+<p>We saw the guns that helped to lay low Cervera's splendid fleet and we
+saw &quot;the men behind the guns.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Our attention was called to a Jacky sewing on a blue shirt.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Do you see that man over there?&quot; said our guide.</p>
+
+<p>We answered &quot;Yes.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Well, that's the chap that blew up one of the torpedo boats.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Is that so? Tell us about it.&quot; We gazed open-mouthed at the gunner as
+he sat cross-legged on the deck, sewing with all his might.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Yes, that's the chap. You see, the Spaniard was coming in our
+direction, and coming like greased lightning. The six-pounders on the
+superstructure had not been able to stop her, and things began to be
+interesting&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Yes,&quot; we gasped, breathlessly, as he stopped to light his pipe.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Well, as I was saying, the blooming torpedo boat came nearer and
+nearer, and did not seem to mind the hail of six-pounders any more than
+a duck does the rain. I dunno why, for she had no protection that a
+sixer would not penetrate.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It got to be blamed exciting, when the officer of the division said to
+that feller over there, who was a captain of an eight-inch rifle, 'Try
+your hand at it.'</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Bill said, 'Aye, aye, sir, give me time and I'll plunk her sure.' All
+this time the sneaking craft was coming nearer and nearer. Bill
+adjusted his sight and looked and looked, but still did not fire.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;'For heaven's sake, hurry up!' said the division officer, getting
+nervous.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;'In a minute, sir,' said Bill. 'As soon as I get a good bead.'</p>
+
+<p>&quot;He was as cool as an ice machine, and as deliberate as an old hen, but
+he could shoot, so we held ourselves in as best we could and watched.
+After waiting for what seemed an hour, Bill pulled the lanyard and the
+old gun roared. As soon as the smoke cleared away, we looked to see the
+result of the shot. There was some wreckage floating where the torpedo
+boat had been&mdash;that was all. Bill's shot went home, and exploded in the
+boiler room, and the whole craft went up in an instant.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>We looked again admiringly at the man sitting there so unconcernedly,
+and then in obedience to the boatswain's call, went aft and aboard our
+cutter.</p>
+
+<p>All the ammunition for the fleet was unloaded by Tuesday. We still
+carried a small quantity of both powder and shell for the
+&quot;Massachusetts.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Tuesday afternoon we anchored alongside the sailing collier &quot;Frank A.
+Palmer,&quot; and began to coal. The &quot;Yankee's&quot; sister ship &quot;Prairie,&quot;
+manned by the Massachusetts Naval Reserves, lay on the other side; we
+exchanged visits and found them good fellows, and we yarned away to our
+heart's content.</p>
+
+<p>We had now become, in a degree, used to coaling; our muscles were
+hardened and some long-needed labor-saving devices had been introduced,
+so the work was a little easier.</p>
+
+<p>Coaling continued till Friday night. During the morning of that day we
+were told that if two hundred tons were put aboard, a chance would be
+given us on the morrow to see the wrecks of Cervera's once fine vessels.
+It was all the incentive we needed, and the coal came aboard in a steady
+stream. A little after seven the required amount was in the bunkers, and
+by eight o'clock the stages and other coaling paraphernalia were stowed
+away and the &quot;Yankee&quot; had cast loose and was anchored by herself.</p>
+
+<p>The following morning dawned bright and clear. Admiral Sampson came
+aboard at 8:30. We manned the &quot;cat falls&quot; and got under way at once.</p>
+
+<p>On the way down to the wrecks, the ship was cleaned, so by the time we
+reached the ruins of the Spanish vessels, the &quot;Yankee&quot; was spick and
+span.</p>
+
+<p>We passed the wrecks of the two torpedo boats, passed the mouth of
+Santiago harbor, till finally we came to the &quot;Almirante Oquendo&quot; and the
+&quot;Maria Teresa,&quot; fifteen miles west of old Morro.</p>
+
+<p>The two wrecks lay close together. They were a melancholy sight; the
+&quot;Almirante Oquendo,&quot; badly listed to port, a great rent in her side,
+rusted, almost completely demolished. The &quot;Maria Teresa&quot; seemed in
+better shape, but many shot holes were visible in her side.</p>
+
+<p>It was a dreary though gratifying sight. The great green-clothed
+mountains looked down serenely on these two examples of man's handiwork
+and man's destructiveness; the blue sea dashed itself to foam against
+the coral-bound coast; and the bright sun shone over all.</p>
+
+<p>The admiral went over in our gig, together with the captain and
+executive officer. Several other boats went along, carrying, beside the
+regular crews, commissioned and chief petty officers.</p>
+
+<p>As we watched the boats bobbing in the short billows on their way, we,
+who were left behind, could not help comparing these battered hulks
+before us with our magnificent ships in Guantanamo Bay.</p>
+
+<p>All hail to the American seamen, &quot;the men behind the guns&quot;!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_XIX'></a><h2>CHAPTER XIX.</h2>
+
+<h3>HOPE DEFERRED.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>For a few days there was little to do beyond the never-ending routine
+work: scrubbing decks, cleaning paint, and polishing bright work on guns
+and equipments.</p>
+
+<p>We were beginning to wonder if we were to lie at anchor indefinitely,
+and if our last chance of seeing any active service had gone by.</p>
+
+<p>On the morning of Monday, August 1st, we had orders to get under way and
+go to sea. Tongues began to wag at once, and before we had fairly
+cleared the harbor a dozen different destinations had been picked out.</p>
+
+<p>It would seem as if there could be no great danger in letting the men
+have some knowledge of where they are bound when fairly at sea, with no
+beings to whom the secret might be told, save sharks and dolphins, but</p>
+
+<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;Theirs not to make reply,<br /></span>
+<span class='i1'>Theirs not to reason why.&quot;<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>The navy has little use for Jacky's brains; only his trained muscles and
+sinews. There is no life that can be depended upon to take the pride of
+intellect out of a man like that of a sailor, as Rudyard Kipling has
+shown in the case of Harvey Cheyne. We of the crew could think of many a
+cad on whom we would like to try the discipline.</p>
+
+<p>The most popular rumor ran to this effect: we are bound for Porto Rico
+to take part with the &quot;Massachusetts,&quot; &quot;New Orleans,&quot; &quot;Dixie,&quot; and other
+ships of the fleet in a bombardment of San Juan.</p>
+
+<p>By the time land had faded from view, we knew that we really were bound
+for Porto Rico, but for what purpose we knew not. The rumor was correct
+in part, at least.</p>
+
+<p>We were glad to get to sea again. There is an undefinable feeling of
+relief, almost of joy, when the regular throbbing of the engines begins
+and the ship rolls and heaves to the swell.</p>
+
+<p>The spirits of the men rise; smiles lighten up their faces, and snatches
+of song can be heard as they work coiling down lines, lashing movables,
+and preparing the vessel for the rough-and-tumble conflict with the sea.</p>
+
+<p>As the sun sank, the waves rose. By the time the first night watch went
+on duty, the old steamer was tossing like a chip.</p>
+
+<p>The guns' crews of the watch on deck were ordered to sleep by their
+posts, and all was in readiness for instant action.</p>
+
+<p>At eleven o'clock we were roused by the call for &quot;general quarters,&quot; and
+in a minute, all hands were in their places. We looked vainly, at first,
+for the cause of this commotion, but finally made out off our port bow
+the dim outlines of a steamer.</p>
+
+<p>It was only when our ship was on the top of the roll that we could make
+out our chase at all&mdash;nothing but a wall of water could be seen when we
+lay in the trough.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That boat is certainly doing her best to get away,&quot; said &quot;Bill.&quot; &quot;And,
+holy smoke! see how she rolls.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;She can't trot in our heat,&quot; said &quot;Dye.&quot; &quot;We're gaining on her every
+minute.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;She's not a warship,&quot; said &quot;Long Tommy,&quot; who was lucky enough to
+possess a pair of glasses. &quot;I wonder if we're going to get a prize at
+last?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You forget the fishing sloops. 'Remember the fish,'&quot; laughed &quot;Hay.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The two vessels came nearer and nearer, till finally they were within
+hailing distance.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What ship is that?&quot; called out Captain Brownson, through the
+megaphone. &quot;And where are you bound?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The answer came faintly over the tossing waves: &quot;The 'Burton,' with coal
+for Santiago from Guadeloupe.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Ah, ha!&quot; said Tommy, &quot;we get a prize at last.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Wait a minute,&quot; said &quot;Stump,&quot; &quot;he is saying something else.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>A gust of wind came at that moment and carried most of the sound away,
+but we gathered that our hoped-for prize had papers from our consul
+allowing her free passage.</p>
+
+<p>There was a universal groan of disappointment, and when the order was
+given to &quot;secure,&quot; the hose was pulled up with unnecessary violence,
+hatches were lowered, and gun closets closed with no gentle hands. Such
+keen disappointment must somehow find a vent.</p>
+
+<p>There was great excitement the following afternoon when the word was
+passed for all hands to get out their leggings and to wear shoes to
+midday quarters. And when we were arranged into companies, and had
+haversacks, canteens, and knapsacks doled out to us, we concluded that a
+landing party would be made up for Porto Rico.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The 'old man' is going to show the 'Spinache' that the 'Yankee' boys
+can fight on land as well as on sea,&quot; said Tommy, as he yanked at an
+obstinate haversack strap.</p>
+
+<p>We marched round and round the spar deck to the music of bugle and drum
+till we got well into the swing of it, and felt very martial and
+formidable indeed.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Dixie&quot; hove in sight at this juncture, and after a long megaphone
+conversation, we learned that the &quot;Massachusetts,&quot; for which we had some
+ammunition, was on her way to Guantanamo, so we reluctantly turned
+around and retraced our way, the &quot;Dixie&quot; leading. Porto Rico was not for
+us. Alas!</p>
+
+<p>We felt like</p>
+
+<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;The King of France and his hundred thousand men<br /></span>
+<span class='i1'>Drew their swords and put them up again.&quot;<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>The next morning we hove-to a Norwegian steamer, the &quot;Marie,&quot; and before
+we realized what was being done, we found that we had a prize at last. A
+snug little steamer she was, well loaded down with coal for Cervera's
+fleet.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Cutlets&quot; went over in a whaleboat, with a prize crew of six men.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Well, well! this is almost too good to be true,&quot; said an after guard.
+&quot;This <i>is</i> great luck. We capture a prize and get rid of 'Cutlets' at
+the same time.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>To which we all said, Amen.</p>
+
+<p>We separated from the &quot;Marie,&quot; and, as the &quot;Yankee&quot; was much the faster,
+she was soon lost to sight.</p>
+
+<p>The anchor had no sooner been dropped in Guantanamo Bay than our captain
+went over to the &quot;New York,&quot; and then signals began to be displayed, and
+soon after all hands were hauling on the &quot;cat falls.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The skipper returned; the gig was pulled up to its place, and very soon
+we were ploughing the water in the open. As we went out, our prize came
+in.</p>
+
+<p>It seems the encounter with the &quot;Burton&quot; was told to the admiral, and he
+at once ordered us to go out and get her.</p>
+
+<p>We headed straight out. The black smoke poured out of the funnels; the
+ship shook with the pounding of the strained engines. The land faded
+from view.</p>
+
+<p>About two o'clock we sighted the object of our chase, and it only
+required a blank shot from the forward six-pounder to bring her to.</p>
+
+<p>The prize crew, consisting of six seamen, some firemen and engineers,
+and officered by Lieutenant Duncan, went over and took possession of
+our second prize in one day.</p>
+
+<p>Captor and captive then turned and headed for Guantanamo.</p>
+
+<p>The men were in high spirits. Speculation was rife as to the amount of
+prize money each would secure, and some even went so far as to plan the
+spending of it.</p>
+
+<p>Every one felt very gay, and as if something should be done to celebrate
+our good fortune. We would have liked to spend some money for an
+entertainment, but that was impossible.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Dick,&quot; however, was impressed into service to furnish some amusement.
+&quot;Dick,&quot; a forecastle man, is a born story-teller, and we knew if we
+could get him started, some fun would be assured.</p>
+
+<p>After some pressure he acquiesced, and began the following yarn:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;One day a certain Irishman, Mike Dooley by name, departed this life. He
+was much respected, and his death caused no little sorrow to his friends
+and neighbors. His wife and children were simply inconsolable. The widow
+wished to have a handsome funeral in his honor and spent her savings in
+furtherance of that plan. She had enough money for everything, except
+the silver inscription plate. But that difficulty was easily overcome,
+for 'What's the matter wid Pat Molloy painting it nately in white
+paint?' she said.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Pat, being approached on the subject, expressed his entire willingness,
+and soon after called for the casket and took it away. He was told to
+letter the following, in neat, white letters: 'Michael Dooley departed
+this life in his prime, at the age of twenty-eight.'</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Pat was a bricklayer by trade, and painting was only a 'side line' with
+him.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;He started to put the inscription on the casket, and got along bravely
+till he came to 'age of twenty-eight.' Then he realized that he could
+not make the figures. He puzzled over it a long while, for he did not
+like to ask and thus show up his ignorance.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Finally a bright idea struck him. Four sevens make twenty-eight&mdash;why
+not put down four sevens&mdash;that was easy!</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The job was finished just in time.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The relatives and friends were gathered round to pay their last
+respects. One friend was asked to get up and make a few remarks. He did
+so and began as follows:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;'I am glad to be able to say a few words on this sad occasion, a few
+words of praise for our beloved friend; for other words than praise
+could not be said of him. I am proud to have known him and to have been
+numbered among his friends. His virtues need hardly be repeated. You
+knew him well. His generosity, his friendliness, and all the rest he
+possessed. I knew him from his youth up, and I am well aware of his
+goodness, as are you. He was a good husband, a good father, and a good
+friend. It is hard to give him up, but it must be. He died at the age
+of&mdash;&mdash;'</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Here the speaker glanced at the casket beside which he stood, and read
+the following:</p>
+
+MICHAEL DOOLEY<br />
+<br />
+DEPARTED THIS LIFE IN HIS PRIME,<br />
+AT THE AGE OF<br />
+7777.<br />
+
+<p>&quot;'Yis, my bereaved friends,' he continued, 'he was a good father,
+husband, and friend, and none knows that better than I. He was cut off
+in the pride of manhood, you might say&mdash;in his prime, at the age of&mdash;&mdash;'</p>
+
+<p>&quot;He glanced at the inscription again, then, after a painful pause,
+blurted forth: 'Well, how the divil did he escape the flood?'&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The sound of &quot;tattoo&quot; interrupted our laughter at this point, and all
+Hands tumbled below.</p>
+
+<p>The following day we got rid of the last of the ammunition to the
+&quot;Massachusetts.&quot; A sigh of relief and thankfulness went up as the last
+charge of powder was taken over the side.</p>
+
+<p>The same day we saw some of our prize money vanish into thin air. The
+&quot;Burton&quot; was released, and steamed out of the harbor.</p>
+
+<p>It was about this time that a well-authenticated rumor went the rounds
+to the effect that we were to go with a formidable fleet to Spain,
+harass her coasts, and do up Camara's fleet. This rumor was so well
+founded that many of us believed it, and, consequently, much time was
+spent in writing farewell letters.</p>
+
+<p>The prospect of soon seeing the &quot;land of the free and the home of the
+brave&quot; was not very bright. The consensus of opinion at this time was
+that we would see our year out in Uncle Sam's service.</p>
+
+<p>There was considerable gloom. The start once made and the &quot;Yankee&quot;
+actually on her way to the land of the Dons, all would be well and all
+hands would be cheerful; but the contemplation of the long trip in the
+wrong direction was a very different matter.</p>
+
+<p>The air was full of rumors. All was uncertain. We continued to write
+farewell letters, while the invading fleet still lay quietly at anchor,
+but ready to sail to the ends of the earth at a few hours' notice.</p>
+
+<p>The night of August 10th was moonless and dark. There had been no music
+from the &quot;Oregon's&quot; band, and none of our men felt inclined to sing.</p>
+
+<p>The uncertainty had begun to tell, and all were a little depressed.</p>
+
+<p>I was &quot;it&quot; for anchor watch, and, as is often the case, the anchor watch
+manned the running small boat.</p>
+
+<p>We visited several vessels of the fleet, the crew staying in the boat
+while the officers went aboard. When we finally started to return to our
+own ship, we carried two of our officers, Mr. Duncan, Mr. Barnard, and
+an officer from the &quot;Indiana.&quot; As we cleared the wall-like sides of the
+&quot;St. Paul,&quot; we noted that the general signal call (four red lights) was
+up on the &quot;New York.&quot; Then, as we watched, the red and white bulbs began
+to spell out a message that made us all thrill with joy. The interest of
+the moment broke down all barriers of rank, and officers and men spelled
+out the exciting words aloud.</p>
+
+A-S-S-O-C-I-A-T-E-D  P-R-E-S-S  D-E-S-P-A-T-C-H<br />
+S-T-A-T-E-S  T-H-A-T  P-E-A-C-E  P-R-O-T-O-C-O-L<br />
+H-A-S  B-E-E-N  A-G-R-E-E-D  U-P-O-N.<br />
+
+<p>We Jackies would have liked to yell, but our lessons had been too well
+learned, and we restrained ourselves. We put the officer from the
+&quot;Indiana&quot; aboard his own ship and then returned to the &quot;Yankee.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>As soon as the boat was secured for the night, I went around waking some
+of my particular friends to tell them the great news, forgetting that
+they could see it quite as well as I. All were too good-natured,
+however, to object; on the contrary, they seemed glad to talk about it.
+There was some dispute as to the meaning of the word &quot;protocol&quot;; but all
+agreed that, whatever its meaning, it must be good, coupled as it was
+with &quot;peace.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>As we talked quietly, we heard faintly, softly, a verse of &quot;Morse's&quot;
+song:</p>
+
+<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;Our fighting cruise will soon be o'er,<br /></span>
+<span class='i15'>Hurrah! Hurrah!<br /></span>
+<span>We'll be happy the moment our feet touch shore,<br /></span>
+<span class='i15'>Hurrah! Hurrah!<br /></span>
+<span>And 'Cutlets' and 'Hubbub' and all the rest<br /></span>
+<span>May stick to the calling they're fitted for best,<br /></span>
+<span>But <i>we'll</i> all feel gay when<br /></span>
+<span class='i15'>The 'Yankee' goes sailing home.&quot;<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>In spite of the peace news we got orders to go out with the &quot;Dixie&quot; and
+blockade the Crooked Island Passage. So about four o'clock we hauled up
+the anchor and went to sea. All were gay, and many shook their hands in
+farewell to Guantanamo Bay.</p>
+
+<p>We were instructed to keep a sharp lookout for the steamer &quot;Monserrat,&quot;
+which had gained fame as a blockade runner. It was rumored that she
+carried Captain-General Blanco; that she was well armed, and had a
+captain noted for his unscrupulousness and for his fighting qualities.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I'd like to meet that ship,&quot; said &quot;Hay,&quot; &quot;have a good 'scrap' with her,
+get a couple of shot holes in our upper works and battle flags, and then
+bring her triumphantly into Key West or, better still, New York.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Want to go out in a blaze of glory, do you?&quot; said Tommy, the long.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Sure. I'd like to burn some of that powder we took such trouble to
+load.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>This expressed the sentiments of the whole ship's company.</p>
+
+<p>To have one more good fight&mdash;in which we were to come out victorious, of
+course&mdash;get a few souvenir shot holes where no harm would be done, and
+then go home. This would just about have suited us.</p>
+
+<p>We floated around lazily all day Friday and Saturday with a chip on our
+shoulder, as it were, but no &quot;Monserrat&quot; came to knock it off.</p>
+
+<p>The lookouts at the masthead strained their eyes, and half the men not
+actually at work did likewise. All in vain; not an enemy did we see. A
+number of transports homeward bound, bearing worn but happy soldiers,
+were passed, and some came near enough to exchange cheers and good
+wishes.</p>
+
+<p>The screw revolved but slowly, and the ship moved just enough to give
+steerage way. Every passing wave did as it wished with the great hulk,
+and she rolled like a log in the long swell.</p>
+
+<p>Sunday night a change came over the almost quiet ship. The propeller
+turned with some energy; the steering engine whirred, and the &quot;Yankee&quot;
+changed her course. This time she headed straight for Guantanamo, and
+before many minutes we knew that we were returning to our old anchorage.
+The orders were to blockade the passage and keep a bright lookout for
+the &quot;Monserrat&quot;; if by Sunday at six o'clock she had not appeared, we
+were to return to the fleet.</p>
+
+<p>The men who were so sure that we should never see Guantanamo again wore
+a sheepish air, and those who were not so sure lorded over them and
+remarked cheerfully, &quot;I told you so.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Those of us who were sleeping at midnight were wakened and told to come
+to the port and look. Sleepily we obeyed, but the moment we reached the
+opening we were wide awake. There, not three miles off, rolling in the
+ground swell, lay a great fleet, the searchlights sweeping the heavens
+and sea; the signal lanterns twinkling.</p>
+
+<p>As we looked, we saw at the masthead of the foremost vessel the signal
+lights spell out A followed by D, the &quot;Yankee's&quot; private night signal.
+Then, and our eyes almost started from our heads as we gazed, the lights
+continued to spell:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Blockade raised; hostilities ceased.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hurrah!&quot; shouted some one behind me.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Wait a minute,&quot; said &quot;Hay,&quot; &quot;that's not all.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The lights went on spelling: &quot;We are on our way to New York. You are to
+proceed to Guantanamo.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The hurrah, as we spelled out the first sentences, was followed by a
+groan, as we read the last. We were glad, indeed, to know that peace had
+come, but it was hard to see that great fleet homeward bound, and know
+that we must go back to our old post, to stay indefinitely.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hope deferred maketh the heart sick.&quot;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_XX'></a><h2>CHAPTER XX.</h2>
+
+<h3>TAPS.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The days following our arrival at Guantanamo were days of keen
+expectation and equally keen disappointment. A rumor that we were to
+return home at once would start up from nowhere in particular, and
+circulate until it was believed. Then would come a denial and consequent
+discontent. The enforced idleness of riding at anchor day after day
+became so monotonous at last, that any little incident served to create
+excitement. Visiting parties between the ships were permitted
+occasionally, and the &quot;Yankee's&quot; crew grasped the opportunity to inspect
+some of the other auxiliary cruisers. One or two liberty parties were
+allowed ashore at Camp McCalla, from which the men returned, tired and
+warm, but full of enthusiasm and interest for the things they had seen.
+The amount of &quot;curios&quot; and souvenirs brought aboard would fill a museum.
+Pieces of projectiles and Mauser cartridge shells, fragments of an
+unusual red wood, and pieces of fossil rock, of which the cliff was
+composed, were stowed away in bags and ditty boxes.</p>
+
+<p>The bay now had a very deserted appearance. All the battleships and many
+of the cruisers had gone North. The auxiliary cruisers, &quot;New Orleans,&quot;
+&quot;Newark,&quot; &quot;Marblehead,&quot; and a number of converted yachts were all that
+remained, besides our own vessel. It was still a goodly fleet, but in
+comparison to the great squadron, seemed small.</p>
+
+<p>For the first time we were at a loss for something to do. Time hung
+heavy on our hands. The routine work, including morning &quot;quarters,&quot; was
+finished by half-past ten every morning, and the balance of the day was
+spent as pleased us best, within certain well-defined limits.</p>
+
+<p>Much time and thought were spent in chasing down rumors, and watching
+signals from the flagship.</p>
+
+<p>Troopships from Santiago, laden with homeward-bound troops, sailed by
+the mouth of the harbor, but we, the first volunteers to reach the seat
+of war and to see active service, still lingered. The &quot;Resolute&quot; and
+&quot;Badger&quot; left at last, and it was rumored that we would follow next day.
+But still we lingered.</p>
+
+<p>Occasionally we got mail that told of home doings, and almost every
+letter finished with, &quot;I suppose that you will soon be home, now that
+peace is declared.&quot; But still we lingered.</p>
+
+<p>We knew that we could hardly expect to be relieved at once; that there
+were many arrangements to be made in the Navy Department; many orders to
+be signed, and new plans to be formulated. But the thought carried
+little comfort with it. The pangs of homesickness were getting a strong
+hold on us.</p>
+
+<p>Dr. &quot;Gangway&quot; McGowan had the ship's carpenter nail a nice, smooth piece
+of board over a hole in the wire netting of his cabin door; some wag
+took advantage of the opportunity, and lettered plainly the following,
+on its white surface:</p>
+
+<center>
+<img src='images/page286.jpg' width='495' height='192' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+
+<p>He would have done a rushing business if he could have found a sure cure
+for homesick &quot;heroes.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>On Tuesday, August 23d, our depression reached its culminating point,
+for the word had been passed unofficially that we might lay here
+indefinitely&mdash;two weeks, a month, three months&mdash;there was no telling
+when we would get away from what had become a hateful spot to us. The
+men went about with a dejected air, and while all were good-natured
+enough, there was little inclination to talk.</p>
+
+<p>As night drew near, we saw several troopships pass the harbor homeward
+bound, and the sight did not lighten our gloom.</p>
+
+<p>When the sun finally sank, we were as melancholy a crowd as ever trod a
+deck.</p>
+
+<p>The men gathered in little groups, bewailing in monosyllables the
+decidedly gloomy future, when some one glanced up and saw that Commodore
+Watson's flagship, the &quot;Newark,&quot; was showing the general signal lights.
+Then, as the answering lights blazed on the other ships, the red and
+white lanterns began to spell out a message.</p>
+
+<p>The news spread at once that the flagship was signalling a general
+message or one of interest to the whole fleet.</p>
+
+<p>Soon the rail was lined with signal boys, and signal boys, <i>pro tem</i>.</p>
+
+<p>Those who could read them, spelled the messages aloud, letter by letter.</p>
+
+&quot;'Y-A-N-K-E-E'  A-N-D  'N-I-A-G-A-R-A'  W-I-L-L<br />
+S-A-I-L  F-O-R  T-O-M-P-K-I-N-S-V-I-L-L-E  T-O-M-O-R-R-O-W.<br />
+'D-I-X-I-E'  A-N-D  'F-E-R-N'<br />
+W-I-L-L  G-O  T-O  H-A-M-P-T-O-N  R-O-A-D-S.&quot;<br />
+
+<p>With a single bound all was changed from gloom to gladness.</p>
+
+<p>No man could say how glad he was, but every man felt his heart grow warm
+within him. There was a deep feeling of gratitude for the providential
+care we had received, and for the happy release that now had come.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Cupid,&quot; the ship's bugler, played &quot;Home, Sweet Home,&quot; and instead of
+mobbing him as we would have done had he played it three hours earlier,
+we applauded. He also played &quot;America,&quot; and then &quot;Dixie,&quot; in honor of
+our Maryland friends on our sister ship of that name. It pleased them
+mightily, as was evidenced by the cheer that came over the quiet water
+to us. Their bugler returned the compliment soon after by playing
+&quot;Yankee Doodle.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>There was much good feeling when the men went below, to turn in, but not
+to sleep; we were too happy for that.</p>
+
+<p>As the talk and laughter gradually died down (the order, &quot;Turn in your
+hammocks and keep silence,&quot; was not very strictly observed that night),
+a voice would be heard singing&mdash;not always the same voice:</p>
+
+<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;But we'll all feel gay when<br /></span>
+<span>The 'Yankee' goes sailing home.&quot;<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>The following morning Scully did not have to repeat &quot;up all hands,&quot; for
+he had hardly got the words out of his mouth before every man was
+scrambling into his clothes as fast as he could.</p>
+
+<p>Soon after breakfast the order was given to hoist up the catamaran, and
+then the rest of the boats were pulled up one by one. The boat's falls
+were run away with in a fashion that made the officers smile. The
+tackle-blocks fairly smoked.</p>
+
+<p>The only thing that marred our perfect joy was the departure of some of
+the marines to the &quot;New Orleans.&quot; We had grown to like them all very
+much, and especially a pleasant fellow we dubbed &quot;Happy,&quot; because of his
+unvarying cheerfulness. We had hoped to bring them all back with us, and
+were sorry to see them go.</p>
+
+<p>We listened with eager ears for the final order before sailing, &quot;All
+hands on the cat falls,&quot; and just before noon we heard it. In ready
+response the men came tumbling up, and in a jiffy the anchor was pulled
+up as if it weighed five hundred, instead of five thousand pounds.</p>
+
+<p>The leadsman stood on his little platform and sang out, as he heaved the
+lead, the number of fathoms. It was the last touch we had of Cuban soil.</p>
+
+<p>As the old ship gathered headway, cheer after cheer rang out from the
+ships that were left behind, and in answer to each, our crew, which had
+gathered on the forecastle, gave three rousing hurrahs and a tiger.</p>
+
+<p>So we sailed out of Guantanamo Bay for the last time.</p>
+
+<p>It was with a feeling of sadness mixed with joy that we watched the
+headland, that stands like a guard on one side of the bay, disappear in
+the haze. We were one of the first ships to enter its then hostile
+portals. We had gained renown there; we had seen the American flag
+raised on its beautiful shores, and but a few minutes ago we heard a
+ringing American cheer come over its clear waters, bidding us Godspeed
+and a joyful home coming.</p>
+
+<p>The voyage home was like a triumphal journey. All hands were in high
+spirits. The gloom of a few hours before was dispelled by the talismanic
+words, &quot;'Yankee' and 'Niagara' will sail for Tompkinsville.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Though we were exceedingly glad, there was a good deal of quiet thinking
+going on.</p>
+
+<p>One and all realized that we had been exposed to no ordinary dangers.
+Danger from the enemy's fire; danger from a deadly climate; danger from
+the effects of unaccustomed labor; danger from wind and raging sea. We
+had been brought through safe and sound by an all-wise God to lead
+peaceful, useful, and, it is hoped, helpful lives at home.</p>
+
+<p>This same thought had been in our minds many times before, and with the
+feeling of thankfulness would come a sense of surprise that we should
+pass through it all without harm.</p>
+
+<p>We sped on and on, the ship's prow ever pointed North. We watched the
+water to note the change in color; to see when the blue water of the
+Gulf Stream should be left behind and the green northern sea should be
+entered.</p>
+
+<p>As we neared New York our impatience grew with every added mile, and
+this eagerness was felt by officers as well as men.</p>
+
+<p>We sometimes forgot that our officers were capable of feeling
+disappointment, impatience, and joy; that they also had to stand watch
+and get along on short allowance of sleep; that they, too, were subject
+to annoyances as well as we. If we had not felt this before, we fully
+realized, now, how much <i>our</i> officers had done for us.</p>
+
+<p>Lieutenants Duncan, Greene, and Barnard, Dr. McGowan, Ensigns Dimock and
+Andrews, always treated us fairly and honestly.</p>
+
+<p>Every man has a deep-seated feeling of loyalty and affection for them
+that will last as long as life shall last.</p>
+
+<p>As the tropical latitudes were left astern the nights became cool, and
+the watch on deck had the novel experience of walking post in pea coats.
+Shortly after daybreak on the twenty-seventh of August the Atlantic
+Highlands were sighted, and, to quote one of the forecastle men, &quot;All
+hands shouted to see God's country once more!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Though we had seen the Highlands, Sandy Hook, and all the familiar
+landmarks of the harbor many times, never had they seemed so attractive.</p>
+
+<p>The steam vessels we met tooted a welcome, as our identity became known,
+and the sailing craft dipped their colors in salute.</p>
+
+<p>Inside the Narrows, and ranged along the Staten Island shore, we found
+our companions of the Santiago blockade, and, as we passed through the
+fleet to our anchorage, the crew stood at &quot;quarters&quot; in their honor.</p>
+
+<p>We heard later of the great reception these tried and true fighting
+ships of Uncle Sam's had received, and we only regretted that we were
+not present to add our little mite to the applause.</p>
+
+<p>After two days' stay off Tompkinsville, during which time the ship was
+fairly overrun with visitors eager to see the &quot;Yankee&quot; and her crew of
+&quot;heroes,&quot; we steamed through the Narrows en route for League Island.
+Orders had arrived from Washington providing for the paying off and
+discharge of the New York Naval Reserves, and little time was lost in
+obeying.</p>
+
+<p>On reaching League Island, the naval station near Philadelphia, we found
+the old-time war monitors &quot;Nahant&quot; and &quot;Jason&quot; in port. The crew of the
+&quot;Nahant,&quot; made up of the New York Naval Reserves, were in readiness to
+accompany the &quot;Yankee's&quot; crew back to the metropolis.</p>
+
+<p>While waiting for the specified date&mdash;Friday, September 2d&mdash;bags were
+packed for the last time, and all preparations made for leaving the
+ship. Now that the hour for departure was rapidly approaching, many of
+the boys began to express regrets. Despite the hardships attending the
+cruise, it had brought many happy days&mdash;days made pleasurable by novel
+and strange surroundings&mdash;and it is not claiming too much to say that
+not one of the &quot;Yankee's&quot; crew would have surrendered his experience.</p>
+
+<p>Friendships had been formed, too&mdash;friendships cemented by good
+fellowship and mutual peril. Those who have spent many days at sea know
+that acquaintances made on shipboard in the midst of calms and storms
+and the dangers of the deep, are lasting. And that was now being
+impressed upon the boys of the &quot;Yankee.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>While the crews of the &quot;Nahant&quot; and &quot;Yankee&quot; were preparing for the
+railway trip to New York, arrangements were being made in that city for
+a rousing welcome to the returning Naval Reserve Battalion.</p>
+
+<p>Shortly after ten the boys were mustered aft to hear Captain Brownson's
+parting speech. In his usual brisk manner he said that we were now to go
+back to our peaceful avocations; to our homes; to join our relatives and
+friends, and to become again private citizens. He ended by wishing us
+the best of luck.</p>
+
+<p>The cheers that followed shook the old ship from keel to topmast, nor
+were the cheers for Lieutenant Hubbard any the less hearty.</p>
+
+<p>A very few minutes after, we piled into a tug and steamed away. Little
+was said, for there was a feeling of real regret: we were fond of the
+old boat, after all.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Patt,&quot; the gunner's mate; the marines, and the few men of the engineer
+force who stayed on board, waved good-by.</p>
+
+<p>We boarded a special train with the crew and officers of the &quot;Nahant,&quot;
+and were soon speeding over the level country towards New York.</p>
+
+<p>After a very fast trip we reached Jersey City, where we were fitted out
+with rifles and belts, and were met by the band that was to lead us
+through the city.</p>
+
+<a name='page294'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page294.jpg' width='407' height='300' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>MARCHING THROUGH CITY HALL PARK, NEW YORK CITY (<i>page 295</i>).</h5>
+
+<p>The people of New York turned out to give us a rousing welcome.</p>
+
+<p>It was a welcome we shall never forget&mdash;a welcome that made us forget
+all hardships, all dangers. Whatever pride we may have had in our
+achievements was drowned in that thunderous greeting; we were humbled,
+for real heroes could hardly have deserved such a reception.</p>
+
+<p>The Mayor stood in front of the City Hall and reviewed us, and later we
+were reviewed by the President himself, at Madison Square.</p>
+
+<p>As the head of the column turned down Twenty-sixth Street, heading to
+our old receiving ship the &quot;New Hampshire,&quot; the band struck up &quot;Home,
+Sweet Home.&quot; The men still marched with heads erect and eyes to the
+front, but many of those eyes were dimmed with a moisture that almost
+prevented their owners from seeing the long, homeward-bound pennant that
+floated from the masthead of the old frigate.</p>
+
+<p>As for the greeting given by mothers and sisters and relatives of every
+degree and by friends assembled on the &quot;New Hampshire,&quot; that is one
+experience that cannot be described; it must be felt to be appreciated.
+Suffice it that every member of the New York Naval Battalion felt amply
+repaid for the hardships endured and the sacrifices made in the service
+of Old Glory. And if the occasion should again arise for the calling out
+of the Naval Reserves of the First New York Battalion, they, together
+with their comrades, the Naval Reserve Battalions of other cities, will
+cheerfully don their &quot;clean whites&quot; and respond to muster.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Pipe down!&quot;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='APPENDIX'></a><h2>APPENDIX.</h2>
+
+<h3>THE NAVAL MILITIA OF THE UNITED STATES.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The Naval Militia is a volunteer organization made up of certain
+patriotic citizens of the United States, who conceived the idea that the
+country could be served by its sons as well in the naval branch of the
+National Defence as in the military. The subject of a naval volunteer
+force had been agitated for several years, but it was not until the
+latter part of June, 1891, that the first enlistments were made.</p>
+
+<p>Since that time the success of the organization has been continuous and
+most gratifying, and it has required only the recent war with Spain to
+prove that its value to the country at large cannot be overestimated. At
+the outbreak of hostilities, the strength of the Naval Militia
+throughout the country was 4,445 officers and enlisted men, but the rush
+of recruits incidental to the opening of the war vastly increased that
+number.</p>
+
+<p>The scope of the organization is naturally limited to those States
+bordering on the seacoast and the Great Lakes, but the interest taken in
+it to-day by the people is widespread and emphatic. The existence of
+this interest was amply proved by the enthusiastic welcome tendered the
+returning crews of the &quot;Badger,&quot; &quot;Dixie,&quot; &quot;Prairie,&quot; &quot;Yosemite,&quot; and
+&quot;Yankee&quot; by the citizens of the cities more closely concerned, and by
+the country at large.</p>
+
+<p>In a report made to Secretary Long in 1897 by Theodore Roosevelt, then
+Assistant Secretary of the Navy, these prophetic words were used:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The rapidity with which modern wars are decided renders it imperative
+to have men who can be ready for immediate use, and outside of the
+regular navy these men are only to be found in the Naval Militia of the
+various States. If a body of naval militia is able to get at its head
+some first-class man who is a graduate of Annapolis; if it puts under
+him as commissioned officers, warrant officers, and petty officers men
+who have worked their way up from grade to grade, year after year, and
+who have fitted themselves for the higher positions by the zeal and
+painstaking care with which they have performed their duties in the
+lower places; and if the landsmen, ordinary seamen, and seamen go in
+resolutely to do real work and learn their duties so that they can
+perform them as well as the regulars aboard our warships, taking pride
+in their performance accordingly as they are really difficult&mdash;such an
+organization will, in course of time, reach a point where it could be
+employed immediately in the event of war.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Most of the Naval Militia are now in condition to render immediate
+service of a very valuable kind in what may be called the second line of
+defence. They could operate signal stations, help handle torpedoes and
+mines, officer and man auxiliary cruisers, and assist in the defence of
+points which are not covered by the army. There are numbers of advanced
+bases which do not come under the present scheme of army coast defence,
+and which would have to be defended, at any rate during the first weeks
+of war, by bodies of Naval Militia; while the knowledge they get by
+their incessant practice in boats on the local waters would be
+invaluable.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Furthermore, the highest and best trained bodies could be used
+immediately on board the regular ships of war; this applies to the
+militia of the lakes as well as to the militia of the seacoast&mdash;and
+certainly no greater tribute is necessary to pay to the lake militia.
+Many of these naval battalions are composed of men who would not enlist
+in time of peace, but who, under the spur of war, would serve in any
+position for the first few important months.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The last sentence of the above extract is of peculiar interest, inasmuch
+as it proved true in every particular. The crews of the auxiliary ships
+manned by the Naval Militia during the Spanish-American war of 1898 were
+composed of men who, in civil life, were brokers, lawyers, physicians,
+clerks, bookkeepers, or men of independent means. They sacrificed their
+personal interests for the moment, and, in their patriotic zeal,
+accepted positions of the most menial capacity on board ship.</p>
+
+<p>Prior to the outbreak of war they had entered into training with the
+utmost enthusiasm. The Navy Department had assigned some of the older
+vessels to the various naval brigades, to be used as training ships, and
+with these as headquarters the brigades began drilling. In addition to
+the regular routine, summer cruising was taken up.</p>
+
+<p>The First Battalion, New York State Militia, for instance, went in a
+body to Fisher's Island, off the eastern end of Connecticut, and there
+engaged in landing parties, camping, and sham battles. On another
+occasion the battalion embarked on board the battleships &quot;Massachusetts&quot;
+and &quot;Texas,&quot; each militiaman having a regular bluejacket for a running
+mate, and doing just as he did. The two ships cruised in the vicinity of
+Fisher's Island, and a programme was carried out which included
+instruction in the different parts of the ship in great guns and
+ordnance, such drills as abandon ship, arm and away boats, clear ship
+for action, general quarters, signalling, and in the use of torpedoes.</p>
+
+<p>During one of the cruises of the Massachusetts Naval Brigade a
+detachment was engaged in locating signal stations on the coast from the
+New Hampshire State line to Cape Ann, and it was due to the efforts of
+this detachment that the signal stations established during the late war
+proved so efficient.</p>
+
+<p>The Naval Militia of Maryland, Louisiana, Illinois, and other States
+were given opportunities for instruction in the handling of guns, the
+care of wounded, in infantry drill, limited artillery practice with
+rapid-fire batteries, and all the details of naval life, and so well did
+they benefit by it that the authorities at Washington announced a
+willingness to trust any of the warships in their sole charge.</p>
+
+<p>It was to reach this pinnacle, as it may be termed, that the Naval
+Militia organizations of the United States had striven, and when they
+were finally called upon by the Government they proved their worth by
+boarding modern warships, doing the work of regular sailors, and
+fighting for their country with a degree of skill and zeal that has
+earned for them the commendation of their fellow-citizens.</p>
+<br />
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<h3>UNITED STATES NAVAL CODE FOR VISUAL SIGNALLING.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>To signal with flag or torch &quot;wigwag&quot;:</p>
+
+<p>There are but <i>one</i> position and <i>three</i> motions.</p>
+
+<p>The <i>position</i> is with the flag held vertically in front of the body;
+the signalman facing squarely the point to which the message is to be
+sent.</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<br />
+
+<p>The <i>first</i> or 1 is a motion to the right of the sender.</p>
+
+<p>The <i>second</i> or 2 is a motion to the left of the sender.</p>
+
+<p>The <i>third</i> or 3: the flag is dropped in front of the sender and
+instantly returned to <i>position</i>.</p>
+
+<p>The entire code is made up of these three motions&mdash;1, 2, and 3. Every
+letter begins and ends with <i>position</i>.</p>
+<br />
+
+<p>&quot;WIGWAG&quot; CODE. UNITED STATES NAVAL CODE FOR VISUAL AND TELEGRAPHIC
+SIGNALLING.</p>
+
+ALPHABET.<br />
+<br />
+A    22<br />
+B  2112<br />
+C   121<br />
+D   222<br />
+E    12<br />
+F  2221<br />
+G  2211<br />
+H   122<br />
+I     1<br />
+J  1122<br />
+K  2121<br />
+L   221<br />
+M  1221<br />
+N    11<br />
+O    21<br />
+P  1212<br />
+Q  1211<br />
+R   211<br />
+S   212<br />
+T     2<br />
+U   112<br />
+V  1222<br />
+W  1121<br />
+X  2122<br />
+Y   111<br />
+Z  2222<br />
+<br />
+NUMERALS.<br />
+1  1111<br />
+2  2222<br />
+3  1112<br />
+4  2221<br />
+5  1122<br />
+6  2211<br />
+7  1222<br />
+8  2111<br />
+9  1221<br />
+0  2112<br />
+<br />
+ABBREVIATIONS.<br />
+<br />
+a  after.<br />
+b  before.<br />
+c  can.<br />
+h  have.<br />
+n  not.<br />
+r  are.<br />
+t  the.<br />
+u  you.<br />
+ur your.<br />
+w  word.<br />
+wi with.<br />
+y  why.<br />
+<br />
+x x 3 = &quot;numerals follow&quot; or &quot;numerals end.&quot;<br />
+sig. 3 = signature.<br />
+3 = End of word.<br />
+33 = End of sentence.<br />
+333 = End of message.<br />
+22, 22, 3 = I understand.<br />
+
+<p>The complete number opposite each letter or numeral stands for that
+letter or numeral.</p>
+
+<p>Example: The signal sent by Commodore Schley's flagship &quot;Brooklyn&quot; that
+memorable 3d of July&mdash;</p>
+
+T  H    E    E   N   E   M     Y'   S     F     L    E   E   T<br />
+2, 122, 12 3 12, 11, 12, 1221, 111, 212 3 2221, 221, 12, 12, 2, 3<br />
+L, RLL, RL D RL, RR, RL, RLLR, RRR, LRL D LLLR, LLR, RL, RL, L, D<br />
+<br />
+I  S     C    O   M     I  N   G      O   U    T   O   F<br />
+1, 212 3 121, 21, 1221, 1, 11, 2211 3 21, 112, 2 3 21, 2221<br />
+R, LRL D RLR, LR, RLLR, R, RR, LLRR D LR, RRL, L D LR, LLLR<br />
+<br />
+H    A   R    B     O   R.<br />
+122, 22, 211, 2112, 21, 211, 333.<br />
+RLL, LL, LRR, LRRL, LR, LRR, DDD.<br />
+<br />
+R = Right = 1.          L = Left = 2.         D = Drop = 3.<br />
+<br />
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<h3>NIGHT SIGNALLING.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The lights in the Ardois system&mdash;named after its inventor&mdash;sometimes
+called &quot;shroud lights,&quot; are placed well up on the foremast. They are red
+and white electric bulbs. There are four of each placed in a line one
+above the other, in groups of two&mdash;- a red and white bulb together.
+Unlike the &quot;wigwag&quot; system, the whole letter is shown at once.</p>
+
+<p>The code is the same as the &quot;wigwag.&quot; One is indicated by a red light,
+two by white, and three by the combination, white, white, red and white.</p>
+
+<p>Both systems may be mastered very easily by a little painstaking
+practice, and much amusement may be had through the mystification of
+those who do not understand it. A &quot;wigwag&quot; flag may be easily made by
+sewing a white square of muslin in the centre of a red bandana
+handkerchief.</p>
+
+<p>The best method of learning this system is to send simple messages,
+looking up the letters that there is any doubt about, and correcting
+mistakes as you go along.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<h3>NAVY CODE FLAGS.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>Messages sent by the navy code flags cannot be read except by the aid of
+the code book. There are ten numeral flags&mdash;1 to 9, and one for 0. All
+messages are made up by means of these ten flags headed by the code flag
+(whether it be geographical, telegraph, or navy list).</p>
+
+<p>For instance, a line of bunting is sent up on the flagship's signal
+halliards. It is read from the top down. The geographical flag flies
+first; then follow 7, 6, 3, 8. It means that the message can be found in
+the geographical list, number 7638.</p>
+
+<p>The repeaters are used to avoid confusion. Instead of putting two number
+1 flags together, for instance, number 1 is flown with a repeater under
+it; second repeater repeats number 2, and so on.</p>
+<br />
+
+<p>PREPARATORY.&mdash;Over hoist. Prepare to execute subjoined order.</p>
+
+<p>INTERROGATION.&mdash;Alone. What is that signal? or &quot;I don't
+understand&mdash;repeat.&quot; Above hoist puts signal in interrogative sense.</p>
+
+<p>ANSWERING.&mdash;Flown by ship receiving message indicates that signal is
+understood.</p>
+
+<p>AFFIRMATIVE.&mdash;Alone. Yes. Above hoist puts message in affirmative or
+permissive sense.</p>
+
+<p>NEGATIVE.&mdash;Alone. No. Above hoist puts message in negative sense.</p>
+
+<p>MEAL or NUMERAL.&mdash;Alone. Crew at mess. Above or below hoist&mdash;the numeral
+flags are to be taken as numbers simply.</p>
+
+<p>CONVOY.&mdash;Alone at fore, means naval convoy. Above hoist means use navy
+list.</p>
+
+<p>POSITION.&mdash;In manoeuvres, hoisted by each ship as it gets into position
+ordered; lowered when next ship gets into place.</p>
+
+<p>GUARD or GUIDE.&mdash;As its name implies&mdash;flown by guard or guide ship.</p>
+
+<p>TELEGRAPH.&mdash;Use telegraph list.</p>
+
+<p>DESPATCH or GEOGRAPHICAL.&mdash;Alone at fore, indicates that the ship flying
+it is carrying despatches. Above hoist. Use geographical list.</p>
+
+<p>CORNET.&mdash;Alone. Ship about to sail. Over number. Official number of
+ship.</p>
+
+<p>GENERAL RECALL.&mdash;Recalls all small boats.</p>
+
+<p>POWDER.&mdash;Hoisted alone in port. Taking powder on board. Alone at sea.
+Distress.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<h3>RATING MARKS IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>THE INSIGNIA OF RANK OF COMMISSIONED, WARRANT, AND PETTY OFFICERS.</p>
+
+<p>There are four classes of officers in the United States navy, and each
+has its own distinguishing mark.</p>
+
+<p>The commissioned officers of the line.</p>
+
+<p>The commissioned corps.</p>
+
+<p>The warrant officers.</p>
+
+<p>The petty officers.</p>
+
+<p>The first two classes are graduates of Annapolis, or regularly
+commissioned by the Government. The last two are composed of enlisted
+men who have been promoted.</p>
+
+<p>The rank device of the commissioned officers is worn on the
+shoulder-knot of the full dress uniform and on the collar of the service
+coat.</p>
+
+<p>The marks are as follows:</p>
+
+<center>
+<table summary="ranks">
+<tr>
+  <td><img src='images/page305a.jpg' width='218' height='88' alt='' title=''></td>
+  <td><img src='images/page305b.jpg' width='218' height='88' alt='' title=''></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>REAR-ADMIRAL.<br />Foul anchor with silver stars at<br />ends; and one stripe of gold lace<br />two inches wide, and one of one-<br />half inch wide above it, on sleeves.</td>
+  <td>COMMODORE.<br />A star with a foul anchor at<br />either side of it; and one stripe<br />of gold lace two inches wide on<br />sleeves.</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td><img src='images/page305c.jpg' width='218' height='88' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+  <td><img src='images/page305d.jpg' width='218' height='88' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>CAPTAIN.<br />A spread eagle with foul anchor<br />at either side. Four one-half-inch<br />stripes of gold lace on sleeves.</td>
+  <td>COMMANDER.<br />Foul anchor with silver oak leaves<br />at ends. Three stripes of half-inch<br />gold lace on sleeves.</td>
+</tr>
+</table></center>
+<br />
+<center>LIEUTENANT-COMMANDER.&mdash;A silver foul anchor with<br />
+a silver oak leaf at either end. Two stripes of half-inch<br />
+gold lace with a quarter-inch stripe between.</center>
+<br />
+<center>
+<table summary="ranks2">
+<tr>
+  <td><img src='images/page305e.jpg' width='218' height='88' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+  <td><img src='images/page305f.jpg' width='218' height='88' alt='' title=''></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>LIEUTENANT.<br />Silver foul anchor with two silver<br />bars at either side. Two stripes<br />of gold lace one-half inch wide on<br />sleeves.</td>
+  <td>LIEUTENANT&mdash;JUNIOR GRADE.<br />Silver foul anchor with one silver<br />bar at either side. Two stripes<br />of gold lace, half and quarter-inch,<br />on sleeves.</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td><img src='images/page305g.jpg' width='218' height='88' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+  <td></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>ENSIGN.<br />A gold foul anchor on collar or<br />shoulder-knot and one stripe of<br />gold lace on sleeves.</td>
+  <td></td>
+</tr>
+</table></center>
+
+
+
+<h3>THE COMMISSIONED CORPS.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The commissioned corps' devices are substituted for the anchor by staff
+officers, who wear the same rank devices as are prescribed for line
+officers with whom they have relative rank.</p>
+
+<p>THE PAY CORPS.&mdash;A silver oak sprig and a narrow band of white cloth
+above and below the gold lace on sleeves.</p>
+
+<p>THE MEDICAL CORPS.&mdash;A spread oak leaf of gold with an acorn of silver,
+and a band of dark maroon velvet above and below the gold lace on
+sleeves.</p>
+
+<p>THE ENGINEER CORPS.&mdash;Four silver oak leaves, and a band of red cloth
+above and below the gold lace on sleeves.</p>
+<br />
+
+<h3>PETTY OFFICERS' RATING MARKS.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>All petty officers wear a rating device on the sleeve of the outer
+garment above the elbow. If they belong to the starboard watch the mark
+will be sewed on the right sleeve; if the port, on the left.</p>
+
+<center>
+<img src='images/page306.jpg' width='300' height='464' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>QUARTERMASTER.</h5>
+
+<p>The petty officers' device always has a spread eagle above it. The
+specialty mark indicating to which department he belongs is just below
+in the angle formed by the chevrons. The chevrons indicate the class.
+Three chevrons, first class; two, second class, and so on. The chief
+petty officers have an arch of the same cloth connecting the two ends
+of the top chevron.</p>
+
+<p>The specialty marks are as follows:</p><br />
+
+<center>
+<table summary="specialty marks">
+<tr>
+  <td><img src='images/page307a.jpg' width='100' height='100' alt='' title=''></td>
+  <td><img src='images/page307b.jpg' width='100' height='100' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+  <td><img src='images/page307c.jpg' width='100' height='100' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+  <td><img src='images/page307d.jpg' width='100' height='100' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td><center>MASTER-AT-ARMS</center></td>
+  <td><center>GUNNER'S<br />MATES.</center></td>
+  <td><center>SEAMAN<br />GUNNER.</center></td>
+  <td><center>CHIEF<br />YEOMAN.</center></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td><img src='images/page307e.jpg' width='100' height='120' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+  <td><img src='images/page307f.jpg' width='100' height='100' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+  <td><img src='images/page307g.jpg' width='100' height='80' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+  <td><img src='images/page307h.jpg' width='80' height='100' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td><center>APOTHECARY.</center></td>
+  <td><center>YEOMAN&mdash;1ST<br />2D, AND 3D<br />CLASS.</center></td>
+  <td><center>SHIP'S PRINTER<br />OR<br />SCHOOL-MASTER.</center></td>
+  <td><center>BANDMASTER.</center></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td><img src='images/page307i.jpg' width='115' height='100' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+  <td><img src='images/page307j.jpg' width='100' height='90' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+  <td><img src='images/page307k.jpg' width='110' height='100' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+  <td><img src='images/page307l.jpg' width='110' height='100' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td><center>MACHINISTS,<br />BOILER-MAKERS,<br />WATER-TENDERS,<br />COPPERSMITHS,<br />AND OILERS.</center></td>
+  <td><center>CARPENTER'S<br />MATES,<br />PLUMBERS,<br />AND PAINTERS.</center></td>
+  <td><center>BLACKSMITH.</center></td>
+  <td><center>BOATSWAIN'S<br />MATES AND<br />COXSWAINS.</center></td>
+</tr></table></center>
+
+
+
+<br />
+<p>The seaman class is indicated by the rows of braid on the cuffs.</p>
+
+<p>Seamen, first class or able-bodied seamen, have three rows of braid.</p>
+
+<p>Seamen, second class or ordinary seamen, have two rows of braid.</p>
+
+<p>Seamen, third class or landsmen, have one row of braid.</p>
+
+<p>The watch mark for the enlisted men not petty officers consists of a
+stripe of braid on the sleeve close to the shoulder. For the seaman,
+white on blue clothes, blue on white clothes.</p>
+
+<p>For the engineer force, red on both white and blue clothes.</p>
+
+<p>The watch mark indicates the watch of which the wearer is a member. The
+starboard men wear it on the right arm, and the port men on the left.</p>
+<br />
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<h3>TAKING SOUNDINGS.</h3>
+
+<h4>HEAVING THE LEAD.</h4>
+<br />
+
+<p>The man using the &quot;lead line&quot; (as the sounding-line weighted with lead
+is called) stands on a grating that projects over the side. This is
+placed near enough so that the steersman can hear the man who &quot;heaves
+the lead&quot; when he calls out the number of fathoms of water. This he
+tells by the marks on the &quot;lead line&quot; as follows:</p>
+
+
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>2 fathoms, twelve feet, 2 strips of leather.</span><br />
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>3&nbsp; &nbsp;&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 3 strips of leather.</span><br />
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>5&nbsp; &nbsp;&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; white rag.</span><br />
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>7&nbsp; &nbsp;&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; red rag.</span><br />
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>10&nbsp;&nbsp;&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; leather with hole in it.</span><br />
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>13&nbsp;&nbsp;&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 3 strips of leather or blue rag.</span><br />
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>15&nbsp;&nbsp;&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; white rag.</span><br />
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>17&nbsp;&nbsp;&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; red rag.</span><br />
+
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>20&nbsp; &quot;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 2 knots.</span><br />
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>25&nbsp; &quot;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 1 knot.</span><br />
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>30&nbsp; &quot;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 3 knots.</span><br />
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>35&nbsp; &quot;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 1 knot.</span><br />
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>40&nbsp; &quot;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 4 knots.</span><br />
+
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>9 &nbsp;&nbsp; &quot; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;  are called mark.</span><br />
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>11&nbsp;&nbsp;&quot; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;  are called deeps.</span><br />
+
+
+
+<p>The leadsman stands on his little grating and swings the lead so it just
+clears the water. When it is swinging well he lets it fly in the
+direction in which the ship is moving and then notes the depth by the
+strips of leather or rags. The result is shouted out so the steersman
+can hear and keep the vessel in the channel.</p>
+<br />
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<h3>THE BOATSWAIN'S CALLS.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The boatswain's calls or &quot;pipes&quot; are very difficult to reduce to a
+musical scale, because the pitch of the instrument depends entirely on
+the amount of energy expended by the blower. The novice, after a few
+trials, would probably assert that the primitive little whistle had only
+one note&mdash;and not very much of that; but he would be surprised indeed at
+the volume of sound, the range, and the command over the instrument
+which a veteran boatswain would soon make everyday matter to him. Not
+only do these experts sound the regular calls with ear-piercing
+exactness, but actual tunes are often included in their repertoire.</p>
+
+<p>The pipe or whistle is held with the bulb in the centre of the palm, the
+hole being towards the wrist. The lobe to which the ring and lanyard are
+attached, serves simply as a handle.</p>
+
+<p>In the diagram given, the black line indicates the &quot;pipe&quot; or call; the
+four faint horizontal lines, the notes, and the vertical bars, the time.</p>
+
+<p>The roll indicated by the wavy line in the diagram is made by rapidly
+opening and closing the hand. The gradual rise and fall is effected in
+the same way, but slowly. The rattle is done by a quick movement of the
+tongue.</p>
+
+<p>This diagram is furnished by an old boatswain. As a rule, the calls are
+taught entirely by personal instruction, and it is believed that they
+have here been put into print for the first time. None of the ordinary
+manuals have ever given them, the young sailor having had to learn them
+by experience on shipboard.</p>
+
+<p>Their importance is evident from the fact that every order aboard ship
+is preceded by the pipe peculiar to the command; for though the words
+may not be heard, the whistle can always be distinguished. Even the most
+lubberly landsman, with such continuous practice, soon learns the
+meaning of the different calls, and jumps to obey them.</p>
+
+<center>
+<img src='images/page311.jpg' width='300' height='547' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+
+<br />
+<h4>STATIONS OR QUARTERS FOR EXERCISE, OR PRECEDING ACTION,<br />OF FIVE-INCH BREECHLOADING RIFLES.</h4>
+<img src='images/page312.jpg' width='300' height='520' align='right' alt='' title=''>
+
+<p>
+1. First Captain, Second Boarder.<br />
+2. Second Captain, First Boarder.<br />
+3. First Loader, Second Boarder.<br />
+4. Second Loader, First Boarder.<br />
+5. First Shellman, Pumpman, Port guard.<br />
+6. Second Shellman, Fireman, Port guard.<br />
+7. First Shellman, Second Rifleman.<br />
+8. Second Shellman, First Rifleman.<br />
+</p>
+<br />
+
+<p>1. Stands at elevating gear wheel and sights and fires the gun.</p>
+
+<p>2. Stands at the right and beside the breech; opens same after firing so
+shell can be taken out.</p>
+
+<p>3. Stands at the left training wheel&mdash;i.e., the wheel that moves the gun
+laterally. He also loads the gun.</p>
+
+<p>4. Stands at the right training wheel. He takes out the empty shell
+after firing, and wears heavy gloves for that purpose.</p>
+
+<p>5 and 6. Stand just behind No. 2 to the right of the gun. They may be
+termed emergency men. They assist with the shells, carry the wounded, if
+any; will be called away in case of fire, and are qualified to sight and
+fire the gun in case the first and second captains are wounded or
+killed. They provide revolvers and belts for Nos. 1, 2, and 3, and belts
+for Nos. 5, 6, 7, and 8. They are also port guards, and defend the ports
+in case of close action.</p>
+
+<p>7 and 8. Carry shells from the ammunition hoist to a position amidships
+convenient for quick transport to the gun. They are also riflemen, and
+may be called to protect<br />any part of the ship from boarders or from fire
+on shore.</p>
+
+<br>
+<br>
+<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13826 ***</div>
+</body>
+</html>
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+This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements,
+metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be
+in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES.
+
+Procedures for determining public domain status are described in
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+Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for
+eBook #13826 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/13826)
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+The Project Gutenberg eBook, A Gunner Aboard the "Yankee", by Russell
+Doubleday, et al, Edited by H. H. Lewis
+
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+
+
+
+Title: A Gunner Aboard the "Yankee"
+
+Author: Russell Doubleday
+
+Release Date: October 21, 2004  [eBook #13826]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+
+***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A GUNNER ABOARD THE "YANKEE"***
+
+
+E-text prepared by Curtis Weyant, Gregory Smith, and the Project Gutenberg
+Online Distributed Proofreading Team
+
+
+
+Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this
+      file which includes the original illustrations.
+      See 13826-h.htm or 13826-h.zip:
+      (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/3/8/2/13826/13826-h/13826-h.htm)
+      or
+      (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/3/8/2/13826/13826-h.zip)
+
+
+
+
+
+A GUNNER ABOARD THE "YANKEE"
+
+From the Diary of Number Five of the After Port Gun (Russell Doubleday)
+
+The Yarn of the Cruise and Fights of the Naval Reserves in the
+Spanish-American War
+
+Edited by H. H. LEWIS, Late a S.N.
+
+With Introduction by W. T. SAMPSON, Rear Admiral U.S.
+
+1896
+
+
+
+
+
+
+BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA
+
+Honorary President, THE HON. WOODROW WILSON
+Honorary Vice-President, HON. WILLIAM H. TAFT
+Honorary Vice-President, COLONEL THEODORE ROOSEVELT
+President, COLIN B. LIVINGSTONE, Washington, D.C.
+Vice-President, B.L. DULANEY, Bristol, Tenn.
+Vice-President, MILTON A. McRAE, Detroit, Mich.
+Vice-President, DAVID STARR JORDAN, Stanford University, Cal.
+Vice-President, F.L. SEELY, Asheville, N.C.
+Vice-President, A. STAMFORD WHITE, Chicago, Ill.
+Chief Scout, ERNEST THOMPSON SETON, Greenwich, Connecticut
+National Scout Commissioner, DANIEL CARTER BEARD, Fishing, N.Y.
+
+NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
+THE FIFTH AVENUE BUILDING, 200 FIFTH AVENUE
+TELEPHONE GRAMERCY 540
+NEW YORK CITY
+
+FINANCE COMMITTEE
+John Sherman Hoyt, Chairman
+George D. Pratt
+Mortimer L. Schiff
+H. Rogers Winthrop
+
+GEORGE D. PRATT Treasurer
+JAMES E. WEST Chief Scout Executive
+
+ADDITIONAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
+Ernest P. Bicknell
+Robert Garrett
+Lee F. Hanmer
+Jobe Sherman Hoyt
+Charles C. Jackson
+Prof. Jeremiah W. Jeeks
+William D. Murray
+Dr. Charles P. Nell
+Frank Presbrey
+Edgar M. Robinson
+Mortimer L. Schiff
+Lorillard Spencer
+Seth Spreguy Terry
+
+
+
+
+     July 31st, 1913.
+
+     TO THE PUBLIC:--
+
+     In the execution of its purpose to give educational value
+     and moral worth to the recreational activities of the
+     boyhood of America, the leaders of the Boy Scout Movement
+     quickly learned that to effectively carry out its program,
+     the boy must be influenced not only in his out-of-door life
+     but also in the diversions of his other leisure moments. It
+     is at such times that the boy is captured by the tales of
+     daring enterprises and adventurous good times. What now is
+     needful is not that his taste should be thwarted but
+     trained. There should constantly be presented to him the
+     books the boy likes best, yet always the books that will be
+     best for the boy. As a natter of fact, however, the boy's
+     taste is being constantly vitiated and exploited by the
+     great mass of cheap juvenile literature.
+
+     To help anxiously concerned parents and educators to meet
+     this grave peril, the Library Commission of the Boy Scouts
+     of America has been organized. EVERY BOY'S LIBRARY is the
+     result of their labors. All the books chosen have been
+     approved by them. The Commission is composed of the
+     following members: George F. Bowerman, Librarian, Public
+     Library of the District of Columbia, Washington, D.C.;
+     Harrison W. Graver, Librarian, Carnegie Library of
+     Pittsburgh, Pa.; Claude G. Leland, Superintendent, Bureau of
+     Libraries, Board of Education, New York City; Edward F.
+     Stevens, Librarian, Pratt Institute Free Library, Brooklyn,
+     New York; together with the Editorial Board of our Movement,
+     William D. Murray, George D. Pratt and Frank Presbrey, with
+     Franklin K. Mathiews. Chief Scout Librarian, as Secretary.
+
+     In selecting the books, the Commission has chosen only such
+     as are of interest to boys, the first twenty-five being
+     either works of fiction or stirring stories of adventurous
+     experiences. In later lists, books of a more serious sort
+     will be included. It is hoped that as many as twenty-five
+     may be added to the Library each year.
+
+     Thanks are due the several publishers who have helped to
+     inaugurate this new department of our work. Without their
+     co-operation in making available for popular priced editions
+     some of the best books ever published for boys, the
+     promotion of EVERY BOY'S LIBRARY would have been
+     impossible.
+
+     We wish, too, to express our heartiest gratitude to the
+     Library Commission, who, without compensation, have placed
+     their vast experience and immense resources at the service
+     of our Movement.
+
+     The Commission invites suggestions as to future books to be
+     included in the Library. Librarians, teachers, parents, and
+     all others interested in welfare work for boys, can render a
+     unique service by forwarding to National Headquarters lists
+     of such books as in their judgment would be suitable for
+     EVERY BOY'S LIBRARY.
+
+     Signed
+
+     Chief Scout Executive.
+
+
+
+ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
+
+
+Acknowledgements are due to J. Harper Skillen, Stewart Flagg, George
+Yardley, W.G. Wood, and E. Howe Stockwell for the use of photographs;
+and to C.B. Hayward and Allan H. Seaman for the use of notes and
+diaries.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE NAVAL RESERVES LEAVING NEW YORK--GOING OFF IN THE
+TUGBOAT TO MAN THE "YANKEE".]
+
+
+
+
+
+THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY
+
+RUSSELL DOUBLEDAY
+
+NUMBER FIVE OF THE AFTER PORT GUN OF THE YANKEE
+
+TO THE NAVAL RESERVE ORGANIZATIONS
+
+THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, WHO HAVE MADE SUCH
+
+AN ENVIABLE RECORD DURING THE SPANISH-AMERICAN
+
+WAR AND BEFORE WHOM SUCH A
+
+GLORIOUS FUTURE
+
+OPENS AUTHOR'S FOREWORD
+
+1898 April 1917
+
+The successors of the crew of the "Yankee" are now "somewhere in the
+service." The boys of the First Battalion New York Naval Militia were
+just as eager to get to sea in the service of Uncle Sam to do their part
+for the great cause, as we were in the Spring of '98.
+
+The old frigate "Granite State" (formerly the New Hampshire), living
+through three wars, has resounded to the tramp of hundreds of tars in
+the making. She is the school ship, the home ship of the First
+Battalion. Down her gangways went most of the "Yankee's" crew and
+between her massive decks they returned after their job was done.
+
+As I write it seems as if I can hear the shrill whistle of the bo'sn's
+pipe sounding in all parts of the old wooden ship, then the long drawn
+call "all hands on deck." The men come tumbling up from below, touching
+their caps in salute as their heads rise above the hatch coaming. Men
+standing in battalion formation, by divisions, at attention, each man
+answers "here" as his name is called. Some of the voices are a little
+husky as the speaker realizes that war is on and he is about to be
+called for real service.
+
+And so they are mustered in. The state's sailors become Uncle Sam's
+man-o'-war's-men. The old "Granite State" is once more emptied of its
+crew. The decks are silent and the long, low gangways beneath the
+ancient deck beams are checked with squares of undisturbed yellow-light,
+as the sun streams through the square gun ports.
+
+The readers of this book can imagine the men on our great gray ships of
+war going through much the same routine followed by the "Yankee's" crew,
+for there has been but little change in the work and play of the
+man-o'-war's-men.
+
+So let us take off our caps and give the men of 1917 three cheers and a
+tiger. May they shoot straight, and keep fit.
+
+Pipe down.
+
+RUSSELL DOUBLEDAY
+
+April, 1917
+Nineteen years ago this
+month the "Yankee's"
+crew went to sea.
+
+INTRODUCTION.
+
+As the Commander-in-Chief of the American Naval Squadron blockading
+Santiago and the Cuban coast, the auxiliary cruiser "Yankee," manned by
+the New York Naval Reserves, came immediately under my observation, and
+it is a pleasure for me to speak of the spirit and efficiency shown by
+the officers and crew during their stay under my command.
+
+The young men forming the ship's company of the "Yankee" were called
+into service several weeks prior to any other Naval Reserve battalion;
+they came from all walks of civil life, and their minds, devoted to
+peaceful pursuits, were suddenly diverted to the needs and requirements
+and the usages of naval routine. Notwithstanding this radical change,
+they have made the name of their ship a household word throughout the
+country, and have proved that the average American, whether he be clerk
+or physician, broker, lawyer, or merchant, can, on the spur of the
+moment, prove a capable fighter for his country even amid such strange
+and novel surroundings as obtain in the naval service. These young men
+have especially upheld the American supremacy in the art of gunnery, and
+have, on all occasions, proved brave and efficient.
+
+The conclusion of the Spanish-American War released them from their
+voluntarily assumed positions in the regular navy, but when they
+returned to civil life they carried with them the consciousness of duty
+well done at Santiago and Cienfuegos and whenever their guns were used
+in hostile action. In a word, the Naval Reserves manning the "Yankee,"
+in common with those on board other vessels in the service, have proved
+their aptitude for sea duty, and made apparent the wisdom of the
+Government in calling them into active service.
+
+W.T. SAMPSON,
+Rear-Admiral, U.S.N.
+
+U.S. FLAGSHIP "NEW YORK,"
+September 3, 1898.
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+       CHAPTER
+       AUTHOR'S FOREWORD
+       INTRODUCTION
+       PREFACE
+   I.  IN WHICH THE "YANKEE" GOES INTO COMMISSION
+  II.  IN WHICH WE GET UNDER WAY AT LAST
+ III.  IN WHICH THE "YANKEE" CRUISES FOR PRIZES
+  IV.  WE GET ORDERS TO GO SOUTH
+   V.  A WILD GOOSE CHASE
+  VI.  WE BECOME COAL HEATERS
+ VII.  WE ENTER THE "THEATRE OF WAR"
+VIII.  WE JOIN SAMPSON'S FLEET
+  IX.  CLEAR SHIP FOR ACTION
+   X.  WE BOMBARD SANTIAGO DE CUBA
+  XI.  A PERILOUS MOMENT
+ XII.  IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURE
+XIII.  A NARROW ESCAPE
+ XIV.  WE ENGAGE IN A SEA FIGHT
+  XV.  COALING IN THE TROPICS
+ XVI.  "REMEMBER THE FISH"
+XVII.  IN GOD'S COUNTRY
+XVIII. THE "YANKEE" ARRIVES OFF SANTIAGO
+  XIX. HOPE DEFERRED
+   XX. TAPS
+       APPENDIX
+
+
+
+LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
+
+
+THE NAVAL RESERVES LEAVING NEW YORK--GOING OFF IN THE TUGBOAT TO
+MAN THE "YANKEE"
+      Frontispiece
+
+"THAT FAT MAN IN THE CELLAR WANTS ME TO SLEEP IN A BAG--"
+
+"THE GIG WAS LOWERED"
+
+"THE MEN ON THE STAGES"
+
+"STAND BY, MEN. BE READY FOB INSTANT ACTION"
+
+"THE 'YANKEE' DROPPED HER ANCHOR OFF TOMPKINSVILLE"
+
+"WITH A FRIGHTFUL ROAR THE DEFECTIVE CARTRIDGE EXPLODED"
+
+"THE SIX-POUNDERS ON THE 'YANKEE'S' FORECASTLE JOINED IN THE CHORUS"
+
+"CLEAR SHIP FOR ACTION!"
+
+THE BOMBARDMENT OF MORRO CASTLE, SANTIAGO
+
+ON THE GUN DECK DURING THE BOMBARDMENT
+
+THE SEARCHLIGHT "SWEEPING BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE BLACK OF THE HORIZON"
+
+"THERE WAS TEMPORARY CONFUSION"
+
+"THE FUSILLADE WAS LIVELY"
+
+"THE SPAR DECK WAS COVERED WITH RED SHELLAC"
+
+"THE MARINES AIRED THEIR HAMMOCKS ON THE FORECASTLE DECK"
+
+"HE GOT HIS ORDERS FROM THE BRIDGE"
+
+"ALL YOU MEN WHO WANT TO GO IN SWIMMING MAY DO SO"
+
+MARCHING THROUGH CITY HALL PARK, NEW YORK CITY
+
+
+
+
+
+PREFACE.
+
+When the important events of the first part of April, 1898, were shaping
+themselves toward an inevitable conflict between Spain and the United
+States of America, the authorities at Washington began to perfect their
+plans for an immediate increase of the navy. The Naval Militia of the
+country, of whom Assistant Secretary Theodore Roosevelt had a very high
+opinion, came in for early attention, and word was sent to the different
+States to prepare for service. Several days previous to the actual
+outbreak of war, messages were forwarded from the Naval Reserve
+receiving ship "New Hampshire," lying at a dock in the East River, to a
+number of young men, members of the Naval Militia, residing in New York
+City. These summons contained simply a request to report at once on
+board the ship, but they resulted in a most curious and interesting
+transformation--in fact, they formed the foundation of a chain of events
+which was destined to amalgamate into a common grade--that of a naval
+bluejacket--several hundred young Americans, who, in their natural
+characters, were sons of rich men and of men of moderate means, of
+doctors and lawyers and brokers and clerks and bookkeepers, and of all
+sorts and conditions of respectable citizens. Patriotism was the
+incentive which called these youths of various stations together, and
+sheer love of country and the courage to fight her battles formed the
+cement which bound them cheerfully to their duty. To fight for pay and
+as a profession is one thing; to offer your freedom and your life, to
+endure discomforts and actual hardships, to risk health in a
+fever-stricken foreign country, and to sacrifice settled ambition for
+mere patriotism, is another. It is the latter which the Volunteer Naval
+Reserve of the United States has done, and every American citizen with a
+drop of honest blood in his veins will surely give the organization the
+praise it so richly deserves.
+
+On the third of May, while Cervera's whereabouts was still an absorbing
+mystery, the "Yankee" (an auxiliary cruiser, converted from the
+steamship "El Nort") went into commission at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. She
+was manned entirely, save for the captain, executive officer, navigator,
+paymaster, and the marine guard, by members of the New York State Naval
+Militia. For four months she remained in commission, weaving the threads
+of a glorious record which will ever redound to the credit and honor of
+the Volunteer Naval Reserve. Truth is ever stranger than fiction, and
+the simple story of the boys of the gallant "Yankee," as set forth in
+the diary of Number Five of the After Port Gun, should appeal to the
+heart of every reader in this great country of ours--a country made
+grander and better and more potent in the world's history by the
+achievements of such brave lads as those who formed the crew of the
+"Yankee." Number Five's diary was written simply for his family, but the
+fame gained by the "Yankee" leads the publishers to believe that it will
+prove interesting to Americans far and wide. It is set forth in
+narrative form, but the incidents and the straightforward, simple, and
+sailor-like words are those of the actual participant. This is his
+story.
+
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+IN WHICH THE "YANKEE" GOES INTO COMMISSION.
+
+U.S.S. "NEW HAMPSHIRE,"
+April 26, 1898.
+Report at "New Hampshire" immediately, ready to go on board auxiliary
+cruiser "Yankee."
+
+(Signed)
+JOHN H. BARNARD,
+Lieut, commanding 3d Division,
+N.Y. State Naval Militia.
+
+It was this telegram, brief but extremely comprehensive, received early
+on the morning of the twenty-sixth of April, which sent me post-haste to
+the old receiving-ship "New Hampshire," moored at the end of an East
+River dock. The telegram had been anxiously expected for several days by
+the members of the First Battalion, and when I reached the ship I found
+the decks thronged with excited groups.
+
+"War was a certainty, and the very air was filled with rumors. The
+prevailing topic was discussed from every point of view, and within
+sixty seconds as many destinations had been picked out for the
+'Yankee.' It was variously reported that she was to go to Havana, to
+Manila, to Porto Rico, and even to Spain. This last rumor brought shouts
+of laughter, and 'Stump,' as we termed him, a well-known young insurance
+broker of New York, remarked, in his characteristic way:
+
+"It probably won't be this particular 'Yankee,' boys, that will go
+there, but there'll be others."
+
+There was much cleaning of kits and furbishing of cutlasses. We knew
+that we would not take the latter with us, but then it was practice, and
+we felt anxious to do something martial as a relief to our excitement.
+There was a diversion shortly before noon, when the "old man" (the
+captain) appeared with a number of official-looking papers in his hands.
+
+"He's got the orders," whispered little Potter, our latest recruit.
+"Whoop! we'll get away this morning, sure."
+
+The whistle of the bosun's mate on watch echoed shrilly about the decks
+a few moments later.
+
+"Now, d'ye hear there," he shouted, hoarsely, "you will break out mess
+gear and get yourselves ready for messing aboard ship."
+
+That did not sound as if we were destined to see our new vessel put into
+commission very soon, and there was some grumbling, but the boys fell to
+work with good grace, and we were soon preparing for our stay aboard the
+old frigate. The officer of the deck was lenient, however, and the
+majority of the crew secured permission to sleep at home that night.
+
+The following Monday, on reporting on board the "New Hampshire," we
+learned that the entire detail selected to man the "Yankee" would
+proceed to that ship shortly after eight bells. Word was passed that our
+enlistment papers--for we were to regularly enter Uncle Sam's naval
+service--would be made out, and that our freedom and liberty, as some of
+the boys put it, would cease from that hour. The latter statement made
+little impression. We had entered the Naval Reserves for business, if
+business was required, and we expected hardships as well as fun.
+
+A navy-yard tug, sent by the Commandant, steamed alongside at two
+o'clock, and the company was marched on board without delay. The boys
+were eager to enter on this, their first real detail, and, in the rush
+to gain the deck of the tug, young Potter slipped from the rail and fell
+with a mighty splash into the water. "Man overboard!" bawled his
+nearest mate, and "Man overboard!" echoed one hundred and fifty voices.
+There was a scramble for the side, and the tug's deck hand, assisted by
+several of our fellows, fished Potter from the river with a boat hook.
+
+"Hereafter, please ask permission before you leave the ship,"
+facetiously remarked the officer in charge.
+
+"Humph! as if I meant to do it," grunted Potter, wringing the East River
+from his duck shirt.
+
+We caught our first view of the "Yankee" as we steamed past the cob dock
+at the yard. We were favorably impressed at once. She is a fine-looking
+ship, large, roomy, and comfortable, with lines which show that she is
+built for speed. As her record is twenty knots an hour, the latter
+promise is carried out. The "Yankee" was formerly the "El Norte," one of
+the Morgan Line's crack ships, and, when it was found necessary to
+increase the navy, she was purchased, together with other vessels of the
+same company, and ordered converted into an auxiliary cruiser. Gun
+mounts were placed in the cargo ports, beams strengthened, magazines
+inserted, and interior arrangements made to accommodate a large crew.
+The "Yankee's" tonnage is 4,695 tons; length, 408 feet; beam, 48 feet.
+The battery carried consists of ten five-inch quick-firing
+breechloaders, six six-pounders, and two Colt automatic guns. After
+events proved conclusively the efficiency of the "Yankee's" armament.
+
+The detail was taken alongside the "Yankee" by the tug. We had our first
+meeting with our new captain, Commander W.H. Brownson, of the regular
+navy. His appearance and his kindly greeting bore out the reputation he
+holds in the service as a gentleman and a capable officer. It is well to
+say right here that Commander Brownson, although a strict
+disciplinarian, was ever fair and just in his treatment of the crew. Our
+pedigrees were taken for the enlistment papers, and the questions asked
+us in regard to our ages, occupations, etc., proved that the Government
+requires the family history of its fighters. The following day each man
+was subjected to a rigid physical examination. The latter ceremony is so
+thorough that a man needs to be perfect to have the honor of wearing the
+blue shirt. Personally, when I finally emerged from the examining room,
+I felt that my teeth were all wrong, my eyes crossed, my heart a wreck,
+and that I was not only a physical ruin, but a gibbering idiot as well.
+That I really passed the examination successfully was no fault of the
+naval surgeon and his assistants.
+
+After the medical department had finished with us, the enlistment papers
+were completed, and we became full-fledged "Jackies," as "Stump" termed
+it. The members of the battalion were rated as landsmen, ordinary
+seamen, and able-bodied seamen, according to their skill, and a number
+of men, hastily enlisted for the purpose, were made machinists, firemen,
+coal-passers, painters, and carpenters. Some of these had seen service
+in the regular navy, and they were visibly horny-handed sons of toil.
+One Irishman, whose brogue was painful, looked with something very like
+contempt on the Naval Reserve sailors.
+
+"Uncle Sam is a queer bird," several of us overheard him remark to a
+mate. "He do be making a picnic av this war wid his pleasure boats an'
+his crew av pretty b'yes. If we iver tackle the Spaniards, there'll be
+many a mama's baby on board this hooker cryin' for home, swate home."
+
+"Hod," a six-footer, who played quarter-back on a famous team not long
+ago, took out his notebook and made an entry.
+
+"I'll spot that fellow and make him eat his words before we get into
+deep water," he said, quietly. He was not the only one to make that
+vow, and it was plain that Burke, the Irishman, had trouble in store for
+him.
+
+On our return to the "New Hampshire," the battalion was placed under the
+regular ship's routine. All the men were divided into two watches,
+starboard and port. The port watch, for instance, goes on duty at eight
+bells in the morning, stands four hours, and is then relieved by the
+starboard watch; this routine continues day and night, except from four
+until eight in the afternoon, when occur the dog watches, two of them,
+two hours long each, stood by the port and starboard men respectively.
+The dog watches are necessary to secure a change in the hours of duty
+for each watch.
+
+From now on we were given a taste of the actual work of the service.
+Details were made up each morning and sent to the "Yankee" to assist in
+getting her in readiness for service. One of the first duties was to
+carry on board and stow away in the hold one hundred kegs of mess pork.
+As each keg contained one hundred pounds, the task was not easy for men
+unaccustomed to manual labor. Still there was no complaint. In fact, the
+only growling heard so far had come from some of the men who had seen
+service in the regular navy. Burke, the fireman, declaimed loudly
+against the "shoe leather an' de terrer-cotter hard-tack which they do
+be tryin' to feed to honest workers. As for the slops they call coffee,
+Oi wouldn't give it to an Orangeman's pig!"
+
+The food served out on board the "New Hampshire"--being the usual
+Government ration of salt-horse, coffee, and hard-tack--was vastly
+different from that to which the majority of the boys were accustomed,
+but it was accepted with the good grace displayed by the members of the
+Reserve on every occasion. All these little discomforts are, as the
+Navigator (a commissioned officer of the regular navy) remarked, "merely
+incidental to the service."
+
+As the time approached when we were to board the "Yankee" for good, the
+ordinary watches were abandoned, and only anchor watches kept. An anchor
+watch is a detail of five or six men, selected from the different parts
+of the ship, who do duty, really, as watchmen, during the night. Two
+days before the order arrived to leave the "New Hampshire," it was found
+necessary to station several men, armed with guns and fixed bayonets, on
+the dock near the ship, to stop men from taking the "hawser route"
+ashore. The firemen and coal-passers had been refused shore leave, or
+liberty, as it is called, because of their habit of getting
+intoxicated, pawning their uniforms, and loitering ashore. Truth to
+tell, the guns and bayonets had little effect, as the offenders were old
+in the business.
+
+The second night after the order was put in force it happened that
+"Hod," who was rated as an able seaman, was on duty with gun and bayonet
+on that end of the dock opposite the forecastle. He had just relieved
+the man whose watch ended at midnight, and he stood thoughtfully
+watching the twinkling lights on the opposite side of the mighty East
+River. There was so much to occupy his mind in a situation which was
+both charming and fascinating that he remained motionless for several
+minutes. Presently there came a slight, scraping sound, and the end of a
+rope struck the dock almost at his feet.
+
+Glancing up, "Hod" saw a man's figure, dimly outlined in the gloom, slip
+from the topgallant forecastle and quickly descend the rope. It was
+evidently one of the men taking "French" leave, and it was the sentry's
+duty to give the alarm at once. But "Hod" had other views in this
+particular case. Hastily stepping back into the shadows, he laid his gun
+upon the floor of the dock, and rolled up his sleeves with an air that
+meant business. The next moment the absconder dropped from the rope.
+
+As he prepared to slip past the ship a sinewy hand was placed upon his
+shoulder, and another equally sinewy caught him by the collar.
+
+"Burke, suppose you return aboard ship," said "Hod," quietly. "You are
+not going to hit the Bowery this time."
+
+The Irish fireman attempted to wrench himself free, then he struck out
+at "Hod" with all the force of his right arm. The quarter-back's
+practice on the field came into play, and the college graduate tackled
+his opponent in the latest approved style. The struggle was short and
+decisive, and it resulted in Burke declaring his willingness to return
+to the ship.
+
+"The next time you try to size up a new shipmate be sure you are on to
+his curves," remarked "Hod," as he escorted his prisoner over the
+gangway. "You will find some of 'mama's pretty boys' rather tough nuts
+to crack."
+
+The day following this little episode found the members of the State
+Naval Militia detailed to form the crew of the "Yankee" in full
+possession of the cruiser which they were to sail to glory or defeat in
+defense of their country. The ship's company, two hundred and
+twenty-five in all, boarded the auxiliary warship without ceremony, and
+were speedily set to work hoisting in provisions, removing to the yard
+all unnecessary stuff with which the ship was littered, and getting her
+generally in condition for sailing. The work was extremely hard, but it
+was done without demur.
+
+A naval officer attached to the yard stood near me at one time during
+the afternoon, and I heard him remark to a visitor who had accompanied
+him on board: "You will find an object lesson in this scene. These young
+men working here at the hardest kind of manual labor, buckling down
+cheerfully to dirty jobs, were, a few days ago, living in luxury in the
+best homes in New York City. The older men were clerks, or lawyers, or
+physicians, and not one of them had ever stained his hands with toil.
+Look at them now."
+
+Unconsciously I glanced across the deck to where three men were hauling
+upon a whip, or block-and-tackle, which was being used to hoist huge
+boxes and casks of provisions on board. The three men were working
+sturdily, and it would have been difficult to recognize in them, with
+their grimy faces and soiled duck uniforms, a doctor, a bank cashier,
+and a man-about-town well known in New York City. Near the forward
+hatch, industriously swabbing the deck, was a black-haired youth whose
+father helps to control some of the largest moves on 'Change. Scattered
+about the gangway were others, some painting, some rolling barrels, and
+a number engaged in whipping in heavy boxes of ammunition. They were all
+cheerful, and the decks resounded with merry chatter and whistling and
+song.
+
+I turned to myself. My hands were brown and smeared and bruised. My
+uniform, once white, was streaked and stained with tar. I wore shoes
+innocent of blacking and made after a pattern much admired among
+navvies. I had an individual ache in every bone of my body, and I was
+hungry and was compelled to look forward to a dinner of odorous
+salt-horse, hard bread, and "ennuied" coffee, but I was happy--I had to
+admit that. Perhaps it was the novelty of the situation, perhaps it was
+something else, but the fact remained that I would not have left the
+ship or given up the idea of going on the cruise for a good deal.
+
+We worked hard all day, and, when mess gear was piped for supper, we
+could hardly repress a sigh of heartfelt relief. The food, bad as it
+was, was welcome, and when I reluctantly swung away from the mess table
+I felt much better. At six bells, shortly before hammocks were piped
+down, the "striker," or helper, for our mess cook, said mysteriously:
+
+"Don't turn in early, Russ, there's going to be a little fun. 'Bill' and
+'Stump' have young Potter on a string. It will be great."
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+IN WHICH WE GET UNDER WAY AT LAST.
+
+The hint of possible fun that night was sufficient to keep me alert.
+"All work and no play, etc.," was part of our code aboard the "Yankee,"
+and goodness knows we had worked hard enough getting the ship ready for
+sailing to be permitted a little sport. Then, again, any badgering of
+young Potter would be innocent amusement, so I laid by and waited,
+keeping my eye on "Bill."
+
+"Bill," by the way, was the captain of our mess, a jolly good fellow,
+popular, and always in evidence when there was any skylarking on foot.
+
+Hammocks were piped down at seven bells (7:30 p.m.), and, as it was our
+first experience on board the "Yankee," there was some confusion. A
+number of new recruits had joined that afternoon, and their efforts to
+master the mysteries of the sailor's sleeping outfit were amusing. A
+naval hammock differs largely from those used ashore. A hammock aboard
+ship is of canvas, seven feet long, with holes a few inches apart at
+each end, through which are reeved pieces of strong cord. The latter are
+called clews, and they meet at an iron ring, which is attached to the
+hooks in the carline beams when the hammock is in position for use. When
+a hammock is properly slung it hangs almost straight, with very little
+sagging. To get in properly, one grasps two hoops near the head, and,
+with an agile spring, throws body and feet into the canvas bed. This
+requires a knack, and is learned only after a more or less painful
+experience. A three-inch mattress and two blankets go with each outfit.
+For sheets a bag-like mattress cover is used, and, in lieu of the downy
+pillows of home, the sailor must be content with his shoes rolled up
+inside his trousers or flannel shirt. With it all, however, the naval
+hammock is very comfortable. There is the advantage of being able to not
+only wash your blankets and sheets, but your bed as well. Once each
+month clean hammocks are issued and the old ones scrubbed.
+
+While I was below, rigging up my clews, I saw a commotion on the other
+side of the deck. The master-at-arms was expostulating with one of the
+new recruits who had reported that afternoon. Suddenly the latter called
+out, angrily, "I'll see if I have to, durn you!" and bolted for the
+upper deck. The master-at-arms followed him at once, and several of us
+followed the master-at-arms to see the excitement. We reached the
+quarter-deck just as the recruit came to a stop in front of the officer
+on watch.
+
+[Illustration: "THAT FAT MAN IN THE CELLAR WANTS ME TO SLEEP IN A
+BAG----".]
+
+"What's the matter with you?" demanded the latter, curtly. "What's up?"
+
+"Th-th-that m-m-man down in the--the cellar wants me to sleep in a bag,
+durn him," gasped the recruit, waving his lanky arms, "and I won't do it
+for him or no one else."
+
+"Cellar?" Then the officer shouted with laughter.
+
+The recruit was sent back to the "New Hampshire" next day, but it was
+long before the master-at-arms was known by any other name or title than
+"the man in the cellar."
+
+A few minutes before tattoo, "Bill" and "Stump" came up and intimated by
+signs that I was to accompany them to the forward part of the berth
+deck. On reaching the extreme end, which was occupied by an immense
+hawser reel, "Bill" indicated a hammock which was swinging with the
+forward clews directly above the great spool, or reel.
+
+"If young Potter doesn't think this old hooker is haunted I'll never
+play another joke," he chuckled. "Get in and show him, 'Stump.'"
+
+The latter grasped two hooks, gave himself a swing, landed in the
+hammock, and in an instant struck the deck with a thump, the hammock
+under him. As he rolled out I rubbed my eyes. The hammock had swiftly
+returned to its former position!
+
+"It isn't hoodooed," grinned "Bill." "Just look here."
+
+He hauled up on the head clews and presently a five-inch shell appeared
+above the top of the reel. The shell was fastened to the end of the
+hammock lashing, at the other end of which was attached the ring. The
+lashing led over the hook, and the weight of the shell was just
+sufficient to keep the hammock in its place. As I finished inspecting
+the clever contrivance, the boatswain's mate piped tattoo.
+
+We hurried away to watch from a distance. Laughing and singing, the
+fellows trooped down to prepare for turning in; the hard labor of the
+day had not dampened their spirits. The deck soon presented an animated
+scene. A number of us had slept long enough on board the "New Hampshire"
+to become accustomed to man-o'-war style, but the new recruits were like
+so many cats in a strange garret. They stood about, glancing doubtfully
+at their hammocks and then at their clothes. They did not know just what
+to do with either.
+
+"How do you get into the thing, I wonder?" asked the fellow from Harlem,
+eyeing his suspended bed.
+
+"Borrow the navigator's step-ladder," suggested the coxs'n of the gig.
+"He keeps it in the chart room."
+
+The greatest difficulty was the disposal of our clothes. There were no
+wardrobes nor closets nor convenient hooks, and it was strictly against
+the rule to leave anything lying around decks. The question was solved
+presently by an old naval sailor, who calmly made a neat roll of his
+duck jumper and trousers and another of his shoes and shirt. The latter
+he tucked into his clews at the foot, and the other he used as a pillow.
+We thanked our lucky stars we did not have creased trousers, smooth
+coats, vests, white shirts, collars, and neckties to dispose of.
+
+In due time young Potter, who had stayed on deck viewing the scenery
+until chased by the corporal of the guard, came down and made for his
+hammock. Four dozen pairs of eyes watched him with delightful
+anticipation. Unconscious of the attention he was attracting, he doffed
+his clothes and brought out something from his black bag which proved
+to be a night-shirt! If there was any compunction in regard to the trick
+intended for him, it instantly vanished. A sailor with a night-shirt was
+legitimate prey.
+
+Whistling softly, the victim prepared himself for the swing, grasped the
+hooks, and then, with good momentum, landed in the hammock. There was a
+swish, a distinct thud, and young Potter rolled out upon the deck with a
+gasp of amazement. Turning as quickly as he could, he looked up and saw
+the hammock swinging in its proper place. It was physical labor for us
+to keep from howling with glee at the expression on his face. He glanced
+sheepishly about to see if his catastrophe had been observed; then he
+made another attempt. This time a heave of the ship sent him even more
+quickly to the deck, and he landed with a bump that could have been
+heard in the cabin. He was fighting mad when he again scrambled to his
+feet.
+
+"I can lick the lubber who threw me out," he shouted.
+
+"Stop that talking," came from the master-at-arms' corner. "Turn in and
+keep quiet about the decks."
+
+Potter grumbled something under his breath, then he made a careful
+search in the vicinity of his hammock. It was worth a dollar admission
+to see him poke about with, the end of a broom. He found nothing
+suspicious, and proceeded to try again. Very gingerly he grasped the
+hooks, and he experimented with one foot before trusting his whole
+weight to the hammock. The second he released his hold of the hooks he
+fell, and the fall was even greater than before.
+
+"The blamed thing is spooky!" he howled, as he gathered himself
+together. He made a quick run for the ladder leading on deck, but was
+stopped by the master-at-arms, who demanded an explanation. While they
+were arguing, "Bill" and I quickly fixed the hammock, casting off the
+shell and concealing it behind a black bag. We had barely finished when
+the chief petty officer came up and examined the clews. He tested them
+by applying his own weight, then gave the crestfallen and astounded
+Potter a few terse words of advice about eating too much supper. Five
+minutes later the deck was quiet.
+
+The hard labor of the previous day--such labor as hauling and pulling,
+handling heavy boxes and casks, and bales and barrels of provisions and
+ammunition--had made me dead tired, and I slept like a log until
+reveille. This unpleasant function occurred at three bells (half-past
+five o'clock), and it consisted of an infernal hubbub of drums and
+bugles and boatswains' pipes, loud and discordant enough to awaken the
+seven sleepers. We roused in a hurry, and, with eyes scarcely open,
+began to lash up our hammocks.
+
+"Seven turns, no more, no less," bawled the master-at-arms. "Get just
+seven turns of the lashing around your hammocks, and get 'em quick. If
+you can't pass your hammock through a foot ring, you'll go on the
+report. Shake a leg there!"
+
+The rumor had gone about that it was the custom to "swat" the last man
+with a club, and there was a great scramble. We found the hammock
+stowers in the nettings, which were large boxes on the gun deck, and our
+queer canvas beds were soon stowed away for the day. As the reveille
+hour is too early for breakfast, coffee and hard-tack is served out by
+each mess cook. The coffee is minus milk, but it is hot and palatable,
+and really acts as a tonic.
+
+The first order of the day is to scrub down decks and clean ship
+generally, but, as the "Yankee" was still in the throes of preparation,
+we were spared that disagreeable work and permitted to arrange our
+belongings for the long voyage before us. In the service each man is
+allowed a black bag about three feet six inches high, and twelve inches
+in diameter, and a small wooden box, eighteen inches square, known as a
+"ditty box," to keep his wardrobe in. All clothing is rolled, and
+careful sailors generally wrap each garment in a piece of muslin before
+consigning it to the black bag. In the ditty box are kept such articles
+as toothbrush, brush and comb, small hand glass, writing material, and
+odds and ends. Each bag and box is numbered, and must be kept in a
+certain place. At first we thought it wouldn't be possible to keep our
+clothing in such a small space, but experience taught us that we would
+have ample room.
+
+The following days until the eighth of May were days of manual labor,
+which hardened our muscles and placed a fine edge on our appetites. To
+see the men who had been accustomed to a life of luxury toiling away
+with rope and scrubbing brush and paint pot, working like day laborers,
+and happy at that, was really a remarkable spectacle. For my part, I
+noticed with surprise that scratched and bruised hands--scratched so
+that the salt water caused positive pain--did not appeal to me. I tore
+off a corner of my right thumb trying to squeeze a large box through the
+forward hatch, and the only treatment I gave it was a fragment of rather
+soiled rag and a little vaseline borrowed from a mate. To quit work and
+apply for the first aid to injured never struck me. Ashore I would
+probably have called a doctor.
+
+The day before we left the yard one of my mates sprained his back
+lifting a box of canned meat. In civil life he had been a lawyer with a
+promising practice, his office being with one of the best known men of
+the bar. He gave it up and joined the Naval Reserves because, as he
+expressed it, "To fight for one's country is a patriot's first duty."
+When the accident happened, he refused to go below to the sick bay until
+the doctor stated that rest for a few days at least was absolutely
+necessary.
+
+"It isn't that I mind the hurt, boys," he said, with a smile, as he was
+assisted to the hatch, "but I hate to be knocked out in my first
+engagement, and that with a box of canned corned beef."
+
+The monotony of work was broken on the ninth of May, when preparations
+were made to leave the yard. The destination was only Tompkinsville, but
+there was not a man on board but felt that, as the last hawser was cast
+off, we were fairly started on our cruise in search of action. As the
+"Yankee" was assisted away from the wharf by a Government tug, a number
+of friends gathered ashore cheered lustily and waved their hats and
+handkerchiefs. The scene had been repeated time without end, no doubt,
+but it went to our hearts all the same, and there was many a husky note
+in the cheers we gave in return.
+
+There was also encouragement in the whistles we received as we dropped
+down the East River, and we felt as if our small share in the war would
+be appreciated by those compelled to stay at home. We steamed directly
+to the vicinity of Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island, anchored off
+Tompkinsville, and then picked up a berth there for the night. Half way
+down the bay we met a tug carrying a committee from the "Sons of the
+Revolution" of New York State. The committee had been selected by the
+society to present us with a set of colors. The tug accompanied us to
+our anchorage, then the committee came on board. The ceremony of
+presentation was rather picturesque.
+
+The visitors gathered on the bridge, the ship's bugler sounded the
+assembly, and in obedience to the call we lined up on the forward deck.
+We wore the white duck service uniform, including trousers, jumper, and
+cap. Some of the uniforms had suffered in contact with pitch, but the
+general effect was good. When everything was in readiness, the chairman
+of the committee presented the set of colors and said:
+
+"Captain Brownson, officers and men of the 'Yankee,' I have the honor,
+on behalf of the Society of the Sons of the Revolution in the State of
+New York, to present these colors to the members of the Naval Reserve of
+the State of New York, who have enlisted for service under your
+command."
+
+He continued by hoping that the colors would ever float victorious, and
+said that he did not doubt it, and then our skipper made a little speech
+in reply. The affair wound up with a round of cheers and general
+congratulations. The flags were handsome, and, as it came to pass, they
+flaunted amid battle smoke before many weeks.
+
+Our stay off Tompkinsville was to be short, but we had time to become
+acquainted with a characteristic naval oddity known as the bumboat.
+Diligent inquiries among the old sailors on board the "Yankee" failed to
+enlighten me as to the derivation of the name, but the consensus of
+opinion was that these floating peddlers sold articles which, to use a
+slang phrase, were pretty "bum." Experience has given the opinion some
+color of truth. Our bumboat boarded us early and stayed with us until
+the corporal of the guard called "time."
+
+She came laden with pies and doughnuts, pins and needles, tape and
+buttons and whisk brooms and shoe blacking, handkerchiefs, ties,
+scissors, soap, writing paper, envelopes, ink, pens, cakes, bread,
+jelly, pocket knives, and a schedule of prices that would have brought a
+blush of envy to the face of a Swiss inn-keeper. As the boys had not yet
+grown entirely accustomed to what is called "Government straight," i.e.,
+salt meat and hard-tack, the bumboat did a thriving business. Young
+Potter's bill was tremendous, and Mrs. Bumboat bade him a regretful
+farewell when she visited us for the last time.
+
+At three in the afternoon of the tenth we hoisted anchor on our way to
+sea. Our good friends had not deserted us, and a number of them, aboard
+several tugs, accompanied us as far as the Narrows. The "God-speed"
+given us as we steamed away would have been a fine object lesson to our
+future antagonists.
+
+Up to the present we had been concerned simply with the preparations for
+war, but it was destined that before another twenty-four hours had
+passed we would have a taste of the actual realities.
+
+The "Yankee" was to see service.
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+IN WHICH THE "YANKEE" CRUISES FOR PRIZES.
+
+It was evening, the evening of the day on which the "Yankee" sailed from
+Tompkinsville bound out on her maiden cruise as an auxiliary ship of
+war. The afternoon had passed without event, save that which attacks the
+amateur sailor when he first feels the heaving swell of old ocean. The
+crew had shaken into its place, and the men of the watch on deck were
+commencing to appreciate their responsibilities.
+
+The ship was quiet, save for the faint chug-chug of the propeller under
+the stern and the occasional clang of a shovel in the fire room deep
+down in the innermost reaches of the ship. The sun had vanished in a
+hazy cloud which portended a stiff breeze, but the wind was still
+gentle, and, as it swept across the decks from off the port quarter, it
+seemed grateful indeed to those who came from below for a breath of air.
+
+Orders had been issued to darken the decks. The running lights of red
+and green were still in the lamp room, and, except for a soft, rosy
+glow from the binnacle-bowl, there was a blackness of night throughout
+the upper part of the ship. Cigars and pipes and cigarettes had been
+tabooed, and doors were opened in the deck houses only after the inside
+lights had been lowered to a flickering pin point.
+
+Up on the forward bridge Captain Brownson stood talking in a low voice
+to the executive officer, Lieutenant Hubbard. The lurching swing of the
+ship caused them to sway back and forth against the rail and a metallic
+sound came from a sword scabbard suspended from the captain's belt. The
+presence of this sword, betrayed by the clatter it made, told a secret
+to several sailors gathered under the lee of the pilot house, and one
+said, in an excited whisper:
+
+"There's something up, Chips. The old man is fixed for trouble. I'm
+going aft and stand by."
+
+The speaker started off, but before he had taken ten steps the shrill
+blast of a bugle suddenly broke the stillness of the night. The
+discordant notes rang and echoed through the ship, and, while the sound
+was still trembling in the air, two score of shadowy figures sprang up
+from different parts of the deck and scurried toward the ladders leading
+below.
+
+The transformation was instant and complete.
+
+From a ship stealthily pursuing its way through the darkness--a part of
+the mist--the "Yankee" became the theatre of a scene of the most intense
+activity.
+
+There was no shouting, no great clamor of sound; nothing but the
+peculiar shuffling of shoes against iron, the hard panting of hurrying
+men, the grating of breech-blocks, low muttered orders from officer to
+man, and a multitude of minor noises that seemed strange and weird and
+uncanny in this blackness.
+
+A belated wardroom boy, still carrying a towel across his arm, slips
+from the cabin and hastens forward to his station in the powder
+division. The navigator, an officer of the regular navy, whose ideas of
+discipline are based on cast iron rules, espies the laggard and
+administers a sharp rebuke. A squad of marines dash from the "barracks"
+below and line up at the secondary battery guns on the forecastle. Some
+of the marines are hatless and coatless, and one wiry little private
+shambles along on one foot. He stumbles against a hatch-coaming and
+kicks his shoe across the deck.
+
+Suddenly an order comes out of the gloom near the main hatch and is
+carried from gun to gun.
+
+"Cast loose and provide!"
+
+The hitherto motionless figures waiting at the battery spring into
+activity. Hands move nimbly at the training and elevating gear.
+Breech-blocks are thrown open, sights adjusted, the first and second
+captains take their places, the former with the firing lanyard in
+readiness for use at his gun; then there is silence again as the officer
+in charge of the division holds up one hand as a signal that all is
+prepared. Then comes the word to load.
+
+In a twinkling the ammunition hoists are creaking with their burdens and
+boxes of shell appear on deck. These are quickly lifted to the guns and
+taken in hand by the loaders. The latter do their part of the general
+work thoroughly and with despatch, and presently the breech-blocks are
+swung to and the battery is ready for action.
+
+In the meantime there has been systematic preparation in other parts of
+the auxiliary cruiser. Down in the sick bay aft, the surgeon and his
+assistants have made ready for their grewsome task. Cases of glittering
+instruments have been opened, lint and bandages and splints are in their
+proper places, and the apothecary and bayman are getting the cots in
+trim for instant use.
+
+In the fire room the firemen and coal-passers are heaping up the
+furnaces, a couple of men hurry away to attend to the fire mains, and,
+standing by in readiness for duty, are the engineers and crew of the off
+watch. The carpenters are ready below with shot-hole plugs, and
+everywhere throughout the ship can be found officers and sailors and
+marines and men of the "black gang," each at his proper station in
+readiness for the word to begin action.
+
+But that word does not come. Instead a stentorian command is heard from
+the bridge:
+
+"Secure!"
+
+Laughing and joking, the crew of the "Yankee" hasten to restore the ship
+to its former state. All this has been a drill, the drill known as
+general quarters. It is the first time it has been held under service
+conditions, and when the captain steps down from the bridge and says in
+his brisk, authoritative way, "Very well done, very well done indeed,"
+the boys of the cruiser are satisfied and happy.
+
+Twice during the night the drill is repeated. There is no grumbling
+because of disturbed sleep, for a rumor has gone about the ship that
+Spanish vessels have been seen off the coast, and even the cranks on
+board admit that drills and exercises are necessary.
+
+Sea watches have been set, and the rules followed when under way are now
+operative. A brief explanation of the routine attending the first hours
+of a naval day may help to make succeeding descriptions more plain. The
+ship's daily life commences with the calling of the ship's cook at
+3:30 a.m. The ordinary mess cooks are awakened at four o'clock, so that
+coffee can be prepared for the watch. Coffee is always served with
+hard-tack to the watch coming on deck at four. It is all the men get
+until breakfast at 7:30, and a great deal of work must be accomplished
+before that time.
+
+After the hard-tack and coffee had been consumed--and it went to that
+spot always reserved for good things--the lookouts of the other watch on
+the port and starboard bridge and the patent life buoys port and
+starboard quarter were relieved. As soon as the first streaks of dawn
+Were to be seen a long-drawn boatswain's pipe, like the wail of a lost
+soul, came from forward, and the order "scrub and wash clothes" given.
+
+A day or two before the "Yankee" left the navy yard, one of the pretty
+girls who had come over to visit her asked: "Where do you have your
+washing done? It must require a great many washerwomen to keep the
+clothes of this dirty [glancing rather disdainfully at her somewhat
+grimy friend] crew clean." Though we knew that the luxury of a laundry
+would not fall to our lot, we were at a loss as to the method pursued to
+clean clothes.
+
+We soon learned.
+
+We who had been anticipating an order of this sort came running forward
+with bundles of clothes that would discourage a steam laundry. This was
+the first opportunity we had had to clean up. The forecastlemen led out
+the hose, which was connected to the ship's pump, and, after wetting
+down the forecastle deck (where all clothes must be scrubbed), we were
+told we might turn to.
+
+The "Kid," who was the youngest member of the crew aboard, very popular
+with officers and men, and who afterward became the ship's mascot, said,
+"How do you work this, anyway?" I confessed that I was in the dark
+myself, but proposed that we watch "Patt," the gunner's mate, who had
+served in the navy before. Presently we saw him lay his jumper flat on
+the deck, wet it thoroughly with water from the hose, then rub it with
+salt-water soap. Then he fished out a stiff scrubbing brush and began to
+scrub the jumper as if it was a floor. We then understood the
+significance of the order _scrub_ and wash clothes. In salt water the
+clothes have not only to be washed, but scrubbed as well.
+
+The "Kid" remarked, "Well, I'll be switched," and forthwith fell on his
+knees and proceeded to follow "Patt's" example.
+
+Though we scrubbed manfully, "putting our backs into it" and "using
+plenty of elbow grease," as instructed, still the result was hardly up
+to our expectations. The navigator remarked, as we were "stopping" the
+clothes on the line, "You heroes might scrub those clothes a little bit;
+it does not take a college education to learn how to wash clothes."
+
+I agreed with the "Kid" that, though cleanliness was next to Godliness,
+cleanliness, like Godliness, was often a difficult virtue to acquire. We
+found it almost impossible to be cleanly without the aid of fresh water,
+so the schemes devised to avoid the executive's order and get it were
+many and ingenious.
+
+One man would go to the ship's galley, where the fresh water hand-pump
+was, and, without further ado, begin to fill his bucket, remarking, if
+the cook attempted to interfere, that he had to scrub paint work or he
+had orders from the doctor to bathe in fresh water. These excuses would
+be successful till too many men came in with buckets and plausible
+excuses, when the cook would shut down on the scheme for the time. The
+man with fresh water was the envy of his fellows, and must needs be
+vigilant, or bucket and water would disappear mysteriously.
+
+The "Kid" happened to be next me when "stopping" his clothes on the
+line, and remarked, as he tied the last knot on his last jumper, "I like
+to be clean as the next chap, but this scrubbing clothes on your knees
+is no snap."
+
+He stopped to feel them.
+
+"Why, I can feel the corns growing on them already. How often do we have
+to do this scrubbing job, anyhow?" he asked.
+
+"You _can_ do it every morning, if you really feel inclined," I replied,
+smiling at his rueful countenance; "clothes can only be washed during
+the morning watch (four to eight), I understand, and, as the starboard
+men are on duty one day during that time and the port watch the next,
+each is supposed to 'scrub and wash clothes' in his own watch. See?"
+
+The "Kid" looked up at the dripping line of rather dingy clothes, then
+down at his red and soapy knees, and said, as he turned to go aft,
+"Well, when we get back to New York, I am going to have a suit of whites
+made of celluloid that can be washed with a sponge."
+
+At 6:30 the order "knock off scrubbing clothes" was given, and then all
+hands of the watch "turned to" and scrubbed decks, scoured the gratings
+and companion-way ladders with sand and canvas, brass work was polished,
+paint work wiped down, and everything on board made as spick and span as
+a new dollar.
+
+A vast quantity of water is brought from over the side through the
+ship's pump, and the men work in their bare feet. In fact, the usual
+costume during this period of the day consists of a pair of duck
+trousers and a thin shirt. On special occasions even the shirt is
+dispensed with. During warm weather it is delightful to splash around a
+water-soaked deck, but there are mornings when a biting wind comes from
+the north, and the keenness of winter is in the air, and then Jackie,
+compelled to labor up to his knees in water, casts longing glances
+toward the glow of the galley fire, and makes his semi-yearly vow that
+he will leave the "blooming" service for good and go on a farm.
+
+This scrubbing of decks and scouring of ladders put an extra edge on our
+appetites, so we agreed with "Stump" when he said, "I feel as if I could
+put a whole bumboat load of stuff out of commission all by my lonely."
+"Stump's" appetite was out of proportion to his size.
+
+When the boatswain's mate gave his peculiar long, quavering pipe and the
+order "spread mess gear for the watch below," at 7:20, we of the watch
+on deck realized that there was still forty minutes to wait. Every man's
+hunger seemed to increase tenfold, so that even the odor of boiling
+"salt-horse" from the galley did not trouble us.
+
+Finally the order came, "on deck all the starboard watch"; followed by
+the boatswain's mess call for the watch on deck. The scramble to get
+below and to work with knife, fork, and spoon resembled a fire panic at
+a theatre. It is first come first served aboard ship, and the man who
+lingers often gets left.
+
+The gun deck of the "Yankee," like the gun deck of most war vessels, is
+Jack's living room. Here he sleeps, in what he facetiously calls his
+folding-bed, which is swung from the deck beams above; here he enjoys
+the various amusements that an ordinary citizen would call work; here he
+goes through his drills; here he fights, not his shipmates, but his
+country's enemies, and here he eats.
+
+The remark, "he spread his legs luxuriously under the mahogany," would
+hardly apply to Jack's mode of dining. His table is a swinging affair
+that is hung on the hammock hooks--a mere board a couple of feet wide
+and twelve or fourteen feet long, having a ridge around the edge to keep
+the plates from sliding off in a seaway. Jack's dining chairs are called
+"mess benches," and consist of a long folding bench that with the table
+can be stowed away in racks overhead when not in use. A mess chest for
+each mess, an enamelled iron plate and cup, and a knife, fork, and spoon
+for each man complete the "mess gear" outfit.
+
+The ship's company is divided into messes, each man being assigned to a
+certain mess at the same time his billet number or ship's number is
+given to him. There are from fifteen to thirty men in a mess. Each has
+its own "berth-deck cook," who prepares the food for the galley; each,
+too, has a mess caterer, or striker, whose business it is to help the
+mess cook and see that all goes well. The caterer is a volunteer from
+the mess, and generally serves for a week, when another volunteer takes
+his place. If the quantity or quality of the food is not up to
+expectations, it would be better for the caterer that he be put down in
+the "brig" out of harm's way, for Jack is apt to speak his mind in
+vigorous English, and his mind and stomach have generally formed a close
+alliance.
+
+The twenty minutes allowed for meals are well spent, and the clatter of
+knives and forks attests the zest with which Uncle Sam's
+man-o'-war's-man tackles his not always too nice or delicate fare. The
+nine dollars a month allowed by the navy for rations is expended by the
+paymaster of the vessel, not by the men, so, if the paymaster concludes
+that the men shall have "salt-horse," rice, and hard-tack, Jack gets
+"salt-horse," rice, and hard-tack, and that is all he does get unless
+his mess cook and caterer are unusually prudent and save something from
+the previous day's rations, or the mess has put up some extra money and
+has "private stores."
+
+As the man with the biggest appetite or the fellow who eats slowly are
+putting away the last morsel of cracker hash or the last swallow of
+coffee, "Jimmy Legs" (the master-at-arms) comes around, shouting as he
+goes, "Shake a leg there, we want to get this deck cleared for
+quarters." He is often followed by the boatswain's mate of the watch,
+who echoes his call, and between them they clear the deck. Then begins
+the real work of the day.
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+WE GET ORDERS TO GO SOUTH.
+
+Shortly after breakfast the "Yankee" came to anchor outside of
+Provincetown, Mass. An hour later a large man-of-war was discovered
+steaming toward us. Rumors were rife at once, and the excitement
+increased when the vessel, which proved to be the gallant cruiser
+"Columbia," passed close alongside, and the captain was observed to lean
+over the bridge railing with a megaphone in his hands.
+
+"'Yankee' ahoy!" came across the water.
+
+"Hello, 'Columbia!'" replied Captain Brownson.
+
+"I have orders for you."
+
+"Whoop! we are going to Cuba," cried young Potter. "It's dead sure this
+time. They can't do without us down--"
+
+"Silence!" called out the executive officer, sternly. "Corporal of the
+guard, see to that man."
+
+Poor Potter is sent below in disgrace amid the chuckles and jeers of
+his unsympathetic shipmates. The little episode nearly earned him many
+hours of extra duty.
+
+In the meantime the "Columbia's" captain had communicated the welcome
+intelligence that we were to cruise to the southward at once to look for
+several suspicious vessels that had been sighted in the vicinity of
+Barnegat. This promised action so strongly that a cheer went up from the
+crew. This time even the officers joined in.
+
+Very shortly after came the order "All hands on the cat falls," at which
+every man Jack came running forward. The blue-clothed figures poured up
+the companion-ways like rats out of a sinking ship, for "all hands on
+the cat falls" means up anchor, and up anchor meant new experiences,
+perhaps a brush with a Spanish man-of-war or the capture of a Spanish
+prize. The anchor was yanked up and guided into place on its chocks in a
+hurry, and soon the "Yankee" was under way and headed southward. As we
+passed the "Columbia," the men of both ships stood at attention, feet
+together, hands at the side, heads up, silent. So a ship is saluted in
+the United States Navy, a ceremony dignified and impressive, though not
+as soul-stirring as the American cheer.
+
+The "Scuttle Butt Navigators," or, as the "Yankee" boys called them,
+the Rumor Committee, were very busy that bright day in May. According to
+them we were to sail seaward and discover Cervera's fleet, the
+whereabouts of which was then unknown. We were to sail south and bombard
+Havana. The older, wiser heads laughed at such rumors, and said it was
+foolishness, but all were ready and anxious to listen to the wildest
+tales.
+
+All the time the ship was getting under way the routine work was going
+on. The sweepers had obeyed the order given by the boatswain's mate,
+accompanied by the pipe peculiar to that order, "Gun-deck sweepers,
+clean sweep fore and aft; sweepers, clean your spit kits."
+
+At twenty minutes past nine the bugle sounded the first or officers'
+call to quarters, a call that sounded like "Get your sword on, get your
+sword on, get your sword on, get your sword on, get your sword on right
+away!" Ten minutes later came "assembly," and the men rushed to their
+places at the guns and their stations in the powder divisions.
+
+After our division had been mustered, "Long Tommy," the boatswain's mate
+and captain of our gun, said to "Hay," "I think we'll have some shooting
+to-day. I saw the gunners' mates rigging a target."
+
+"Good!" said "Hay," "what does it look like?"
+
+"Why," explained Tommy, "it's a triangular sail, having a black spot
+painted in the middle, supported by a raft, also triangular, which is
+floated by three barrels, one at each corner."
+
+"Can't be very big," said "Stump."
+
+"About ten feet at the base, tapering to a point. The red flag that
+flies from the top is perhaps fourteen feet from the water, I should
+say."
+
+"And they expect us to hit that?" broke in "Lucky bag Kennedy."
+
+"Of course," said Tommy the confident, "and we shall."
+
+As soon as the officers of the different divisions had returned from the
+bridge, where they had been to report, the quick, sharp bugle call which
+summons the crew to general quarters was sounded.
+
+As the first notes were heard, the men scattered as if a bomb with a
+visible burning fuse had fallen in their midst. Some hurried to lead out
+the hose, some to get the gun sights and firing lanyards, some to get
+belts and revolvers for the guns' crews, some down into the hot, dark
+magazines, and some to open up the magazine hoists. All was apparent
+confusion, but was in reality perfect discipline. Soon boxes of shell
+were ready by the guns, but the order "load" had not yet been given.
+
+The triangular target was then lowered over the side and cast loose. In
+a few minutes the six-pounders on the spar deck began to bark. "Getting
+the range, I guess," said "Hod," who had sneaked over from the powder
+division to get a look at the target.
+
+"Pretty near it," replied "Stump," as a shot splashed close to the
+triangular piece of canvas.
+
+"Here comes Scully," some one whispered; "now we'll have a chance."
+
+"The captain says fire when ready, at 1,500 yards," said Scully,
+saluting Mr. Greene, the officer of the division. "Captain says, sir,
+instruct your men to shoot at the top of the roll, and a little over,
+rather than under the target," continued he, saluting again.
+
+"Port battery take stations for exercise, load, set your sights at 1,500
+yards, and when ready, fire." Mr. Greene's orders came sharp and clear;
+there was never any misunderstanding of them.
+
+Most of us of Number Eight's gun crew had never stood near a big gun
+when it spoke, and most of us dreaded it and felt inclined to run away
+out of ear-shot. It was our business to stand by, however, so we stood
+by while Tommy, firing lanyard in hand, sighted the machine.
+
+"Right!" he sung out to "Stump" and "Flagg," who were at the training
+wheels. "Right handsomely," added Tommy, working the elevating gear, as
+the gun moved slowly round. The gun roared and jumped back on its mount
+six or eight inches, but promptly slid back again--forced back by
+powerful springs. The shell sped on its way, humming as it went, and
+struck a little short of the target, sending up a great fountain as it
+was exploded by the impact with the water.
+
+"Hay" pulled the breech lever and the breech plug came out, allowing
+"Stump," who wore heavy gloves for the purpose, to extract the empty
+shell. This he dropped in the concrete waterway, then ran to his place
+at the training wheel; a fresh shell had been put in the gun, meanwhile,
+and it was ready for business again. A number of good shots were made by
+different gunners. Enough to show that, amateur tars that we were, there
+was the making of good gunners in us. As the "Kid," in his overweening
+confidence, said, "Ain't we peaches? When we get down south we will have
+a little target practise, and the 'dagos' will be so scared that they
+will haul down their colors tight away."
+
+During the day we steamed slowly along, a bright lookout being kept by
+the men at the foremast-head for suspicious steamers. After dinner at
+eight bells (12 o'clock), the smoking lamp, which hangs near the scuttle
+butt aft, was kept lighted about fifteen minutes. Smoking is allowed
+aboard only when the smoking lamp is lighted, and as "Hay" was wont to
+say, it was lighted "when you did not want to smoke." At ten minutes
+past one "turn to" was piped by the boatswain's mates, followed by the
+call for sweepers. Then came the order, "Stand by your scrub and wash
+clothes." So the "Kid" and I hastened forward, both anxious to see if
+our initial clothes-washing venture was a success. We had depended on
+the sun to bleach our much be-scrubbed clothes, but--well--I would have
+left them where they were if I could. As for the "Kid's"--after holding
+them off at arm's length for a while, he remarked, "Why, I would not use
+such rags to clean my bicycle at home," and threw them overboard. He was
+always a reckless chap.
+
+The infantry drill we had at afternoon quarters at 1:30, served to keep
+us busy. The same thing had been gone through on the "New Hampshire"
+many a time and oft. We found it rather difficult to march straight and
+keep a good line on a swaying deck. So we were kept at it until we had
+got the hang of it. We were still parading to and fro on the spar deck,
+when some one sighted land off the starboard bow. The dismissal call was
+given none too soon, for the curiosity as to what we were heading for
+made discipline lax and attention far from close.
+
+We soon learned that this was Block Island.
+
+The gig was lowered, and the captain and mail orderly went ashore.
+
+"Now we'll get our real orders," said Potter. "Ho! for the Spanish
+main," he shouted, forgetting his narrow escape of the day before.
+
+"It will be Ho! for the ship's brig, and Ho! for five days on bread and
+water, if you don't look out," said "Stump," dryly.
+
+About dark, the gig came back again, bringing the captain in it and the
+mail orderly--but no mail, and how we did long for a word from home. A
+scrap of newspaper, even, would be a blessing.
+
+We had just sat down to evening mess when the order, "All hands on the
+gig falls!" was given, and the master-at-arms chased us off the gun
+deck. Soon the measured tread of many feet could be heard, and then the
+order was given by the officer of the deck to the coxswain of the
+gig, "Secure your boat for sea."
+
+[Illustration: "THE GIG WAS LOWERED"]
+
+[Illustration: "THE MEN ON THE STAGES"]
+
+So we were to go off again. Where?
+
+Within a short time we were under way again. The usual watches were set,
+but very few of the boys went below. The mere rumor that the enemy was
+prowling along the coast was enough to prevent sleep. My watch went on
+duty at four o'clock. We were not called in the usual way, by the
+boatswain's whistle, but each man was roused separately. This in itself
+was sufficient to lend an air of intense interest to the scene.
+
+On reaching the deck I found that the night had grown stormy. A chill
+wind was blowing off the coast, rendering pea coats and watch caps
+extremely comfortable. A fine rain began to fall shortly after four, and
+by the time I had taken my post forward as a lookout it had increased to
+a regular squall.
+
+The "Yankee" was a splendid sea boat, but in the course of an hour the
+choppy waves kicked up by the storm set her to bobbing about like the
+proverbial cork. The gloom of the night had changed to a blackness that
+made it impossible to see an arm's length away. Standing on the
+starboard bridge, I could scarcely distinguish the faint white foam
+gathered under the forefoot. Aft there was nothing visible save a
+length of stay which seemingly began at nothing and ended in darkness.
+
+The howling of the wind through the taut cordage of the foremast, the
+sullen plunging of the ship's hull in the trough of the sea, the rise to
+a wave crest and the poising there before falling once more, the smell
+of the dank salt air, and the occasional spurt of spray over the leaning
+bow, all made a scene so novel to me that I forgot Spanish ships and my
+duty and stood almost entranced.
+
+It was a dereliction for which I was to suffer. In the midst of my
+reverie a hand was suddenly placed upon my shoulder and I heard a
+familial voice exclaim sternly:
+
+"Lookout, what do you mean by sleeping on post? Why did you not report
+that light?"
+
+It was Captain Brownson!
+
+Asleep on post! The accusation was grave enough to startle me, and I
+lost no time in stammering a denial. Luckily, the discovery of the
+strange light, which was just faintly visible dead ahead, occupied the
+commander's attention for the moment and I escaped further rebuke.
+
+Captain Brownson hurried to the bridge and presently word was passed to
+go to quarters at once. The ports were opened, ammunition made ready
+for both the main and secondary batteries, and the crew stood at their
+guns in readiness for action. It was a very impressive sight, the grim
+weapons just showing in the dim lantern light, the great cartridges
+standing close to the breeches, the men quiet and steady, their faces
+showing anxiety but perfect self-control.
+
+I was proud to belong to such a crew, for the majority thought that an
+action was imminent, and perhaps a superior foe to be fought, yet there
+was no sign of that fear which is supposed to attack the novice in
+battle. It was a convincing proof of American bravery and self-reliance.
+
+In the meantime the engines had been called on for full speed, and the
+ship throbbed and swayed with the increased power. Extra men were
+presently sent below to the fire room, and it soon became evident that
+we were in actual chase of the suspicious vessel. From my station at the
+after port gun I was enabled to catch an occasional glimpse of the sea
+through the open port.
+
+The squall had passed in part and the night was growing lighter. The
+rain still fell, though fitfully, and at times a dash of water entered
+the port, besprinkling gun and crew and fighting tackle, leaving great
+drops that glistened like dew in the waning light of the lanterns.
+Alongside, white-capped waves raced with the ship.
+
+As the gloom lightened, the horizon spread, and presently, away in the
+distance, a dark spot, like a smudge upon a gray background, became
+visible. "Long Tommy," attached to my gun, leaned far out of the port
+with an exclamation of excitement.
+
+"By George! it's another ship," he added.
+
+"We are in a nest of the Dagoes," cried young Potter, rather wildly. "We
+have run into an ambuscade."
+
+"You've got a great chance to become a dead hero," remarked the first
+gun captain dryly.
+
+Word was passed from above to break out more shell, and presently the
+navigator slipped down the ladder and made a close inspection of the
+different five-inch guns. As he went from crew to crew he gave whispered
+instructions to the officers in charge.
+
+"The old man expects trouble this trip," whispered Tommy. He coolly
+stripped off his shirt and stood, half-naked, the muscles of his
+athletic chest and arms gleaming like white marble in the uncertain
+light. Most of us followed his example, and the spectacle of the swaying
+groups of men, bared for action, added a dramatic tinge to the scene.
+
+Below, the powerful engines throbbed with a pulsation that set every
+bolt and joint creaking, the strident echoes of the firemen's shovels
+could he heard scraping against the iron floor, and little whistlings of
+steam came like higher notes in the general tune. Even the noises of the
+ship were strange and weird and impressive.
+
+The crews had been standing in readiness at their stations for almost an
+hour when it suddenly became noticeable that the darkness of night was
+giving way before a gradual dawn. The glimmering flame in the lanterns
+faded and waned, objects buried in gloom began to assume shape, and the
+edges of the open ports grew sharp and more defined. Constant waiting
+brought a relaxation of discipline, and the members of the different
+crews grouped about the ports and eagerly searched for the chase.
+
+The smudge on the horizon had long since disappeared, but directly ahead
+could be seen the faint outlines of a steamer. A dense cloud of smoke
+was pouring from her funnel, and it was plainly apparent that she was
+making every effort to escape. This in itself was enough to stamp her
+identity, and we shook our clenched fists exultantly after her.
+
+The night broke rapidly. In the east a rosy tinge proclaimed the coming
+sun. Just as the first glitter of the fiery rim appeared above the
+horizon, a gray, damp mist swept across the water, coming like an
+impenetrable wall between the "Yankee" and the chase.
+
+[Illustration: "STAND BY, MEN. BE READY FOR INSTANT ACTION".]
+
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+A WILD GOOSE CHASE.
+
+A howl of disappointment went up from the crew.
+
+"Oh, if she was only within range," cried "Hay," smiting the breech of
+the five-inch rifle with his hand. "Just one shot, just one shot."
+
+"Guns' crews will remain at stations," ordered the first lieutenant from
+near the ladder. "Stand by, men. Be ready for instant action."
+
+"Hurray! the old man won't give it up," cheered "Stump," under his
+voice. "That's the stuff. Now, if only that measly fog lifts and we get
+a trifle nearer, we'll do something for the old flag."
+
+The minutes passed slowly. It was heartbreaking work, this waiting and
+watching, and there was not one of the "Yankee's" crew but would have
+given a year's pay to have seen the mist lift long enough to bring us
+within range.
+
+Suddenly, just as the fervent wish was trembling on our lips, "Hod
+Marsh," who was near the port, cried out joyfully:
+
+"She's fading, fellows, she's fading!"
+
+Like a theatre curtain being slowly raised, the mist lifted from the
+surface of the water. Little by little the expanse of ocean became
+visible, and at last we, who were watching eagerly, saw the hull of a
+steamer appear, followed by masts and stack and upper rigging. An
+exclamation of bitter disappointment came from Tommy. "Durned if it
+ain't an old tramp!" he groaned. "Fellows, we are sold."
+
+And so it proved.
+
+The fog lifted completely in the course of an hour and we secured a good
+view of our "will o' the wisp" of the night's chase. It was a great
+lumbering tramp, as high out of the water as a barn, and as
+weather-stained as a homeward-bound whaler. She slouched along like a
+crab, each roll of the hull showing streaks of marine grass and
+barnacles. There was little of man-o'-war "smartness" in her make-up, of
+a verity.
+
+For several days the "Yankee" cruised up and down the coast between
+Delaware Breakwater and Block Island. Many vessels were sighted, and on
+two occasions it was considered expedient to sound "general quarters,"
+but nothing came of it. We finally concluded that the enemy were
+fighting shy of the vicinity of New York, and all began to long for
+orders to the southward.
+
+Drill followed drill during these waiting days. Target practice was held
+whenever practicable, and the different guns' crews began to feel
+familiar with the rapid-fire rifles.
+
+The men, accustomed to a life of ease and plenty, found this first
+month's work an experience of unparalleled hardship.
+
+Their hands, better fitted for the grasp of pen and pencil, were made
+sore and stiff by the handling of hawsers, chains, and heavy cases.
+Bandages on hands, feet, and, in some cases, heads, were the popular
+form of adornment, and the man who did not have some part of his anatomy
+decorated in this way was looked upon as a "sloper," or one who ran away
+from work. For how could any one do his share without getting a finger
+jammed or a toe crushed?
+
+The work that was done, too, during this month of cruising along the
+coasts of Long Island and New Jersey was hard and incessant. Drills of
+all kinds were frequent, and sleep at a premium.
+
+The "Yankee" at this time was attached to the Northern Patrol Fleet, of
+which Commodore Howell was the commander. It was her business to cruise
+along the coast from Block Island south to Delaware Breakwater, and
+watch for suspicious vessels. This duty made constant movement
+necessary, and unwearying vigilance on the part of the lookouts
+imperative.
+
+Rainy, foggy weather was the rule, and "oilers" and rubber boots the
+prevailing fashion in overclothing. Sea watches were kept night and day;
+half of the crew being on duty all the time, and one watch relieving the
+other every four hours.
+
+The watch "on deck" or on duty on a stormy night found it very tedious
+waiting for the "watch below" to come and relieve them. The man who
+could tell a story or sing a song was in great demand, and the man who
+could get up a "Yankee" song was a popular hero. The night after our
+wild goose chase, described in the last chapter, the port watch had the
+"long watch"; that is, the watch from 8 p.m. to midnight, and from four
+to eight the next morning--which allowed but four hour's sleep.
+
+It was raining and the decks were wet and slippery. The water dripped
+off the rims of our sou'westers in dismal fashion, and the fog hung like
+a blanket around the ship, while the sea lapped her sides unseen. Our
+fog-horn tooted at intervals, and everything was as damp, dark, and
+forlorn as could be.
+
+A knot of men were gathered under the lee of the after deckhouse,
+huddled together for warmth and companionship. There was "Stump,"
+"Bill," Potter, and a number of others.
+
+"Say! can't any one sing, or tell a yarn, or whistle a tune, or dance a
+jig?" said "Bill" in a muffled tone. "If some one does not start some
+kind of excitement I will go to sleep in my tracks, and Doctor 'Gangway'
+says I mustn't sleep out of doors." His speech ended in a fit of
+coughing and a succession of sneezes.
+
+"Here, 'Morse,' give us that new song of yours," said "Steve," as
+another oilskinned figure joined the group. "Morse" and "Steve" were our
+chief song writers. Each sat on a quarter six-pounder, one on the
+starboard, the other on the port. "I will, if you chaps will join in the
+chorus," answered "Morse." "No, thank you," he added, as some one handed
+him an imaginary glass. "_Nature_ has wet my whistle pretty thoroughly
+to-night." "Stump," in his most impressive manner, stepped forward, and
+in true master-of-ceremonies style introduced our entertainer. He was
+enlarging on the undoubted merits of the composer and singer, and had
+waxed really eloquent, when a strong gust of wind blew the water that
+lodged in the awning squarely down his neck. This dampened his ardor but
+not our spirits.
+
+"Morse," like the good fellow he was, got up and sang this song to the
+tune of "Billy Magee Magaw":
+
+    When the "Yankee" goes sailing home again,
+                    Hurrah! Hurrah!
+    We'll forget that we're "Heroes" and just be men,
+                    Hurrah! Hurrah!
+    The girls will giggle, the boys will shout,
+    We'll all get a bath and be washed out,
+    And we'll all feel gay when
+    The "Yankee" goes sailing home.
+
+    The city bells will peal for joy,
+                    Hurrah! Hurrah!
+    To welcome home each wandering boy,
+                    Hurrah! Hurrah!
+    And all our sisters and cousins and girls
+    Will say "Ain't they darlings?" and "_See_ the pearls!"
+    So we'll all feel gay when
+    The "Yankee" goes sailing home.
+
+    Our patrolling cruise will soon be o'er,
+                    Hurrah! Hurrah!
+    We'll be happy the moment our feet touch shore,
+                    Hurrah! Hurrah!
+    And "Cutlets" and "Hubbub" and all the rest
+    May stick to the calling they're fitted for best,
+    But _we'll_ all feel gay when
+    The "Yankee" goes sailing home.
+
+Even "Bill" was able to find voice enough to shout "Good!" and give
+"Morse" a resounding slap on his wet oilskinned shoulder. The song
+voiced our sentiments exactly, and cheered us a lot. None of us believed
+that "Our patrolling cruise would soon be o'er," however, and hardly a
+man would have taken his discharge had it been offered to him that
+moment. We had put our names to the enlistment papers and had promised
+to serve Uncle Sam on his ship the "Yankee" faithfully. We had gone into
+this thing together, and we would see it through together. Still we
+would "All feel gay when the 'Yankee' goes sailing home."
+
+"That reminds me of a story," began Potter, when "Long Tommy," the
+boatswain's mate of the watch, interrupted with, "Potter, take the
+starboard bridge. I will send a man to relieve you at the end of an
+hour." So Potter went forward to relieve his mate, who had stood an hour
+of lookout duty on the starboard end of the bridge.
+
+He went forward, swaying with the motion of the ship, his oilskin
+trousers making a queer, grating noise as one leg rubbed against the
+other, and "Stump" said, "I'll bet he won't stay with us long; he talks
+too much." A prophetic remark, as future events proved.
+
+The group broke up after this. Some who were not actually on lookout
+duty went into the hot fire room, and after taking off their outer
+clothing, tried to snatch a few winks of sleep. The "watch on deck" was
+not allowed to go below at night, so the only shelter allowed us was the
+fire room and the main companion-way. The latter could hold but a few
+men, and the only alternative was the fire or "drum" room, into which
+the heat and gas from the furnaces ascended from the bowels of the ship,
+making it impossible for a man to breathe the atmosphere there for more
+than half an hour at a time. The after wheel-house was sometimes taken
+advantage of by the more venturesome of the boys, but the risk was
+great, for "Cutlets" was continually prowling around, and the man found
+taking shelter there would receive tongue lashings hard to bear, with
+abuse entirely out of proportion to the offence.
+
+A little before twelve o'clock we heard the boatswain's pipe, and the
+long drawn shout, "On deck all the starboard watch," and "All the
+starboard watch to muster." So we knew that we would soon be relieved,
+and would be able to take the much-needed four hours' sleep in our
+"sleeping bags," as "Hay" called them. The starboard men came slowly up,
+rubbing their eyes, buttoning their oilskins, and tying their
+sou'westers on by a string under their chins as they walked.
+
+"Hurry up there, will you?" calls out a port watch man, as the men of
+the other watch sleepily climb the ladder. "Get a move on and give us a
+chance to get out of this beastly wet." A sharp retort is given, and the
+men move on in the same leisurely way. The men of both watches are
+hardly in the best of humors. It is not pleasant to be waked up at
+midnight to stand a four hours' watch in the rain and fog, nor is it the
+most enjoyable thing in life to be delayed, after standing a four hours'
+watch in the rain, realizing all the time that each minute of waiting
+takes that precious time from the scant four hours' sleep.
+
+But finally "all the watch" is piped, and we go below and flop into our
+hammocks, to sleep as soundly and dreamlessly as babies. A sailor will
+sleep like a dead man through all kinds of noises and calls, but the
+minute his own watch is called he is wide awake in an instant, from
+sheer force of habit.
+
+So when the boatswain's mate went around with his pipe, singing out as
+he dodged in and out among the swinging hammocks, "On deck all the port
+watch," each of us jumped out of his swaying bed and began to climb
+into his damp clothes and stiff "oilers." We then made our way through
+the darkness, often bumping our heads on the bottom of hammocks, and
+earning sleepy but strongly worded rebukes from the occupants; colliding
+with stanchions, and stubbing our toes on ring bolts and hatch covers.
+All arrived at length, formed an unsteady line on the forecastle deck,
+and answered to our names as they were called by the boatswain's mate.
+So began another day's work on one of Uncle Sam's ships.
+
+It was Sunday, and after a while the fog lifted and the sun came out
+strong and clear. All the men who were off duty came on deck to bask in
+the sun, and to get dried and thawed out.
+
+"Steve" poked his uncombed, sleepy head through the "booby" hatch cover.
+"Well, this is something like! If the 'old man' will let us take it easy
+after inspection, I won't think life in the navy is so bad after all."
+
+"Well, inspection and general muster and the reading of the ship's bible
+will take up most of the morning," said gunner's mate "Patt," as he
+emerged from the hatch after "Steve," wiping his grimy hands on a wad of
+waste, for he had been giving the guns a rub. "And if we don't have to
+go chasing an imaginary Spaniard or lug coal from the after hold
+forward, we'll be in luck," he continued.
+
+"What about the 'ship's bible'? What is 'general muster'?" queried half
+a dozen of us.
+
+"Why," said "Patt," "the ship's bible is the book of rules and
+regulations of the United States Navy. It is read once a month to the
+officers and crew of every ship in the navy. The officers and crew will
+be mustered aft--you'll see--the deck force and engineer force on the
+port side, the petty officers on the starboard side forward, the
+commissioned officers on the starboard side aft, and the marines
+athwartships aft. This forms three sides to a square. See?"
+
+"I don't see the use of all this," broke in the irreverent "Kid." "Do we
+have to stand there and have war articles fired at us?"
+
+"That's what, 'Kid,'" replied "Patt," good-naturedly.
+
+"After all hands have taken their places," continued our informant, "the
+'old man' will walk down the galley ladder in that dignified way of his,
+followed by the executive officer. 'Mother Hubbub' will then open the
+blue-covered book that he carries, and read you things that will make
+your hair stand on end and cause you to consider the best wording for
+your last will and testament." "Patt" was very impressive, and we stood
+with open mouths and staring eyes.
+
+"When old 'Hubbub' opens the book, all hands, even the captain, will
+take off their hats and stand at attention. Then the war articles will
+be read to you. You will learn that there are twenty-seven or more
+offences for which you are liable to be shot--such as sleeping on post,
+desertion, disobedience, wilful waste of Government property, and so
+forth; you will be told that divine service is recommended whenever
+possible--in short, you are told that you must be good, and that if you
+are not there will be the deuce to pay. Then the captain will turn to
+'Scully' and say, 'Pipe down,' whereupon 'Scully' and the other bosun's
+mates will blow a trill on their pipes, and all hands will go about
+their business."
+
+So concluded our oracle.
+
+"Gee whiz!" said the "Kid." "I nearly got into trouble the other night,
+for I almost dozed when I was on the buoy. I'm not used to getting along
+on eleven hours' sleep in forty-eight yet," he added, apologetically.
+
+We all looked forward to "general muster" with a good deal of interest,
+and when it occurred, and the captain had inspected our persons,
+clothes, the ship, and mess gear, we decided that "Patt's" description
+fitted exactly, and were duly impressed with its solemnity.
+
+We found to our sorrow that we of Number Eight's crew were not to enjoy
+sunshine undisturbed, but were soon put to work carrying coal in baskets
+from the after hold forward, and dumping it in the bunker chutes.
+
+This work had been going on almost every day, and all day, since we left
+Tompkinsville. The coal was in the after hold and was needed in the
+bunkers forward, so every piece had to be shovelled into bushel baskets,
+hoisted to the gun deck, and carried by hand to the chute leading to the
+port and starboard bunkers. A dirty job it was, that not only blackened
+the men, but covered the deck, the mess gear, the paint work, and even
+the food, with coal dust.
+
+Number Eight's crew had been at this pleasant occupation for about an
+hour, with the cheerful prospect of another hour of the same diversion.
+"Hay" was running the steam winch, "Stump" was pulling the baskets over
+the hatch coaming as they were hauled up by the winch, and the other
+five were carrying.
+
+"Say, this is deadly slow, tiresome work," said "Flagg," who was
+carrying with me. "I'd give almost anything for a little excitement."
+
+The last word had scarcely been uttered when there came the sounds of
+'commotion on deck. A voice cried out in sharp command, the rudder
+chains creaked loudly, the ship heeled over to starboard, and then we
+who were at the open port saw a long, snaky object shoot out from the
+edge of the haze and bear down upon us.
+
+"My heaven!" shouted "Stump," "it's a torpedo boat!"
+
+The commotion on deck had given us some warning, but the sudden dash of
+the long, snaky torpedo boat from out the haze came as a decided shock.
+For one brief moment we of the after port stood as if turned to stone,
+then every man ran to his quarters and stood ready to do his duty. With
+a cry, our second captain sprang to the firing lanyard. Before he could
+grasp it, however, the officer of the division was at his side.
+
+"Stop!" he exclaimed authoritatively.
+
+The interruption was fortunate, for, just then, a swerve of the oncoming
+torpedo boat revealed a small flag flying from the taffrail staff. It
+was the American ensign.
+
+The reaction was great. Forgetting discipline, we crowded about the port
+and laughed and cheered like a lot of schoolboys. Potter, in his joy and
+evident relief, sent his canvas cap sailing through the air. A rebuke,
+not very stern, however, came from the lieutenant in charge of the
+division, and we shuffled back to our stations.
+
+"Cricky! what a sell," exclaimed the second rifleman, grinning. "I was
+sure we had a big job on our hands this time. I'm rather glad it is one
+of our fellows after all."
+
+"I'm not," spoke up young Potter, blusteringly. "What did we come out
+here for, hey? I say it's a confounded shame. We might have had a chance
+to send one of the Spaniards to the bottom."
+
+"It may be a Dago after all," suggested "Bill," glancing from the port.
+"The flag doesn't mean anything. They might be flying Old Glory as a
+_ruse de guerre_. By George! That craft looks just like the 'Pluton.'"
+
+We, who were watching, saw Potter's face lengthen. He peered nervously
+at the rapidly approaching torpedo boat, and then tried to laugh
+unconcernedly.
+
+"You can't 'string' me," he retorted. "That's one of your Uncle Samuel's
+boats all right. See! they are going to hail us."
+
+A bell clanged in the engine room, then the throbbing of the machinery
+slackened to a slow pulsation. The rudder chains rattled in their
+fair-leaders, and presently we were steaming along, with the torpedo
+craft a score of yards off our midships.
+
+On the forward deck of the latter stood two officers clad in the uniform
+of the commissioned service. One placed a speaking trumpet to his lips
+and called out:
+
+"Cruiser ahoy! Is that the 'Yankee'?"
+
+"You have made a good guess," shouted Captain Brownson. "What boat is
+that?"
+
+"'Talbot' from Newport. Any news? Sighted you and thought we would speak
+you."
+
+Our commander assured them that we were in search of news ourselves. The
+"Talbot's" officers saluted and then waved a farewell.
+
+The narrow, low-lying craft spun about in almost her own length, a
+series of quick puffs of dense black smoke came from the funnels, and
+then the haze swallowed up the whole fabric.
+
+We were left to take our discomfiture with what philosophy we could
+muster. When "secure" was sounded we left our guns with a sense of great
+danger averted and a feeling of relief.
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+WE BECOME COAL HEAVERS.
+
+The little strip of North American coast between Delaware Breakwater and
+Block Island is very interesting, and, in places, beautiful. The long
+beaches and bare sand dunes have a solemn beauty all their own.
+
+Though the boys on the "Yankee" took in and appreciated the loveliness
+of this bit of coast, they were getting rather familiar with it and
+somewhat bored. They longed for "pastures new."
+
+Summer had almost begun, but still the fog and rain held sway. The ship
+crept through the night like a big gray ghost--dark, swift, and, except
+in the densest fogs, silent. Pea-coats were an absolute necessity, and
+woolen gloves would have been a great comfort. All this in the blooming,
+beautiful month of May!
+
+One bleak morning the starboard watch was on duty. We of the port watch
+had turned in at four (or, according to ship's time, eight bells). We
+were glad to be between decks, and got under way for the land of Nod
+without delay. It seemed as if we had been asleep but a few minutes,
+when "Scully," chief boatswain's mate, came down the gun deck gangway,
+shouting loud enough to be heard a mile away: "All hands, up all
+hammocks;" then, as the disposition to get up was not very evident,
+"Show a leg there; ham and eggs for breakfast." This last was a little
+pleasantry that never materialized into the much-coveted and long
+abstained from delicacy.
+
+The hammocks were lashed up and stowed away in the "nettings," as the
+lattice-like receptacles are called, leaving the deck clear for the work
+of the day.
+
+Mess gear for the "watch below" had just been piped, and we were glad;
+even the thought of burnt oatmeal and coffee without milk was pleasant
+to us.
+
+The ports were closed and the gun deck was dark and dismal. The fog
+oozed in through every crack and cranny, and all was very unpleasant.
+
+Of a sudden there was a sharp reverberation that sounded so much like
+the report of a big gun that all hands jumped.
+
+The course of the ship was changed, and the jingle bell sounded. The
+"Yankee" forged on at full speed in the direction from which the sound
+had come.
+
+We all stood in expectant attitudes, listening for another report. We
+had about made up our minds that our ears had deceived us, when another
+explosion, louder and nearer than the first, reached us.
+
+On we rushed--toward what we knew not--through a fog so thick that the
+water could be seen but dimly from the spar deck.
+
+The suspense was hard to bear, and the desire to do something almost
+irresistible. The men unconsciously took their regular stations for
+action, the guns' crews gathered round their guns, the powder divisions
+in the neighborhood of the ammunition hoists.
+
+"I wish Potter was here," said "Stump." "I rather think he would be
+white around the gills. This sort of business would give him a bad case
+of 'cold feet.'"
+
+"Oh, he had 'cold feet' a few days after we left New York, and wrote to
+his friends to get his discharge," said "Bill." "Got it and quit two
+weeks after we left New York, the duffer," added "Hay."
+
+The "Yankee" still steamed on into the bank of fog.
+
+"Cupid," the ship's bugler, began to play the call for general
+quarters, but was stopped by a sharp command from the bridge.
+
+What was it all about? Was it to be tragedy or farce?
+
+Then Scully came down the starboard gangway, a broad smile on his ruddy
+face.
+
+A clamoring group gathered round him instantly. "What is it?" "Is the
+'old man' playing a joke on us?" "Do you suppose Cervera has got over to
+this side?" "Scully," overwhelmed with questions, put up his hands
+protestingly.
+
+"No, no; none of those things," said he. "What do you suppose we have
+been doing for the last twenty minutes?"
+
+We confessed we did not know.
+
+"Chasing thunder claps--nothing more nor less than thunder claps! And
+we'll see nothing worse on this coast," he added sententiously, as soon
+as he could get his breath.
+
+The wind rose, and while it blew away the fog in part, it kicked up a
+nasty sea, in which the "Yankee" wallowed for hours, waiting for the fog
+to clear enough to make the channel and enter New York harbor. It seemed
+we had been heading for New York, and we did not know it. It was not the
+custom aboard that hooker to give the men any information.
+
+[Illustration: "THE 'YANKEE' DROPPED HER ANCHOR OFF TOMPKINSVILLE"]
+
+When we learned for sure that we were bound for New York, our joy was
+beyond measure.
+
+Shore leave was the chief topic of conversation. And every man not on
+duty went down into his black bag, fished out his clean blues, and set
+to work sewing on watch marks and cap ribbons. For Jack must be neat and
+clean when he goes ashore.
+
+The mud-hook was dropped in the bay off Tompkinsville, Thursday, May
+26th, seventeen days after we left the navy yard. It seemed seventeen
+months.
+
+An "anchor watch" of sixteen men was set for the night, and most of us
+turned in early to enjoy the first good sleep for many weary days.
+
+All hands were turned out at five o'clock. We woke to find a big coal
+barge on either side of the ship.
+
+After breakfast the order "turn to" was given. "All hands coal ship,
+starboard watch on the starboard lighter, port watch on the port
+lighter." From seven o'clock in the morning till twelve o'clock that
+night, the crew of the "Yankee"--aforetime lawyers, physicians, literary
+men, brokers, merchants, students, and clerks--men who had never done
+any harder work than play football, or row in a shell--coaled ship
+without any rest, other than the three half hours at meal times. About
+the hardest, dirtiest work a man could do.
+
+The navy style of coaling is different from that customary in the
+merchant service. In the latter, the dirty work is done in the quickest,
+easiest way possible. The ship is taken to a coal wharf and the coal is
+slid down in chutes, or barges are run alongside and great buckets,
+hoisted by steam, swing the black lumps into the hold or bunker.
+
+The navy style, as practised on the "Yankee," was quite different. The
+barges were brought alongside, the men divided into gangs--some to go in
+the hold of the barge, some to go on the platforms, some to carry on the
+ship herself. The barge gang shovelled the coal into bushel baskets;
+these were carried to the men on the stages; and the latter passed them
+from one to the other, to the gun deck; finally, the gang on the vessel
+carried the baskets to the bunker holes, and dumped them. The ship was
+well provided with hoisting machines, but, for some reason, this help
+was not permitted us.
+
+It was a long, inexpressibly dreary day's work, and though undertaken
+cheerfully and with less complaining than would have been believed
+possible, the drudgery of it was a thing not easily forgotten. Before
+the day had ended, all hope of getting ashore was lost, for we were
+told that no liberty would be given.
+
+The following day and half of our stay in New York harbor was spent in
+the same way--shovelling, lifting, and carrying coal. The eyes of many
+of us were gladdened by the sight of friends and relatives, who were
+allowed aboard when mess gear was piped, and put off when "turn to"
+sounded. We were pleased to see our friends, but our friends, on the
+contrary, seemed shocked to see us. One dainty girl came aboard, and, as
+she came up the gangway, asked for a forecastle man. The word was passed
+for him. He had just finished his stint of coaling, and was as black as
+a negro. In his haste to see his sister, he neglected to clean up, and
+appeared before her in his coal heaver's make-up.
+
+"You, Will? I won't believe it! I won't, I won't, I won't!" And for a
+second she covered her face with her hands. Then she picked out the
+cleanest spot on his grimy countenance and kissed him there, while we
+looked on in envy.
+
+The "Yankee" at last receiving orders to sail for the front, left
+Tompkinsville May 29th. We passed out of the Narrows with a feeling of
+relief. The work we had just finished was the hardest we had ever
+experienced. It was particularly tantalizing because we were almost in
+sight of our homes, but could not visit them. A starving man suffers
+more from hunger if pleasant food is placed within sight, but beyond his
+reach.
+
+However, we were to go to the front at last, and we rejoiced at the
+prospect of being really useful to our country.
+
+The following day, Decoration Day, dawned pleasantly, both wind and
+weather being all that could be desired.
+
+Directly after dinner we were sent to quarters for target practice. The
+target was dropped astern, and the ship steamed ahead to the required
+distance. Word was given to the marines manning the six-pounders to
+prove their skill.
+
+The port forecastle six-pounder, using a shell containing cordite, a
+powerful English explosive, was in charge of a marine corporal named
+J.J. Murray, who acted as captain of the gun. After firing several
+rounds with marked success, Murray saw that the gun was loaded for
+another trial.
+
+Standing at the breech, he steadied the gun with his left arm and
+shoulder, seized the pistol-grip, placed his finger on the trigger, and
+then slowly and carefully brought the target within the sighting line in
+readiness to fire.
+
+The other members of the gun's crew were at their proper stations.
+Numbers 2 and 3, respectively second captain and first loader and
+shellman, were directly behind the corporal. They saw him steady the
+piece again, take another careful aim, then noted that his finger gave a
+quick tug at the trigger.
+
+The result was a dull click but no explosion.
+
+The corporal stepped back from his place in vexation. He had succeeded
+in getting a fine "bead" just as the cartridge failed.
+
+"Blast the English ammunition!" he exclaimed. "It's no good."
+
+The other men at the gun nodded approval. Their experience bore out the
+corporal's assertion. They also knew that the cordite cartridges were
+not adapted to American guns, and should not have been used. But they
+were marines and they were accustomed to obey orders without comment.
+
+Captain Brownson had noticed the incident and he sent word to delay
+opening the breechblock until all danger of explosion had passed. After
+waiting some time, Corporal Murray proceeded to extract the shell. He
+took his place at the breech, while No. 2 unlocked the plug and swung it
+open.
+
+"Now we'll see what is the matter," he began. "I guess it is another
+case of--"
+
+He never finished the sentence. With a frightful roar the defective
+cartridge exploded, sending fragments of shell and parts of the
+breech-block into the corporal's face and chest. He was hurled with
+terrific force to the deck, where he lay motionless, mortally wounded.
+
+Numbers 2 and 3 of the unfortunate gun's crew did not escape, the former
+being struck down with the hand lever, which penetrated his arm. The
+injured men received prompt attention from the surgeon and his
+assistants, but Corporal Murray was beyond mortal aid. He died ten
+minutes after the accident.
+
+He was a good soldier, jolly and light-hearted, and a great favorite
+with the crew. The peculiar feeling of antagonism which is supposed to
+exist between the sailors and marines did not obtain in his case.
+
+In the navy the hammock which serves the living as a bed by night is
+also their coffin and their shroud. It so served Corporal Murray.
+
+[Illustration: "WITH A FRIGHTFUL ROAR THE DEFECTIVE CARTRIDGE EXPLODED"]
+
+Shortly after four bells (six o'clock) on the evening of the day on
+which the accident occurred, the boatswain's mate sent the shrill piping
+of his whistle echoing through the ship, following it with the words,
+doleful and long drawn out:
+
+"All hands shift-ft-ft into clean-n-n blue and stand by to bury the
+dead-d-d!"
+
+When the crew assembled on the gun deck in obedience to the call, the
+sun was just disappearing beyond the edge of the distant horizon. Its
+last rays entered the open port, showing to us the dead man's figure
+outlined under an American flag. The body had been placed upon a grating
+in front of an open port, and several men were stationed close by in
+readiness to launch it into the sea.
+
+The ceaseless swaying of the ship in the trough of the sea, the engines
+having been stopped, set the lines of blue uniformed men swinging and
+nodding, and, as the surgeon, Dr. McGowan, read the Episcopal service,
+it seemed in the half light as if every man were keeping time with the
+cadence.
+
+The words of the service, beautiful and impressive under such novel
+circumstances, echoed and whispered along the deck, and at the sentence,
+"We commit this body to the deep," the grating was raised gently and,
+with a peculiar _swish_, the body, heavily weighted, slid down to the
+water's edge and plunged sullenly into the sea. A moment more and the
+service was finished, the bugler sounding "pipe down." A salute, three
+times repeated, was fired by sixteen men of the marine guard.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The voyage down the coast was utilized in making good men-o'-war's men
+of the "Yankee's" crew. Captain Brownson believes thoroughly in the
+efficacy of drill, and he lost no time in living up to his belief. When
+all the circumstances are taken into consideration, the task allotted to
+the captain of the "Yankee" by the fortunes of war, was both peculiar
+and difficult.
+
+On his return from Europe, where he had been sent to select vessels for
+the improvised navy, he was ordered by the Navy Department at Washington
+to take command of the auxiliary cruiser "Yankee." This meant that he
+was to assume charge of a ship hastily converted from an ordinary
+merchant steamer, and to fight the battles of his country with a crew
+composed of youths and men whose whole life and training had hitherto
+followed totally different lines.
+
+It was a "licking of raw material into shape" with a vengeance.
+
+When the "Chesapeake" sailed forth to fight her disastrous battle with
+the British ship "Shannon," her crew was made up of men untrained in
+the art of war. The result was the most humiliating naval defeat in the
+history of the United States. The same fate threatened Captain Brownson.
+There was this difference in the cases, however. The "Chesapeake" had
+little time for drilling, while the "Yankee" was fully six weeks in
+commission before her first shot was fired in action. Every minute of
+those six weeks was utilized.
+
+During the trip down the coast from New York general quarters were held
+each day, and target practice whenever the weather permitted. In
+addition to these drills the crew was exercised in man and arm boats,
+abandon ship, fire drill, infantry drill, and the many exercises
+provided by the naval regulations. Before the "Yankee" had been in the
+Gulf Stream two days, the various guns' crews were almost letter-perfect
+at battery work. As it happened, the value of good drilling was soon to
+be demonstrated.
+
+As we neared Cuba, the theatre of our hopes and expectations, we were
+scarcely able to control ourselves. The bare possibility of seeing real
+war within a few days made every man the victim of a consuming
+impatience. Rumors of every description were rife, and the many weird
+and impossible tales invented by the ship's cook and the captain's
+steward--the men-o'-war oracles--would have put even Baron Munchausen to
+the blush.
+
+The Rumor Committee, otherwise known as the "Scuttle-butt Navigators,"
+to which every man on board was elected a life member the moment he
+promulgated a rumor, was soon actively engaged, and it was definitely
+settled that the "Yankee" was to become the flagship of the whole fleet,
+our captain made Lord High Admiral, and the whole Spanish nation swept
+off the face of the globe, in about thirteen and a half seconds by the
+chronometer.
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+WE ENTER THE "THEATRE OF WAR."
+
+The shrill pipe of the bosun's whistle, followed by the order "All hands
+to muster," reached our ears a day or two out from New York. We were
+enjoying an hour of well-earned leisure, so it was with reluctance that
+we obeyed and went aft on the gun deck. All hands are seldom called to
+muster, so we knew that something of importance was in the wind.
+
+After the three-sided hollow square had been formed, the captain
+appeared. The small men stood on tip-toe, and the tall men craned their
+necks.
+
+"We are about to enter the theatre of war," said the captain, in his
+sharp, decisive way, "and I expect every man to do his duty, to redouble
+his efforts to preserve discipline, to perfect drills. Drills will, of a
+necessity, be frequent and hard. I would have you understand that our
+best protection is the fire from our own guns. The more rapid and
+accurate our fire, the safer we shall be. Pipe down."
+
+After we had been dismissed, the men formed little groups and discussed
+the captain's speech.
+
+"I like the 'old man's' talk," said the "Kid," condescendingly; "it's to
+the point and short. But how in the name of common sense are we going to
+find time to drill with more frequency? Three times a day and once or
+more at night, allows us just about time enough to eat and do the
+necessary routine work, to say nothing about sleeping. Clear ship,
+general quarters, and fire drill during the day, and general quarters
+after ten last night. That's already somewhat frequent, methinks," he
+concluded, suppressing a yawn.
+
+"Well, if we are to have any scraps," said "Bill," "we certainly must
+know how to work the ship and the guns. For, as the skipper said, 'our
+own fire is our best protection.'"
+
+We bowled along at a good fifteen-knot gait, day after day and night
+after night. The weather was magnificent and the climate delightful. It
+was full moon, and such a moon as few of us had seen before--so bright
+that letters could be and were written by her silvery light.
+
+Though drills of all sorts were of constant occurrence, there were times
+after mess when we could "caulk off" and enjoy the glorious weather.
+Our experience of bad weather along the coast of New Jersey and Long
+Island had given us keen zest for the good conditions we were now
+enjoying. We were sailing along in the warm waters of the Gulf
+Stream--the Gulf weed peculiar to that current slipping by as we forged
+through it. "Stump," "Dye," of Number Eight's gun crew, a witty chap and
+a good singer, "Hay," and I were leaning over the taffrail, looking into
+the swirling water made by the propeller's thrust, when "Dye" remarked:
+"This is the queerest water I ever saw in all my days; it looks like the
+bluing water our laundress used to make, with the suds mixed in."
+
+The smooth sea was dark and clear as could be, but where churned by the
+propeller it turned to the color of turquoise.
+
+"I really believe," said "Bill," as he joined the group, "that we could
+use it to turn our whites blue."
+
+It was a delight and marvel to us all; we would have liked nothing
+better than to have spent hours gazing at these wonderful colors.
+
+As we stood absorbed in the sight before us, we were interrupted by the
+short, sharp ringing of the ship's bell--a dozen or more strokes given
+in quick succession followed, after a short pause, by two more strokes.
+
+Some one shouted "Fire, boys!" and all hands rushed for their
+stations--some to the hose-reel, some below to the gun deck to close the
+ports, and some to the berth deck to receive the hose when it came down.
+We did not know whether it was drill or actual fire, but the skipper's
+talk of the night before gave us unusual energy, and the preparations
+were made in record time. The canvas hose was pulled along the deck with
+a swish, the nozzle grasped by the waiting hands below and carried with
+a run away aft on the berth deck. The fire was supposed to be raging at
+this point, as was indicated by the two last strokes of the alarm
+signal.
+
+While the hose was being led out, sturdy arms tugged at the port
+lanyards and pulled them to. Others battened down the hatches, to keep
+the draught from adding fury to the flames.
+
+All this was done in less time than it takes to tell it, and the men
+stood at their posts, perspiring and panting from the quick work.
+
+We had hardly time to catch our breath when the order "Abandon ship" was
+heard. Immediately there was a scurry of feet, and a rush for the upper
+deck; but some stayed below to carry ship's bread and canned meats to
+the boats--two cases of bread and two cases of meat for the large boats,
+and one case of each for the smaller. The crews and passengers of each
+boat gathered near it. Every man had been assigned to a boat either as
+crew or passenger, and when the order "abandon ship" was given, every
+one knew instantly where to go for refuge.
+
+Though we had already gone through this "fire drill" and "abandon ship"
+(one always followed the other), it had then been done in peaceful
+waters and in a perfunctory way. Now that we were entering "the theatre
+of war," we felt the seriousness of it all, and realized that what was
+now a mere drill might become a stern reality.
+
+The order "Secure" was given; the hose was reeled up, the ports opened,
+and the provisions returned to their places in hold and store room. The
+men went to their quarters, and so stood till the bugler blew "retreat."
+
+The time not devoted to drills was taken up in getting the ship ready
+for the serious work she was to undertake.
+
+All woodwork on the gun deck not in actual use was carried below or
+thrown overboard, and the great cargo booms were either taken down and
+stowed safely away, where the splinters would not be dangerous, or were
+covered with, canvas.
+
+These preparations had a sinister look that made us realize, if we had
+not done so before, that this was real war that we were about to engage
+in--no sham battle or manoeuvres.
+
+The men went about their work more quietly and thoughtfully, for one and
+all now understood their responsibilities. If the ship made a record for
+herself, the crew would get a large share of the credit; and if she
+failed to do the work cut out for her, on the crew would be laid the
+blame. If the men behind the guns and the men running the engines did
+not do their work rapidly and well, disaster and disgrace would follow.
+
+As we neared the scene of conflict, the discipline grew more and more
+strict. Before a man realized that he had done anything wrong, his name
+would be called by the master-at-arms and he would be hauled "up to the
+mast" for trial.
+
+"You ought to see the gang up at the mast," said "Stump," one bright
+afternoon. "'Mac' and 'Hod Marsh' have gathered enough extra duty men to
+do all the dirty work for a month."
+
+"What were you doing up there?" asked a bystander.
+
+"Why, I thought I heard my name called, and as discretion is the better
+part of valor, I lined up with the rest, and I was glad I did, too, for
+it was good sport."
+
+"Maybe you thought it was sport, but how about the chaps that were
+'pinched'? Who was up before the skipper, anyhow?"
+
+"Oh, there was a big gang up there--I can't remember them all; 'Lucky
+Bag Kennedy' was there, for being late at general quarters the other
+day. When the captain looked at him in that fierce way of his and asked
+what he had to say for himself, 'Lucky Bag' said he didn't realize the
+time. The skipper could hardly keep his face straight. 'Four hours,' he
+said, and that was all there was to it."
+
+"Poor 'Lucky Bag,'" came from all sides as "Stump" paused to take
+breath.
+
+"Then there was 'Big Bill,' the water tender," continued "Stump." "He
+was hauled up for appearing on the spar deck without a uniform. When the
+skipper asked him what he had to say for himself, 'Big Bill' cleared his
+throat with a _woof_--you know how it sounds: the ship shakes and
+trembles when he does it--and the 'old man' fairly tottered under the
+blast. 'Big Bill' explained that he could not get a uniform big enough
+for him, because the paymaster could not fit him out. The captain
+almost grinned when he heard the excuse, and 'Big Bill'--well, he
+enjoyed the situation, I'll bet a month's pay."
+
+There was a little pause here, and we heard a great voice rumbling from
+below. Then we knew that "Big Bill" was telling his intimates all about
+it, embellishing the story as only he could do.
+
+We laughed sympathetically as the shouts of glee rose to our ears. We
+had all enjoyed his good-humored Irish wit.
+
+"Well, who else was in trouble this afternoon, 'Stump'?" said "Mourner,"
+the inquisitive.
+
+"Oh, a lot of unfortunate duffers. Several who were put on the report
+for being slow in lashing up their hammocks got a couple of hours extra
+duty each. One or two were there because they had clothes in the 'lucky
+bag'--they had left them round the decks somewhere, and the
+master-at-arms had grabbed them. The owners had to go on the report to
+get the clothes out. It cost them a couple of hours each."
+
+"Well, how did you get out of it?" said I, when "Stump" paused to
+breathe.
+
+"I was nearly scared to death," he continued, after a minute or two. "My
+name was not called, and the rank thinned out till there were only a
+few of us left. I began to think that some special punishment was being
+reserved for me, and that the captain was waiting so he could think it
+over. What my offence was I could not imagine; my conscience was clear,
+I vow. As I stood there in the sun I thought over the last few days, and
+made a confession to myself, but couldn't think of anything very wicked.
+Had I unintentionally blocked a marine sentry's way and thus interfered
+with him in the performance of his duty? I had visions at this point of
+myself in the 'brig,' existing on bread and water. Had I inadvertently
+gone into 'Cutlet's' pet after wheel-house? I was in a brown study,
+conjuring up imaginary misdeeds, when a voice sounded in my ear: 'Here,
+my man; what do you want?' I looked around, dazed, at the captain, who
+stood by, the closed report book in his hand. Then I realized that my
+being there was a mistake, so I saluted and said, 'Nothing, sir.'"
+
+"That's a very nice tale," said "Dye." "We'll have to get 'Mac' to
+verify it."
+
+"It's straight," protested "Stump." "Ask the skipper himself if you want
+to."
+
+The old boat ploughed her way through the blue waters of the Gulf Stream
+at the rate of from fourteen to fifteen knots an hour. The skies were
+clear and the sun warm and bright--cool breeze tempered its heat and
+made life bearable. The ship rolled lazily in the long swell and the
+turquoise wake boiled astern. We steamed for days without sighting a
+sail or a light; we were "alone on a wide, wide sea." At times schools
+of dolphins would race and shoot up out of the water alongside, much to
+our glee. All the beauties of these tropical waters were new to us.
+Every school of flying fish and flock of Mother Carey's chickens brought
+crowds to the rail. The sunsets were glorious, though all too short, and
+the sunrises, if less appreciated, just as fine.
+
+At night the guns' crews of the "watch on deck" slept round their loaded
+guns, one man of each crew always standing guard. The men of the powder
+divisions manned the lookout posts.
+
+All hands were in good spirits, calmed somewhat, however, by the thought
+that soon we might be in the thick of battle, the outcome of which no
+man could tell.
+
+It was during this voyage that friendships, begun on the Block
+Island-Barnegat cruise, were cemented. The life aboard ship tended to
+"show up" a man as he really was. His good and bad qualities appeared so
+that all might see. Was he good-natured, even-tempered, thoughtful, his
+mates knew it at once and liked him. Was he quick-tempered, selfish,
+uncompanionable, it was quite as evident, and he had few friends.
+Sterling and unsuspected qualities were brought out in many of the men.
+
+Every man felt that we must and would stand together, and with a will do
+our work, be it peaceful or warlike.
+
+Where were we bound? Were we to join the Havana blockading fleet? Were
+we destined for despatch and scout duty? Or were we to take part in
+actual conflict?
+
+It was while we were settling these questions to our own satisfaction on
+the morning of June 2d, that a hail came from the lookout at the
+masthead forward.
+
+"Land O!" he shouted, waving his cap. "Hurray! it's Cuba!"
+
+The navigator, whose rightful surname had been converted by the
+facetious Naval Reserves into "Cutlets," for reasons of their own, lost
+no time in rebuking the too enthusiastic lookout.
+
+"Aloft, there, you measly lubber! What in thunder do you mean? Have you
+sighted land?"
+
+"Ye-es, sir-r," quavered the lookout.
+
+"Then why don't you say so without adding any conjectures of your own?"
+commented the irascible Lieutenant "Cutlets," severely.
+
+The rest of the crew were too deeply interested in the vague streak of
+color on the horizon to pay any attention to the "wigging" of the man at
+the masthead. We knew that the dun-hued streak rising from the blue
+shadows of the ocean was Cuba, and we could think or talk of nothing
+else.
+
+Somewhere beyond that towering mountain was Santiago, the port in which
+the flea-like squadron of Admiral Cervera was bottled up, and there was
+a deadly fear in our hearts that the wily Spaniard would sally forth to
+battle before we could join our fleet.
+
+We pictured to ourselves the gray mountain massed high about the narrow
+entrance of Santiago Bay, the picturesque Morro Castle, squatting like a
+grim giant above the strait, and outside, tossing and bobbing upon the
+swell of a restless sea, the mighty semicircle of drab ships waiting,
+yearning for the outcoming of the Dons. We of the "Yankee," I repeat,
+were in an agony of dread that we would arrive too late.
+
+Cape Maysi, the scene of many an adventurous filibustering expedition,
+was passed at high noon, and at eight bells in the evening the anchor
+was dropped off Mole St. Nicholas, a convenient port in the island of
+Hayti. As we steamed into the harbor we passed close to the auxiliary
+cruiser "St. Louis."
+
+The anchor was scarcely on the bottom when the gig was called away. We
+awaited the return of Captain Brownson with impatience. The news he
+brought was reassuring, however. Nothing of moment had occurred since
+our departure from New York. Within an hour we were again out at sea,
+this time en route to Santiago.
+
+There was little sleep on board that night, and when morning dawned,
+every man who could escape from below was on deck watching, waiting for
+the first glimpse of Admiral Sampson's fleet. Shortly after daylight,
+the squadron was sighted. The scene was picturesque in the extreme.
+
+The gray of early dawn was just giving way before the first rays of a
+tropical sun. Almost hidden in the mist hovering about the coast were a
+number of vague spots seemingly arranged in a semicircle, the base of
+which was the green-covered tableland fronting Santiago. The spots were
+tossing idly upon a restless sea, and, as the sun rose higher, each
+gradually assumed the shape of a marine engine of war. Beyond them was
+a stretch of sandy, surf-beaten coast, and directly fronting the centre
+ship could be seen a narrow cleft in the hill--the gateway leading to
+the ancient city of Santiago de Cuba.
+
+As we steamed in closer to the fleet we saw indications that something
+of importance had occurred or was about to occur. Steam launches and
+torpedo boats were dashing about between the ships, strings of
+parti-colored bunting flaunted from the signal halliards of the flagship
+"New York," and nearer shore could be seen one of the smaller cruisers
+evidently making a reconnaissance.
+
+"We are just in time, Russ," exclaimed "Stump," jubilantly. "The fleet
+is getting ready for a scrap. And we'll be right in it."
+
+I edged toward the bridge. The first news would come from that quarter.
+Several minutes later, Captain Brownson, who had been watching the
+signals with a powerful glass, closed the instrument with a snap, and
+cried out to the executive officer:
+
+"Hubbard, you will never believe it."
+
+"What's happened?"
+
+The reply was given so low that I could catch only a few words, but it
+was enough to send me scurrying aft at the top of my speed. The news was
+startling indeed.
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+WE JOIN SAMPSON'S FLEET.
+
+As the "Yankee" steamed in toward the blockading fleet off the entrance
+to Santiago harbor, the scurrying torpedo boats and the many little
+launches darting here and there like so many beetles on a pond, became
+more apparent, and it was plainly evident to all that something of great
+importance had recently happened.
+
+The scattered remarks made by Captain Brownson on the bridge formed,
+when pieced together, such a wonderful bit of news that I could scarcely
+contain myself as I hurried aft. I wanted to stop and fling my cap into
+the air. I felt like dancing a jig and hurrahing and offering praise for
+the fact that I was an American.
+
+As it happened, I was not the only member of the "Yankee's" crew that
+had overheard the "old man's" words. The second captain of the after
+port five-inch gun, a jolly good fellow, known familiarly as "Hay" by
+the boys, chanced to be under the bridge. As I raced aft on the port
+side he started in the same direction on the starboard side of the spar
+deck. His legs fairly twinkled, and he beat me to the gangway by a neck.
+
+"What do you think?" I heard him gasp as I came up. "Talk of your
+heroes! Whoop! Say, I'm glad I am a son of that old flag aft there. It's
+the greatest thing that ever happened."
+
+"What?" chorused a dozen voices.
+
+"Last night--"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"Last night a volunteer crew--"
+
+"Hurry up, will you?"
+
+"Last night, or rather early this morning, a volunteer crew, under the
+command of a naval constructor named Hobson, took the collier 'Merrimac'
+into the mouth of the harbor and--"
+
+"That old tub?" interrupted a marine who had served in the regular navy,
+incredulously. "Why, she's nothing but a hulk. She hasn't a gun or--"
+
+"She didn't go in to fight," said "Hay." "They were to block up the
+channel with her."
+
+"To block up the channel?"
+
+"Yes. Cervera and his fleet are in the harbor, you know, and the scheme
+was to keep them from coming out."
+
+"Did they succeed?" chorused the whole group of eager listeners.
+
+"Yes, but----"
+
+The conclusion of "Hay's" sentence was drowned in a wild whoop of joy, a
+whoop that brought a number of other "Yankees" to the spot, and also a
+gesture of remonstrance from the executive officer on the bridge.
+
+"Wait, boys," I said, gently; "you haven't heard all."
+
+There was quiet at once.
+
+"Hobson and his brave men succeeded in accomplishing their object, but
+they have paid the penalty for it."
+
+"Not dead?" asked one in almost a whisper.
+
+"So the captain read the signals. The 'Merrimac' went in about three
+o'clock this morning. It seems she reached the channel all right, but
+she was discovered and sent to the bottom with all on board."
+
+"Hay" took off his cap reverently, and the others instantly followed his
+example. Nothing more was said. The glory of the deed was overshadowed
+by the supposed fate of the gallant volunteer crew.
+
+The "Yankee" steamed in to a position designated by the flagship, and
+the captain went aboard to pay his respects to Admiral Sampson. A
+Spanish tug, flying a flag of truce, which had emerged from the harbor
+at noon, met one of our tugs, also flying a flag of truce, and almost
+immediately a string of signals went up to the signal yard of the "New
+York."
+
+Then came such a burst of cheers and whistling and tossing of hats from
+every ship in the fleet that it seemed as if every officer and sailor in
+Sampson's squadron had suddenly gone daft. Like wildfire, the glorious
+news spread--
+
+Hobson and his men were safe!
+
+The tug from the harbor had brought an officer sent by Admiral Cervera
+himself with a message stating that the brave naval constructor and all
+his crew had been captured alive and were now prisoners in Morro Castle.
+Later, a press boat came alongside and confirmed the news through a
+megaphone.
+
+The excitement on board the "Yankee," like that throughout the fleet,
+was tremendous. Those in the North who had received both the news of the
+feat and the rescue at the same time, can hardly understand the
+revulsion of feeling which swept through the American ships gathered
+off Santiago. It was like hearing from a supposed dead friend.
+
+These heroes were comrades--nay, brothers. They wore the blue and they
+were fighting for Old Glory. Their praise was ours and their deed
+redounded to the eternal credit and fame of the American navy. Small
+wonder that we welcomed the news of their safety, and cheered until our
+throats were husky and our eyes wet with something more than mere
+exertion.
+
+All hail to Richmond Pearson Hobson and his men!
+
+Heroes all!
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+During the afternoon of our arrival, when we finally secured time to
+look about us, we were struck with the appearance of the really
+formidable fleet of warships collected under Admiral Sampson's flag. For
+size of individual ships and weight of armor and armament, there had
+never been anything in the history of the United States to equal it.
+
+The fleet consisted of the powerful battleships "Iowa," "Indiana,"
+"Massachusetts," and "Texas," the two splendid armored cruisers "New
+York" and "Brooklyn," cruisers "New Orleans" and "Marblehead," converted
+yachts "Mayflower," "Josephine," and "Vixen," torpedo boat "Porter,"
+cable boat "Adria," gunboat "Dolphin," and the auxiliary cruisers "St.
+Louis" and "Yankee."
+
+The vessels formed a semicircular line, completely enclosing the
+entrance to Santiago harbor. From where the "Yankee" rested, on the
+right wing, a fine view of the coast could be obtained. Two insurgent
+camps were plainly visible--one on the beach and another in the hills,
+which at that point rose to the height of fully four thousand feet.
+Morro Castle, a grim, sullen, gray embattled fort, directly overlooking
+the channel, was in plain sight, and here and there could be seen little
+green or sand-colored mounds, marking the site of earthworks.
+
+The stretch of blue sea, edged by the tumbling surf-beaten beach, and
+the uprising of foliage-covered hills, all brought out clearly by a
+tropical sun, formed a picture as far removed from the usual setting of
+war as could be. But war was there, and the scenery appealed to few.
+There was more interest in the drab hulls of the fleet and the outward
+reaching of the mighty guns.
+
+That evening--the evening of June 3d--the "Yankee's" decks presented an
+animated spectacle. The novel surroundings and the prospect of action
+kept the boys interested. The "Rumor Committee" was in active session,
+and one of its principal members, the captain's orderly, brought the
+news forward that the auxiliary cruiser would surely lead a procession
+of battleships into Santiago harbor the following day.
+
+This was a little too strong for even the marines to swallow. We lay
+down by our loaded guns that night, feeling that it was well to be
+within easy reach of our defenders.
+
+Hammocks were laid on the deck close to each five-inch breechloader, and
+the regular watch was doubled. Lack of experience made all these warlike
+preparations very impressive, and it was some time before the boys fell
+asleep. For my part, such a restlessness possessed me that, after trying
+to woo slumber for a half hour, I left my place and crawled over nearer
+the open port.
+
+"Hello, Russ," whispered a voice, apparently from the outside. "Just
+lean out here if you want to cool off. Isn't the night air fine?"
+
+A small figure wriggled in from where it had been hanging over the port
+sill, and in the faint light I recognized "Kid," as we called him, the
+smallest boy on board, and so pleasant and popular that we had
+unanimously elected him the mascot of the ship.
+
+I was glad to see that it was "Kid." His fund of ready wit and his
+never-failing good-nature made him a welcome companion at all times. He
+did not belong to my gun, being a "powder monkey" on No. 16, a
+six-pounder on the spar deck, but "Kid" was privileged, and he could
+have penetrated to the captain's cabin with impunity.
+
+"Thought I'd drop down here for a rest," he began, stretching himself
+and yawning. "Too much tramping about on deck to sleep. Say, looks as if
+we were going to have a little rain, doesn't it?"
+
+The moon had just passed behind a scurrying cloud, causing the silvery
+sparkle of its reflection to suddenly fade from the surface of the
+water. The lights and shadows on the nearby beach changed to a streaky
+dark smudge. There was a damp touch to the air.
+
+"This would be a proper night for one of those sneaking torpedo boats to
+give us a scare," resumed "Kid," thoughtfully. "Funny ways of fighting
+those Dagoes have, eh? It's like prisoner's base that I played when I
+was a boy."
+
+"Kid's" eighteen years were a mature age in his opinion.
+
+"The two torpedo craft in Santiago harbor could do a great deal of
+damage if they were properly handled," I ventured. "They are
+magnificent vessels of their class. Look what Cushing did with a slow
+steam launch and a powder can on the end of a stick."
+
+"The case was different."
+
+"Yes, but----"
+
+"Cushing was an American," interrupted the boy convincingly.
+
+There was silence for awhile and we lolled in the port, gazing idly at
+the black spots in the gloom representing the blockading fleet. Between
+us and the shore was the "New Orleans," the faint tracery of her masts
+just showing above the distant background of the hills. The dampness in
+the air had increased, and a dash of rain came in the open port.
+
+"What were you doing at the mast this morning, 'Kid'?" I asked by way of
+variety.
+
+"Had a mustering shirt in the lucky bag."
+
+I heard the boy chuckle. There was an escapade behind the remark.
+
+"You know that wardroom Jap with the bad eye?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"It was his shirt."
+
+"But how----"
+
+"It was this way. You know how hard it has been to put up with
+'government straight' as a steady diet, don't you?"
+
+I nodded. As "government straight" meant the extremely simple bill of
+fare provided by Uncle Sam, consisting of salt beef, pork, hardtack,
+beans, and canned butter, with an occasional taste of dried fruit, I was
+compelled to admit my acquaintance with it.
+
+"Well, the other night I got to dreaming that I was back in New York,"
+resumed "Kid." "I dreamt I dropped into a bang-up restaurant and ordered
+beefsteak, fried potatoes, pie, and----"
+
+A groan came from one of the gun's crew, who was within hearing, and
+"Kid" lowered his voice.
+
+"Hit him where he lived, I guess," he chuckled. "Well, I woke up so
+hungry that I couldn't stand it any longer. I looked up the Jap and
+struck him for a hand-out. He wanted a shirt, and I wanted something to
+eat, and we made a bargain. I brought him my extra mustering shirt--it
+was too large for me, anyway--and he gave me some bread and butter, cold
+potted tongue, three bananas, and----"
+
+"For mercy's sake, stow that," muttered a voice from back of the
+gun-mount. "Don't we suffer enough?"
+
+"That's 'Hand-Out' Hood," grinned "Kid." "He's kicking because he didn't
+get it. Well, I gave the shirt to the Jap, and what did he do but lose
+it. My name was on the collar, and 'Jimmy Legs' put me on the report.
+The 'old man' was easy, though. Gave me four hours extra duty. I asked
+him if I couldn't work it out in the wardroom pantry."
+
+"Kid's" chuckle came to a sudden stop, and he leaned out through the
+port.
+
+"What's the matter?" I asked.
+
+"Thought I saw something moving over there near the beach."
+
+"Must have been a shadow."
+
+"Guess so. Still, it looked like some kind of a--"
+
+Bang!
+
+The sharp report of a rapid-fire gun cut short his words. Another
+followed almost instantly, then came a regular volley. The effect on the
+crew of the "Yankee" was instantaneous. The men sleeping at the guns
+scrambled to their feet, hammocks were kicked out of the way, and before
+the word to go to general quarters was passed, every member of the crew
+was at his station.
+
+"I thought I saw something moving inshore," cried "Kid," as he scurried
+away.
+
+"It's a Spanish torpedo boat," muttered "Stump." "Great Scott! just
+listen to the 'New Orleans.' She's firing like a house afire."
+
+Suddenly there came a deep, thunderous roar. It was the voice of a
+thirteen-inch gun on the "Massachusetts." Sixty seconds later the
+six-pounders on the "Yankee's" forecastle joined in the chorus, and the
+action became general.
+
+"Do not fire without orders, men," cautioned Lieutenant Greene, the
+officer in charge of our division. "Just take it easy and bide your
+time."
+
+It was our first experience in actual fighting, and our anxiety to "let
+loose" was almost overwhelming. We were held to our stations so rigidly
+that but few glimpses could be caught of the outside. The "New Orleans,"
+on our starboard, was still rattling away.
+
+Notwithstanding our own inaction (the gun deck battery was not used),
+there was a certain exhilaration in even listening to the sounds of
+conflict, and the eager, tense faces surrounding the guns reflected in
+the dim light of the deck lanterns such a fierce desire to fight that
+they were absolutely transfigured.
+
+"Can't stand this much longer," muttered "Hay," the second captain, as a
+peculiarly vicious report came from the direction of the
+"Massachusetts." "Why don't they give a fellow a chance?"
+
+[Illustration: "THE SIX-POUNDERS ON THE 'YANKEE'S' FORECASTLE JOINED IN
+THE CHORUS"]
+
+"Steady, men," admonished Lieutenant Greene. "Don't be impatient. Our
+turn will come soon. Steady!"
+
+A turn of the hull--we were under way at half speed--brought the land on
+the port bow just then. The moon suddenly emerged from behind the
+clouds, and we who were nearest the port, distinctly saw a long, black
+object fade into the obscurity of the coast almost directly under Morro
+Castle.
+
+"She's escaped!" groaned "Stump." "It's the torpedo boat, and she is
+safe again."
+
+As if to prove the truth of his words the guns on the "New Orleans" and
+"Massachusetts" became silent; then word was sent below to "secure." Our
+first action was disappointing, but there was little grumbling. We knew
+full well that momentous events were bound to occur before long.
+
+The following morning, shortly after daybreak, the torpedo boat "Porter"
+steamed alongside. Her coming created some excitement, and the
+"Yankee's" crew promptly lined the railing.
+
+"What's that object on the deck?" asked "Stump," pointing to a long
+brass cylinder lying abaft the after conning tower.
+
+"It's a torpedo, but not like those used in our navy," replied "Hay."
+
+Captain Brownson leaned over the end of the bridge and waved his hand to
+Lieutenant Fremont, the "Porter's" commander. The latter was smiling,
+and as we watched, he made a gesture toward the mysterious brass
+cylinder.
+
+"See that thing, Brownson?" he called out.
+
+The captain nodded.
+
+"It almost paid you a visit last night."
+
+"What----"
+
+"We picked it up near shore this morning and sunk another. That Spanish
+torpedo boat made a great attempt to sink one of our ships, and, if I am
+not mistaken, the 'Yankee' was her intended prey. Congratulations."
+
+As the "Porter" steamed away we felt very much like congratulating
+ourselves. This was grim war of a certainty. Like the boy who was blown
+a mile in a cyclone without injury, we experienced a certain pride that
+we really had been in danger.
+
+About the middle of the afternoon a signal was seen on the flagship. It
+was read at once, and immediately the boatswain's mate passed a call
+that sent a thrill of anticipation through us. It was:
+
+"All hands clear ship for action!"
+
+[Illustration: "CLEAR SHIP FOR ACTION!"]
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+CLEAR SHIP FOR ACTION.
+
+The boatswain's mate's shrill piping and the long drawn out cry, "All
+hands clear ship for action!" was not entirely unexpected. An unusual
+activity on the part of the signal men on the flagship "New York" had
+not escaped our notice, and when the summons to prepare for battle
+echoed through the "Yankee's" decks it found us in readiness for prompt
+obedience.
+
+At the time the call sounded a number of us were standing in the port
+waist idly watching the fleet and the shore. "Bill," a member of the
+powder division, whose father is a prominent real estate broker of New
+York, and whose great talent is for practical joking and general fun
+making, was telling a story. As we scattered at the summons, he started
+below with me. Even the circumstances could not prevent him following
+his hobby, and he whispered as we hurried along:
+
+"Say, Russ, this reminds me of a good story I once heard. There was a
+man who was too lazy to live and the neighbors finally decided to bury
+him. So they took him out to the village graveyard one morning before
+day and----"
+
+"Here, you men, pass this mess chest below," interrupted an officer,
+beckoning to us. "Bill" grasped one end of the object indicated and
+lugged it to the hatch.
+
+"They took the lazy man to the village graveyard, as I was saying,"
+resumed "Bill," "and they buried him up to his neck in the earth. Then
+they hid back of tombstones and----"
+
+"Less talking there, men," exclaimed the navigator, hurrying past us.
+"You 'heroes' do too much yarning to suit me. Get those things below at
+once. Shake it up."
+
+"They are in an almighty hurry," grumbled "Bill." "The forts won't move.
+They'll be there to-morrow, I guess. Well, as I was saying, the
+villagers concealed themselves behind convenient tombstones and waited
+to see what the lazy man would do when he woke up. By and by day broke,
+and just as the sun gilded the windows of the old church the fellow who
+was buried up to his neck----"
+
+"Chase those mess chests below, bullies," called out the boatswain's
+mate, dropping down the ladder a few feet away. "Lively there; the 'old
+man' wants to break a record. When you have finished, hustle to the oil
+and paint lockers and help carry all inflammable material to the spar
+deck."
+
+For several minutes "Bill" worked away in silence. Between us we managed
+to lower a number of chests into the hold where they would be out of the
+way; then we disposed of more objects liable to produce unwelcome
+splinters, and finally we started toward the paint locker.
+
+The gun deck presented a scene of the most intense activity. The process
+of clearing ship for action requires the united efforts of the entire
+crew. On vessels of the regular service, such as the "New York" or
+"Indiana," where everything has been constructed with a view to the
+needs of battle, the work is thoroughly systematized and comparatively
+easy. The "Yankee," being a merchant steamer hastily converted into a
+vessel of war, presented greater difficulties.
+
+However, the crew was fairly familiar with its duties and the work
+progressed at a rapid rate. When "Bill" and I reached the paint locker
+we found several others preparing to convey the oil to the deck. It was
+a momentary respite, and "Bill" took advantage of it.
+
+"When the sun rose the fellows hiding behind the tombstones saw the lazy
+man open his eyes," he resumed hurriedly. "He looked around and took in
+all the details of the scene, the old church with the windows glowing
+redly, the weeping willows shaking and trembling in the crisp morning
+breeze, the rows of sod-covered mounds, the crumbling tombstones, and on
+one side the old rickety fence marking the passing of the road. All this
+he saw and then--"
+
+"Hear the news, fellows?" interrupted the "Kid," suddenly approaching.
+"We are going to--what's the matter, 'Bill'?"
+
+For "Bill" had caught him by the slack of the shirt and one arm and was
+hustling him along the deck. The "Kid," looking aggrieved, went his way,
+and "Bill" returned.
+
+"As I was saying," he continued calmly; "the lazy fellow saw all those
+things, then he threw back his head and laughed and laughed until the
+tears rolled down his cheeks. 'Whoop!' he cried, 'this is the best piece
+of luck I've struck yet. Hurray! blamed if it ain't the resurrection day
+and I'm the first feller above ground. Whoop!'"
+
+After I had finished laughing I picked up a can of oil and asked:
+
+"Where's the similarity, 'Bill'? It's a good story, but you said this
+reminded you of it."
+
+"Humph! aren't we going to see the resurrection of some of these old
+Spanish fossils around here to-day?" "Bill" demanded. "And aren't we the
+first volunteer force on the spot? I guess that makes the story
+apropos."
+
+As the "Yankee" was the first vessel manned by Naval Reserves to reach
+the scene of hostilities, I could not deny "Bill's" claim. Seeing the
+success of one story, he was on the point of telling another, when word
+came to hasten the clearing of the ship for action, and we were
+compelled to devote our energies to the work in hand.
+
+The decks were sanded--a precaution that made more than one wonder if
+the spilling of blood was really anticipated; all boats and spare booms
+were covered with canvas to prevent the scattering of splinters, the
+steel hatch covers were closed down, hammocks were broken out of the
+racks and made to serve as an added protection to the forward
+wheel-house, and everything possible done to make the ship fit for
+action.
+
+The time taken to gain this end did not exceed ten minutes, which was
+almost a record. Signals were displayed stating that we were in
+readiness, then all hands were called to general quarters. As we hurried
+to our stations I saw the entire blockading fleet moving slowly
+shoreward.
+
+"We are going to bombard the Dagoes this trip for sure," observed the
+first captain of Number Eight as we lined up. "I see their finish."
+
+"Don't be too sure," said "Stump." "There's many a slip between the
+muzzle and the target. Maybe we won't do much after all. Just to make it
+interesting I'll bet you a dinner at Del's that we will only chuck a
+bluff. What d'ye say?"
+
+"Done, if you make it for the whole ship's company," chuckled the first
+captain.
+
+"Stump" shook his head.
+
+"A dinner at Del's for over two hundred hungry Reserves, and on a salary
+of $35 per month. Nope. Not on your life."
+
+"Cast loose and provide," came the order.
+
+There were a few moments of rapid work, then the battery was reported in
+readiness for firing. Through the open port we could catch a glimpse of
+the other vessels of the fleet, and the spectacle formed by the
+low-lying battleships, the massive cruisers, and the smaller, but
+equally defiant gunboats, was one long to be remembered.
+
+Every ship was cleared for business. On the vessels of the "Oregon"
+class nothing could be seen but the gray steel of turrets and
+superstructure. The "New York" and the "Brooklyn" were similarly
+cleared. On the bridges could be seen groups of officers, but the decks
+were empty. Every man was at his gun.
+
+The ships steamed in to within a short distance of the beach and then
+formed a semicircle, the heavier vessels taking the centre where they
+could directly face the forts. The little "Dolphin" was on the extreme
+right of the line, with the "Yankee" next.
+
+When within easy range of the guns ashore there ensued a wait. No signal
+to fire came from the flagship, and there did not seem to be any move
+toward opening the battle by the forts. We stood at our guns in silence,
+awaiting the word, until finally patience ceased to be a virtue.
+
+"Seems to me they ought to do something," murmured "Stump," glancing
+shoreward rather discontentedly. "Ain't we fair targets?"
+
+"Why don't the admiral tell us to sail in?" queried the first captain in
+the same tone. "The day is fine and the range is good. There's the
+beggars plain enough with their measly old forts. What more is wanted?"
+
+"Wish they would pipe down and light the smoking lamp," said the second
+loader. "It would be a great deal more fun than standing here like a
+dummy."
+
+The sun had passed beyond the top of the hills, but the light was
+sufficiently strong to bring out in plain relief the batteries guarding
+the entrance to Santiago. Grim Morro Castle appeared almost deserted.
+The red and yellow banner of Spain flaunted lazily from the ramparts,
+but only here and there could be distinguished the little black dots
+representing the soldiers on guard. The earthworks and smaller forts
+were equally idle.
+
+"We won't get anything out of them to-day," remarked "Stump" decisively.
+"It must be one of their eternal feast days when they won't even fight."
+
+"There goes a signal on the flagship," exclaimed the first loader,
+pointing out the port. "I'll bet a dollar it's--"
+
+"The signal to pull out again," groaned "Stump." "Didn't I say so?"
+
+"The admiral intends to postpone the bombardment for some reason," I
+ventured. "Perhaps it's too late in the day."
+
+Whatever the cause, it was now plain that we would not engage the forts.
+In obedience to the signals on the "New York," which were repeated by
+the "Brooklyn," the whole fleet returned to the former station several
+miles from shore. The word to "secure" was passed and presently the
+"Yankee" had resumed its former condition of armed watchfulness.
+
+That evening after supper there was a gathering of the choice spirits of
+the crew in the vicinity of the after wheel-house. "Dye," the chief
+member of the "Yankee's" choir, started one of "Steve's" little songs,
+which, although rendered very quietly in deference to the rules observed
+on blockade, was greatly enjoyed. The air was "Tommy Atkins," and the
+words ran as follows:
+
+    "They made us sign our papers for a year,
+        And dressed us in a natty sailor's suit;
+    They taught us how to heave the lead and steer,
+        And how to handle guns and how to shoot.
+    We fancied we'd be leaving right away
+        To capture prizes on the Spanish Main,
+      And be raising merry hades
+      With the dusky Spanish laddies,
+    And within a month come steaming home again.
+
+    CHORUS.
+
+    "But instead we ran a ferry
+      All along the Jersey shore,
+    And our turns were empty very,
+      And our hands were awful sore.
+    We would give our bottom dollar
+      Just to see a cable car,
+    Just to hear a newsboy holler,
+      Just to smoke a good cigar.
+
+    "In times of peace we do not have to sweep
+        Or carry coal or stand on watch all night;
+      We do not have to scrub down decks or keep
+        Our toothbrush chained, or brasswork shining bright.
+      We never washed our faces in a pail,
+        We never heard the fog-horn's awful shriek,
+          We never ate salt horse,
+          We combed our hair, of course,
+        And we never wore our stockings for a week."
+
+    CHORUS.
+
+"Suppose you 'heroes' pipe down there," came from the darkness just
+then. "What do you think this is, a concert hall?"
+
+"It's 'Cutlets,'" muttered "Stump." "He would like to make the ship a
+funeral barge."
+
+We sat in silence for a while, watching the retreating form of the
+navigator passing forward; then Tom Le Valley, a zealous member of
+Number Nine gun's crew, spoke up.
+
+"Do you see those two lights twinkling over there about where the
+'Dolphin' should be, fellows?" he asked.
+
+Some one yawned and nodded.
+
+"Reminds you of a story, eh?" asked "Bill," who was leaning against the
+rail. "Well, come to think of it I remember a--"
+
+"Several years ago I happened to be a patient in a hospital over in
+Brooklyn," continued Tom. "I was almost well and about to leave the
+place when a man in the upper ward--"
+
+"I had a cousin once who used to travel a great deal," interrupted
+"Bill," taking a seat on the deck with his back against a bitt. "One
+time he happened to be in a small town just outside of Dublin, Ireland.
+The inn was crowded and he had to take up his quarters with a family who
+occasionally rented out rooms. A circus and menagerie was giving
+exhibitions in the city, and one night the biggest monkey escaped from
+its cage and skipped out. They instituted a search at once, but the
+animal could not be found. Well, it happened that the family with whom
+my cousin was stopping consisted of father and mother and one son about
+ten years old. The boy, whose name was Mike, was a regular limb. Always
+in mischief and----"
+
+"As I was saying," broke in Tom at this juncture, "when I was about to
+leave the hospital, a man in the upper ward concluded to depart this
+world for a better one. It happened about eight o'clock in the evening,
+and, as was usual in such cases, the nurse on watch was supposed to get
+several convalescent patients and a stretcher and carry the body down to
+a little wooden house a hundred yards from the main building. The nurse,
+with whom I was on friendly terms, had an important case to attend to
+just then and he asked me if I wouldn't take charge of the stretcher
+party. Well, we started down the yard, I leading the way with a lantern,
+and we finally reached the little house. We entered and----"
+
+"Some people think they are the only story tellers in the group,"
+remarked "Bill" with mild sarcasm at that interesting point. "To tell a
+good story with a point to it is an art. Now, as I was saying, this boy
+Mike would rather get into mischief than eat a--what's the Irish for
+potato?"
+
+"Spud," suggested "Hod."
+
+"Murphy," said "Stump."
+
+"Well, it's immaterial. Anyway the boy was full of mischief. The night
+the monk got away he had been sent to bed early because of some trick he
+had played. He slept in a little room at the head of the stairs leading
+to the second story. His window opened on a lean-to shed, and, as it was
+a warm evening, the sash was raised. Shortly after the youngster got to
+bed, something slipped over the back fence, and after prowling about the
+yard for a moment, climbed upon the shed and through the window into the
+room where Mike was just in the act of falling asleep. The thing, which
+was about the youngster's size, crept over the floor toward the bed,
+and then with a spring, landed squarely upon----"
+
+"Some people use more wind in telling a story than would fill a
+maintop-sail," drawled Tom. "There's nothing like getting at your
+subject. Now, when we reached the little wooden house we entered, and
+after accomplishing our errand, started back to the main building. While
+on the way it suddenly occurred to me that I had forgotten to close the
+door between the two rooms of which the house was composed. There was an
+open window in the front room, and there was no telling what might get
+in. I told the fellows to go on and I tasked back to the little house. I
+still carried the lantern, but just as I reached the door, it went out.
+I tell you, I felt like letting the whole thing go, but I didn't want to
+get the nurse into trouble. So I unlocked the front door, opened it,
+and, Great Scott! I saw----"
+
+"There's everything in choosing a subject when you want to tell a good
+story," calmly interrupted Bill. "This story I am trying to tell has a
+laugh in it. You don't have to keep your hair down with both hands and
+feel the cold chills playing tag up and down your spinal column, like
+you have to do when some people are trying to yarn. Well, when the thing
+that had crept through the window landed on the bed, Mike let out a
+yell that could have been heard in Dublin. 'Ow-w-w!' he whooped,
+scrambling to the floor. He caught one sight of the visitor, and then
+made a dash for the window and slid clear to the ground, leaving pieces
+of shirt and his epidermis on every nail on the shed roof. The noise he
+made roused the father and mother below, and the latter started for the
+stairs. 'That b'ye 'll be the death av me yet,' she complained. 'I'll go
+up and give him a slap.' She lost no time in reaching the little room,
+and when she entered she saw the bed with what she thought was Mike
+under the clothes. 'Mike, ye rascal,' she exclaimed, 'turn down the
+sheet this minute. It's mesilf as'll tache ye to raise a noise at this
+time o' night. For shame, ye spalpane! What, ye won't obey your own
+mother? I'll show ye. Take that!' She brought her hand down upon the
+figure outlined under the sheet with a resounding whack. The next second
+the thing leaped from the bed squarely into her arms. 'Wow! Murther!
+Mike, what have ye been doing?' she howled, adding at the top of her
+voice, 'Patrick, Patrick, come quick! The b'ye has got hold of your hair
+restorer. He's all covered with hair and he's gone daft. Murther!' With
+that the father made for the stairs as fast as his legs could carry
+him. Just as he got to the top--"
+
+"The sight I saw when I opened the outer door of the little house almost
+knocked me silly," broke in Tom, rather excitedly. "There in the other
+room gleamed--"
+
+"When Patrick reached the second floor," interrupted Bill, raising his
+voice, "he felt something strike him full in the chest; then two hairy
+arms clasped him about the throat and--"
+
+"In the other room gleamed two--"
+
+"Oh, give a fellow a chance, will you?" cried Bill. "You want the whole
+floor. What do you think--"
+
+"Sh-h-h! here comes the executive officer," hastily whispered "Stump."
+"We've made too much racket. Let's go into the after wheel-house."
+
+"We must be quiet about it," spoke up the "Kid," warningly. "'Cutlets'
+is chasing around to-night, and if he catches us in there he'll raise
+Cain."
+
+"All right," replied Bill. "And I'll finish that story if I have to stay
+up all night."
+
+"Same here," retorted Tom, with evident determination. "Come on."
+
+And we all followed the twain.
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+WE BOMBARD SANTIAGO DE CUBA.
+
+The after wheel-house on board the "Yankee" was a round structure of
+steel built on the spar deck directly over the counter. It contained a
+steering wheel to be used in case the wheel in the pilot-house should be
+disabled. When the chill winds of May and early June were blowing off
+the northern coast during the "Yankee's" period of cruising in that
+vicinity, the after wheel-house formed a snug and comfortable retreat
+for the men of the watch.
+
+It was freely used for that purpose until the navigator chanced to
+discover the fact. He forthwith issued orders forbidding any person to
+enter the house, except on duty. His order, like many others, received
+respectful consideration--when he happened to be looking. In the present
+case we were so eager to hear the conclusion of the stories being
+related by the rival yarn-spinners, that we were fain to brave
+"Cutlets'" displeasure. Led by Bill and Tom, we piled inside.
+
+"What I was trying to say," spoke up the former, getting the first
+opening, "was that when Patrick reached the top of the stairs, something
+struck him full in the chest, and two hairy arms were thrown about his
+neck. The sudden shock sent him tumbling backward, and he fell kerflop!
+down the steps. Up above, his wife was howling to beat the band, 'Mike,
+Mike, ye spalpane! You do be killing your poor father. Och! why did I
+live to see this day?' In the meantime the real Mike--for the one inside
+was the escaped monk from the menagerie--had scooted for the police.
+They came, a half dozen of them, and as they entered the front door--"
+
+"Time!" chuckled "Stump." "Give Tom a chance."
+
+"As I opened the front door of the little wooden house where we had
+placed the body," said Tom, prompt to take advantage of the opportunity,
+"I saw two gleaming eyes glaring at me from the inner room. I tell you,
+my heart fell clean down into my boots."
+
+"Should think it would," muttered the "Kid," peering about the
+wheel-house with a shiver. "Ugh!"
+
+"I dropped the lantern," resumed Tom, "and staggered back. Just then
+a----"
+
+"Half dozen policemen entered the front door just as Patrick and the
+supposed Mike reached the bottom of the stairs," broke in Bill, taking
+up the thread of his story. "Well, when the Irish coppers saw Pat with
+the monk hanging around his neck they thought the old Nick had him. They
+started to run, but the old woman reached the lower floor in time to see
+both Mike and the monkey. She grabbed a broom, but the monk slipped
+through the front door, and----"
+
+"That's the end of your story. And a good job it is too," remarked Tom.
+
+"It is better than having no end," retorted Bill. "You spin out a yarn
+to beat the band."
+
+"It's getting late," spoke up "Hod," yawning. "If you fellows are going
+to chew the rag all night I----"
+
+"Only a word more," interrupted Tom. "As I staggered back I fell into
+the arms of the nurse, who had come down to see what kept me. I
+explained in a hurry, and he lit a match. We both went in and
+discovered----"
+
+"Sh-h-h! Get out of here, you fellows," suddenly spoke up a voice at the
+door on the starboard side. "Here comes 'Cutlets'!"
+
+There was a scramble for the opposite door, and in much less time than
+is taken in the telling, the wheel-house was empty. We huddled in the
+shadows for a moment; then dodged forward. As we reached the hatch I
+heard the "Kid" ask Tom:
+
+"Say, what was it you saw? Tell a fellow, won't you?"
+
+"Two brass knobs on an old chest," was the calm reply.
+
+"Huh!"
+
+The following day being Sunday, was given over to rest and recreation
+and the writing of letters, until late in the afternoon. The day dawned
+clear but very warm. There was very little breeze stirring, and the spar
+and gun decks, where we spent the most of our time, were almost
+stifling. "Corking mats," as they are termed in naval parlance, were
+very much in evidence. The sailor's "corking mat" is a strip of canvas
+which he spreads upon the deck to protect his clothing from the tarry
+seams, when he feels the necessity for a siesta or nap, which is quite
+often.
+
+Toward evening we were put to work at a task which gave welcome promise
+of coming action. Under the direction of the executive officer we broke
+out a number of bags of coal from the orlop deck and piled them five
+deep, and about the same number in height, around the steam steering
+engine under the forward wheel-house. This was to give added protection
+to a vital part of the ship.
+
+The work was hard and unpleasant, especially to men who had not spent
+the major portion of their lives at manual labor, but it was one of
+those disagreeable fortunes of war to which we were growing accustomed,
+and we toiled without comment. That night when we turned in, that is,
+those who were fortunate enough to have the "off watch," it was
+generally rumored about the decks that the fleet would surely bombard
+early the following morning.
+
+About two bells (five o'clock) the different guns' crews, who were
+sleeping at the batteries, were called by the boatswain's mates, and
+told to go to breakfast at once.
+
+"It's coming," exclaimed "Hay," joyfully. "The old 'Yankee' will see her
+real baptism of fire to-day. 'Kid,' you young rat, you'll have a chance
+to dodge shells before you are many hours older."
+
+"You may get a chance to stop one," retorted the boy.
+
+After a hurried meal, word to clear ship for action was passed, and the
+"Yankee's" boys set to work with a vim. The task was done more
+thoroughly than usual. The boats and wooden hatches were covered with
+canvas, everything portable that would splinter was sent below, the
+decks were sanded, and all the inflammable oils were placed in a boat
+and set adrift for the "Justin," one of the colliers, to pick up.
+
+The day seemed fitted for the work we had in hand. The sky was overcast,
+and occasionally a rain squall would sweep from the direction of the
+land, and envelop the fleet. It was not a cold, raw rain, like that
+encountered in more northern latitudes in early summer, but a dripping
+of moisture peculiarly grateful after the heat of the previous day.
+
+Shortly before seven o'clock, the members of the crew were in readiness
+for business. The majority had removed their superfluous clothing, and
+it was a stirring sight to watch the different guns' crews, stripped to
+the waist and barefooted, standing at their stations. There was
+something in the cool, practical manner in which each man prepared for
+work that promised well, and it should be said to the everlasting credit
+of the Naval Reserves that they invariably fought with the calmness and
+precision of veterans whenever they were called upon.
+
+In the present case, there would have been some excuse for
+faint-heartedness. The crew of the "Yankee," made up of men whose
+previous lives had been those of absolute peace, who had never heard a
+shot fired in anger before their arrival at Santiago, who had left home
+and business in defence of the flag--these men went about their
+preparations for attacking the fortifications with as little apparent
+concern as if it were simply a yachting trip.
+
+There was no holding back, no hesitancy, no looks of concern or anxiety,
+but when the signal to advance inshore appeared on the "New York," at
+six bells (seven o'clock), there was a feeling of relief that the time
+of waiting was over.
+
+We were to be in it at last.
+
+The flagship's signal to advance in formation was obeyed at once. Moving
+in double column, the fleet stood in toward the batteries. The first
+line, as we saw from the after port, was composed of the "Brooklyn,"
+"Texas," "Massachusetts," and "Marblehead." The line to which the
+"Yankee" was attached, included, besides that vessel, the "New York,"
+"Oregon," "Iowa," and "New Orleans." When within three thousand yards
+from shore, the first line turned toward the west, leaving us to steam
+in the opposite direction.
+
+The batteries ashore could now be plainly distinguished. Morro Castle,
+grim and defiant, seemed to ignore our coming, if the absence of life
+was any proof. Lower down on the other side of the entrance where the
+Estrella and Catalena batteries were located, there seemed to be more
+activity. Men could also be seen running about in some new batteries a
+little to the eastward of Morro Castle. It was evident to us at once
+that the enemy had not anticipated an attack on such a rainy, windy day.
+
+On swept the two lines of ships without firing a shot until they formed
+a semicircle, with the heavier vessels directly facing the forts; then
+the "New York" opened fire with one of her heavy guns, the "Iowa"
+following immediately. At this moment, 7:45 a.m., the ships were
+arranged as follows, counting from the right: "New York," "Yankee," "New
+Orleans," "Massachusetts," "Oregon," "Iowa," "Indiana," "Texas,"
+"Marblehead," and "Brooklyn." Guarding the extreme left were the "Vixen"
+and "Suwanee," and doing similar duty on the other flank were the
+"Dolphin" and "Porter."
+
+The shot from the flagship was the signal for a general bombardment.
+There was no settled order of firing, but each ship just "pitched in,"
+to use a common expression, and banged away at the forts with every
+available gun.
+
+The scene on the gun deck of the "Yankee" was one never to be forgotten.
+When the word to commence firing reached us, we sprang to the work at
+once. Each crew paid strict attention to its own station, and the
+routine of loading and firing went on with the regularity of clockwork.
+A number of boxes of the fixed ammunition had been "whipped" up from
+below while we were steaming into position, and there was no lack of
+death-dealing food for the hungry maws of the battery.
+
+Not much could be seen of the outside at first, as the task in hand
+claimed our strict attention, but after a while an occasional glimpse
+was obtained of the other ships and the forts. The heavy battleships,
+the "Indiana," "Oregon," "Massachusetts," "Iowa," and "Texas," were lost
+in the dense smoke of their guns. It was thrilling to see them, like
+moving clouds, emitting streams of fire which shot through the walls of
+vapor like flashes of lightning athwart a gloomy sky.
+
+[Illustration: THE BOMBARDMENT OF MORRO CASTLE, SANTIAGO]
+
+The noise was terrific. It seemed to gather at times in such an
+overwhelming, soul-stunning clamor of sound, that the very air was rent
+and split and shattered, and the senses refused further burden. There
+was no possibility of hearing the human voice, save at odd intervals
+when a brief cessation occurred in the firing. Orders were transmitted
+by gestures.
+
+The smoke was thick and stifling, the saltpetre fumes filling the throat
+and lungs, until breathing was difficult. The dense bank of vapor
+enveloping the ship also rendered it almost impossible to aim with any
+accuracy. We of Number Eight gun were early impressed with this fact,
+and "Hay," the second captain, exclaimed during a lull:
+
+"It's that fellow in charge of Number Six. He won't give us any show.
+Just look how he's working his crew. Did you ever see the beat of it?"
+
+The captain of Number Six, a broker of considerable note in New York, a
+member of the Calumet Club, and the son of a distinguished captain in
+the Confederate navy, was fighting his gun with savage energy. Under his
+direction, and inspired by a running fire of comments from him, the
+different members of Number Six crew were literally pouring a hail of
+steel upon the batteries. The firing was so rapid, in fact, that it kept
+our port completely filled with smoke, much to our sorrow.
+
+Notwithstanding that fact, "Hay," the second captain of Number Eight,
+did such marvellous shooting, that word presently came from Captain
+Brownson on the bridge, publicly commending him. We were correspondingly
+elated, and worked all the harder.
+
+It was not until we had been firing some time that we began to take
+particular note of our surroundings. At first the novelty of the
+situation and a state of excitement, natural under the circumstances,
+kept us absorbed in our duties, but when it became apparent that the
+engagement was to be a matter of hours--and also that the Spaniards did
+not aim very well--we commenced to look about.
+
+One of the first things to strike me personally, and it was rather
+humorous, was the appearance of "Stump," the second loader. Orders had
+early been given to avoid exposing ourselves to the enemy's fire as much
+as possible. "Stump," than whom no more daring and aggressive man could
+be found on board, thought it wise to obey, so he crouched behind the
+gun-mount and compressed himself so as to be out of range. From this
+position he had only to reach out one hand to train the gun, which was
+his special duty. Meanwhile, he continually urged "Hay" to keep on
+firing.
+
+"Doesn't make any difference whether you can see or not," he exclaimed.
+"Shoot anyway. Give it to the beggars! That's the ticket, old chap. Now
+another. Whoop! did you see that land? Ah-h-h! we are the people."
+
+As the novelty of the scene gradually wore off we began to enjoy it
+hugely. We pumped away at the guns, commenting freely on the enemy's
+marksmanship. We felt more like a party watching a fireworks display
+than the crew of a warship engaged in bombarding a number of forts.
+
+The two lines were steaming back and forth in front of the batteries,
+firing as the guns would bear. At first, Morro Castle and the smaller
+forts maintained a spirited fire, but finally their response to our
+fusillade slackened considerably, and it became evident that they had
+been driven from their guns.
+
+The difference in aim between the Spanish gunners and ours was very
+perceptible. Their shells invariably passed over the ships or landed
+short, and at no time during the engagement were any of the American
+vessels in imminent danger. This was not due to length of range either,
+as the lines were maintained at from two to four thousand yards. As Bill
+put it, "Any Dago that can't hit a flock of barn doors like this fleet,
+had better go back home and hoe onions."
+
+The ships of our fleet also made better targets than did the batteries
+ashore. It was certainly easy to distinguish the position of each
+vessel, but as the Spanish batteries were nearly all situated a short
+distance back from the crest of the ridge with a background little
+different in color from that of the battery, we found it difficult to
+locate them at times. Our elevation had to be perfect, as with an inch
+or two below or above, the projectile would either vanish in the
+distance or take effect on the cliffs below the batteries.
+
+We of Number Eight gun, when the "Yankee" was steaming with the
+starboard broadside bearing, managed to slip across the deck and watch
+the firing from the ports and deadlights. It was really beautiful to see
+the landing of the great shells upon the forts and surrounding earth.
+Some battered into the soft spots on the cliffs, sending huge masses of
+dirt and débris high into the air; then when the explosion came, there
+would follow a great cloud of dust resembling the wavering smoke over a
+city fire.
+
+Others struck the harder portions of the cliff, bursting into a shower
+of fragments, each kicking up its own pother of dirt and shattered rock.
+At times a shell would land in a crack in the face of the hill, and
+immediately following would come an upheaval of stones. These boulders,
+many of them of immense size, would roll down the slope and splash in
+the water at the base, creating a series of fountain-like cascades.
+
+Accompanying the display was a continuous roar of explosion and
+detonation that echoed and reechoed across the water like the pealing of
+tropical thunder. In fact, it was these noises, mingled with the fierce
+reports of our guns, which impressed us the most. Taking it all in all,
+the scene was spectacular in the extreme.
+
+"Boys," remarked No. 7 of our crew--"Morrie," we called him--"this sight
+is worth all the coaling and standing watches and poor food we have had
+to put up with. I would experience it all over again just to see this
+bombardment."
+
+And we heartily agreed with him.
+
+After a time it seemed as if the admiral was determined to plump shells
+into the vicinity of Santiago until there was nothing left to fire at.
+There had been a continuous outpouring of projectiles from the guns of
+the fleet for over an hour, yet that grim line of gray steel fortresses
+still passed and repassed in front of the forts.
+
+It was really growing monotonous, when something occurred at the gun to
+which I was attached that served to give us an exciting minute or two.
+"Hay" had just fired a shot which caught one of the new batteries
+directly in the centre. The shell was extracted, and another inserted,
+but when the second captain pressed the electric firing lanyard, there
+was no report. The shell had missed fire.
+
+"Long Tommy" reached forward to open the breech, but was stopped by a
+sharp order from the divisional officer.
+
+"Don't open that breech till I give the word," he said.
+
+The electrical connections were examined and the contacts scraped
+bright.
+
+"Stand by," said "Hay" finally; "let's try her again."
+
+The great gun moved slowly on its pivot while "Hay" worked the elevating
+gear. The orders came sharp and clear through the roar of the cannon and
+the shriek of the shells.
+
+As we watched our young gun captain, we saw his set face grow even more
+determined, and we knew that he had got his sight to suit him and that
+he was about to fire the gun.
+
+With a gesture of disgust he threw down the firing lanyard.
+
+"It's no go," he said, "that cartridge will have to come out."
+
+We looked at one another; it was a serious moment. The bombardment was
+now at its height, and the thunderous roaring of the guns was increasing
+with every passing second. Above and around us the vicious reports of
+the "Yankee's" five-inch rapid-firers seemed like one continuous volley.
+A hoarse cheer came from a nearby ship, proclaiming the landing of some
+favored shot.
+
+"Hurry, fellows," shouted "Hay" in an ecstasy of impatience. "Lively
+there; we're missing all the sport."
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+A PERILOUS MOMENT.
+
+The scene on the gun deck of the "Yankee" at that moment would have made
+an eloquent subject for the brush of a Meissonier. It was the deck of a
+warship in battle, and the spectacle enacted was accompanied, by an
+orchestra of the mighty guns of a fleet in action.
+
+Imagine a compartment of steel, a compartment filled with smoke that
+surged and eddied as the ship lunged forward or rolled upon a heavy
+swell.
+
+Imagine scattered about in this pungent vapor many groups of men, men
+half-naked, perspiring; their glistening bodies smeared and stained with
+the grime of conflict.
+
+Imagine in the centre of one of these groups a wicked, menacing gun--a
+five-inch breechloader, its long, lean barrel raised shoulder-high upon
+the apex of a conical gun-mount, near the base of which are significant
+wooden cases, some empty and others filled with elongated, formidable
+cartridges; and pails of black, dirty water ascum with powder; and other
+objects each significant of war.
+
+Imagine these things, and then understand that this gun, made to be
+turned against an enemy, has now turned against its workers. In the
+bore, pent in by the polished breechblock, is a cartridge which has
+failed in its duty. It is apparently defective.
+
+The tide of battle is surging on; other ships of the bombarding fleet
+are still pouring their shot and shell upon the grim array of forts
+ashore; other guns of this ship are pursuing their duty with savage
+energy. But this gun is silent.
+
+The men wax impatient. It is the height of the conflict. Many shots have
+been fired, and many more will yet be required to subdue the enemy. To
+be "out of action" will mean passiveness in the face of the enemy.
+Anything but that.
+
+There is a rivalry between the guns' crews. It is a rivalry as to which
+shall make the best shots and create the most damage. The members of
+Number Eight--the after gun on the port side--are proud of their record.
+Their second captain--he whom they call "Hay"--has received the public
+commendation of the captain himself, sent down from the bridge in the
+midst of the battle. It is a mark of distinction not given freely, and
+Number Eight is eager for more honors.
+
+But the men have not forgotten a similar case, occurring on the voyage
+down the coast, when another cartridge failed, and on being extracted
+from the breech chamber, exploded, killing a marine corporal and
+wounding others.
+
+The men of Number Eight have not forgotten that tragedy, and that is why
+their gun is now to them a menacing creature of steel, whose breath may
+be the breath of death. They stand in groups, they eye it, they
+speculate, and they feel that a desperate and perilous duty is before
+them.
+
+The risk must be taken. The cartridge must be extracted. It is a fortune
+of war which all who enlist must expect. But it is one thing to fall
+before an enemy's blow, and another to lose your life at the stroke of
+your own weapon.
+
+The officer of the division steps forward.
+
+"We will see if we can't take it out without much danger," he says,
+briefly. "Bring a rope."
+
+One is hastily procured, and the first captain--a great, brawny,
+good-natured fellow, who has spent years at sea--deftly fastens the
+bight of the rope to the handle of the breechblock. He then retreats a
+short distance and signifies his readiness.
+
+"When I give the word," calls out the officer, "pull handsomely.
+Ready--pull away!"
+
+From out the smoke-filled compartment men lean forward,
+eagerly--anxiously. They instinctively shrink back as the breech plug
+slowly moves. Then, when it finally opens, revealing the brass head of
+the cartridge inside the firing chamber, a sigh of relief comes from
+all.
+
+But the danger is not yet over.
+
+The defective projectile must be taken out and tossed into the sea. The
+second loader steps forward at a signal from the gun captain. This
+second loader is "Stump." He shows no fear, but draws out the heavy
+cartridge, handling it as he would a harmless dummy, and passes it to
+another man and myself. Carrying it between us--and carrying it
+gingerly--we hasten to the side, and with a powerful swing, launch the
+hundred-pound projectile through the open port.
+
+It barely clears the port sill, coming so close to it, in fact, that for
+one breathless second we think that it will strike. As the shell passes
+from view, another sigh of relief comes from the spectators. "Hay"
+passes a grimy towel over his perspiring face.
+
+"Whew! that was a ticklish moment," he said, solemnly. "I'd just as soon
+not handle any more defective shells."
+
+Which exactly represented our sentiments.
+
+Three minutes later Number Eight was barking away at the forts ashore,
+and the episode of the cartridge that missed fire was a thing of the
+past.
+
+The bombardment of Santiago had now lasted over an hour. As yet not one
+of the American vessels had been reached by a shell, nor had the forts
+suffered any perceptible damage. The fleet, roaring and thundering, was
+swinging back and forth through the great semicircle, the smoke from the
+guns was banking along the beach, and from Morro Castle and its
+attending batteries came sharp, defiant answers to the interminable
+volleys fired by our squadron.
+
+"It's a good thing Uncle Sam's shot locker is pretty capacious,"
+remarked Flagg, as we shoved another cartridge into the yawning breech
+of our five-inch gun. "If we haven't fired over three hundred rounds
+since seven o'clock I can't count."
+
+"It'll be double that before we get through," grunted "Long Tommy," as
+we stepped back from the loaded gun. "Steady, there. Stand by!"
+
+A motion to "Hay," who held the firing lanyard, and almost instantly
+came the sharp, vicious report of the breechloader. Each man sprang back
+to his station, and the process of reloading went on without delay. The
+battle smoke from Number Six, which had filled our port for some time,
+cleared away just then, enabling us to see "Hay's" last shot strike
+squarely upon the outer line of earthworks of the Punta Gorda battery.
+
+"Splendid shot, 'Hay'!" exclaimed our division officer, briefly.
+
+"Bully, that's what it is--bully!" cried "Stump," patting the second
+captain upon the back.
+
+"Hurray! it's knocked out a gun," reported "Dye," from nearer the port.
+"I saw the piece keel over backward."
+
+There was no time for further comment. When a gun's crew is firing at
+will, and the excitement of combat has taken possession of the
+individual members, the task in hand requires all one's attention. We of
+Number Eight had suffered one delay, and we really felt that the lost
+time must be made up.
+
+Personal impressions in battle have been described in prose and poem
+until the subject is hackneyed, but it may be of interest to note that
+the impressions experienced by the novices in naval warfare manning the
+"Yankee," during the bombardment of Santiago, consisted mainly of one
+feeling. It was well-voiced by "Hod," who said many days later:
+
+"I felt just as I did one time when I attended Barnum's circus in
+Madison Square Garden. They had three rings, two platforms, a lot of
+tight-ropes and trapezes and other things all going at the same time.
+Before I had been in the place three minutes I was wishing for a hundred
+eyes. And that is the way I felt at Santiago."
+
+What we saw of the bombardment was limited to the range of our gun port,
+but that little was worth all the hardships and toil and discomforts of
+the whole cruise. The spectacle of the fleet itself was almost enough.
+To see the great ships ploughing through the water, each enveloped in a
+shroud of smoke, shot here and there with tinges of ruddy flame; to see
+that mighty line swinging and swaying in front of the enemy; to see the
+shells land and explode in fort and battery; to see the great gaps torn
+in cliff and earthworks; to see the geyser-like fountains of water spout
+up here and there as the Spanish shells struck the surface of the
+bay--to see all this, and to hear the accompanying thunder and
+booming of the guns, was payment in full for coal handling and
+standing watch and "Government straight." Not one of the "Yankee" boys
+would have missed the spectacle for anything earth could offer.
+
+[Illustration: ON THE GUN DECK DURING THE BOMBARDMENT]
+
+During the second hour of the attack we were enabled to observe the work
+being done by other vessels of the fleet. Near us was the gallant "New
+Orleans," the ship purchased from Brazil. Her foreign build made it easy
+to distinguish her, and, as she was the only craft using smokeless
+powder, she presented a prominent mark. The guns on board the "New
+Orleans" were being served rapidly and with precision, and we saw a
+number of shots strike well within the limits of the batteries.
+
+At our end of the line the flagship "New York," the "Iowa," and the
+"Oregon" were pouring an appalling fire into some new earthworks near
+Morro Castle. It was seen that but very few shots were sent in the
+direction of the latter, and it transpired that Admiral Sampson had
+issued strict orders to the fleet to avoid endangering Lieutenant Hobson
+and his brave companions, who were supposed to be imprisoned in old
+Morro. Before the end of the second hour the "New York" and the "New
+Orleans" had succeeded in completely silencing Cayo Battery,
+dismantling the guns and wrecking the outer fortifications.
+
+At the other end of the line Admiral Schley's division was doing
+splendid work. We could see the "Massachusetts," "Brooklyn," and "Texas"
+move in toward shore and open fire at close range. It was a stirring
+sight, this mighty duel between warships and forts. As compared with the
+cliffs and hills of the land, the ships seemed veritable pigmies, but in
+this strife the pigmies were all powerful.
+
+The guns of the fleet were working havoc in the forts ashore, and we
+could see the Spanish artillerymen abandon battery after battery. Cayo,
+Punta Gorda, Estrella, and Catalena were rapidly being vacated. The
+former was entirely out of the fight, and the others were replying only
+at intervals. Presently the "Massachusetts" and "Marblehead" advanced
+within two thousand yards of the Estrella fortification and began such a
+terrific firing that within a few minutes a great cloud of smoke
+appeared above the works. The Spanish guns became quiet at once, and a
+rousing cheer went up from the fleet.
+
+"Hay," in his exuberance, wanted to send a five-inch shell from our gun
+at the burning fort, but the distance was too great and he was
+compelled to be content with a couple of well-aimed shots at the
+nearest battery.
+
+"I wish we had thirteen-inch guns and the range was about ten feet,"
+grumbled "Stump." "I'd like to smash the whole outfit in a pair of
+minutes. By Cricky! we have poured enough good old American steel into
+those forts to build a bridge across the Atlantic, but the dagoes are
+still giving us guff."
+
+"It won't last much longer," said Tommy reassuringly. "From the looks of
+those batteries they haven't much fight left. I'll bet a hardtack
+against a prune we haul off at four bells."
+
+"Licked?" queried Flagg.
+
+"Nope."
+
+"Will the Spaniards give up?" asked "Dye."
+
+Tommy hesitated before replying. It was a brief lull and we were resting
+at the gun. The crew, grimy, dirty, battle-stained and tired, was glad
+to lean against the side of the deck or a convenient stanchion. Tommy's
+long service in the regular navy as apprentice and seaman made his
+opinions official, and we were always glad to listen to his
+explanations.
+
+"Will the Spaniards give up?" repeated "Dye."
+
+"Yes, and no," replied the first captain thoughtfully. "You see, it's
+this way. Those dagoes are not fools by any means. They have selected
+good places for their batteries, and they know earthworks are hard to
+destroy. They aren't like the old-style stone forts that could be
+knocked to pieces in no time. When a shell, even a thirteen-incher, hits
+a mound of earth it tears up the dirt and spoils the look of the
+parapet, but it really doesn't do much harm. To completely ruin an
+earthwork battery, you must dismantle every gun in it. And that's pretty
+hard to do. Mark my words, those fellows will give us a shot of defiance
+after we quit."
+
+"What's the idea of all this bombarding then?" asked "Stump." "We'd be
+much better 'caulking off,' seems to me."
+
+"And think what it costs the Government," I suggested. "The cost of the
+projectiles and the wear and tear to guns and ships must be something
+enormous."
+
+Tommy's answer was drowned in the thundering roar of the "New York's"
+battery, which opened fire just then a short distance away, but it was
+evident he agreed with me. A moment later Number Eight went into action
+once more, and we worked the breechloader without cessation until the
+conclusion of the bombardment, which came a half hour later.
+
+The fortifications ashore had entirely ceased firing, and at ten
+o'clock a signal to stop bombarding appeared on the flagship. It was
+obeyed with reluctance, and it was evident the crews of the various
+ships were anxious and eager to continue. As the fleet drew off there
+was a puff of smoke in one corner of Punta Gorda battery and a shell
+whizzed over the "Massachusetts." A second shot came from one of the
+earthworks, and still another from Punta Gorda; then the firing ceased
+again.
+
+"Didn't I tell you so?" quietly remarked Tommy. "The beggars ain't
+licked yet."
+
+"But they got a taste of Uncle Sam's strength," said Flagg.
+
+"And I'll bet anything they haven't enough whole guns left to equip one
+small fort," added "Stump."
+
+"I heard the skipper say the destruction of life must be enormous,"
+spoke up the "Kid," stopping on his way aft to deliver a message. "He
+watched the whole thing with his glass. He told 'Mother Hubbub' the
+moral effect was worth all the trouble."
+
+"That's an expert opinion," observed "Hay," wiping off the breech of the
+gun. "Now you've had your little say, youngster, so just trot along."
+
+The fleet presently reached its former station several miles off shore,
+and the bombardment of Santiago was at an end.
+
+No attempt was made to clean ship until late in the afternoon. The men
+were permitted to lie around decks and rest, smoke, and discuss the
+fight, which they did with exceeding interest. When dinner was piped at
+noon, the shrill call of the boatswain's whistle was welcome music. A
+sea battle is a good appetizer.
+
+About four o'clock in the afternoon the fleet was treated to a spectacle
+both novel and humorous. The little "Dolphin," a gunboat of not fifteen
+hundred tons displacement, which was keeping guard close in shore, began
+to use her guns. A battery near the channel returned the fire, but the
+plucky little craft maintained her position, and from the series of
+rapid reports coming from her four-inch breechloaders and six-pounders,
+it was evident she had something important on hand.
+
+The "Yankee" was signalled to run in to her assistance, but before we
+could reach a position, the "Dolphin" had accomplished her task. It was
+not until then that we discovered what she had been doing.
+
+"May I never see home again if the gunboat hasn't corralled a railway
+train in a cut!" exclaimed "Patt." "Just look there, fellows. See that
+ridge of earth on the other side of the channel? Just under it is a
+track running into a cut and--"
+
+"The 'Dolphin' has closed up both ends," interrupted "Stump," with a
+laugh. "She's knocked down a pile of earth and débris on the track and
+the, train can't get out. What a bully trick."
+
+Flagg produced a glass, and after a careful scrutiny reported that he
+could see part of the train lying on its side at the eastern end of the
+cut. He could also distinguish a number of bodies, and it was plain that
+the Spanish loss had been heavy. It was not until later that we learned
+the details, which were as follows:
+
+After the bombardment the "Dolphin" remained at her station, firing
+occasionally at the batteries ashore. She was directly opposite a cut in
+the cliff, through which runs a little railway connecting the iron mines
+with the dock in Santiago harbor. During the bombardment, a train loaded
+with Spanish troops remained in the cut, and at its conclusion attempted
+to leave. It was espied by the "Dolphin" and driven back. It tried the
+other end with like results, and for an hour this game of hide-and-seek
+was kept up, to the discomfiture of the train. While waiting for the
+train to appear at either end, the gallant little gunboat shelled a
+small blockhouse, and in time disabled it. Then she steamed back to the
+fleet and reported that she had "wrecked a trainload of troops and
+dismantled a blockhouse." When she left for her station again she was
+applauded by the whole squadron. We learned later that one hundred and
+fifty men were killed on the train.
+
+Shortly after supper the "Yankee's" whaleboat was called away and sent
+to the flagship, returning an hour later with sealed orders from the
+admiral.
+
+At midnight we quietly steamed from our station and passed out to sea,
+our destination being unknown to all save the commanding officer.
+
+
+CHAPTER XII.
+
+IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURE.
+
+When a man-of-war sails from port under what are called "sealed orders,"
+which means that the orders given to the captain by the admiral are not
+to be opened for a certain number of hours, or until the ship reaches a
+certain degree of latitude, there is a mystery about the affair which
+appeals strongly to the crew.
+
+We of the "Yankee" felt very curious as to our destination when we left
+Santiago that night, and the interest was greatly stimulated by the
+discovery, before we had gone very far, that the "St. Louis" and
+"Marblehead" were following us.
+
+The "Rumor Committee" went into active session without delay.
+
+"Bet I can guess it," said "Stump," as a half dozen of us met in the
+gangway. "We are bound for a cable station somewhere."
+
+"To cable the news of the fight?" said Flagg.
+
+"No. That was done by one of the other ships."
+
+"What then?"
+
+"To get permission from Washington to go ashore and reclaim all that
+steel we wasted in the bombardment."
+
+There was a laugh at this sally.
+
+"I have been figuring on the cost of the fight," remarked "Hay," after a
+pause. "A five-inch shell is worth $60, and as we fired about two
+hundred and fifty, it means just $15,000 worth of five-inchers alone."
+
+"Then there are the six-pounders."
+
+"They cost $20 a shot," resumed "Hay," reflectively. "I guess we must
+have fired about a million of them."
+
+"Hardly that," smiled Tommy, "but we expended enough to bring the total
+up to $18,000 at the very least. War is a costly thing, boys."
+
+When the quartermaster on duty came off watch he joined us in the
+gangway, and reported that we were steering a straight course to the
+southward.
+
+"If we keep it up we'll land somewhere near the Antarctic Ocean,"
+remarked Kennedy, doubtfully. "I wonder--"
+
+"I know, I know," broke in the "Kid," eagerly. "We're going for ice."
+
+The burning question was solved at daybreak. The morning sun brought
+into view a stretch of highland which proved to be Cuba. We had steamed
+out to sea on scouting duty, and had doubled on our tracks, as it were.
+The port we found to be Guantanamo, a small place some forty miles to
+the eastward of Santiago.
+
+The town itself lies on a bay connected with the sea by a tortuous and
+winding channel. The entrance is protected by a fort and several
+blockhouses, and when we steamed inshore we espied the "St. Louis" and
+"Marblehead" laying to, waiting for us outside.
+
+The "Marblehead" preceding us, we entered the harbor, and the two ships
+began a lively bombardment, while the "St. Louis" lay outside. Shortly
+after the firing began, a Spanish gunboat was seen steaming out past the
+fort. A few shots in her direction sent her scurrying back again, and
+that was the last seen of her during the fight. After the battle of the
+previous day, this affair seemed insignificant, and aroused little
+interest.
+
+The blockhouses were destroyed and the fort silenced after a short
+period of firing, and the "St. Louis" proceeded with the duty which
+evidently had caused our visit. It was the cutting of a cable
+connecting Guantanamo with the outer world.
+
+Our little fleet steamed to sea in the afternoon, returning just before
+dark. The fort, showing signs of reanimation, was treated to another
+bombardment, which effectually settled it. A small fishing hamlet
+composed of a dozen flimsy huts of bamboo was set on fire and burned to
+the ground. When we left Guantanamo shortly after dark, bound back for
+Santiago, we had the satisfaction of knowing that one more blow had been
+struck against Spanish rule in the fair isle of Cuba.
+
+At dawn the following day, Santiago was sighted. The fleet was still
+lying off the entrance like a group of huge gray cats watching a mouse
+hole. As we passed in, the flagship began signalling, and it soon became
+noised about the ship that we had received orders to leave for Mole St.
+Nicholas after dark.
+
+"It looks as if the 'Yankee' will come in handy as a messenger boy,"
+said "Stump." "When the admiral wants 'any old thing' he tells his flag
+officer to send the Naval Reserve ship."
+
+"It's a good thing to be appreciated," grinned "Dye." "To tell the
+truth, though, I'd rather be on the move than lying here watching the
+land."
+
+"We don't want to be away when Cervera comes out," remarked Flagg.
+
+"When he comes out," retorted "Stump," emphasizing the first word
+meaningly. "The old gentleman knows when he is well off and he'll stay
+inside."
+
+"Which, as the Texan said when he was accused of stealing a horse," put
+in Tommy, "remains to be proved. Just you keep your eye on the gun and
+wait."
+
+"There goes another string of signals on the 'New York,'" exclaimed
+"Dye," pointing toward the flagship. "Whiz! I'd hate to be a signalman
+aboard of her. They are always at it."
+
+The flagship of a fleet like that assembled in front of Santiago during
+the blockade, is certainly kept very busy. In the naval service,
+everything in the way of routine emanates from the flagship. Every ship
+in the squadron, for instance, takes the uniform of the day from her.
+The number of sick each morning must be reported by signal; all orders
+(and they are legion) are transmitted by wigwag or bunting; scores of
+questions are asked daily by each ship, and it is indeed seldom that the
+signal yards of a flagship are bare of colored flags.
+
+In the American navy the present methods of communication are by the
+use of flags representing numerals, by the Meyer code of wigwag signals,
+and by a system of colored electric bulbs suspended in the rigging. The
+latter system is called after its inventor, Ardois.
+
+In the daytime, when ships are within easy distance, wigwagging is
+commonly used. A small flag attached to a staff is held by the signalman
+in such a position that it can be seen by the ship addressed. A code
+similar to the Morse telegraph alphabet is employed. By this system the
+flag, when waved to the right, represents 1, or a dot; and 2, or a dash,
+when inclined to the left. Each word is concluded by bringing the flag
+directly to the front, which motion is called 3. Naval signalmen,
+generally apprentices, become very expert, and the rapidity with which
+they can wigwag sentences is really remarkable.
+
+The Ardois system of night signalling consists of electric lights
+attached to the rigging. There are four groups of double lamps, the two
+lamps in each group showing red and white respectively. By the
+combination of these lights letters can be formed, and so, letter by
+letter, a word, and thence an order, can be spelled out for the guidance
+of the ships of a squadron. The lamps are worked by a keyboard generally
+placed on the upper bridge.
+
+The "flag hoist" system, as it is termed, consists of the displaying of
+different flags at some conspicuous place like the masthead. There are a
+great many flags and pennants, differing in color, shape, and design,
+each having its own particular meaning, and when three or four are shown
+aloft together, a number is formed, the significance of which can only
+be determined by referring to a code book. Each navy has a private code,
+which is guarded with great care. So particular are Governments in this
+respect, that the commanding officer of every ship has instructions to
+go to any length to destroy the code book, if capture is imminent.
+During the late war with Spain it was reported at one time that the
+Spanish code had been secured. This means that the Dons will be
+compelled to adopt an entirely new code of signals.
+
+Besides the above systems, signalling in the navy includes various other
+devices. For instance, the fog whistle can be utilized in connection
+with the Meyer system of numerals. One toot represents 1, two short
+toots 2, and a long blast the end of a word. In a fog, this is the only
+means practicable. Similar sounds can be made by horn or gunfire. At
+night searchlights are often used by waving the beam from the right to
+the left, thus forming an electric wigwag, or by flash like the
+heliograph. On small ships not fitted up with the Ardois system, the
+Very night signal is used. This consists of a pistol made for the
+purpose, which discharges lights similar to those found in the ordinary
+Roman candles. The colors are red and green, and they are fired in
+combinations expressing the numbers from 1 to 9 and 0, so that the
+numbers to four digits contained in the signal book may be displayed.
+
+The "Yankee" was rigged with the Ardois lamps, and she also carried all
+the necessary signal flags and other paraphernalia required to
+communicate with other vessels of the fleet. The signalmen on board had
+been drilled in their work as members of the Naval Reserve prior to the
+beginning of the war, and they were experts to a man.
+
+On the evening of June 8th, while we were idling about decks awaiting
+the order to get under way, a small boat came alongside, having as a
+passenger a captain of the army. He proved to be a special agent who had
+succeeded in visiting the vicinity of Santiago, and was on his way to
+Mole St. Nicholas for the purpose of cabling to Washington. The
+mysterious manner in which he boarded the ship, and the quickness with
+which we steamed from port, created some excitement, and we felt the
+importance of our mission.
+
+The night was dark and muggy--an ideal time for torpedo-boat work, and
+extra lookouts were posted by order of the captain. Nothing of interest
+occurred, however, until early next morning. The ship was ploughing
+along at a steady gait, and those of the watch who were not on actual
+duty were snatching what sleep they could in out-of-the-way corners,
+when suddenly the call to "general quarters" was sounded. Long practice
+caused prompt obedience, and the various guns' crews were soon ready for
+action.
+
+Very few of us knew just what was on foot until the "Kid," in passing,
+contrived to convey the interesting information that a big Spanish fleet
+had been sighted dead ahead.
+
+"That's funny," remarked "Stump," trying to peer from the port. "We are
+not changing our course any. Surely the 'old man' doesn't intend to
+tackle them alone."
+
+"I guess the 'Kid' is 'stringing' us," observed Tommy, sagely. "He's up
+to that trick every time. We're not chasing Spanish fleets alone. The
+captain knows his business all right, all right."
+
+Word was brought from the upper deck presently, that we were in pursuit
+of a strange steamer which had been discovered lurking on the horizon.
+She failed to respond to our signals, and chase was made forthwith. The
+"Yankee's" speed soon proved superior to that of the stranger, and
+within an hour we had her close aboard.
+
+"It's an English tramp from the looks of her," reported "Hay," who had a
+choice position near the gun port. "She's got a dozen people on the
+bridge and they are badly scared."
+
+A blank six-pounder was fired, but she did not heed it, so a shot was
+fired across the stranger's bows, and she hove-to in short order.
+
+"Steamer ahoy!" came faintly to our ears from on deck. "What steamer is
+that?"
+
+The answer reached us in disjointed sentences, but we heard enough to
+set us laughing. Tommy smacked his hand upon the breech of the gun and
+chuckled: "It's one of those everlasting press boats. The sea is full of
+'em."
+
+"What in the deuce did they run for, I wonder?" exclaimed Kennedy.
+
+"Afraid of us, I suppose. It's ticklish times around here, and I don't
+blame them. Press boats are not made to fight, you know."
+
+"That idea doesn't carry out their motto," drawled "Dye."
+
+"How's that?" asked Flagg, innocently.
+
+"Why, they claim that the pen is mightier than the sword, don't they?"
+
+After the laugh had subsided, "Morrie," one of the Rochester detail, who
+acted as a shellman in the crew of Number Eight, said seriously:
+
+"I am a great admirer of the press representatives down here, fellows.
+They are capable, good writers, and there is not a branch of the whole
+outfit that has been more faithful to duty. They were sent here to get
+the news, and they get it every time. There has never been a war more
+ably reported than this, and, although the correspondents have to hustle
+day and night, they still find time to keep us informed, and to give us
+an occasional paper from home. They are good fellows all."
+
+"Amen!" said "Hay."
+
+After a time, the press boat sheered off, and we continued on our
+course. Later in the morning another steamer was sighted. The "Yankee"
+was sent after her at full speed. The chase crowded on all steam, but
+she was soon overhauled, and found to be a Norwegian trader. After a
+satisfactory explanation she was permitted to go. Three hours later the
+"Yankee" dropped anchor off Mole St. Nicholas, a Haytian seaport
+brought into some prominence through the location of a cable station.
+
+Mole St. Nicholas is a little collection of tropical-looking houses set
+among palm trees at the foot of a large hill, which in places aspires to
+the dignity of a mountain. The town itself is rather picturesquely
+situated, the foliage-covered background and beautiful inlet of pure
+clear water giving it a natural setting very attractive to our eyes.
+
+After we had been anchored an hour or so, a bumboat came out, manned by
+a crew of two coal-black negroes who spoke a French patois, intermingled
+with comical English. The boat itself was a queer, stubby craft
+propelled by home-made oars. Before the morning was well advanced the
+ship was surrounded by boats carrying shells, limes, prickly pears,
+green cocoanuts, bananas, fish, and "water monkeys." The latter were
+jugs made of a porous clay, and they were eagerly purchased. The "water
+monkey" is a natural cooler, and when placed in a draught of air will
+keep water at a temperature delightful in a warm latitude.
+
+We parted with our mysterious passenger, the army officer, and weighed
+anchor just as the sun was setting. Lookouts were posted early, and
+special instruction given by the captain to maintain a vigilant watch.
+The fact that we were in the very theatre of war, and that several
+Spanish cruisers, including the Spanish torpedo boat "Terror," were
+reported as being in the vicinity, kept a number of us on deck.
+
+"It is one thing lying off a port with a lot of other ships and
+bombarding a few measly earthworks, and another to be sneaking about in
+the darkness like this, not knowing when you will run your nose against
+an enemy twice as large," said Flagg, as several of Number Eight's crew
+met on the forecastle. "I tell you, it feels like war."
+
+"Reminds me of a story I heard once," put in "Stump," lazily. He was
+lounging over the rail with his back to us and his words came faintly.
+The deck was shrouded in gloom, and the vague outlines of the
+pilot-house, only a dozen feet away, was the length of our vision aft. A
+soft, purling sound came from over the side where the waves lapped
+against the steel hull. A shovel grated stridently now and then in the
+fire room, and occasionally a block rattled or a halliard flapped
+against the foremast overhead. The surroundings and the strange, weird
+"feel" of the darkness were peculiarly impressive.
+
+"I don't know whether we care to hear any story," observed "Hay."
+"Better keep it until later, 'Stump.' The night's too wonderful to do
+anything except lounge around and think. Whew! isn't it dark?"
+
+"This story I was going to tell you requires a setting like this,"
+replied "Stump." "It is about a ship that started from England years and
+years ago. She had as passengers a lot of lunatics who were to be
+experimented upon by a doctor about as crazy as they. He bought the
+ship, fitted it up with a number of little iron cages, and set forth
+with his queer cargo. Ten days out, the lunatics broke from their
+quarters and captured the vessel. One of them, who had been a sea
+captain in his time, took charge, and proceeded to carry out a little
+idea of his own, which was to make sane people crazy."
+
+"That was turning the tables with a vengeance," drawled "Dye," from his
+perch on an upturned pail. "I wonder if he was any relation to
+'Cutlets'?"
+
+"A lineal ancestor, I'll bet a biscuit," chimed in "Hay." "Don't you
+remember the quotation, 'By these acts you will know their forefathers,'
+or something like that?"
+
+"Well," resumed "Stump," "the crazy captain put the doctor and the crew
+in the cages and began to feed them hardtack and berth-deck scouse and
+salt-horse and--"
+
+[Illustration: THE SEARCHLIGHT "SWEEPING BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE
+BLACK OF THE HORIZON"]
+
+"Must have been a Government naval contractor in his time," murmured
+"Morrie."
+
+"I bet I know the rest," exclaimed the "Kid," coming up in time to grasp
+the situation. "The captain set his prisoners to carrying coal from the
+after hold forward and then back again, didn't he?"
+
+"If you fellows think you can tell the story better than I can, go
+ahead," retorted "Stump," in disgust. "You are like a lot of old maids
+at a sewing circle. I give--"
+
+"What was that?" suddenly cried "Hay," springing to his feet. "If it
+wasn't a flash of light I'll eat my--"
+
+A figure hastily emerged from the gloom aft.
+
+"Go to your stations at once, you men," called out a voice. "General
+quarters!"
+
+As we scurried toward the hatch a great shaft of light appeared off the
+port beam, and began sweeping back and forth across the black of the
+horizon.
+
+"Good heavens!" exclaimed "Hay," "it's a searchlight on some man-of-war.
+We're in for it now!"
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII.
+
+A NARROW ESCAPE.
+
+The finger of light sweeping the heavens above the distant horizon meant
+to us the presence either of friend or foe, and the question was one we
+had little desire to solve at that moment. Rumors of Spanish warships
+lurking in the waters adjacent to Cuba were rife, and it had even been
+stated that another squadron inferior only to Cervera's fleet was
+somewhere in the neighborhood.
+
+We of the "Yankee" were willing, and I may say, without undue boasting,
+eager to meet any vessel of equal size or even larger, but to give
+battle to a whole fleet was a little too much. Nevertheless, when the
+word was passed to go to "general quarters," there was no sulking nor
+hesitancy.
+
+The battery was ready in record time.
+
+Our gun was placed in trim, ammunition hatches opened, cartridges
+whipped on deck, and the piece prepared for instant use so rapidly that
+the officer of the division, Lieutenant Greene, gave us warm praise.
+
+Then we waited.
+
+It is difficult for a layman--a citizen who has not experienced the test
+of action and danger in battle--to understand or appreciate our feelings
+that night. It is hard to describe them, to paint with mere words the
+intense seriousness and gravity of the situation. You can imagine a dark
+night at sea--a night so black that the senses feel oppressed. You can
+add to these a thrill of impending danger and a vision of capture by a
+cruel enemy and the thought that the very next second will sound the
+signal for an uproar and outbreak of combat, but your impressions will
+fall far short of the reality--that must be experienced to be
+appreciated.
+
+As we stood at our stations surrounding Number Eight gun, I tried to
+read the faces of my companions, to see if I could find in them traces
+of worry or anxiety, or of fear. The situation warranted even the latter
+emotion. The dim light cast by the nickering battle lanterns sent
+fantastic shadows dancing over deck and bulkhead, and caused the men at
+the guns to resemble, in their stained white working clothes, so many
+gaunt spectres.
+
+But they were spectres with a grim purpose in view, and as the officer
+of the division strode back and forth, alert and watchful, they followed
+his movements with their eyes, eager for the word that would set them in
+action. They were not veterans, and their experience in war could have
+been measured by days, but they were honestly ready to fight and to shed
+the last drop of their blood for the flag waving over the taffrail.
+
+It was a ticklish situation. Even the "Kid," with his careless,
+happy-go-lucky mind, would have admitted that; but as time passed
+without bringing a break in the monotony of waiting, we began to feel
+restless. The tension was still great, but the first sense of
+apprehension was gone.
+
+"I do wish something would happen," muttered "Hay," after a while. "Can
+you see anything from that port, 'Morrie'?"
+
+"A wall of blackness, that's all," replied the Rochester man.
+
+"We've changed our course several times," spoke up Flagg. "I think the
+'old man' is scooting for cover."
+
+"Fool if he didn't," growled Tommy. "They have a pretty habit of
+court-martialling naval officers when they risk their ship
+unnecessarily. If Captain Brownson should fail to do all in his power
+to escape from what his judgment tells him is overwhelming odds, he'd
+find himself in trouble. Discretion is the better part of valor, even in
+the navy."
+
+Suddenly we began to notice a peculiar glow tinging the darkness, and
+reflecting from the polished parts of the gun. It came suddenly and with
+a spurt of ruddy light unmistakable.
+
+"It's a fire somewhere," exclaimed Flagg. "Look! it's getting brighter."
+
+"It comes from this ship," cried "Stump," edging toward the port. "Is it
+possible the old hooker is on fire?"
+
+We waited for the ringing of the alarm bell, or the call to "fire
+quarters," but the minutes slipped by without the summons. Outside, the
+ruddy glare tinged the surface of the sea, sparkling from foam-crested
+waves, and forming a circle of dancing light through which the "Yankee"
+speeded on in her flight for safety.
+
+Our curiosity increased apace, and we watched eagerly for passing
+messengers or for some stray word that would explain the peculiar
+phenomenon. It was Kennedy who finally solved the mystery--Kennedy the
+luckless, he whom we dubbed "Lucky Bag," because of his propensity to
+allow his wearing apparel to find its way into the clutches of "Jimmy
+Legs." Kennedy had slipped near the port and was trying to perform the
+difficult feat of scanning the upper deck from the opening.
+
+"Come back here and stop that 'rubber-necking,' No. 7," called out
+Tommy. "Do you want to get on the report?"
+
+"For the hundred and 'steenth time," added "Stump," with a grin.
+
+"Perhaps he's seasick," suggested "Dye." "It's about due. He hasn't
+heaved up his boots since noon."
+
+"Did you hear what 'Cutlets' said to him yesterday?" spoke up "Hay." "He
+was 'wigging' Kennedy, and he remarked in his tender way, 'Look here,
+you hero, why don't you brace up and be a man? You are continually sick
+or on the report, and you aren't worth your salt. Get down below now,
+and fill your billet.' Poor devil! he tries to do his best, I guess."
+
+Just then Kennedy faced around toward us and we saw that he was
+laughing.
+
+"What do you think?" he said. "It's a fire after all."
+
+"A fire? Where?" we gasped simultaneously.
+
+"In the furnaces. I saw a big flame leaping from the funnel. Gee! they
+must be whooping her up below to beat the band. Coal piled up to the
+top of the flues."
+
+"It's oil," exclaimed Tommy, gravely. "They are feeding the fires with
+crude oil. That means the last resort, fellows. The 'old man' is trying
+to get every ounce of steam possible."
+
+Our curiosity satisfied, we felt more at ease, and we lounged at our
+stations and listened to the banging of furnace doors and grating of
+shovels in the fire room below. Occasionally one of us would venture an
+opinion or try to exchange views, and "Stump" even started a story, but
+in the main we were quiet and watchful.
+
+From the swaying and trembling of the hull it was evident the "Yankee"
+was being pushed at her utmost speed. Mess gear rattled in the chests,
+the deck quivered, and from down in the lower depths came the quick
+throb-throb of the overworked engines. Presently the red glare caused by
+the upleaping flames from the funnel died away, and darkness settled
+down again.
+
+"I guess we are making it," observed Tommy. "We have been a good two
+hours racing at this gait, which means a matter of almost forty miles."
+
+"They might let us take a run on deck," grumbled Flagg. "What's the use
+of holding up this gun all night? It's getting monotonous."
+
+"Here comes the 'Kid,'" exclaimed "Dye." "He may have some news."
+
+The youngster brought a message to Lieutenant Greene. As he started off,
+he whispered:
+
+"We are going to 'secure' in a few moments. It has been a great scoot. I
+heard the captain say to 'Mother Hubbub' that it would go down in
+history as a masterly retreat."
+
+"Was it a Spanish fleet?" queried "Hay."
+
+"They are not certain. The skipper now thinks that it was a convoy of
+transports bringing the army of occupation. He didn't stop to find out,
+though. Say, you fellows look tired. Why don't you 'pipe down'?"
+
+He scurried off with a laugh, and we were just settling back for another
+siege of it when the welcome order came to "secure." The order was
+executed in a jiffy, and then those who had the off watch piled into
+their hammocks with a celerity seldom equalled. Santiago was reached
+early the following morning, and before the day was over we heard that
+our neighbors of the night before were, as the captain had suspected, a
+fleet of transports bringing troops from the United States.
+
+"Which doesn't alter the fact that we displayed wisdom in taking a
+'sneak,'" commented Tommy, grimly. "It's a clever chief who knows when
+to retreat."
+
+The great gray ships still tossed idly on the rolling blue sea when we
+took our station at the right of the line.
+
+It seemed more like a panorama, arranged for the amusement of an
+admiring crowd, than a fleet of floating forts ready at a moment's
+notice to pour out death and destruction.
+
+The flagship "New York," gay with signal bunting, was the centre of a
+fleet of launches and small boats. The boats' crews, in white duck,
+lounged in their places, while the captains were aboard conferring with
+the admiral.
+
+The torpedo boat "Porter" flashed in and out between the grim
+battleships in an almost playful way.
+
+A signal boy on the "Brooklyn" held a long wigwag conversation with the
+flagship, the bit of bright color showing sharply against the
+lead-colored turret.
+
+It was hard to realize that only a few days ago these same ships, that
+now rested so calmly and majestically, were enveloped in clouds of
+smoke, their great guns spitting forth fire and a fearful hail of steel.
+
+We looked at picturesque old Morro on the bluff, and there, close to
+the lighthouse, still floated the Spanish colors. It was aggravating,
+and we would like to have shot the hateful bunting away.
+
+We had no sooner reached our station than the boatswain's call echoed
+from one end of the ship to the other, "Away gig." Whereupon the gig's
+crew rushed below and "broke out" clean whites. No matter what happens,
+the gig's crew must always be clean, both in person and apparel.
+
+Our gig soon joined the fleet of waiting boats at the flagship's
+gangway, and lay there while the captain went aboard.
+
+The skipper returned about noon and went forward. Immediately, we heard
+the cry "All hands on the gig falls." Then, before the boat was fairly
+out of water, we heard the engine bell jingle.
+
+We were off again.
+
+Some active member of the "Rumor Committee" said we were bound for
+Jamaica. And after consultation with a signal boy, who came aft to read
+the patent log, we found that we were heading for that island.
+
+The wind was dead ahead and blowing fresh and cool, but the sun was hot,
+and the boatswain's mates were instructed to keep the men in the shade
+as much as possible.
+
+The stress and strain of the night before made the few hours of
+"caulking off," that we now enjoyed, particularly grateful.
+
+We lay so thick on the windward side of the spar deck under the awning,
+that it would have been difficult to find foot room.
+
+Every hour a signal boy came running aft to read the log, which was
+attached to the taffrail on the starboard quarter. The log worked on the
+same principal as a bicycle cyclometer. It had two dials that indicated
+the miles and fractions of miles as they were reeled off. A long,
+braided line, having what we called a "twister" attached, trailed behind
+in the water and made the wheels go round, a certain number of
+revolutions to the mile.
+
+Hour after hour the ship rushed through the water. The engines throbbed
+in a regular, settled sort of way, that reminded one of a man snoring.
+The wind blew softly and caressingly. The ship rolled easily in the long
+swell. It was soothing and restful, and we felt quite reconciled to life
+in the navy. We almost forgot that we were on an engine of war; that
+there was enough ammunition below to blow up several "Maine's," and that
+we were cruising in the enemy's country.
+
+The men talked cheerfully of home, pursuits, and pleasures, for it was
+too fine, too bright, to be depressed.
+
+Finally the sun went down in a blaze of glory, dropping suddenly into
+the sea as it is wont to do in the tropics.
+
+In a few minutes it was dark. In these latitudes there is practically no
+twilight; the sun jumps into his full strength in the morning, and
+quenches his glory in the sea before one realizes the day is gone.
+
+Soon after dark the lookouts began to report lights, and before long we
+found ourselves steaming into a fine harbor, which we learned was Port
+Antonio.
+
+A delightful feeling of security stole over us. We were at anchor in a
+friendly port, the inhabitants of which spoke the same tongue as we did
+and sympathized with us. We turned in at the earliest possible moment,
+and as we lay in our "elevated folding beds," as "Hay" called them, we
+could hear unmistakable shore sounds--the barking of dogs, the crowing
+of cocks, and according to some active imaginations, even the bell of a
+trolley car.
+
+At one o'clock we were wakened by the call, "All hands on the cat
+falls." We slipped out of our "dream bags" with the best grace we could
+muster, and went forward to pull up the anchor to its place on the
+forecastle deck.
+
+So we gave up the pleasant idea that we were to spend the night
+undisturbed, and the guns' crews of the watch on deck made themselves as
+comfortable as possible under the circumstances, on their wooden couch
+around the guns; viz., the deck.
+
+When the sun rose next morning, we found that land was plainly visible
+from the port side, and we soon learned that we were still in Jamaican
+waters and would arrive at Montego Bay about ten o'clock.
+
+The programme was carried out to the dot.
+
+The "Yankee" steamed into the beautiful bay, the crew "at quarters," in
+honor of the English man-of-war "Indefatigable," which lay at anchor
+there, and we had hardly let down our anchor when a fleet of "bumboats"
+came chasing out to us.
+
+Though an American warship had never visited this port before, we seemed
+to be recognized by these enterprising marine storekeepers as easy prey.
+
+The native "bumboat" is a dugout affair very narrow for its length, and
+seemingly so cranky that we marvelled at the size of the sail carried.
+They brought fruits of all kinds, and tobacco, so we didn't stop to
+criticise their rig, but showed plainly that we were right glad to see
+them.
+
+The boatmen and women were all colored people and, like the race the
+world over, were most fantastically and gaily clothed. The women wore
+bright-hued calico dresses, and brighter bandana handkerchiefs on their
+heads. The men wore flaming neckties, gay shirts, and, in some cases,
+tall white or gray beaver hats.
+
+The boats were filled with yellow, green, and red fruits and
+brightly-colored packages of tobacco, the whole making a most vivid and
+brilliant display of color.
+
+The crew bought eagerly, regardless of price. Limes, oranges, mangoes,
+bananas, and pineapples came over the side in a steady stream, while an
+equally steady, though smaller, stream of silver went back to the boats.
+
+It was a harvest day for the Montego Bay "bumboatmen."
+
+Though we bought the fruits without hesitation, we bit into them
+gingerly, for, to most of us, many of them were strange.
+
+Tom LeValley brought me a mango and said that I could have it if I would
+sample it and tell what it was like. I accepted, for I had not been
+lucky enough to get near a boat to buy for myself.
+
+He handed me something that looked like a pear but was of the color of
+an orange. I was just about to bite into it when I chanced to look up. I
+saw that I was the target of all eyes. Putting on a bold front, I sunk
+my teeth in the yellow rind. I found it was pleasant to the taste, but
+unlike anything that I had ever put in my mouth before. Still the
+fellows gazed at me. Was it a trick mango I had tackled so recklessly? I
+determined not to be stumped, and took a good big bite. In a moment, I
+discovered why I was the "observed of all observers." The last bite
+loosened a good deal of the peel, and the thing began to ooze. It oozed
+through my fingers and began to run down my sleeve; it dripped on my
+trousers and made an ineradicable stain; my face was smeared with it, my
+hands were sticky with it, my mouth was full of it, and still the blamed
+thing oozed.
+
+Then the unfeeling crowd laughed. Some one shouted "get under the hose."
+Another yelled "Swab ho," whereupon a none too clean deck swab was
+brought and applied to my face and hands, protests being unavailing.
+
+I afterwards remarked to Tom that he had better try experiments on
+himself, or present me with a bathtub along with the next mango, and I
+have since learned that a Distinguished Person came to the same
+conclusion when first introduced to this deceitful fruit.
+
+We enjoyed our stay in this beautiful island port very much, and it was
+with great reluctance that we obeyed the order to "haul on the cat
+falls." As we were walking away with that heavy line, we saw a liberty
+party from the English warship start for shore in the ship's cutters,
+and we envied them with all our hearts.
+
+The town looked very attractive, set as it was on the side and at the
+base of a high hill, the red-tiled roofs of its houses showing against
+the graceful, green palm trees. On our left, a grove of cocoanut palms
+flourished, and beneath grazed a herd of cattle.
+
+Soon the ship began to back out, and then, as the bay grew wider, she
+turned slowly and headed for the open.
+
+"Lash your mess chests," said messenger "Kid" to the berth deck cooks.
+"Orders from the officer of the deck," he added.
+
+He turned to us, who were standing by the open port. "I guess we'll have
+a lively time of it, for I heard 'Cutlets' say the barometer is dropping
+at a terrible rate."
+
+The "Kid" scurried further aft to give the order to the boatswain's
+mates and master-at-arms.
+
+We looked out to seaward and noted the black sky and the rising wind.
+
+"I guess you 'heroes' will have a chance to show what right you have to
+be called seamen," said "Stump," mimicking "Cutlets."
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV.
+
+WE ENGAGE IN A SEA FIGHT.
+
+"Watch on deck, put on your oilers," shouted the boatswain's mates.
+
+The order came none too soon, for as the last man ran up the
+companion-way ladder, the rain began to drop in sheets.
+
+The rising wind drove the rain in our faces with stinging force, and we
+were soon wet as drowned rats.
+
+The white-capped seas raced alongside, and the "Yankee" heaved and
+tossed like a bucking bronco. The lookouts at the masthead swayed
+forward and back, to and fro, dizzily, and the officer of the deck on
+the bridge had difficulty in keeping his feet. The pots and pans in the
+galley banged noisily, and ever and anon the screw was lifted out of the
+water, and for a few turns shook the ship from stern to stem with its
+accelerated speed.
+
+A number of men who had partaken too freely of tropical fruits manned
+the rail and seemed too much interested in the seething water below to
+notice the rain that was dripping down their necks.
+
+For a time, things were very lively aboard the old hooker, and, though
+in the main unpleasant, the grandeur of the sea in the tempest made up
+for all discomforts. The flash of the lightning, the roar of the
+thunder, the hum and whistle of the wind through the rigging, and the
+swish of the seas as they dashed themselves to spray against the sides
+of the ship--all this made an impressive chorus, more stirring even than
+the roar of cannon and the shriek of shell.
+
+When "hammocks" was blown by the ship's bugler at a quarter to seven, we
+found it difficult to make our way forward to the nettings. One moment
+we were toiling up the deck's steep incline; the next, the ship would
+bury her prow, and we were rushing forward pell mell. The boat seemed to
+be endowed with diabolical intelligence that night. A man might,
+perchance, stoop to tie his shoe or examine a freshly stubbed toe, when
+the ship would seem to divine that she had him at a disadvantage, and
+would leap forward so that he would immediately stand on his head, or
+affectionately and firmly embrace a convenient stanchion. "Pride cometh
+before a fall," and the man who thought he had caught the swing and
+could walk a chalk line on the deck, soon found that the old boat knew a
+new trick or two, and in a twinkling of an eye he was sawing the air
+frantically with his arms, in his efforts to keep his balance.
+
+Though the force of the tropical storm was soon spent, the sea continued
+high, and locomotion was difficult.
+
+The hammocks were given out by the "hammock stowers" of the watch on
+duty. They called out the numbers stenciled on our "dream bags," and the
+owners stepped forward and claimed them. As soon as a man secured his
+hammock he immediately slung it in place, unlashed it, and arranged the
+blankets to his liking.
+
+A group gathered around the capstan aft, after the hammock ceremony had
+been completed.
+
+Some one said, "I'm glad I can sleep in a hammock a night like this; the
+heave of the ship will be hardly felt."
+
+"Yes," responded the "Kid," "I wouldn't swap my 'sleeping bag' for the
+captain's bed, to-night."
+
+"That reminds me," said "Stump." "Speaking of beds--when we were in New
+York a friend of mine came aboard to see me. He had a sister, but left
+her at home."
+
+"You can thank your lucky stars he did. If she'd seen your weary,
+coal-covered visage, you could not even have been a brother to her,"
+interrupted "Hay."
+
+"I guess you're right," responded "Stump," with an appreciative grin.
+"Anyhow, she did not come. So when her brother got home she plied him
+with questions--this he wrote me afterwards--wanted to know how I
+looked, asked what the ship was like, inquired about our food, and then
+she questioned him about my stateroom. Was it prettily decorated? Whose
+photograph occupied the place of honor on my dressing table?
+
+"Billy, my friend," explained "Stump," "is a facetious sort of chap, so
+he told her that of course such a large crew could not _all_ have
+staterooms, but _I_ had a very nice one, that could be folded when not
+in use, and put to one side out of the way. It was made of canvas, he
+said, so constructed that it would always swing with the ship, and so
+keep upright in a rolling sea.
+
+"She listened intently, and finally broke out enthusiastically: 'How
+nice!'
+
+"Billy almost had a fit at that, and I nearly had, when I read his
+letter."
+
+We all laughed heartily and trooped below to enjoy a few hours' sleep
+in our "folding staterooms."
+
+The next day dawned bright and clear, and warm; with nothing to remind
+us of the storm of the night before except the seedy look on the faces
+of some of the "heroes" who were prone to seasickness.
+
+The sun had not been up many hours when the masthead lookout shouted,
+"Sail ho!" To which the officer of the deck replied, "Where away?"
+
+"Dead ahead, sir. Looks like one of the vessels of the fleet, sir."
+
+And so we joined the squadron again, after an absence of twenty-four
+hours.
+
+Nothing had occurred while we were away. Cervera's fleet was still
+"bottled up" in Santiago harbor, and the American fleet held the cork so
+effectively that even a torpedo boat could not get out.
+
+After preparing the ship for the usual Sunday inspection, and arraying
+ourselves in clean whites, polished shoes, and stockings, we thought we
+had done all the work that would be required of us for the day. But when
+the gig returned, bringing the skipper from the flagship, we learned
+that we were to get under way right after dinner, and steam to the
+westward.
+
+After "turn to" was sounded at 1:15 o'clock, we noted a long string of
+signal flags flying from the signal yard, which we found requested
+permission from the flagship to proceed at once. As the affirmative
+pennant on the "New York" slowly rose to its place on the foremast, the
+"Yankee's" jingle bell sounded, and the ship began to gather headway.
+
+At "afternoon quarters"--1:30--a drill, new to us, was taught; called by
+the officers "physical drill," and by the men "rubber-necking." We
+hardly felt the need of exercise. The swinging of a swab and use of sand
+and canvas, to say nothing of "scrub and wash clothes" before breakfast,
+seemed to us sufficient work to keep our muscles in good condition; but
+it is one of the axioms in the navy that "Satan finds some mischief
+still for idle hands to do," so the men were soon lined up--sufficient
+space being given each man to allow him to swing his arms, windmill
+fashion, without interfering with his neighbor.
+
+A regular calisthenic exercise was gone through, such as may be seen in
+gymnasiums all over the country; but instead of a steady, even floor,
+upon which it would be quite easy to stand tiptoe, on one foot, or
+crouched with bended knees, it was quite a different matter to do these
+"stunts" on the constantly rolling deck.
+
+At the order, "Knee stoop, one," we bent our knees till we sat on our
+heels. "Heads up, hands on the hips, there!" said Mr. Greene of our
+division, as some one obeyed an almost irresistible impulse to keep his
+balance by putting out his hand. The man obeyed, but at that instant the
+ship gave a lurch, and the poor chap fell over on his head and almost
+rolled down the berth-deck hatch.
+
+The laugh that followed was promptly suppressed, and though the exercise
+was not carried out with a great deal of grace or ease, Mr. Greene
+seemed to be satisfied with the first attempt.
+
+We steamed along all the afternoon past the coast of Cuba and within
+plain sight of the beautiful, surf-rimmed beach. We looked for signs of
+the enemy, but not a living thing could be seen. Not a sign of human
+habitation; not an indication that any human being had ever set foot on
+this desolate land. So beautiful, so grand, so lonely was it that we
+longed to go ashore and shout, just to set a few echoes reverberating in
+the hills.
+
+Toward night, we turned seaward, and the land was lost to view; at the
+same time the "Yosemite," manned by the Michigan Naval Reserves, who
+had accompanied us thus far, dropped out of sight in the haze. She was
+bound for Jamaica.
+
+A ship painted the "war color" now in vogue in the United States navy,
+will disappear as if by magic when dusk comes on. The lead color makes
+any object covered with it invisible in half light or a haze.
+
+There had been much speculation during the day and evening as to our
+probable destination, but we remained in ignorance until the next
+morning, when it became known that our orders were to call at the port
+of Cienfuegos, a prominent city of southern Cuba, some three hundred and
+thirty miles from Santiago.
+
+It was reported that the object of our visit was to intercept and
+capture a blockade runner said to be aiming for that port. The news
+received an enthusiastic welcome fore and aft. The billet of "fleet
+messenger" was becoming tiresome.
+
+The land had been sighted at two bells (nine o'clock), and all hands
+were looking for Cienfuegos, but it was past one before the mouth of the
+harbor was gained. The "Yankee's" crew were at regular quarters at the
+time, but a hurried order to dismiss and clear ship for action sent the
+different guns' crews scurrying to their stations.
+
+To add to the interest, word came from the bridge to train the guns aft
+and to do everything possible to disguise the cruiser.
+
+"We are to masquerade as a blooming merchantman," chuckled "Dye." "This
+reminds me of my boyhood days when I read pirate stories. Do you
+remember that yarn about Kydd, where he rigged painted canvas about his
+ship and hid all the ports, 'Stump'? It was great. The whole piratical
+crew, with the exception of a dozen men, kept below, and when a poor
+unfortunate ship came along, the bloodthirsty villains captured her."
+
+"I wish they had caught you at the same time," retorted "Stump." "Then
+we wouldn't be bothered with your infernal cackle. Here, give me a hand
+with this mess chest."
+
+By this time the task of preparing for action was an old story, and we
+made short work of it. The call to "general quarters" followed without
+delay, and, as we prepared the battery for action, word came from above
+that a large gunboat, showing Spanish colors, was leaving the harbor in
+our direction.
+
+"Which means a scrap of the liveliest description," muttered Tommy.
+"They evidently take us for a trader without guns, and they'll attack
+us sure."
+
+Boom!
+
+A six-pounder gave voice from the spar deck, instantly followed by a
+five-inch breechloader in the waist. Number Eight was loaded, and "Hay,"
+who held the firing lanyard, snatched another sight, then stood erect
+with left hand in the air.
+
+"Ready, sir," he called out to the officer of the division.
+
+"Fire!" came the reply promptly.
+
+With the word a vicious report shook the deck, and the gun muzzle
+vanished in a cloud of smoke. Eager hands opened the breech, others
+inserted another cartridge, there was a shifting of the training lever,
+a turn of the elevating wheel, then "Hay" stood back once more, and
+coolly made the electrical connection.
+
+Following the second report came a dull, booming sound, apparently from
+a distance. We eyed one another significantly.
+
+"It's a fort," quoth "Dye." "We've got to tackle both sea and land
+forces."
+
+Presently, while we were hard at work sending shots at the Spanish
+gunboat, which was in lively action a short distance away, we became
+aware of a peculiar whirring noise--a sound like the angry humming of a
+swarm of hornets. It would rise and fall in volume, then break off short
+with a sharp crash. Suddenly, while glancing through the port, I saw
+something strike the surface, sending up a great spurt of water. It was
+followed by a dull, muffled report which seemed to shake the ship.
+
+It was a shell!
+
+"Whiz! they are coming pretty fast," remarked Flagg. "That last one
+didn't miss us by a dozen yards."
+
+"This isn't Santiago shooting," put in Tommy. "These beggars know how to
+aim."
+
+During the next ten minutes the fighting was fast and furious. It was
+load and fire and load again without cessation. There was the old
+trouble in regard to the smoke, and half the time we had to aim blindly.
+Notwithstanding that fact, "Hay" did so well that word came from Captain
+Brownson complimenting him warmly.
+
+The "Yankee" seemed to be the centre of a series of eruptions. The
+Spanish shells kept the water continually boiling, and with the
+splashing of each projectile there would arise a geyser-like fountain
+accompanied by a muffled explosion which could be plainly felt on board
+the ship.
+
+[Illustration: "THERE WAS TEMPORARY CONFUSION"]
+
+It was the first real naval battle experienced by us--the bombardment of
+Santiago being of an entirely different calibre--and it needed only the
+grewsome setting of surgeons and wounded and blood to make it complete.
+That soon came.
+
+We of Number Eight gun were working at our stations, so intent on our
+duties that the uproar of shot and shell outside claimed little
+attention, when suddenly there came a louder explosion than usual
+directly in front of the open port.
+
+There was a blinding flash, a puff of stifling smoke, and then Kennedy,
+who was just approaching the gun with a shell, staggered back, and
+almost fell to the deck. Tommy, the first captain, made a gesture as if
+brushing something from his breast, and then leaped to the injured man's
+assistance.
+
+"It was a piece of shell," cried "Stump." "It came through the port."
+
+There was temporary confusion. The surgeon and his assistants came on a
+run, but before they could reach the spot, Kennedy recovered and
+advanced to meet them. He presented a horrible spectacle, with his face
+and neck and body spattered with blood, and we who were nearest saw that
+he had been frightfully wounded in the left shoulder.
+
+Notwithstanding that fact, he remained cool and steady, and never made
+the slightest indication that he was suffering. When he finally
+disappeared down the berth-deck ladder we exchanged glances of surprise
+and sympathy.
+
+"That isn't Kennedy," murmured "Stump," softly.
+
+"We didn't know him after all," said "Hay." "Poor devil! I hope he isn't
+badly injured."
+
+"He has been in the hardest kind of luck since we left New York," spoke
+up Tommy. "Seasick half the time, always in trouble, and bucking against
+homesickness and everything else. And now he has to be wounded. It's a
+shame."
+
+Our thoughts were with our comrade as we served the gun, and when word
+came a few moments later that he was doing fairly well, we could hardly
+repress a cheer.
+
+There was little time, however, for displaying emotion. We were right in
+the thick of the fight, and the "Yankee's" battery was being worked to
+the limit. It seemed as if the air fairly reeled with the noise and
+clamor of combat. Shells buzzed and shrieked about us, and smoke
+gathered in thick, stifling clouds all about the ship.
+
+While we were laboring, stripped to the waist, and trying our utmost to
+disable or sink the Spanish gunboat, an incident was occurring on deck
+which seemed more fitted for the pages of a novel than those of a story
+of facts.
+
+It was a display of daredevil courage seldom equalled in warfare.
+
+The lad whom we familiarly termed the "Kid" was the central figure and
+the hero. The diary of No. 5 of the after port gun, from which this
+narrative is taken, says of him: "'Kid' Thompson is the ship's human
+mascot and all-round favorite with officers and men. His bump of respect
+is a depression, but his fund of ready wit and his unvarying good nature
+are irresistible. He is eighteen years of age, and is a 'powder monkey'
+on Number Sixteen, a six-pounder on the spar deck. This gun and Number
+Fifteen were the last to obey the order to cease firing during the
+bombardment of Santiago."
+
+During the fight with the Spanish gunboat it chanced that the port
+battery was not engaged for a brief period, so the "Kid," with the rest
+of Number Sixteen crew, were at rest. To better see the shooting the
+"Kid" climbed upon the after wheel-house roof. The shells from the
+gunboat and the forts were dropping all around, fore and aft, port and
+starboard; they whistled through the rigging, and exploded in every
+direction, sending their fragments in a veritable hail of metal on all
+sides.
+
+The fact that the "Yankee" had so far escaped injury aroused in the
+"Kid's" breast a feeling of the utmost contempt for the Spanish gunners.
+Coolly standing upon his feet, he assumed the pose of a baseball player,
+and holding a capstan bar in his hands, called out tauntingly:
+
+"Here, you dagoes, give me a low ball, will you? Put 'em over the
+plate!"
+
+As a shell would fly past with a shriek, he would strike at it, shouting
+at the same time:
+
+"Put 'em over the plate, I say. Do you expect me to walk up to the
+fo'c's'le to get a rap at 'em? Hi, there! wake up!"
+
+Then as a shot fell short, he laughed: "Look at that drop, will you? Do
+you think I'm going to dive for it?"
+
+A moment later a shell flew past so close that the windage almost
+staggered him, but the daring lad only cried banteringly: "That's more
+like it. One more a little closer and I'll show you a home run worth
+seeing."
+
+And so it went until he was espied from the bridge and peremptorily
+ordered down.
+
+In the meantime, while this little episode was in progress, we on the
+gun deck were laboring without cessation. A dozen shots had been fired
+from Number Eight alone, when suddenly another fort secured the range,
+and began a deadly fusillade.
+
+The situation was becoming extremely serious!
+
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+
+COALING IN THE TROPICS.
+
+The well-directed fire of the forts at the entrance to Cienfuegos was
+rapidly making the "Yankee's" position untenable, and it soon became
+apparent that we would have to give way before overwhelming odds.
+Fifteen minutes after the battle began between the Spanish gunboat and
+the "Yankee," the former beat a hasty retreat, steaming back into the
+harbor.
+
+It was plainly evident, however, that she had been badly hulled, as she
+yawed wildly while passing from sight behind the headlands. This of
+itself was victory enough for the present, and at the end of twenty
+minutes' firing, we withdrew out of range.
+
+Our object in the first place was, as we ascertained from forward during
+the day, to intercept a Spanish blockade runner, the "Purissima
+Concepcion"; so we laid off the harbor and waited for the coming of the
+ship, which was supposed to have left Jamaica for Cienfuegos. The day
+was spent in cleaning up after our brief but lively battle, and when
+night came, we were again shipshape.
+
+Shortly after daybreak the following morning, the lookout aloft reported
+that a steamer, evidently a man-of-war, was emerging from the harbor.
+The crew were called to "general quarters" at once, and every
+preparation made to give the stranger a lively reception. She proved,
+however, to be the German warship "Geier" bound for Santiago.
+
+"In time of peace prepare for war" is a good adage, but the reverse is
+also true. Peaceful pursuits are of a necessity carried out even in the
+face of the enemy.
+
+At "evening quarters" new hammocks were doled out, and all hands were
+instructed to scrub the old ones next morning and turn them in.
+
+By this time we had become quite expert laundrymen, but we had never
+tackled a stiff canvas hammock, and the prospect was far from pleasant;
+the following morning, however, we learned how to perform this final
+feat of cleansing; after which we felt qualified to wash anything--from
+a handkerchief to a circus tent.
+
+As "Hay" said, "I feel equal to applying for the position of general
+housework man, if I lose my job. I can sew--you ought to see the
+elegant patch I put on the seat of my old blues--I can 'scrub and wash'
+clothes, I can sweep beautifully, I can make a bed with neatness and
+despatch. And I have been known to get on my knees and scrub the deck."
+
+"You're not the only one," growled Bill. "Why, even 'Dirty Greene'
+escapes the aforetime customary 'calling down.'"
+
+Greene was a clever fellow, a student at Harvard, the owner of a yacht,
+and a good sailor, but his college education did not help him to get his
+clothes clean. That was a study that had been left out of his university
+curriculum. The consequence was that he, with a good many others, was
+"called down" at every inspection.
+
+"Greene is getting it in the neck now," said his friend "Steve"; "but I
+think he will get even some day with his cousin, the lieutenant of his
+division."
+
+"How's that?" we chorused.
+
+"Why, you see he owns a schooner yacht. And his cousin, the lieutenant,
+is very fond of sailing and never fails to accept an invitation to go
+cruising on her. Some day when the lieutenant is aboard, Greene will
+look him over and discover that his shoes are not polished, that his
+hair has not been combed properly, or his white duck trousers are not
+immaculate. He will then be sent below in disgrace to repair these
+faults, and our friend Greene will have the merry Ha! Ha! on him. 'He
+who laughs last, laughs best.'"
+
+We one and all wished we owned yachts and could invite some of the other
+officers--"Cutlets" in particular.
+
+Blockading duty is monotonous work, though the strain on the lookouts is
+intense. During the day, a bright lookout must be kept for the lightest
+tinge of smoke on the horizon, and at night for the faintest glimmer of
+light, or a deeper shadow on the rim of the ocean that would betray a
+ship.
+
+It was Tuesday night, and time hung heavy on our hands. Eight bells had
+not sounded, and, though hammocks had been given out, neither watch
+could turn in. It was with particular glee, therefore, that we welcomed
+the news that "Steve" had composed an up-to-date verse to his "Tommy
+Atkins" song. After some persuasion--for he is a modest chap--he
+consented to sing it for us.
+
+    "The first two verses of this song were writ
+      Before we sailed away for Cuba's Isle;
+    And since that time the Spaniards we have fit,
+      And chased their gunboats many a weary mile.
+    We've heard the bullets whistling overhead.
+      We've heard the shells fly by and called it sport,
+        And down at Cienfuegos
+        We proved ourselves courageous
+      By tackling both a gunboat and a fort.
+
+    CHORUS.
+
+      "Now we'd _like_ to run a ferry,
+        All along the Jersey shore;
+      Fighting Spaniards, it is very
+        Nice, but we don't want--no more.
+      We would give our bottom dollar,
+        And of that you need not fear,
+      Just to hear the masthead holler
+        Brooklyn navy yard is here."
+
+"That's very good, 'Steve,'" said Greene, "but I can't quite agree to
+that line: 'Fighting Spaniards it is very nice, but we don't want--no
+more.' I'd like to have a few more raps at 'em."
+
+"You are such a bloodthirsty chap," said Flagg, "you slam the charges
+into your old Number Seven as if you would like to wipe out the whole
+enemy with one fell swoop."
+
+"Well," replied Greene, thoughtfully, "a man does get awfully excited
+when the guns begin to bark."
+
+And every one of us knew exactly how he felt.
+
+We maintained a close vigil until the sixteenth of June--two days
+later--then sailed for Santiago. Shortly after entering port we were
+informed that the Spanish gunboat with which we had been engaged off
+Cienfuegos had sunk, sent to the bottom by our fire; a bit of news
+highly appreciated.
+
+Our stay in Santiago was short, the "Yankee" leaving for Guantanamo the
+next day at eleven o'clock. On reaching the latter port we found
+evidences of a considerable change in the condition of affairs. On our
+former visit, as the reader will remember, we had engaged in an
+interesting argument with a gunboat, a blockhouse, and a fort, driving
+the boat back into the harbor and silencing the fort. The good work done
+that day had borne fruit.
+
+On entering the bay we found several of our vessels quietly riding at
+anchor--the "Oregon," "Marblehead," "Dolphin" (of railway-train fame),
+the ambulance ship "Solace," the "Panther," "Suwanee," and three or four
+colliers and despatch boats.
+
+But that which attracted our instant attention and brought an
+involuntary cheer from us, was the sight of Old Glory, flaunting proudly
+from a tall flagstaff erected on the site of the former Spanish
+blockhouse.
+
+"Hurray!" shouted "Stump," "it's the first American flag to fly over
+Cuba. And we dug the hole to plant it."
+
+"That's right," assented "Dye." "We are the people."
+
+"What's that camp on top of the hill?" queried Flagg, indicating a
+number of tents gleaming in dots of white against the background of
+green foliage.
+
+"It is the marine camp," explained "Hay." "Didn't you hear about it in
+Santiago? Why, man, it's the talk of the fleet. The marine corps has
+been adding to its laurels again. The other day eight hundred of them
+landed from the 'Panther' and fairly swept the place of Spaniards,
+fighting against three times their number. It was great."
+
+"The marines have a fine record," put in Tommy. "I've been shipmates
+with them for years, and I am free to confess that they always do their
+duty."
+
+"And are always faithful," remarked "Dye."
+
+"That's their motto, 'Semper fidelis.' They have lived up to it in every
+war. They antedate the navy, you know."
+
+"How's that?" asked the "Kid," who was willing to absorb knowledge at
+times.
+
+Tommy produced an ancient book from his ditty box, and proceeded to
+read an extract in a loud, sonorous voice. It was as follows:
+
+"Resolved, That two battalions of marines be raised, consisting of one
+colonel, two lieutenant-colonels, two majors, and other officers, as
+usual in other regiments; that they consist of an equal number of
+privates with other battalions; that particular care be taken that no
+persons be appointed to offices or enlisted into said battalions but
+such as are good seamen, or so acquainted with maritime affairs as to be
+able to serve to advantage on sea when required, that they be enlisted
+and commissioned to serve for and during the present war with Great
+Britain and the colonies, unless dismissed by order of Congress, that
+they be distinguished by the names of the First and Second Battalions of
+Marines."
+
+"The date of that resolution," added Tommy, with the air of a
+schoolmaster impressing a particular point, "is November 10, 1775, which
+was before any naval vessel had been sent to sea by the Continental
+Congress. So you see the marines can claim priority in point of
+service."
+
+"And priority in point of landing in Cuba," added "Hod." "Here's to
+them."
+
+Our discussion on the subject of marines was cut short by a summons to
+coal ship, a task which had come to form the greatest thorn in the flesh
+of all on board the "Yankee." The ship was run alongside the collier
+"Sterling," and the port watch was set to work at once.
+
+From four to six and from eight to twelve p.m., and from four to eight
+the next morning the port watch shovelled, hoisted, and carried coal.
+
+Coaling in the tropics is a very different thing from similar work in
+northern latitudes. The exertion of shovelling, or lifting the heavy
+baskets, added to the intense heat of the weather, makes of it a task
+extremely trying even to those of the strongest physique. During the
+time thus spent in Guantanamo two of the "Yankee's" crew were overcome
+by heat and exhaustion, and compelled to ask for medical attendance.
+
+Our appearance beggared description. The exertion brought out a profuse
+perspiration on our half-naked bodies, to which the coal-dust stuck,
+thick and black. The black rubbed off in spots, showing the white skin
+beneath, the result being a most ludicrous mottled effect. A dime museum
+manager would make a fortune if he could have exhibited some of us as
+the piebald wild men from Guantanamo. It was not till afterward,
+however, that we could appreciate the humor of our looks. During the
+thick of the work we were too busy to note the funny side of things; in
+fact, we felt quite sure that there was nothing funny about it. It is
+impossible to awaken the sense of humor in a man who is plying a heavy
+shovel in the hold of a collier, or lugging a weighty basket, while the
+temperature is soaring to unknown altitudes.
+
+The ship had to be supplied with fuel, however, and as the crew had
+neglected to ingratiate themselves with a good-natured fairy to wish it
+aboard for them, they had to do the work with the best grace possible.
+
+During a "spell" of resting, "Hay," who was a bit of a philosopher in
+his way, glanced about decks at the groups of panting, perspiring men,
+and remarked:
+
+"It would be an object lesson to some of our friends in New York if they
+were to see us now. Just look at those fellows. Not one had ever before
+been compelled by ill-fortune to soil his hands with toil, yet when war
+threatened, and it was necessary to man ships in their country's
+service, they cheerfully took upon themselves the labor's of a common
+sailor, and not only fought for the flag, but worked hard for it in
+menial tasks."
+
+"Menial tasks is good," said "Dye," ruefully eyeing the baskets piled
+high with coal.
+
+"Self-laudation is bad form," spoke up Flagg, "but I think the Naval
+Reserves who are manning the different auxiliary cruisers--the
+'Yosemite,' 'Prairie,' 'Dixie,' 'Badger,' 'Yankee,' and the monitors--as
+well as those serving on board the regular ships, should be given credit
+for their patriotism."
+
+"The boys will get it when the time comes," remarked "Stump,"
+confidently. "And while we are waiting we'll just carry a little more
+coal. Get in line there."
+
+Kennedy, all this time, was bearing up under his trouble splendidly, and
+when the launch of the hospital ship "Solace" came alongside to take him
+away, we could hardly repress a cheer. He was lowered over the side in a
+chair. As the launch steamed away, carrying Kennedy and two other
+shipmates who had been overcome by heat, there was a lump in many a
+throat.
+
+It was not until almost dark the next day that the bunkers were filled.
+At three bells (half-past five o'clock) we dropped the collier and
+steamed to sea en route down the coast. Shortly after ten the "Yankee"
+passed the fleet off Santiago. The electric searchlights in use on the
+ships nearer shore made a particularly brilliant display. The rays were
+turned directly upon the entrance to the harbor, and it was plainly
+evident that not even a small boat could emerge without being
+discovered.
+
+All day Sunday we steamed out of sight of land, our course being to the
+westward and our speed a good fourteen knots.
+
+For four hours in the morning we scrubbed the gun deck, washed the white
+paint work with fresh water and soap, scrubbed the deck with stiff
+"kiyi" brushes, and polished off the bright work. By noon the deck had
+its pristine immaculate look. We were in the midst of the sloppy job
+when "forecastle Murray" (one of the Murray twins--they looked so much
+alike that the invariable greeting in the morning was "How are you,
+Murray--or are you your brother?") came aft for a bucket of fresh water.
+
+"What do you think of this?" he inquired pugnaciously. "Here we are
+scrubbing this blooming gun deck to beat the band, cleaning up the dirt
+of a two day's coaling, and now, forsooth, we are ploughing through the
+water at a fourteen or fifteen knot gait and burning up that coal almost
+as fast as we put it in."
+
+He disappeared up the galley ladder, grumbling as he went.
+
+"Another county heard from," said "Stump." "It does seem rather tough,
+but here goes"--he gave a vicious jerk to the hose he was handling and
+the stream caught "Hay" full in the neck, whereupon "Hay" saw to it that
+"Stump" had a salt-water bath.
+
+By the time "mess gear" was piped, the ship was very clean, so during
+the afternoon we were left largely to our own devices. Some wrote
+letters, though the possibility of sending them or of receiving answers
+was very remote. Others gathered in little knots and read or sewed, and
+still others took advantage of the time to "caulk off" and make up some
+lost sleep.
+
+And so passed another Sunday. Though we might not have a religious
+service we were certainly cleanly, and, therefore, at the worst, not far
+from godly.
+
+Nothing of interest occurred until early Monday morning. Several minutes
+before "mess gear" was due, a lookout at the masthead reported smoke in
+sight off the starboard bow. The engine room was signalled for full
+steam, and the "Yankee" sped away in chase.
+
+"It's our day for scrapping," said "Stump." "We've had more fighting on
+Monday than on any other day of the week. I wonder if it's a Spanish
+cruiser?"
+
+"It is heading for Trinidad, whatever it is," remarked "Hay." "Do you
+see that sloping hill just ahead? It marks the entrance to the little
+port of Trinidad. If I am not mistaken we'll find a gunboat or two in
+the harbor."
+
+[Illustration: "THE FUSILLADE WAS LIVELY"]
+
+"Hay" proved to be a prophet.
+
+An hour later, on rounding a point of land, we came upon a small, armed
+launch steaming about near an old-time roofed-in gunboat which was
+riding at anchor in the harbor. As soon as we hove in sight the gunboat
+and launch opened fire. It was at long range, however, and the
+projectiles merely stirred up the water a mile away.
+
+As the "Yankee's" guns replied, a two-masted steamer made her appearance
+from within the harbor and vanished behind the keys. The fusillade was
+lively, we firing fully one hundred rounds, but there was little damage
+done. After a time, the launch retreated, and we went outside for the
+night.
+
+"It's the last of that scrap," remarked Tommy, the boatswain's mate, as
+he piped down. "We haven't any time to devote to such small fry."
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+
+"REMEMBER THE FISH."
+
+The following morning, after "all hands," the "Yankee" started westward
+along the coast. Cienfuegos was passed, and presently the cruiser was
+taken nearer shore. The lookouts were told to keep watch for horsemen
+riding near the beach. This order aroused our flagging interest, and the
+majority of men on board maintained a careful scrutiny of the white
+strip of land just beyond the breakers.
+
+It was not until noon, however, that our search was rewarded. It was
+just after passing a deep inlet that one of the lookouts espied a group
+of men gathered near the water's edge. There seemed to be a number of
+them, and not far away could be seen a blue and white flag flying from a
+small staff.
+
+The engines were stopped, and a boat officered by Lieutenant Duncan, and
+carrying "Hay" as interpreter, went ashore. "Hay" had spent several
+years in the West Indies and was thoroughly familiar with the Spanish
+language. As he was unique in that respect on board the ship, he often
+did duty as interpreter.
+
+The boat landed in a little cove. After parleying for a while, one of
+the landing party was seen to wigwag. A few moments later the boat
+returned, bringing three Cubans, one of whom was the Cuban governor of
+Matanzas. The others were a captain and commander respectively. "Hay"
+was immediately surrounded and asked to describe what he saw ashore.
+
+"I have had the honor of photographing a detachment of the Cuban Army of
+Liberation," he replied, quizzically. "To tell the truth, it looked like
+a part of Coxey's army. There were about thirty of them, and the
+clothing of the whole outfit wouldn't supply a New England farmer with a
+season's scarecrow. They carried guns of all descriptions, some of them
+with the barrels sawed off short like cavalry carbines; and not one of
+the men looked as if he knew the meaning of a square meal."
+
+"Like Washington's army at Valley Forge, eh?" observed LeValley, joining
+the group.
+
+"Yes, and they are fighting for their liberty, too."
+
+"How did they like being photographed?" asked Tommy.
+
+"Tickled to death. When I asked them to line up they almost fell over
+each other. Next to eating, I think the poor devils love to have their
+pictures taken. They were just like children, and when I pressed the
+button they stood round waiting for the photograph to drop from the
+kodak."
+
+"Reminds me of the Cubans of Puerto Principe when the railway was built
+to that place," put in "Zere," the chief quartermaster. "A temporary
+roundhouse had been constructed, and when the first locomotive reached
+the city and was placed in it to be cleaned, all the natives from miles
+around gathered there. They crowded the windows and doors and were
+evidently waiting for something. Finally the engineer asked one of them
+what he wanted to see. 'We watch for mule to come out,' was the
+startling reply."
+
+"Mule?" echoed Flagg.
+
+"Yes, that was the only motive power known to them," grinned "Zere."
+"They thought even a Yankee engine must have a mule somewhere inside."
+
+"That's like the natives of Guatemala," spoke up "Hop," the messenger.
+"When the street cars were introduced it was the usual thing for a
+native wishing to ride, to mount the platform and knock politely on the
+door. Some one inside would rise and open it, and then the native would
+enter and shake hands all round."
+
+"Fancy doing that on a Broadway cable car," laughed "Stump."
+
+Our imagination was not strong enough for that.
+
+The Cuban guests remained with us for several hours, then went ashore,
+together with a boat-load of provisions contributed by the ship.
+
+The whaleboat returned to the ship when the watch on deck had just been
+piped to supper. The other watch, therefore, had the job of pulling her
+up. The steady tramp, tramp, began and the boat slowly rose up foot by
+foot, till it was level with the rail, then there was a sudden jar and a
+crash. In an instant six men of the crew were in the water, while the
+boat floated away by itself.
+
+There was a rush of feet on deck, loud shouts and cries of "Throw them a
+rope," "Set adrift the life buoy," "Where's that life belt?" and the
+like.
+
+The men at mess jumped up, overturning cups and plates and dishes of
+food. One forecastle man pulled off his jumper and dove in to help.
+
+The sea ladder was put over the side and "Long Tommy" went down it,
+taking with him a piece of line; this he slipped under the arms of
+Rowland, the forecastle man, who had struck an oar on the way down, and
+was hurt. The man was soon hauled up on deck. The other four were also
+rescued. One went floating calmly off on the life buoy and was picked up
+by the gig, and the rest caught rope-ends and were safely hauled aboard,
+none the worse for their involuntary bath.
+
+Lines were coiled down again, the sea ladder unshipped and put in its
+place, and soon all was quiet and shipshape again--but we discovered
+that two spit kits and a monkey-wrench had been thrown overboard to aid
+the sinking sailors.
+
+"It's an ill wind that blows nobody good," quoted the "Kid," who
+happened to be sweeper that week. "I won't have to polish the brass on
+_those_ kits again."
+
+Shortly after the return of the last boat, smoke was sighted to seaward.
+The crew was called to general quarters without delay, and our ship
+steamed out to investigate. After a brief but exciting chase, we
+discovered that the supposed enemy was the auxiliary cruiser "Dixie," a
+sister ship of the "Yankee." She was manned by the Maryland Naval
+Reserves, and her armament was composed of six-inch breechloading
+rifles, not of the rapid-fire class.
+
+It soon became evident that her commanding officer, Commander Davis, was
+superior in rank to Commander Brownson, and he took charge of affairs at
+once. Captain Brownson was rowed over to the "Dixie" to pay his
+respects, and on his return a rumor that we were to be relieved of coast
+patrol duty by the "Dixie" and to proceed to Key West, went through the
+ship like wildfire.
+
+Tom LeValley brought the news to a group of us gathered on the after gun
+deck. We were just discussing the peculiar, and apparently ridiculous,
+degrees of etiquette found among naval officers in general, as
+exemplified by the ranking of Commander Davis over Commander Brownson.
+
+"They are both commanders," Tommy was explaining, "but Commander Davis
+happens to rank Commander Brownson by sixteen numbers in the official
+list. Both entered the service November 29, 1861, and--"
+
+"Whoop!"
+
+Down the ladder charged LeValley, wildly flourishing his cap. He stopped
+in front of us and gasped: "Hurrah! we're going--going to the United
+States, fellows."
+
+"What's up?" demanded "Stump."
+
+"The 'Dixie'--"
+
+"Yes?"
+
+"She's to relieve us, and we are ordered to Key West and then to New
+York. We're going--"
+
+"Rats!" broke in "Hay," in disgust. "You can't give us any game like
+that. It's a rumor, my boy. We're never going home. The 'Yankee' is the
+modern 'Flying Dutchman,' and--"
+
+At that moment the "Kid" appeared in sight, and his beaming face
+convinced us. It was glorious news, but not one of us felt like
+cheering. Our emotions were too deep for that. The mere prospect of
+seeing home again was enough pleasure for the moment, and we were
+content to talk quietly over the welcome possibility of soon meeting
+relatives and friends.
+
+The "Yankee" was destined, however, to experience a little more service
+before dropping anchor in home waters.
+
+For several days we cruised along the coast between Casilda and
+Cienfuegos. We came to know it very well; every ravine in the mountains
+was familiar, every inlet in the coral-bound shore known to us. It began
+to grow monotonous.
+
+Time lay rather heavy on our hands, but not too heavy, for we were put
+to work, two guns' crews at a time, coaling in a new and torrid fashion:
+the coal in the after hold had not all been taken out during the
+northern cruise, so it was decided to pack it in bags, two hundred
+pounds to a bag, carry it forward and stack it in an unused ballast
+tank.
+
+Number Six and Number Eight guns' crews were among the first to engage
+in this pleasant occupation.
+
+We found heat enough below to supply a good-sized house all winter, so
+clothing seemed unnecessary. We stripped to the waist, "Cumming," a
+member of Number Six gun's crew, remarking that he thought a cool glance
+and a frozen smile would be sufficient in such a warm climate.
+
+The work was hard and dirty and the heat terrific. We saw no necessity
+for the transfer. Jack never can see the need of work unless it happens
+that some other crew is doing it.
+
+We cheered ourselves, however, by singing "There's a hot time in the old
+ship to-day."
+
+While we lay close inshore, the "Dixie" cruised outside, and toward
+evening the two vessels met, and together we went to Casilda, a port
+near Trinidad. We stood by while the "Dixie" threw a few shells into
+the fort. Two days later the "Yankee" parted from her consort and
+proceeded to the Isle of Pines.
+
+It was here one of the most laughable incidents of the cruise occurred.
+While steaming past one of the outlying islands, a small fleet of
+fishing sloops was discovered at anchor inshore. Under ordinary
+circumstances such unimportant craft would not have been molested, but
+in the present case it was suspected that they formed part of the fleet
+supplying fish to the Havana market. To destroy them was our bounden
+duty.
+
+"Man the starboard fo'c'sle six-pounder and fire a shell in their
+direction," ordered the captain from the bridge.
+
+The gun was loaded in short order, and presently a projectile went
+screeching across the water, dropping with a splash near the largest
+sloop. Several small rowboats were seen to pull away from the smacks,
+and it was evident the crews had fled in terror. Directly after dinner,
+the "Yankee's" first cutter and the second whaleboat were ordered away,
+manned and armed. A Colt machine gun was placed in the bow of the
+former, and each carried an extra squad of armed marines.
+
+When the expedition returned it had in tow five decked sloops, one of
+which contained a quantity of fresh fish. Orders were given to attach
+the latter to our stern, and to fire the others and set them adrift.
+Before this was done, however, enough fish to supply the wardroom and
+cabin messes were taken out.
+
+"The crew can have its share to-morrow," quoth the captain.
+
+The "crew" waited impatiently, but when the morrow came it was found
+that, through some one's blunder, the sloop containing the fish had been
+burned, and an empty one towed to sea with us. The joke, if it might be
+so termed, was on the crew.
+
+The watchword heretofore on the "Yankee," as on every one of Uncle Sam's
+ships, had been "Remember the Maine." Hereafter it was "Remember the
+fish." This was done so persistently that the officer who was
+responsible for the blunder was dubbed "Fish," and whenever he went near
+any member of the crew he was likely to hear, in a low tone, "Remember
+the fish."
+
+After leaving the Isle of Pines the eastern shore of Cuba was rounded
+and a straight run made for Key West. At noon on the 27th of June, just
+twenty-nine days after the "Yankee" sailed from New York, we again
+entered a home port. The time was brief as time goes, but our varied
+experiences in foreign waters made the sight of the stars and stripes
+flaunting over American soil particularly pleasing.
+
+As we neared our anchorage the most entrancing rumors were rife. We were
+to get shore liberty without doubt, and the ship was to be coaled by
+outside labor. We took no stock in the latter rumor till an officer
+voiced it--then we believed. Our clean blues were furbished up, lanyards
+scrubbed, and money counted. We understood that there was little to see
+at Key West; that it was a dull and uninteresting place. Still it was
+land, and we had not set foot ashore for almost three months.
+
+If we had not been so anxious to get ashore we might have been able to
+appreciate the marine picture.
+
+The harbor, if it could be called a harbor, was full of war vessels,
+prizes, and colliers. Three grim monitors tugged at their anchor chains,
+apparently impatient at the restraint, while a few graceful, clean-cut,
+converted yachts swung with the tide.
+
+The gunboat "Wilmington," and the cruisers "Newark" and "Montgomery,"
+floated with a bored air. In ship's language they said, Why are we
+loafing here? Why not be up and doing?
+
+The "Lancaster," a fine old frigate, the flagship of the commodore, had
+a fatherly air and seemed to say: "Be good and you will all have a
+chance."
+
+Once more we got our shore-going clothes ready, only to be disappointed,
+and again the promises made to us proved elusive. The day following our
+arrival, we were told that no shore liberty would be given at Key West,
+and while the reasons were all sufficient, a man who has set his mind on
+an outing ashore after a hundred days at sea, finds it somewhat hard to
+reconcile himself to the inevitable.
+
+One of the hardest, if not the hardest, thing we had to bear was the
+lack of letters and news from home. When one has been deprived of all
+tidings from his own people for so long the longing for word of them
+becomes almost unbearable.
+
+In the midst of our toughest work we felt that a letter from home would
+act like a strong tonic and brace us for the effort, and it would have
+done so. But no such balm came, though we eagerly scanned every incoming
+vessel for the signal "We have mail for you." Now at last, though there
+might be tons on tons of coal to be put in at Key West, though the ship
+might have to be scrubbed and painted from truck to water line, we felt
+certain we would get letters from home. Letters that we ached for. And
+so when we sighted the fleet and old fort, and realized that we had
+reached Key West and mail at last, our joy was too great for utterance.
+
+The whaleboat went ashore and brought back two bags of precious
+missives, with the sad news that eight bags had been sent on a despatch
+boat to the "Yankee" at Santiago.
+
+We were glad enough to get two bags, yet we almost gnashed our teeth
+when we thought of the eight fat pouches that were chasing us around the
+island of Cuba.
+
+The mail was brought to the wardroom and dumped out on the table for the
+commissioned officers to sort and pick out their own letters. A
+news-hungry group stood the while at the doors, watching and mentally
+grumbling that such an awfully long time was being taken to accomplish
+so simple a thing.
+
+Finally the master-at-arms was sent for and the worth-its-weight-in-gold
+mail turned over to him to distribute. To the gun deck poured the eager
+throng. The master-at-arms backed up against the scuttle-butt for
+protection, then shouted out: "Let one man from each mess get the mail;
+the rest of you stand off, or you won't get any till to-morrow." The
+rest of us stood to one side then, realizing that time would be thus
+saved.
+
+"Jimmy Legs" called out the names, and the representatives of the
+different messes took them. We heard Kennedy's name called, and a murmur
+of sympathy spread around. "Poor chap," said one, "he would give the use
+of his wounded arm for that letter."
+
+"Yes," said another; "he has to suffer homesickness as well as pain, and
+a letter from home would brace him up as nothing else could."
+
+Every man took his treasures to a quiet place, a place apart, if such
+could be found, to enjoy them alone. The few who got none--well! may I
+never see such disappointed, sorrowful faces again.
+
+The letters read and pondered over awhile, tongues began to be loosened,
+and soon all over the ship was heard the buzz of conversation. Chums
+told each other the little items of news that to them seemed the most
+important things in the world. And after all had been told and retold,
+the men gathered in groups and discussed their past months' experiences.
+
+"Do you know," said Craven (a descendant of that famous line of naval
+heroes, a seaman and member of Number Thirteen six-pounder gun's crew),
+"I think we are wonderfully fortunate to come through this experience
+as well as we have. Just think! We have been under fire five times, and
+only one man has been injured. Why," he continued, and his hearers
+nodded assent, "I used to have the most awful visions--thought I saw the
+men lying round our gun in heaps, while fresh ones jumped to take the
+places of the fallen."
+
+"And they would," said messenger "Hop," who happened to be passing on
+his way aft to deliver an order.
+
+The "Yankee" had seen some spirited fighting, though most of her crew
+had anticipated nothing more exciting than patrol duty.
+
+Moreover, it was almost certain that we had not seen the end of active
+service. At present, however, the crew settled down once more to the
+monotony of ship life in port--which is about equivalent to garrison
+duty for a soldier.
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+
+IN GOD'S COUNTRY.
+
+The "Yankee's" stay in Key West was marked by one of the most melancholy
+incidents of the cruise. Thomas Clinton LeValley, one of the first of
+the New York Naval Reserves to respond to the call for volunteers, died
+from appendicitis in the hospital ashore, to which he had been removed
+for treatment. "Tom," as he was familiarly called by his shipmates, was
+on board the "Yankee" during the five engagements of that vessel, and
+proved himself loyal and steadfast on every occasion. He was well liked
+by the officers and men of the crew, and his death was deeply regretted
+by all. It was his fate to be the one member of the New York Naval
+Reserves to lose his life in the service of his country.
+
+When a big barge heaped high with coal came alongside and was made fast,
+we began to doubt the assurances given us, that the coal would be put in
+by outside labor. A tug hove in sight shortly afterward that caused our
+gloomy faces to light up with gladness, for it carried a gang of
+negroes. The tug made fast to the barge, and its living cargo was soon
+hard at work filling the ship's bunkers.
+
+All that afternoon we "lingered in the lap of luxury," as "Bill" put it.
+At six o'clock our dusky (doubly dusky) coal heavers went ashore, their
+labor over for the day. Though the workmen had left, the work was still
+to continue. The crew coaled till twelve o'clock, working in quarter
+watches. The following day another barge came alongside and part of the
+crew had to turn to and help the hired shovellers.
+
+"So much," said "Stump," snapping his fingers, "for the officers'
+assurances."
+
+Up to this time we did not _know_ where we were going. Of course the
+"Rumor Committee" were ready with news of destinations galore. We were
+to return to our patrol duty, to join the Flying Squadron and threaten
+the coast towns of Spain, to join the blockading squadron off Havana. We
+were to do a dozen or more things just as probable or just as
+improbable.
+
+A coal barge still lay alongside the starboard side of the ship, when a
+lighter appeared and made fast to the port side, loaded with express
+packages, parts of machinery, pipes, and bags of mail for every ship on
+the Santiago blockade.
+
+"Now we will get those eight bags of mail," said a forecastle man,
+exultantly. And from that moment we knew we were going back to Cuba.
+
+But like a good many people who think they know it all--we didn't.
+
+Bunkers, holds--almost every available space, in fact, was filled with
+coal.
+
+Then began the much dreaded job of painting. Stages were hung over the
+side, each manned by two men, and with much reluctance we began to daub
+the old "Yankee" with gray paint.
+
+The men were unaccustomed to such work, though some could handle the
+brushes sold in "artist's materials" shops well enough, and they
+spattered gray paint all over themselves. It was thought easier to wash
+skins than jumpers, so many were decorated in wonderful fashion.
+
+"You would make a 'professor of tattooing' wild with envy," said Greene
+to "Steve," as the latter appeared over the rail.
+
+"Well, I don't know," retorted "Steve," "I am thinking of reporting you
+for misappropriating government property. You've got more paint on
+yourself than you put on the ship."
+
+After a day and a half of dreary work we had the satisfaction of seeing
+the vessel's sides one uniform color from stem to stern. It was a big
+job for such a short time and our arms ached at the very thought of it.
+
+The sides painted, our attention was given to the decks. They were
+swabbed thoroughly, first with a damp swab, and after they were entirely
+dry the spar deck was covered with red shellac, this being applied with
+a wide varnish brush. The gun deck was then taken in hand and treated in
+the same way.
+
+By Saturday night the ship was as fine as a "brand new jumping-jack
+before the baby sucked the paint off."
+
+Some of the men still suffered from black-and-blue spots, which,
+however, a little turpentine liniment would have banished.
+
+Rumors were rife that we would be bound for New York shortly, but few
+believed them; the circulators themselves certainly did not, of that we
+felt sure.
+
+"The idea!" said "Mourner," who, though ready to swallow most rumoristic
+pills, could not manage this one. "Go to New York with eighty bags of
+mail for the Santiago fleet! I can see us doing it."
+
+[Illustration: "THE SPAR DECK WAS COVERED WITH RED SHELLAC"]
+
+[Illustration: "THE MARINES AIRED THEIR HAMMOCKS ON THE FORECASTLE
+DECK"]
+
+"Taps" sounded at nine o'clock, and we were glad enough to turn in.
+
+When all hands were called, I rubbed my eyes in astonishment, for as I
+glanced out of the deadlight near which my hammock swung, I saw that we
+were under way and well out to sea. I put on my togs in a hurry, and
+after lashing and stowing my "dream bag," rushed on deck.
+
+Yes, sure enough, we were at sea.
+
+"Stump" came and grabbed me round the waist--he could hardly reach
+higher. "We're bound for New York," said he. "We met the 'St. Paul'
+going in and the signal boys say we signalled, 'We have urgent orders to
+proceed to New York.' What do you think of that?" he added,
+breathlessly.
+
+"With eighty bags of mail for the Santiago fleet," said I, thinking of
+the poor fellows who were longing with all their hearts for those same
+bags.
+
+"Regular navy style," added "Stump."
+
+Though it was hard on our friends off Santiago we could not be cast
+down, and the near prospect of liberty--of an opportunity to see home
+and friends, of again setting foot on shore--transformed the entire
+crew.
+
+Everywhere could be seen smiling faces. Laughter and merry chatter
+filled the air, and the rollicking songs written by "Steve" and others
+were more in evidence than ever. The daily routine of work seemed
+lighter. There was no grumbling, no fault finding; even the interminable
+task of shifting coal was carried on with actual cheerfulness. Grimy
+hands and blackened faces and tired bodies were forgotten.
+
+"There's a mighty good dinner waiting for me in the dear old house,"
+exclaimed "Stump," unctuously. "I can sniff it afar. And say, fellows,
+won't we forget--for a few hours at least--that such things as reveille
+and scrub and wash clothes and coal humping and salt-horse exist on
+earth?"
+
+"Oh, good Mr. Captain, how long will it be before we hear the welcome
+call, 'Shift into clean blue, the liberty party!' and find ourselves
+piling over the side," groaned "Hay."
+
+"You will be glad enough to come back to your Uncle Samuel," grinned
+"Steve." "When your time is up you will be waiting for the boat."
+
+"No doubt," replied Flagg. "We will be ready to complete our time of
+service, but there are some, if rumor speaks the truth--"
+
+He finished with a significant wink.
+
+He referred to the many threats of "French leave" made by certain
+members of the crew--threats which did not materialize except in a very
+few cases. The disgruntled members of the "Yankee's" crew were composed
+mainly of the "outside" men--men not of the Naval Reserves. Among the
+latter, despite the unaccustomed hardships to which they were subjected,
+a firm determination existed to remain until lawfully mustered out.
+
+The trip from Key West to New York was marked by only one important
+incident--the celebration of the Fourth of July. It was unlike that
+familiar to the majority of the crew. There were no fireworks, no
+parades, nor bands playing the national anthem. The day opened squally,
+and sharp gusts of rain swept the decks. The usual routine of work was
+proceeded with, and it was not until eight bells (noon) that we fully
+realized the date. At exactly midday a salute of twenty-one guns was
+fired, and those of us who were super-patriotic, took off our caps in
+honor of the flag. That ended the ceremony.
+
+"Never mind," said Tommy, when one of the boys bewailed the meagre
+celebration, "never mind, shipmate. There's a good time coming when we
+can whoop 'er up for Old Glory as much as we please. Then we'll make up
+for to-day. We can't expect to do much under these conditions, you
+know."
+
+The day following (a fine, _cool_, bright one, and how we did appreciate
+it!) was spent by all hands in getting the ship spick and span for the
+inspection of visitors, who were sure to be on hand to welcome us.
+
+The semi-weekly ceremony of airing hammocks and bedding was indulged in.
+The bugler blew "hammocks," whereupon all hands lined up to receive them
+from the stowers. They were then unlashed on the gun deck, and inspected
+by the officers of the different divisions, who ordered that they should
+be taken up to the spar deck. The blankets and mattresses were spread
+wherever sun and breeze could get at them. The rail, as well as the
+boats, was covered with them. Red blankets flaunted in the breeze from
+the rigging till we resembled an anarchist emigrant ship.
+
+The marines aired their hammocks on the forecastle deck in the
+neighborhood of their guns.
+
+After an hour or two, the word was passed to "stow hammocks," and soon
+all was shipshape again.
+
+This duty was performed once or twice a week, the frequency depending
+on weather and circumstances.
+
+Wednesday, July 6th, we passed Sandy Hook and entered New York harbor,
+just thirty-six days since we left it.
+
+As we made our way up the channel, a pilot boat hailed us and told us of
+Sampson and Schley's glorious victory over Cervera.
+
+Though our joy was great and our enthusiasm intense, we were greatly
+disappointed that we were not in at the death. We felt sure that if we
+had been there our skipper would have worked the old craft in near
+enough to have given us a shot.
+
+We steamed on up the bay and through the Narrows, the happiest lot of
+Jackies afloat. The captain of every vessel we met pulled his whistle
+cord until the steam gave out, and the passengers cheered and waved
+their handkerchiefs, or whatever came handy.
+
+The health officer passed us in a jiffy, and before eight bells struck
+we were safely at anchor off Tompkinsville.
+
+It transpired that we had been sent North on account of a yellow fever
+scare. The health officer proved that the fear was groundless. Again we
+set to work cleaning, scrubbing, polishing, and painting, so by the time
+our friends came crowding aboard, the ship was as neat as a new pin.
+
+The visitors--how glad we were to see them! Only one who has looked
+danger in the face and realized that there might never be a home-coming
+in this world, could understand our feelings as our relatives and
+friends--bless them--came aboard.
+
+Fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and other fellows' sisters crowded
+up the gangway to greet us.
+
+And all were welcome.
+
+The second day after we anchored, the port watch was given shore leave
+of twenty-four hours. So we donned our clean blues, and for the first
+time since May 9th, set foot on solid ground.
+
+As the port watch came over the side the following day, after its
+liberty ashore, they were met with the order "Shift into working clothes
+at once and get those shells below." The red ammunition flag was flying
+at the foremast head, and all thoughts must be given up of the good
+times ashore.
+
+The starboard watch then went on liberty ashore and the port watch
+tackled the ammunition.
+
+From noon till after ten, we were kept busy storing thirteen-inch
+shells for the biggest guns in the navy. They weigh 1,100 pounds apiece
+and are dangerous things to handle, not only on account of their weight,
+but because of the charge of powder each carries. We also loaded eight,
+six, and five-inch shells into the after hold. We turned in at eleven
+o'clock, and were roused at 3:30 next morning to begin the same heavy
+work. When the starboard watch returned the following noon, we were
+still at it, and they, too, had to pitch in and help as soon as they
+could get into working clothes.
+
+Saturday, Sunday, and Monday were spent in the same way--stowing food
+for Uncle Sam's mighty guns.
+
+The thirteen-inch shells were crated in heavy planks, bound with iron;
+slings of rope were placed around them and they were lowered slowly into
+the hold. The eight, six, and five-inch shells had a lashing of tarred
+rope and a loop by which they might be lifted and handled.
+
+Charges of smokeless powder for thirteen, eight, and six-inch guns, in
+copper canisters, were also taken aboard.
+
+When all was stowed, we carried enough explosives to blow the water out
+of the bay. At half-past two on July 12th, the anchor was raised, the
+cat falls manned, and we bade New York good-by once more. A brisk
+northeast breeze was blowing, kicking up an uncomfortable sea, and when
+Sandy Hook was passed it became necessary to close all ports and batten
+down hatches.
+
+The rolling and pitching of the ship soon began to make things
+interesting on the gun deck. Immense green seas, shipped at intervals on
+the upper deck, sent little streams of water trickling down through
+openings as yet unprotected.
+
+At evening quarters it was all we could do to stand upright. A number of
+men left their stations suddenly without permission, and seemed to take
+great interest in the sea just over the rail.
+
+As the sun sank, the wind rose, and with it came rain--rain in
+sheets--the "wettest" kind of rain.
+
+When the port watch was relieved at eight o'clock, even the veriest
+landsman among us could tell that the situation was becoming serious. We
+turned in at once, determining to get all the sleep possible in that
+pandemonium of sound.
+
+The value of hammocks in a heavy sea was proved beyond all peradventure,
+for once we got into them and closed our eyes, we hardly realized that
+the ship was almost on her beam ends much of the time.
+
+From time to time we were wakened by the crash of a mess chest, as it
+broke from its lashings and careened around the deck. The mess pans and
+pots banged and thumped. At intervals the lurching of the vessel caused
+a mess table with the accompanying benches to slide to the deck with a
+crash.
+
+At twelve, we of the port watch were wakened from our much-interrupted
+rest and ordered on deck for muster.
+
+As we slid from our hammocks we realized for the first time the fury of
+the storm. It was impossible to stand upright.
+
+The old hooker rolled so, that it was impossible to keep from sliding
+even when one lay prone on the deck. The men on lookout had all they
+could do to hang on. One moment the end of the bridge would rise high in
+air and the next almost bury itself in the seething waters.
+
+The wind roared, the lightning flashed, and the thunder rolled.
+
+The dense fog hung like a curtain round the ship, so the whistle was
+blown incessantly.
+
+The boatswain's mate ordered me to go forward and stand an hour's watch
+on the bridge. I obeyed, creeping on all fours most of the time, till I
+reached the opening between the deck houses. I escaped, by a hair's
+breadth, a sea which came over the side like a solid green wall.
+
+The man on the port end of the bridge whom I relieved, shouted in my
+ear--he could not be heard otherwise--"You want to get a good hold or
+you'll be fired overboard in a jiffy." Then he left me.
+
+It was the kind of a night one felt the need of companionship. I spent a
+lonely hour on the bridge, eyes and ears strained for signs of other
+vessels, face and hands stung by the pelting rain. Underlying all other
+thoughts was the consciousness that we carried several hundred tons of
+deadly explosive that might shift any moment or be ignited by a spark
+from a lamp and explode.
+
+The sandbags stored about the steering gear broke loose and were heaped
+in picturesque confusion. The scene aft was indescribable. A quantity of
+débris of varying nature slid across the smooth surface of the gun deck
+with a rush at every roll, making navigation a difficult, if not
+perilous, task. Later, to add to the tumult, one man's hammock was cut
+down by a falling mess table, but he escaped serious injury.
+
+It was not until the following morning that the seas subsided, but the
+day proved pleasant, and the mishaps of the preceding afternoon were
+forgotten in the excitement of reaching Norfolk, which port was reached
+by the "Yankee" shortly before dark. Later in the evening the ship was
+taken to the navy yard.
+
+"Which means that we are going to hustle more ammunition," observed
+Tommy, as we made fast to a dock.
+
+"And more stores," added "Dye."
+
+"And coal," chimed in "Stump," with a grimace. "I am glad of it, too."
+
+"Glad of it?" echoed "Dye," in surprise. "That's queer."
+
+"Not at all, dear boy," was the second loader's calm reply. "D'ye see, I
+am in training for the billet of chief deck hand on a tramp canal boat,
+and this experience is just in my line."
+
+Four days later the mooring hawsers were cast off and the "Yankee"
+steamed out between the capes en route to Santiago. From the hour we
+left Norfolk until the sighting of the Cuban coast, our time was taken
+up with drills of every description. The following extract from the log
+for July 18th, will suffice for an example:
+
+"Cleared ship for action at three bells along with general quarters.
+General quarters again half an hour after turn to at noon. Fire drill
+and abandon ship at three bells in the afternoon. General quarters
+again at two bells (9 p.m.)."
+
+Under date of July 19th, one of the crew states in his private diary:
+"Clear ship for action again. This is a very pretty drill, and is much
+liked by the boys, as it includes sending all the mess gear and
+provisions below, where most of them are usually 'pinched.' Clear ship
+for action always means an exchange of undesirable mess gear, such as
+broken benches, tables, etc. General quarters at 1:30; fired two shots
+at an invisible target with smokeless powder. Great success, this new
+powder. If we had only been provided with it before, every living
+Spaniard would have trembled at the word 'Yankee'!"
+
+"What are we doing all this clear ship, general quarters, fire drill,
+and such business for?" said a forecastle man to Craven, who, besides
+being on a deck gun, from which all that was occurring on the bridge
+could be seen, was a messenger.
+
+"Why, don't you know?" said the latter. "We have a war artist aboard,
+and all this extra drilling is being done for his special benefit, so he
+can work it up for his paper, I suppose."
+
+"Well, if we ever get that artist aboard the old 'New Hampshire' we will
+teach him a few things, so he can describe them from actual
+experience," said "Hod" the husky. "He'll be able to describe scrub and
+wash clothes, sweeping decks, washing dishes, and all the rest, most
+vividly," he continued, vindictively. "We'll show him how we get under
+the hose in the morning. Oh, we'll have a bully time with him, and I'll
+wager that when we're through the honors of naval battles will seem too
+trivial for him to draw!"
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII.
+
+THE "YANKEE" ARRIVES OFF SANTIAGO
+
+On the twenty-first of July the "Yankee" arrived off Santiago. The
+"Brooklyn" was the only warship on guard, and the absence of that grim
+line of drab-colored ships changed the whole appearance of the coast.
+The "Brooklyn" seemed lonely, though she rode the seas proudly. "See,"
+she seemed to say, "I am monarch of all I survey"; and she looked every
+inch a queen, as she swayed slowly in the long ground swell, her ensign
+snapping in the brisk breeze and Admiral Schley's flag standing out like
+a board. From our proximity to the shore we were enabled to obtain a
+better view than before. Old Morro Castle, perched above the mouth of
+the channel, seemed battered and forlorn. The Stars and Stripes floated
+on high exultingly from the very staff that formerly bore the Spanish
+colors, and we thrilled when we saw it. The wreck of the "Reina
+Mercedes" could be plainly made out, and beyond her could also be seen
+the masts and stack of the "Merrimac"--a monument to American heroism.
+
+With the U.S.S. "Yankton" (which had run out of coal) in tow, we
+proceeded to Guantanamo. While entering the bay, the first fleet of
+transports bearing troops for the invasion of Porto Rico was
+encountered. Inside the harbor a vast squadron of American ships lay at
+anchor--some forty vessels in all. The spectacle of such a mighty fleet
+bearing our beloved colors was indeed inspiring.
+
+We found the "Iowa," "Massachusetts," "Indiana," "Oregon," "Texas," "New
+York," "Marblehead," "Detroit," "Newark," "Porter," "Terror,"
+"Gloucester," the repair ship "Vulcan," several despatch boats and
+colliers in the bay. Two gunboats and several steamers captured at
+Santiago also bore the American colors.
+
+Such a fleet many an important port has never seen, and in New York
+harbor would draw immense crowds. Here the spectacle was wasted on
+unappreciative Cubans.
+
+The bay presented a lively appearance with the innumerable little
+launches and despatch boats darting about from ship to ship. Vessels
+went alongside sailing colliers to have their bunkers replenished; other
+ships entered or left at all hours; signals were continually flying
+from the flagship; occasionally a Spanish launch bearing a flag of truce
+would come down from the town, and in the midst of it all the crews of
+the different men-of-war worked on in the accustomed routine, as if
+peace and war, drills and fighting, were all a part of man's ordinary
+existence.
+
+Over a month ago we had sailed into this harbor with the "Marblehead";
+the ship cleared for action, the crews at their loaded guns, and the
+battle ensigns flying from fore and mainmast, as well as from taffrail.
+This time we entered the bay with a feeling that we were to take part in
+a great naval spectacle.
+
+As soon as we joined the fleet we became amenable to fleet discipline.
+All orders for routine work came from the flagship. "Quarters" were held
+but twice a day instead of three times, and then they were short and,
+therefore, sweet.
+
+Each morning at eight o'clock, when a war vessel is in port, the bugler
+plays "colors," while the drummer beats three rolls; those of the crew
+who are under the open sky stand at attention, silent, facing aft, where
+the flag is being hauled slowly to its place. At the completion of the
+call all hands salute; then the work is carried on. It is a beautiful
+ceremony.
+
+Saluting the "colors" morning and evening is not merely a mark of
+respect for the Government of the nation, but is an act of worship to
+the God of nations--a silent prayer for guidance and care and an
+expression of thankfulness.
+
+Shortly after "colors" the morning following our arrival at Guantanamo,
+orders were given to "turn to" on the ammunition. Launches and barges
+from other warships came alongside, and the charges of powder and the
+shells were transferred to them.
+
+When this cargo of deadly explosive began to come aboard a "magazine
+watch" was set. The ammunition was stowed in all parts of the
+ship--forward, main, and after holds were filled. A watch was set on
+each of the holds. It was their duty to watch the temperature day and
+night and to report the same to the officer of the deck every half hour.
+Extreme care was taken to guard against fire. In case fire was
+discovered, it was the duty of the man on watch to run and turn on the
+water--the key for the valve which regulated this being always carried
+on his wrist. Then he must notify the officer of the deck, shouting
+"fire" as he went, after which he must go back and with the hose
+endeavor to put out the blaze.
+
+Constant, wide-awake, alert watchfulness was necessary. It was hot and
+close below, and at night it was almost impossible to keep awake. It is
+difficult enough to keep wide awake for an hour's lookout on deck, when
+there is much to see and the air is brisk and invigorating, but it is
+quite a different matter to be roused in the middle of the night to
+stand two hours' watch in a close, hot hold, where nothing more
+interesting than cases of powder and the bare, blank sides of the ship
+are to be seen.
+
+At first, the knowledge that the lives of all on board and the safety of
+the ship herself depended on the alertness of the watch, kept us wide
+awake and anxious, but as time went on, it grew harder and harder to
+resist nature's demand for sleep; therefore, when the order was given to
+unload the ammunition, none were gladder than the men of the "magazine
+watches."
+
+After evening mess the boatswain's mate--he got his orders from the
+bridge--came aft, shouting as he walked, "All you men who want to go in
+swimming may do so right away."
+
+[Illustration: "HE GOT HIS ORDERS FROM THE BRIDGE"]
+
+[Illustration: "ALL YOU MEN WHO WANT TO GO IN SWIMMING MAY DO SO"]
+
+There was no doubt as to the popularity of that order. "All we men"
+wanted to go in swimming, and that right away. In a jiffy, white figures
+began to drop over the side with a splash, and soon shouts of glee
+filled the air. The water was warm and clear as crystal, and so dense
+with salt that a man diving, came up like a cork. In fifteen minutes the
+order "Knock off swimming" was passed, and though we left the water with
+reluctance, obedience was prompt, lest the privilege might not again be
+accorded us.
+
+After hammocks had been given out, boats hoisted--all the work of the
+day finished, in fact--most of the men gathered aft to hear the band of
+the "Oregon" play. It was a volunteer band; that is, the musicians were
+enlisted men, not assigned for the band. They played with vim and
+precision.
+
+It was almost dark; only the ships' outlines could be made out. The red
+and white signal lights twinkled at intervals at the mastheads of
+different vessels, while beams of light showed on the still, dark water
+from open ports. The whole fleet lay quiet while the men listened to the
+strains of music from the "Oregon." It was more like the rendezvous of a
+cruising yacht club than a fleet of warships gathered in the enemy's
+country.
+
+The music from the battleship ceased, and for a moment all was still
+save for the lapping of the water against the ships' sides and the
+splash of a fish as it leaped out of water.
+
+Suddenly and together, a shrill piping on all the ships broke the
+silence, followed by the hoarse cry, "All the anchor watch to muster."
+
+On all men-of-war at eight o'clock, the anchor watch is mustered. It
+consists of sixteen men--eight on duty from nine till one o'clock, the
+other eight from one till "all hands" at 5:30. The first part always
+calls its relief at one o'clock.
+
+The mustering over, all flocked aft to hear the band again, but were
+disappointed, for the concert was over.
+
+However, the men had come aft for music and music they must have in some
+shape.
+
+So "Steve" the modest was dragged out, and after some persuasion sang
+the following to the tune of "Lou, Lou, How I Love Ma Lou." "Baron," the
+gunner's mate, accompanied him on the mandolin, and Eickmann, the marine
+corporal, helped out with his guitar.
+
+    "'Way down at the Brooklyn navy yard,
+       Where ships are rigged for sea,
+     Three hundred little 'heroes'
+       Went aboard the old 'Yankee.'
+     Oh! we were young and foolish,
+       We longed for Spanish gore,
+     And so they set us working
+       As we never worked before.
+
+    CHORUS:
+        "Hard-tack and salt-horse every day,
+         Work, slave, for mighty little pay;
+         And just before we get to sleep
+         We hear the bosun pipe like this
+                   (Whistle),
+         'Up all hammocks, all hands.'
+
+    "They turn us out each morning,
+       To scrub our working clothes;
+     To polish guns and bright work,
+       To 'light' along the hose.
+     To wash down decks and ladders,
+       To coil down miles of rope,
+     To carry coal in baskets,
+       To live on air and hope.
+
+    CHORUS:
+        "Hard-tack and salt-horse every day,
+         Work, slave, for mighty little pay;
+         And when we think our work is done
+         We hear the bosun pipe like this
+                   (Whistle),
+         'Turn to.'
+
+    "Way down at Santiago,
+       We fit the forts one day.
+     The shells were bursting o'er us,
+       There was the deuce to pay.
+     We hid our inclination
+       To run and hide below,
+     Because we're little 'heroes,'
+       They've often told us so.
+
+    CHORUS:
+
+    "Hard-tack and salt-horse every day,
+    Work, slave, for mighty little pay;
+    And just as all the fight was over
+    We heard the bosun pipe like this
+              (Whistle),
+    'Gun-deck sweepers, clean sweep fore and aft.
+    Sweepers, clean your spit kits.'
+
+    "One Saturday we anchored
+      Just off the Isle of Pines,
+    To load up with pineapples,
+      And look for Spanish signs.
+    We called away the cutters,
+      With seamen filled them up,
+    And captured five small sailboats,
+      Two Spaniards and a pup.
+
+    CHORUS:
+
+    "Hard-tack and salt-horse every day,
+    Work, slave, for mighty little pay;
+    And when we'd like to talk it over
+    We heard the bosun pipe this
+        (Whistle),
+    'Pipe down.'"
+
+"That's great!" said one and all.
+
+"There is just time for the 'Intermezzo' before tattoo, 'Baron,'" said
+"Pair o' Pants," the signal boy. "Give it to us, will you?"
+
+"Baron" obligingly complied.
+
+The boys lay around in comfortable, though ungraceful, attitudes, a
+small but appreciative audience.
+
+As the last high note died away the ship's bugler began that lovely
+call, "tattoo." We listened in silence, for though we had heard it many
+times, it was always a delight to us. Then, too, it meant rest (not a
+drug in the market by any means). Every ship's crew in the harbor, at
+the same moment was listening to the call blown by their own bugler.
+
+The men tumbled below and began to prepare for the voyage to dreamland.
+
+Five minutes later, when the sleepy "taps" sounded, the decks were
+almost deserted save for the hammocks, which looked like huge cocoons
+swung horizontally.
+
+The following days till Sunday were spent in unloading powder and shell.
+The six and eight-inch charges of powder and the shell were lifted by
+hand and slid down chutes to the barges alongside. To handle the powder
+and shell for the thirteen-inch guns, steam was called into service; the
+thirteen-inch charges being lowered into the waiting boat, by the aid of
+the cargo boom and steam winch.
+
+This work was hard and the heat trying, but it was accomplished with
+good grace, for we were glad to get rid of the dangerous stuff.
+
+Sunday, after the usual inspection, several visiting lists were
+arranged, the most popular being that for the "Oregon." We all wanted to
+inspect that wonderful ship. Visiting is generally conducted on Sunday
+or after dark. The word is passed for those who wish to visit a certain
+ship to "lay aft and report to the officer of the deck." The party, all
+in clean clothes, are taken to the vessel designated and lined up. After
+being counted they are allowed to go forward, where they yarn to their
+heart's content until the word is given by the boatswain's mate for them
+to muster aft again.
+
+The "visiting party" to Uncle Sam's bulldog was cordially received and
+shown all over. The great battleship was as clean and neat as a new pin.
+She looked as if she had just come out of her builders' hands. Paint
+work spotless, brass work shining, engines fairly dazzling in their
+brightness. The crew contented and full of enthusiasm for their ship and
+commander--gallant Captain Clark!
+
+We saw the guns that helped to lay low Cervera's splendid fleet and we
+saw "the men behind the guns."
+
+Our attention was called to a Jacky sewing on a blue shirt.
+
+"Do you see that man over there?" said our guide.
+
+We answered "Yes."
+
+"Well, that's the chap that blew up one of the torpedo boats."
+
+"Is that so? Tell us about it." We gazed open-mouthed at the gunner as
+he sat cross-legged on the deck, sewing with all his might.
+
+"Yes, that's the chap. You see, the Spaniard was coming in our
+direction, and coming like greased lightning. The six-pounders on the
+superstructure had not been able to stop her, and things began to be
+interesting--"
+
+"Yes," we gasped, breathlessly, as he stopped to light his pipe.
+
+"Well, as I was saying, the blooming torpedo boat came nearer and
+nearer, and did not seem to mind the hail of six-pounders any more than
+a duck does the rain. I dunno why, for she had no protection that a
+sixer would not penetrate.
+
+"It got to be blamed exciting, when the officer of the division said to
+that feller over there, who was a captain of an eight-inch rifle, 'Try
+your hand at it.'
+
+"Bill said, 'Aye, aye, sir, give me time and I'll plunk her sure.' All
+this time the sneaking craft was coming nearer and nearer. Bill
+adjusted his sight and looked and looked, but still did not fire.
+
+"'For heaven's sake, hurry up!' said the division officer, getting
+nervous.
+
+"'In a minute, sir,' said Bill. 'As soon as I get a good bead.'
+
+"He was as cool as an ice machine, and as deliberate as an old hen, but
+he could shoot, so we held ourselves in as best we could and watched.
+After waiting for what seemed an hour, Bill pulled the lanyard and the
+old gun roared. As soon as the smoke cleared away, we looked to see the
+result of the shot. There was some wreckage floating where the torpedo
+boat had been--that was all. Bill's shot went home, and exploded in the
+boiler room, and the whole craft went up in an instant."
+
+We looked again admiringly at the man sitting there so unconcernedly,
+and then in obedience to the boatswain's call, went aft and aboard our
+cutter.
+
+All the ammunition for the fleet was unloaded by Tuesday. We still
+carried a small quantity of both powder and shell for the
+"Massachusetts."
+
+Tuesday afternoon we anchored alongside the sailing collier "Frank A.
+Palmer," and began to coal. The "Yankee's" sister ship "Prairie,"
+manned by the Massachusetts Naval Reserves, lay on the other side; we
+exchanged visits and found them good fellows, and we yarned away to our
+heart's content.
+
+We had now become, in a degree, used to coaling; our muscles were
+hardened and some long-needed labor-saving devices had been introduced,
+so the work was a little easier.
+
+Coaling continued till Friday night. During the morning of that day we
+were told that if two hundred tons were put aboard, a chance would be
+given us on the morrow to see the wrecks of Cervera's once fine vessels.
+It was all the incentive we needed, and the coal came aboard in a steady
+stream. A little after seven the required amount was in the bunkers, and
+by eight o'clock the stages and other coaling paraphernalia were stowed
+away and the "Yankee" had cast loose and was anchored by herself.
+
+The following morning dawned bright and clear. Admiral Sampson came
+aboard at 8:30. We manned the "cat falls" and got under way at once.
+
+On the way down to the wrecks, the ship was cleaned, so by the time we
+reached the ruins of the Spanish vessels, the "Yankee" was spick and
+span.
+
+We passed the wrecks of the two torpedo boats, passed the mouth of
+Santiago harbor, till finally we came to the "Almirante Oquendo" and the
+"Maria Teresa," fifteen miles west of old Morro.
+
+The two wrecks lay close together. They were a melancholy sight; the
+"Almirante Oquendo," badly listed to port, a great rent in her side,
+rusted, almost completely demolished. The "Maria Teresa" seemed in
+better shape, but many shot holes were visible in her side.
+
+It was a dreary though gratifying sight. The great green-clothed
+mountains looked down serenely on these two examples of man's handiwork
+and man's destructiveness; the blue sea dashed itself to foam against
+the coral-bound coast; and the bright sun shone over all.
+
+The admiral went over in our gig, together with the captain and
+executive officer. Several other boats went along, carrying, beside the
+regular crews, commissioned and chief petty officers.
+
+As we watched the boats bobbing in the short billows on their way, we,
+who were left behind, could not help comparing these battered hulks
+before us with our magnificent ships in Guantanamo Bay.
+
+All hail to the American seamen, "the men behind the guns"!
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX.
+
+HOPE DEFERRED.
+
+For a few days there was little to do beyond the never-ending routine
+work: scrubbing decks, cleaning paint, and polishing bright work on guns
+and equipments.
+
+We were beginning to wonder if we were to lie at anchor indefinitely,
+and if our last chance of seeing any active service had gone by.
+
+On the morning of Monday, August 1st, we had orders to get under way and
+go to sea. Tongues began to wag at once, and before we had fairly
+cleared the harbor a dozen different destinations had been picked out.
+
+It would seem as if there could be no great danger in letting the men
+have some knowledge of where they are bound when fairly at sea, with no
+beings to whom the secret might be told, save sharks and dolphins, but
+
+    "Theirs not to make reply,
+     Theirs not to reason why."
+
+The navy has little use for Jacky's brains; only his trained muscles and
+sinews. There is no life that can be depended upon to take the pride of
+intellect out of a man like that of a sailor, as Rudyard Kipling has
+shown in the case of Harvey Cheyne. We of the crew could think of many a
+cad on whom we would like to try the discipline.
+
+The most popular rumor ran to this effect: we are bound for Porto Rico
+to take part with the "Massachusetts," "New Orleans," "Dixie," and other
+ships of the fleet in a bombardment of San Juan.
+
+By the time land had faded from view, we knew that we really were bound
+for Porto Rico, but for what purpose we knew not. The rumor was correct
+in part, at least.
+
+We were glad to get to sea again. There is an undefinable feeling of
+relief, almost of joy, when the regular throbbing of the engines begins
+and the ship rolls and heaves to the swell.
+
+The spirits of the men rise; smiles lighten up their faces, and snatches
+of song can be heard as they work coiling down lines, lashing movables,
+and preparing the vessel for the rough-and-tumble conflict with the sea.
+
+As the sun sank, the waves rose. By the time the first night watch went
+on duty, the old steamer was tossing like a chip.
+
+The guns' crews of the watch on deck were ordered to sleep by their
+posts, and all was in readiness for instant action.
+
+At eleven o'clock we were roused by the call for "general quarters," and
+in a minute, all hands were in their places. We looked vainly, at first,
+for the cause of this commotion, but finally made out off our port bow
+the dim outlines of a steamer.
+
+It was only when our ship was on the top of the roll that we could make
+out our chase at all--nothing but a wall of water could be seen when we
+lay in the trough.
+
+"That boat is certainly doing her best to get away," said "Bill." "And,
+holy smoke! see how she rolls."
+
+"She can't trot in our heat," said "Dye." "We're gaining on her every
+minute."
+
+"She's not a warship," said "Long Tommy," who was lucky enough to
+possess a pair of glasses. "I wonder if we're going to get a prize at
+last?"
+
+"You forget the fishing sloops. 'Remember the fish,'" laughed "Hay."
+
+The two vessels came nearer and nearer, till finally they were within
+hailing distance.
+
+"What ship is that?" called out Captain Brownson, through the
+megaphone. "And where are you bound?"
+
+The answer came faintly over the tossing waves: "The 'Burton,' with coal
+for Santiago from Guadeloupe."
+
+"Ah, ha!" said Tommy, "we get a prize at last."
+
+"Wait a minute," said "Stump," "he is saying something else."
+
+A gust of wind came at that moment and carried most of the sound away,
+but we gathered that our hoped-for prize had papers from our consul
+allowing her free passage.
+
+There was a universal groan of disappointment, and when the order was
+given to "secure," the hose was pulled up with unnecessary violence,
+hatches were lowered, and gun closets closed with no gentle hands. Such
+keen disappointment must somehow find a vent.
+
+There was great excitement the following afternoon when the word was
+passed for all hands to get out their leggings and to wear shoes to
+midday quarters. And when we were arranged into companies, and had
+haversacks, canteens, and knapsacks doled out to us, we concluded that a
+landing party would be made up for Porto Rico.
+
+"The 'old man' is going to show the 'Spinache' that the 'Yankee' boys
+can fight on land as well as on sea," said Tommy, as he yanked at an
+obstinate haversack strap.
+
+We marched round and round the spar deck to the music of bugle and drum
+till we got well into the swing of it, and felt very martial and
+formidable indeed.
+
+The "Dixie" hove in sight at this juncture, and after a long megaphone
+conversation, we learned that the "Massachusetts," for which we had some
+ammunition, was on her way to Guantanamo, so we reluctantly turned
+around and retraced our way, the "Dixie" leading. Porto Rico was not for
+us. Alas!
+
+We felt like
+
+    "The King of France and his hundred thousand men
+     Drew their swords and put them up again."
+
+The next morning we hove-to a Norwegian steamer, the "Marie," and before
+we realized what was being done, we found that we had a prize at last. A
+snug little steamer she was, well loaded down with coal for Cervera's
+fleet.
+
+"Cutlets" went over in a whaleboat, with a prize crew of six men.
+
+"Well, well! this is almost too good to be true," said an after guard.
+"This _is_ great luck. We capture a prize and get rid of 'Cutlets' at
+the same time."
+
+To which we all said, Amen.
+
+We separated from the "Marie," and, as the "Yankee" was much the faster,
+she was soon lost to sight.
+
+The anchor had no sooner been dropped in Guantanamo Bay than our captain
+went over to the "New York," and then signals began to be displayed, and
+soon after all hands were hauling on the "cat falls."
+
+The skipper returned; the gig was pulled up to its place, and very soon
+we were ploughing the water in the open. As we went out, our prize came
+in.
+
+It seems the encounter with the "Burton" was told to the admiral, and he
+at once ordered us to go out and get her.
+
+We headed straight out. The black smoke poured out of the funnels; the
+ship shook with the pounding of the strained engines. The land faded
+from view.
+
+About two o'clock we sighted the object of our chase, and it only
+required a blank shot from the forward six-pounder to bring her to.
+
+The prize crew, consisting of six seamen, some firemen and engineers,
+and officered by Lieutenant Duncan, went over and took possession of
+our second prize in one day.
+
+Captor and captive then turned and headed for Guantanamo.
+
+The men were in high spirits. Speculation was rife as to the amount of
+prize money each would secure, and some even went so far as to plan the
+spending of it.
+
+Every one felt very gay, and as if something should be done to celebrate
+our good fortune. We would have liked to spend some money for an
+entertainment, but that was impossible.
+
+"Dick," however, was impressed into service to furnish some amusement.
+"Dick," a forecastle man, is a born story-teller, and we knew if we
+could get him started, some fun would be assured.
+
+After some pressure he acquiesced, and began the following yarn:
+
+"One day a certain Irishman, Mike Dooley by name, departed this life. He
+was much respected, and his death caused no little sorrow to his friends
+and neighbors. His wife and children were simply inconsolable. The widow
+wished to have a handsome funeral in his honor and spent her savings in
+furtherance of that plan. She had enough money for everything, except
+the silver inscription plate. But that difficulty was easily overcome,
+for 'What's the matter wid Pat Molloy painting it nately in white
+paint?' she said.
+
+"Pat, being approached on the subject, expressed his entire willingness,
+and soon after called for the casket and took it away. He was told to
+letter the following, in neat, white letters: 'Michael Dooley departed
+this life in his prime, at the age of twenty-eight.'
+
+"Pat was a bricklayer by trade, and painting was only a 'side line' with
+him.
+
+"He started to put the inscription on the casket, and got along bravely
+till he came to 'age of twenty-eight.' Then he realized that he could
+not make the figures. He puzzled over it a long while, for he did not
+like to ask and thus show up his ignorance.
+
+"Finally a bright idea struck him. Four sevens make twenty-eight--why
+not put down four sevens--that was easy!
+
+"The job was finished just in time.
+
+"The relatives and friends were gathered round to pay their last
+respects. One friend was asked to get up and make a few remarks. He did
+so and began as follows:
+
+"'I am glad to be able to say a few words on this sad occasion, a few
+words of praise for our beloved friend; for other words than praise
+could not be said of him. I am proud to have known him and to have been
+numbered among his friends. His virtues need hardly be repeated. You
+knew him well. His generosity, his friendliness, and all the rest he
+possessed. I knew him from his youth up, and I am well aware of his
+goodness, as are you. He was a good husband, a good father, and a good
+friend. It is hard to give him up, but it must be. He died at the age
+of----'
+
+"Here the speaker glanced at the casket beside which he stood, and read
+the following:
+
+MICHAEL DOOLEY
+
+DEPARTED THIS LIFE IN HIS PRIME,
+AT THE AGE OF
+7777.
+
+"'Yis, my bereaved friends,' he continued, 'he was a good father,
+husband, and friend, and none knows that better than I. He was cut off
+in the pride of manhood, you might say--in his prime, at the age of----'
+
+"He glanced at the inscription again, then, after a painful pause,
+blurted forth: 'Well, how the divil did he escape the flood?'"
+
+The sound of "tattoo" interrupted our laughter at this point, and all
+Hands tumbled below.
+
+The following day we got rid of the last of the ammunition to the
+"Massachusetts." A sigh of relief and thankfulness went up as the last
+charge of powder was taken over the side.
+
+The same day we saw some of our prize money vanish into thin air. The
+"Burton" was released, and steamed out of the harbor.
+
+It was about this time that a well-authenticated rumor went the rounds
+to the effect that we were to go with a formidable fleet to Spain,
+harass her coasts, and do up Camara's fleet. This rumor was so well
+founded that many of us believed it, and, consequently, much time was
+spent in writing farewell letters.
+
+The prospect of soon seeing the "land of the free and the home of the
+brave" was not very bright. The consensus of opinion at this time was
+that we would see our year out in Uncle Sam's service.
+
+There was considerable gloom. The start once made and the "Yankee"
+actually on her way to the land of the Dons, all would be well and all
+hands would be cheerful; but the contemplation of the long trip in the
+wrong direction was a very different matter.
+
+The air was full of rumors. All was uncertain. We continued to write
+farewell letters, while the invading fleet still lay quietly at anchor,
+but ready to sail to the ends of the earth at a few hours' notice.
+
+The night of August 10th was moonless and dark. There had been no music
+from the "Oregon's" band, and none of our men felt inclined to sing.
+
+The uncertainty had begun to tell, and all were a little depressed.
+
+I was "it" for anchor watch, and, as is often the case, the anchor watch
+manned the running small boat.
+
+We visited several vessels of the fleet, the crew staying in the boat
+while the officers went aboard. When we finally started to return to our
+own ship, we carried two of our officers, Mr. Duncan, Mr. Barnard, and
+an officer from the "Indiana." As we cleared the wall-like sides of the
+"St. Paul," we noted that the general signal call (four red lights) was
+up on the "New York." Then, as we watched, the red and white bulbs began
+to spell out a message that made us all thrill with joy. The interest of
+the moment broke down all barriers of rank, and officers and men spelled
+out the exciting words aloud.
+
+A-S-S-O-C-I-A-T-E-D  P-R-E-S-S  D-E-S-P-A-T-C-H
+S-T-A-T-E-S  T-H-A-T  P-E-A-C-E  P-R-O-T-O-C-O-L
+H-A-S  B-E-E-N  A-G-R-E-E-D  U-P-O-N.
+
+We Jackies would have liked to yell, but our lessons had been too well
+learned, and we restrained ourselves. We put the officer from the
+"Indiana" aboard his own ship and then returned to the "Yankee."
+
+As soon as the boat was secured for the night, I went around waking some
+of my particular friends to tell them the great news, forgetting that
+they could see it quite as well as I. All were too good-natured,
+however, to object; on the contrary, they seemed glad to talk about it.
+There was some dispute as to the meaning of the word "protocol"; but all
+agreed that, whatever its meaning, it must be good, coupled as it was
+with "peace."
+
+As we talked quietly, we heard faintly, softly, a verse of "Morse's"
+song:
+
+    "Our fighting cruise will soon be o'er,
+                   Hurrah! Hurrah!
+    We'll be happy the moment our feet touch shore,
+                   Hurrah! Hurrah!
+    And 'Cutlets' and 'Hubbub' and all the rest
+    May stick to the calling they're fitted for best,
+    But _we'll_ all feel gay when
+                   The 'Yankee' goes sailing home."
+
+In spite of the peace news we got orders to go out with the "Dixie" and
+blockade the Crooked Island Passage. So about four o'clock we hauled up
+the anchor and went to sea. All were gay, and many shook their hands in
+farewell to Guantanamo Bay.
+
+We were instructed to keep a sharp lookout for the steamer "Monserrat,"
+which had gained fame as a blockade runner. It was rumored that she
+carried Captain-General Blanco; that she was well armed, and had a
+captain noted for his unscrupulousness and for his fighting qualities.
+
+"I'd like to meet that ship," said "Hay," "have a good 'scrap' with her,
+get a couple of shot holes in our upper works and battle flags, and then
+bring her triumphantly into Key West or, better still, New York."
+
+"Want to go out in a blaze of glory, do you?" said Tommy, the long.
+
+"Sure. I'd like to burn some of that powder we took such trouble to
+load."
+
+This expressed the sentiments of the whole ship's company.
+
+To have one more good fight--in which we were to come out victorious, of
+course--get a few souvenir shot holes where no harm would be done, and
+then go home. This would just about have suited us.
+
+We floated around lazily all day Friday and Saturday with a chip on our
+shoulder, as it were, but no "Monserrat" came to knock it off.
+
+The lookouts at the masthead strained their eyes, and half the men not
+actually at work did likewise. All in vain; not an enemy did we see. A
+number of transports homeward bound, bearing worn but happy soldiers,
+were passed, and some came near enough to exchange cheers and good
+wishes.
+
+The screw revolved but slowly, and the ship moved just enough to give
+steerage way. Every passing wave did as it wished with the great hulk,
+and she rolled like a log in the long swell.
+
+Sunday night a change came over the almost quiet ship. The propeller
+turned with some energy; the steering engine whirred, and the "Yankee"
+changed her course. This time she headed straight for Guantanamo, and
+before many minutes we knew that we were returning to our old anchorage.
+The orders were to blockade the passage and keep a bright lookout for
+the "Monserrat"; if by Sunday at six o'clock she had not appeared, we
+were to return to the fleet.
+
+The men who were so sure that we should never see Guantanamo again wore
+a sheepish air, and those who were not so sure lorded over them and
+remarked cheerfully, "I told you so."
+
+Those of us who were sleeping at midnight were wakened and told to come
+to the port and look. Sleepily we obeyed, but the moment we reached the
+opening we were wide awake. There, not three miles off, rolling in the
+ground swell, lay a great fleet, the searchlights sweeping the heavens
+and sea; the signal lanterns twinkling.
+
+As we looked, we saw at the masthead of the foremost vessel the signal
+lights spell out A followed by D, the "Yankee's" private night signal.
+Then, and our eyes almost started from our heads as we gazed, the lights
+continued to spell:
+
+"Blockade raised; hostilities ceased."
+
+"Hurrah!" shouted some one behind me.
+
+"Wait a minute," said "Hay," "that's not all."
+
+The lights went on spelling: "We are on our way to New York. You are to
+proceed to Guantanamo."
+
+The hurrah, as we spelled out the first sentences, was followed by a
+groan, as we read the last. We were glad, indeed, to know that peace had
+come, but it was hard to see that great fleet homeward bound, and know
+that we must go back to our old post, to stay indefinitely.
+
+"Hope deferred maketh the heart sick."
+
+
+CHAPTER XX.
+
+TAPS.
+
+The days following our arrival at Guantanamo were days of keen
+expectation and equally keen disappointment. A rumor that we were to
+return home at once would start up from nowhere in particular, and
+circulate until it was believed. Then would come a denial and consequent
+discontent. The enforced idleness of riding at anchor day after day
+became so monotonous at last, that any little incident served to create
+excitement. Visiting parties between the ships were permitted
+occasionally, and the "Yankee's" crew grasped the opportunity to inspect
+some of the other auxiliary cruisers. One or two liberty parties were
+allowed ashore at Camp McCalla, from which the men returned, tired and
+warm, but full of enthusiasm and interest for the things they had seen.
+The amount of "curios" and souvenirs brought aboard would fill a museum.
+Pieces of projectiles and Mauser cartridge shells, fragments of an
+unusual red wood, and pieces of fossil rock, of which the cliff was
+composed, were stowed away in bags and ditty boxes.
+
+The bay now had a very deserted appearance. All the battleships and many
+of the cruisers had gone North. The auxiliary cruisers, "New Orleans,"
+"Newark," "Marblehead," and a number of converted yachts were all that
+remained, besides our own vessel. It was still a goodly fleet, but in
+comparison to the great squadron, seemed small.
+
+For the first time we were at a loss for something to do. Time hung
+heavy on our hands. The routine work, including morning "quarters," was
+finished by half-past ten every morning, and the balance of the day was
+spent as pleased us best, within certain well-defined limits.
+
+Much time and thought were spent in chasing down rumors, and watching
+signals from the flagship.
+
+Troopships from Santiago, laden with homeward-bound troops, sailed by
+the mouth of the harbor, but we, the first volunteers to reach the seat
+of war and to see active service, still lingered. The "Resolute" and
+"Badger" left at last, and it was rumored that we would follow next day.
+But still we lingered.
+
+Occasionally we got mail that told of home doings, and almost every
+letter finished with, "I suppose that you will soon be home, now that
+peace is declared." But still we lingered.
+
+We knew that we could hardly expect to be relieved at once; that there
+were many arrangements to be made in the Navy Department; many orders to
+be signed, and new plans to be formulated. But the thought carried
+little comfort with it. The pangs of homesickness were getting a strong
+hold on us.
+
+Dr. "Gangway" McGowan had the ship's carpenter nail a nice, smooth piece
+of board over a hole in the wire netting of his cabin door; some wag
+took advantage of the opportunity, and lettered plainly the following,
+on its white surface:
+
+[Illustration]
+
+He would have done a rushing business if he could have found a sure cure
+for homesick "heroes."
+
+On Tuesday, August 23d, our depression reached its culminating point,
+for the word had been passed unofficially that we might lay here
+indefinitely--two weeks, a month, three months--there was no telling
+when we would get away from what had become a hateful spot to us. The
+men went about with a dejected air, and while all were good-natured
+enough, there was little inclination to talk.
+
+As night drew near, we saw several troopships pass the harbor homeward
+bound, and the sight did not lighten our gloom.
+
+When the sun finally sank, we were as melancholy a crowd as ever trod a
+deck.
+
+The men gathered in little groups, bewailing in monosyllables the
+decidedly gloomy future, when some one glanced up and saw that Commodore
+Watson's flagship, the "Newark," was showing the general signal lights.
+Then, as the answering lights blazed on the other ships, the red and
+white lanterns began to spell out a message.
+
+The news spread at once that the flagship was signalling a general
+message or one of interest to the whole fleet.
+
+Soon the rail was lined with signal boys, and signal boys, _pro tem_.
+
+Those who could read them, spelled the messages aloud, letter by letter.
+
+"'Y-A-N-K-E-E'  A-N-D  'N-I-A-G-A-R-A'  W-I-L-L
+S-A-I-L  F-O-R  T-O-M-P-K-I-N-S-V-I-L-L-E  T-O-M-O-R-R-O-W.
+'D-I-X-I-E'  A-N-D  'F-E-R-N'
+W-I-L-L  G-O  T-O  H-A-M-P-T-O-N  R-O-A-D-S."
+
+With a single bound all was changed from gloom to gladness.
+
+No man could say how glad he was, but every man felt his heart grow warm
+within him. There was a deep feeling of gratitude for the providential
+care we had received, and for the happy release that now had come.
+
+"Cupid," the ship's bugler, played "Home, Sweet Home," and instead of
+mobbing him as we would have done had he played it three hours earlier,
+we applauded. He also played "America," and then "Dixie," in honor of
+our Maryland friends on our sister ship of that name. It pleased them
+mightily, as was evidenced by the cheer that came over the quiet water
+to us. Their bugler returned the compliment soon after by playing
+"Yankee Doodle."
+
+There was much good feeling when the men went below, to turn in, but not
+to sleep; we were too happy for that.
+
+As the talk and laughter gradually died down (the order, "Turn in your
+hammocks and keep silence," was not very strictly observed that night),
+a voice would be heard singing--not always the same voice:
+
+    "But we'll all feel gay when
+    The 'Yankee' goes sailing home."
+
+The following morning Scully did not have to repeat "up all hands," for
+he had hardly got the words out of his mouth before every man was
+scrambling into his clothes as fast as he could.
+
+Soon after breakfast the order was given to hoist up the catamaran, and
+then the rest of the boats were pulled up one by one. The boat's falls
+were run away with in a fashion that made the officers smile. The
+tackle-blocks fairly smoked.
+
+The only thing that marred our perfect joy was the departure of some of
+the marines to the "New Orleans." We had grown to like them all very
+much, and especially a pleasant fellow we dubbed "Happy," because of his
+unvarying cheerfulness. We had hoped to bring them all back with us, and
+were sorry to see them go.
+
+We listened with eager ears for the final order before sailing, "All
+hands on the cat falls," and just before noon we heard it. In ready
+response the men came tumbling up, and in a jiffy the anchor was pulled
+up as if it weighed five hundred, instead of five thousand pounds.
+
+The leadsman stood on his little platform and sang out, as he heaved the
+lead, the number of fathoms. It was the last touch we had of Cuban soil.
+
+As the old ship gathered headway, cheer after cheer rang out from the
+ships that were left behind, and in answer to each, our crew, which had
+gathered on the forecastle, gave three rousing hurrahs and a tiger.
+
+So we sailed out of Guantanamo Bay for the last time.
+
+It was with a feeling of sadness mixed with joy that we watched the
+headland, that stands like a guard on one side of the bay, disappear in
+the haze. We were one of the first ships to enter its then hostile
+portals. We had gained renown there; we had seen the American flag
+raised on its beautiful shores, and but a few minutes ago we heard a
+ringing American cheer come over its clear waters, bidding us Godspeed
+and a joyful home coming.
+
+The voyage home was like a triumphal journey. All hands were in high
+spirits. The gloom of a few hours before was dispelled by the talismanic
+words, "'Yankee' and 'Niagara' will sail for Tompkinsville."
+
+Though we were exceedingly glad, there was a good deal of quiet thinking
+going on.
+
+One and all realized that we had been exposed to no ordinary dangers.
+Danger from the enemy's fire; danger from a deadly climate; danger from
+the effects of unaccustomed labor; danger from wind and raging sea. We
+had been brought through safe and sound by an all-wise God to lead
+peaceful, useful, and, it is hoped, helpful lives at home.
+
+This same thought had been in our minds many times before, and with the
+feeling of thankfulness would come a sense of surprise that we should
+pass through it all without harm.
+
+We sped on and on, the ship's prow ever pointed North. We watched the
+water to note the change in color; to see when the blue water of the
+Gulf Stream should be left behind and the green northern sea should be
+entered.
+
+As we neared New York our impatience grew with every added mile, and
+this eagerness was felt by officers as well as men.
+
+We sometimes forgot that our officers were capable of feeling
+disappointment, impatience, and joy; that they also had to stand watch
+and get along on short allowance of sleep; that they, too, were subject
+to annoyances as well as we. If we had not felt this before, we fully
+realized, now, how much _our_ officers had done for us.
+
+Lieutenants Duncan, Greene, and Barnard, Dr. McGowan, Ensigns Dimock and
+Andrews, always treated us fairly and honestly.
+
+Every man has a deep-seated feeling of loyalty and affection for them
+that will last as long as life shall last.
+
+As the tropical latitudes were left astern the nights became cool, and
+the watch on deck had the novel experience of walking post in pea coats.
+Shortly after daybreak on the twenty-seventh of August the Atlantic
+Highlands were sighted, and, to quote one of the forecastle men, "All
+hands shouted to see God's country once more!"
+
+Though we had seen the Highlands, Sandy Hook, and all the familiar
+landmarks of the harbor many times, never had they seemed so attractive.
+
+The steam vessels we met tooted a welcome, as our identity became known,
+and the sailing craft dipped their colors in salute.
+
+Inside the Narrows, and ranged along the Staten Island shore, we found
+our companions of the Santiago blockade, and, as we passed through the
+fleet to our anchorage, the crew stood at "quarters" in their honor.
+
+We heard later of the great reception these tried and true fighting
+ships of Uncle Sam's had received, and we only regretted that we were
+not present to add our little mite to the applause.
+
+After two days' stay off Tompkinsville, during which time the ship was
+fairly overrun with visitors eager to see the "Yankee" and her crew of
+"heroes," we steamed through the Narrows en route for League Island.
+Orders had arrived from Washington providing for the paying off and
+discharge of the New York Naval Reserves, and little time was lost in
+obeying.
+
+On reaching League Island, the naval station near Philadelphia, we found
+the old-time war monitors "Nahant" and "Jason" in port. The crew of the
+"Nahant," made up of the New York Naval Reserves, were in readiness to
+accompany the "Yankee's" crew back to the metropolis.
+
+While waiting for the specified date--Friday, September 2d--bags were
+packed for the last time, and all preparations made for leaving the
+ship. Now that the hour for departure was rapidly approaching, many of
+the boys began to express regrets. Despite the hardships attending the
+cruise, it had brought many happy days--days made pleasurable by novel
+and strange surroundings--and it is not claiming too much to say that
+not one of the "Yankee's" crew would have surrendered his experience.
+
+Friendships had been formed, too--friendships cemented by good
+fellowship and mutual peril. Those who have spent many days at sea know
+that acquaintances made on shipboard in the midst of calms and storms
+and the dangers of the deep, are lasting. And that was now being
+impressed upon the boys of the "Yankee."
+
+While the crews of the "Nahant" and "Yankee" were preparing for the
+railway trip to New York, arrangements were being made in that city for
+a rousing welcome to the returning Naval Reserve Battalion.
+
+Shortly after ten the boys were mustered aft to hear Captain Brownson's
+parting speech. In his usual brisk manner he said that we were now to go
+back to our peaceful avocations; to our homes; to join our relatives and
+friends, and to become again private citizens. He ended by wishing us
+the best of luck.
+
+The cheers that followed shook the old ship from keel to topmast, nor
+were the cheers for Lieutenant Hubbard any the less hearty.
+
+A very few minutes after, we piled into a tug and steamed away. Little
+was said, for there was a feeling of real regret: we were fond of the
+old boat, after all.
+
+"Patt," the gunner's mate; the marines, and the few men of the engineer
+force who stayed on board, waved good-by.
+
+We boarded a special train with the crew and officers of the "Nahant,"
+and were soon speeding over the level country towards New York.
+
+After a very fast trip we reached Jersey City, where we were fitted out
+with rifles and belts, and were met by the band that was to lead us
+through the city.
+
+[Illustration: MARCHING THROUGH CITY HALL PARK, NEW YORK CITY]
+
+The people of New York turned out to give us a rousing welcome.
+
+It was a welcome we shall never forget--a welcome that made us forget
+all hardships, all dangers. Whatever pride we may have had in our
+achievements was drowned in that thunderous greeting; we were humbled,
+for real heroes could hardly have deserved such a reception.
+
+The Mayor stood in front of the City Hall and reviewed us, and later we
+were reviewed by the President himself, at Madison Square.
+
+As the head of the column turned down Twenty-sixth Street, heading to
+our old receiving ship the "New Hampshire," the band struck up "Home,
+Sweet Home." The men still marched with heads erect and eyes to the
+front, but many of those eyes were dimmed with a moisture that almost
+prevented their owners from seeing the long, homeward-bound pennant that
+floated from the masthead of the old frigate.
+
+As for the greeting given by mothers and sisters and relatives of every
+degree and by friends assembled on the "New Hampshire," that is one
+experience that cannot be described; it must be felt to be appreciated.
+Suffice it that every member of the New York Naval Battalion felt amply
+repaid for the hardships endured and the sacrifices made in the service
+of Old Glory. And if the occasion should again arise for the calling out
+of the Naval Reserves of the First New York Battalion, they, together
+with their comrades, the Naval Reserve Battalions of other cities, will
+cheerfully don their "clean whites" and respond to muster.
+
+"Pipe down!"
+
+
+APPENDIX.
+
+THE NAVAL MILITIA OF THE UNITED STATES.
+
+The Naval Militia is a volunteer organization made up of certain
+patriotic citizens of the United States, who conceived the idea that the
+country could be served by its sons as well in the naval branch of the
+National Defence as in the military. The subject of a naval volunteer
+force had been agitated for several years, but it was not until the
+latter part of June, 1891, that the first enlistments were made.
+
+Since that time the success of the organization has been continuous and
+most gratifying, and it has required only the recent war with Spain to
+prove that its value to the country at large cannot be overestimated. At
+the outbreak of hostilities, the strength of the Naval Militia
+throughout the country was 4,445 officers and enlisted men, but the rush
+of recruits incidental to the opening of the war vastly increased that
+number.
+
+The scope of the organization is naturally limited to those States
+bordering on the seacoast and the Great Lakes, but the interest taken in
+it to-day by the people is widespread and emphatic. The existence of
+this interest was amply proved by the enthusiastic welcome tendered the
+returning crews of the "Badger," "Dixie," "Prairie," "Yosemite," and
+"Yankee" by the citizens of the cities more closely concerned, and by
+the country at large.
+
+In a report made to Secretary Long in 1897 by Theodore Roosevelt, then
+Assistant Secretary of the Navy, these prophetic words were used:
+
+"The rapidity with which modern wars are decided renders it imperative
+to have men who can be ready for immediate use, and outside of the
+regular navy these men are only to be found in the Naval Militia of the
+various States. If a body of naval militia is able to get at its head
+some first-class man who is a graduate of Annapolis; if it puts under
+him as commissioned officers, warrant officers, and petty officers men
+who have worked their way up from grade to grade, year after year, and
+who have fitted themselves for the higher positions by the zeal and
+painstaking care with which they have performed their duties in the
+lower places; and if the landsmen, ordinary seamen, and seamen go in
+resolutely to do real work and learn their duties so that they can
+perform them as well as the regulars aboard our warships, taking pride
+in their performance accordingly as they are really difficult--such an
+organization will, in course of time, reach a point where it could be
+employed immediately in the event of war.
+
+"Most of the Naval Militia are now in condition to render immediate
+service of a very valuable kind in what may be called the second line of
+defence. They could operate signal stations, help handle torpedoes and
+mines, officer and man auxiliary cruisers, and assist in the defence of
+points which are not covered by the army. There are numbers of advanced
+bases which do not come under the present scheme of army coast defence,
+and which would have to be defended, at any rate during the first weeks
+of war, by bodies of Naval Militia; while the knowledge they get by
+their incessant practice in boats on the local waters would be
+invaluable.
+
+"Furthermore, the highest and best trained bodies could be used
+immediately on board the regular ships of war; this applies to the
+militia of the lakes as well as to the militia of the seacoast--and
+certainly no greater tribute is necessary to pay to the lake militia.
+Many of these naval battalions are composed of men who would not enlist
+in time of peace, but who, under the spur of war, would serve in any
+position for the first few important months."
+
+The last sentence of the above extract is of peculiar interest, inasmuch
+as it proved true in every particular. The crews of the auxiliary ships
+manned by the Naval Militia during the Spanish-American war of 1898 were
+composed of men who, in civil life, were brokers, lawyers, physicians,
+clerks, bookkeepers, or men of independent means. They sacrificed their
+personal interests for the moment, and, in their patriotic zeal,
+accepted positions of the most menial capacity on board ship.
+
+Prior to the outbreak of war they had entered into training with the
+utmost enthusiasm. The Navy Department had assigned some of the older
+vessels to the various naval brigades, to be used as training ships, and
+with these as headquarters the brigades began drilling. In addition to
+the regular routine, summer cruising was taken up.
+
+The First Battalion, New York State Militia, for instance, went in a
+body to Fisher's Island, off the eastern end of Connecticut, and there
+engaged in landing parties, camping, and sham battles. On another
+occasion the battalion embarked on board the battleships "Massachusetts"
+and "Texas," each militiaman having a regular bluejacket for a running
+mate, and doing just as he did. The two ships cruised in the vicinity of
+Fisher's Island, and a programme was carried out which included
+instruction in the different parts of the ship in great guns and
+ordnance, such drills as abandon ship, arm and away boats, clear ship
+for action, general quarters, signalling, and in the use of torpedoes.
+
+During one of the cruises of the Massachusetts Naval Brigade a
+detachment was engaged in locating signal stations on the coast from the
+New Hampshire State line to Cape Ann, and it was due to the efforts of
+this detachment that the signal stations established during the late war
+proved so efficient.
+
+The Naval Militia of Maryland, Louisiana, Illinois, and other States
+were given opportunities for instruction in the handling of guns, the
+care of wounded, in infantry drill, limited artillery practice with
+rapid-fire batteries, and all the details of naval life, and so well did
+they benefit by it that the authorities at Washington announced a
+willingness to trust any of the warships in their sole charge.
+
+It was to reach this pinnacle, as it may be termed, that the Naval
+Militia organizations of the United States had striven, and when they
+were finally called upon by the Government they proved their worth by
+boarding modern warships, doing the work of regular sailors, and
+fighting for their country with a degree of skill and zeal that has
+earned for them the commendation of their fellow-citizens.
+
+UNITED STATES NAVAL CODE FOR VISUAL SIGNALLING.
+
+To signal with flag or torch "wigwag":
+
+There are but _one_ position and _three_ motions.
+
+The _position_ is with the flag held vertically in front of the body;
+the signalman facing squarely the point to which the message is to be
+sent.
+
+
+APPENDIX
+
+The _first_ or 1 is a motion to the right of the sender.
+
+The _second_ or 2 is a motion to the left of the sender.
+
+The _third_ or 3: the flag is dropped in front of the sender and
+instantly returned to _position_.
+
+The entire code is made up of these three motions--1, 2, and 3. Every
+letter begins and ends with _position_.
+
+"WIGWAG" CODE. UNITED STATES NAVAL CODE FOR VISUAL AND
+TELEGRAPHIC
+SIGNALLING.
+
+ALPHABET.
+
+A    22
+B  2112
+C   121
+D   222
+E    12
+F  2221
+G  2211
+H   122
+I     1
+J  1122
+K  2121
+L   221
+M  1221
+N    11
+O    21
+P  1212
+Q  1211
+R   211
+S   212
+T     2
+U   112
+V  1222
+W  1121
+X  2122
+Y   111
+Z  2222
+
+NUMERALS.
+1  1111
+2  2222
+3  1112
+4  2221
+5  1122
+6  2211
+7  1222
+8  2111
+9  1221
+0  2112
+
+ABBREVIATIONS.
+
+a  after.
+b  before.
+c  can.
+h  have.
+n  not.
+r  are.
+t  the.
+u  you.
+ur your.
+w  word.
+wi with.
+y  why.
+
+x x 3 = "numerals follow" or "numerals end."
+sig. 3 = signature.
+3 = End of word.
+33 = End of sentence.
+333 = End of message.
+22, 22, 3 = I understand.
+
+The complete number opposite each letter or numeral stands for that
+letter or numeral.
+
+Example: The signal sent by Commodore Schley's flagship "Brooklyn" that
+memorable 3d of July--
+
+T  H    E    E   N   E   M     Y'   S     F     L    E   E   T
+2, 122, 12 3 12, 11, 12, 1221, 111, 212 3 2221, 221, 12, 12, 2, 3
+L, RLL, RL D RL, RR, RL, RLLR, RRR, LRL D LLLR, LLR, RL, RL, L, D
+
+I  S     C    O   M     I  N   G      O   U    T   O   F
+1, 212 3 121, 21, 1221, 1, 11, 2211 3 21, 112, 2 3 21, 2221
+R, LRL D RLR, LR, RLLR, R, RR, LLRR D LR, RRL, L D LR, LLLR
+
+H    A   R    B     O   R.
+122, 22, 211, 2112, 21, 211, 333.
+RLL, LL, LRR, LRRL, LR, LRR, DDD.
+
+R = Right = 1.          L = Left = 2.         D = Drop = 3.
+
+NIGHT SIGNALLING.
+
+The lights in the Ardois system--named after its inventor--sometimes
+called "shroud lights," are placed well up on the foremast. They are red
+and white electric bulbs. There are four of each placed in a line one
+above the other, in groups of two--- a red and white bulb together.
+Unlike the "wigwag" system, the whole letter is shown at once.
+
+The code is the same as the "wigwag." One is indicated by a red light,
+two by white, and three by the combination, white, white, red and white.
+
+Both systems may be mastered very easily by a little painstaking
+practice, and much amusement may be had through the mystification of
+those who do not understand it. A "wigwag" flag may be easily made by
+sewing a white square of muslin in the centre of a red bandana
+handkerchief.
+
+The best method of learning this system is to send simple messages,
+looking up the letters that there is any doubt about, and correcting
+mistakes as you go along.
+
+
+APPENDIX.
+
+NAVY CODE FLAGS.
+
+Messages sent by the navy code flags cannot be read except by the aid of
+the code book. There are ten numeral flags--1 to 9, and one for 0. All
+messages are made up by means of these ten flags headed by the code flag
+(whether it be geographical, telegraph, or navy list).
+
+For instance, a line of bunting is sent up on the flagship's signal
+halliards. It is read from the top down. The geographical flag flies
+first; then follow 7, 6, 3, 8. It means that the message can be found in
+the geographical list, number 7638.
+
+The repeaters are used to avoid confusion. Instead of putting two number
+1 flags together, for instance, number 1 is flown with a repeater under
+it; second repeater repeats number 2, and so on.
+
+PREPARATORY.--Over hoist. Prepare to execute subjoined order.
+
+INTERROGATION.--Alone. What is that signal? or "I don't
+understand--repeat." Above hoist puts signal in interrogative sense.
+
+ANSWERING.--Flown by ship receiving message indicates that signal is
+understood.
+
+AFFIRMATIVE.--Alone. Yes. Above hoist puts message in affirmative or
+permissive sense.
+
+NEGATIVE.--Alone. No. Above hoist puts message in negative sense.
+
+MEAL or NUMERAL.--Alone. Crew at mess. Above or below hoist--the numeral
+flags are to be taken as numbers simply.
+
+CONVOY.--Alone at fore, means naval convoy. Above hoist means use navy
+list.
+
+POSITION.--In manoeuvres, hoisted by each ship as it gets into position
+ordered; lowered when next ship gets into place.
+
+GUARD or GUIDE.--As its name implies--flown by guard or guide ship.
+
+TELEGRAPH.--Use telegraph list.
+
+DESPATCH or GEOGRAPHICAL.--Alone at fore, indicates that the ship flying
+it is carrying despatches. Above hoist. Use geographical list.
+
+CORNET.--Alone. Ship about to sail. Over number. Official number of
+ship.
+
+GENERAL RECALL.--Recalls all small boats.
+
+POWDER.--Hoisted alone in port. Taking powder on board. Alone at sea.
+Distress.
+
+
+RATING MARKS IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY.
+
+THE INSIGNIA OF RANK OF COMMISSIONED, WARRANT, AND PETTY OFFICERS.
+
+There are four classes of officers in the United States navy, and each
+has its own distinguishing mark.
+
+The commissioned officers of the line.
+
+The commissioned corps.
+
+The warrant officers.
+
+The petty officers.
+
+The first two classes are graduates of Annapolis, or regularly
+commissioned by the Government. The last two are composed of enlisted
+men who have been promoted.
+
+The rank device of the commissioned officers is worn on the
+shoulder-knot of the full dress uniform and on the collar of the service
+coat.
+
+The marks are as follows:
+
+[Illustration: REAR-ADMIRAL.]
+
+Foul anchor with silver stars at ends; and one stripe of gold lace two
+inches wide, and one of one-half inch wide above it, on sleeves.
+
+[Illustration: COMMODORE.]
+
+A star with a foul anchor at either side of it; and one stripe of gold
+lace two inches wide on sleeves.
+
+[Illustration: CAPTAIN.]
+
+A spread eagle with foul anchor at either side. Four one-half-inch
+stripes of gold lace on sleeves.
+
+[Illustration: COMMANDER.]
+
+Foul anchor with silver oak leaves at ends. Three stripes of half-inch
+gold lace on sleeves.
+
+LIEUTENANT-COMMANDER.--A silver foul anchor with a silver oak leaf at
+either end. Two stripes of half-inch gold lace with a quarter-inch
+stripe between.
+
+[Illustration: LIEUTENANT.]
+
+Silver foul anchor with two silver bars at either side. Two stripes of
+gold lace one-half inch wide on sleeves.
+
+[Illustration: LIEUTENANT--JUNIOR GRADE.]
+
+Silver foul anchor with one silver bar at either side. Two stripes of
+gold lace, half and quarter-inch, on sleeves.
+
+[Illustration: ENSIGN.]
+
+A gold foul anchor on collar or shoulder-knot and one stripe of gold
+lace on sleeves.
+
+THE COMMISSIONED CORPS.
+
+The commissioned corps' devices are substituted for the anchor by staff
+officers, who wear the same rank devices as are prescribed for line
+officers with whom they have relative rank.
+
+THE PAY CORPS.--A silver oak sprig and a narrow band of white cloth
+above and below the gold lace on sleeves.
+
+THE MEDICAL CORPS.--A spread oak leaf of gold with an acorn of silver,
+and a band of dark maroon velvet above and below the gold lace on
+sleeves.
+
+THE ENGINEER CORPS.--Four silver oak leaves, and a band of red cloth
+above and below the gold lace on sleeves.
+
+PETTY OFFICERS' RATING MARKS.
+
+All petty officers wear a rating device on the sleeve of the outer
+garment above the elbow. If they belong to the starboard watch the mark
+will be sewed on the right sleeve; if the port, on the left.
+
+[Illustration: QUARTERMASTER.]
+
+The petty officers' device always has a spread eagle above it. The
+specialty mark indicating to which department he belongs is just below
+in the angle formed by the chevrons. The chevrons indicate the class.
+Three chevrons, first class; two, second class, and so on. The chief
+petty officers have an arch of the same cloth connecting the two ends
+of the top chevron.
+
+The specialty marks are as follows:
+
+[Illustration: MASTER-AT-ARMS.]
+
+[Illustration: GUNNER'S MATES.]
+
+[Illustration: SEAMAN GUNNER.]
+
+[Illustration: CHIEF YEOMAN.]
+
+[Illustration: APOTHECARY.]
+
+[Illustration: YEOMAN--1ST, 2D, AND 3D CLASS.]
+
+[Illustration: SHIP'S PRINTER OR SCHOOLMASTER.]
+
+[Illustration: BANDMASTER.]
+
+[Illustration: MACHINISTS, BOILER-MAKERS, WATER-TENDERS, COPPERSMITHS,
+AND OILERS.]
+
+[Illustration: CARPENTER'S MATES, PLUMBERS, AND PAINTERS.]
+
+[Illustration: BLACKSMITH.]
+
+[Illustration: BOATSWAIN'S MATES AND COXSWAINS.]
+
+The seaman class is indicated by the rows of braid on the cuffs.
+
+Seamen, first class or able-bodied seamen, have three rows of braid.
+
+Seamen, second class or ordinary seamen, have two rows of braid.
+
+Seamen, third class or landsmen, have one row of braid.
+
+The watch mark for the enlisted men not petty officers consists of a
+stripe of braid on the sleeve close to the shoulder. For the seaman,
+white on blue clothes, blue on white clothes.
+
+For the engineer force, red on both white and blue clothes.
+
+The watch mark indicates the watch of which the wearer is a member. The
+starboard men wear it on the right arm, and the port men on the left.
+
+TAKING SOUNDINGS.
+
+HEAVING THE LEAD.
+
+The man using the "lead line" (as the sounding-line weighted with lead
+is called) stands on a grating that projects over the side. This is
+placed near enough so that the steersman can hear the man who "heaves
+the lead" when he calls out the number of fathoms of water. This he
+tells by the marks on the "lead line" as follows:
+
+ 2 fathoms, twelve feet, 2 strips of leather.
+ 3    "                  3 strips of leather.
+ 5    "                  white rag.
+ 7    "                  red rag.
+10    "                  leather with hole in it.
+13    "                  3 strips of leather or blue rag.
+15    "                  white rag.
+17    "                  red rag.
+20    "     2 knots.
+25    "     1 knot.
+30    "     3 knots.
+35    "     1 knot.
+40    "     4 knots.
+ 9    "     are called mark.
+11    "      "    "    deeps.
+
+The leadsman stands on his little grating and swings the lead so it just
+clears the water. When it is swinging well he lets it fly in the
+direction in which the ship is moving and then notes the depth by the
+strips of leather or rags. The result is shouted out so the steersman
+can hear and keep the vessel in the channel.
+
+THE BOATSWAIN'S CALLS.
+
+The boatswain's calls or "pipes" are very difficult to reduce to a
+musical scale, because the pitch of the instrument depends entirely on
+the amount of energy expended by the blower. The novice, after a few
+trials, would probably assert that the primitive little whistle had only
+one note--and not very much of that; but he would be surprised indeed at
+the volume of sound, the range, and the command over the instrument
+which a veteran boatswain would soon make everyday matter to him. Not
+only do these experts sound the regular calls with ear-piercing
+exactness, but actual tunes are often included in their repertoire.
+
+The pipe or whistle is held with the bulb in the centre of the palm, the
+hole being towards the wrist. The lobe to which the ring and lanyard are
+attached, serves simply as a handle.
+
+In the diagram given, the black line indicates the "pipe" or call; the
+four faint horizontal lines, the notes, and the vertical bars, the time.
+
+The roll indicated by the wavy line in the diagram is made by rapidly
+opening and closing the hand. The gradual rise and fall is effected in
+the same way, but slowly. The rattle is done by a quick movement of the
+tongue.
+
+This diagram is furnished by an old boatswain. As a rule, the calls are
+taught entirely by personal instruction, and it is believed that they
+have here been put into print for the first time. None of the ordinary
+manuals have ever given them, the young sailor having had to learn them
+by experience on shipboard.
+
+Their importance is evident from the fact that every order aboard ship
+is preceded by the pipe peculiar to the command; for though the words
+may not be heard, the whistle can always be distinguished. Even the most
+lubberly landsman, with such continuous practice, soon learns the
+meaning of the different calls, and jumps to obey them.
+
+[Illustration: THE BOATSWAIN'S CALLS]
+
+[Illustration: STATIONS OR QUARTERS FOR EXERCISE, OR PRECEDING ACTION,
+OF FIVE-INCH BREECHLOADING RIFLES.]
+
+1. First Captain, Second Boarder. 2. Second Captain, First Boarder. 3.
+First Loader, Second Boarder, 4. Second Loader, First Boarder. 5. First
+Shellman, Pumpman, Port guard. 6. Second Shellman, Fireman, Port guard.
+7. First Shellman, Second Rifleman. 8. Second Shellman, First Rifleman.
+
+1. Stands at elevating gear wheel and sights and fires the gun.
+
+2. Stands at the right and beside the breech; opens same after firing so
+shell can be taken out.
+
+3. Stands at the left training wheel--i.e., the wheel that moves the gun
+laterally. He also loads the gun.
+
+4. Stands at the right training wheel. He takes out the empty shell
+after firing, and wears heavy gloves for that purpose.
+
+5 and 6. Stand just behind No. 2 to the right of the gun. They may be
+termed emergency men. They assist with the shells, carry the wounded, if
+any; will be called away in case of fire, and are qualified to sight and
+fire the gun in case the first and second captains are wounded or
+killed. They provide revolvers and belts for Nos. 1, 2, and 3, and belts
+for Nos. 5, 6, 7, and 8. They are also port guards, and defend the ports
+in case of close action.
+
+7 and 8. Carry shells from the ammunition hoist to a position amidships
+convenient for quick transport to the gun. They are also riflemen, and
+may be called to protect any part of the ship from boarders or from fire
+on shore.
+
+
+
+***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A GUNNER ABOARD THE "YANKEE"***
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+<head>
+<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1">
+<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of A Gunner Aboard the "Yankee", by Russell Doubleday, et al</title>
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+<h1>The Project Gutenberg eBook, A Gunner Aboard the "Yankee", by Russell
+Doubleday, et al, Edited by H. H. Lewis</h1>
+<pre class="pg">
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at <a href = "https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre>
+<p>Title: A Gunner Aboard the "Yankee"</p>
+<p>Author: Russell Doubleday</p>
+<p>Release Date: October 21, 2004  [eBook #13826]</p>
+<p>Language: English</p>
+<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p>
+<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A GUNNER ABOARD THE "YANKEE"***</p>
+<br><br><h4>E-text prepared by Curtis Weyant, Gregory Smith,<br>
+            and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team</h4><br><br>
+<hr class="full" noshade>
+<br>
+<h1>A GUNNER ABOARD THE &quot;YANKEE&quot;</h1>
+<br>
+<br>
+<br>
+<h3>BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA</h3>
+
+<h4>OFFICERS OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL</h4>
+
+<center>
+<table summary="Officers of the national council">
+<tr>
+  <td>Honorary President, The Hon. Woodrow Wilson</td>
+  <td>Vice-President, Milton A. McRae, Detroit, Mich.</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>Honorary Vice-President, Hon. William H. Taft</td>
+  <td>Vice-President, David Starr Jordan, Stanford University, Cal.</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>Honorary Vice-President, Colonel Theodore Roosevelt</td>
+  <td>Vice-President, F.L. Seely, Asheville, N.C.</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>President, Colin B. Livingstone, Washington, D.C.</td>
+  <td>Vice-President, A. Stamford White, Chicago, Ill.</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>Vice-President, B.L. Dulaney, Bristol, Tenn.</td>
+  <td>Chief Scout, Ernest Thompson Seton, Greenwich, Connecticut</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td></td>
+  <td>National Scout Commissioner, Daniel Carter Beard, Fishing, N.Y.</td>
+</tr></table></center>
+<br />
+
+<br />
+<br />
+<center>
+NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS<br />
+THE FIFTH AVENUE BUILDING, 200 FIFTH AVENUE<br />
+TELEPHONE GRAMERCY 540<br />
+NEW YORK CITY<br />
+</center>
+<br />
+
+<center>
+<table summary="Committee">
+<tr>
+  <td>FINANCE COMMITTEE</td>
+  <td></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>John Sherman Hoyt, Chairman&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
+  <td>George D. Pratt, Treasurer</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>George D. Pratt</td>
+  <td>JAMES E. WEST Chief Scout Executive</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>Mortimer L. Schiff</td>
+  <td></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>H. Rogers Winthrop</td>
+  <td></td>
+</tr></table></center>
+
+<center>
+Additional Members of the Executive Board
+</center>
+
+<center>
+<table summary="Additional Members of the Executive Board">
+<tr>
+  <td>Ernest P. Bicknell</td>
+  <td>Prof. Jeremiah W. Jeeks&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
+  <td>Edgar M. Robinson</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>Robert Garrett</td>
+  <td>William D. Murray</td>
+  <td>Mortimer L. Schiff</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>Lee F. Hanmer</td>
+  <td>Dr. Charles P. Nell</td>
+  <td>Lorillard Spencer</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>Jobe Sherman Hoyt&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
+  <td>Frank Presbrey</td>
+  <td>Seth Spreguy Terry</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>Charles C. Jackson</td>
+  <td></td>
+  <td></td>
+</tr></table></center>
+<br />
+
+<div class='blkquot'><p>July 31st, 1913.
+
+<p>     TO THE PUBLIC:&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>     In the execution of its purpose to give educational value
+     and moral worth to the recreational activities of the
+     boyhood of America, the leaders of the Boy Scout Movement
+     quickly learned that to effectively carry out its program,
+     the boy must be influenced not only in his out-of-door life
+     but also in the diversions of his other leisure moments. It
+     is at such times that the boy is captured by the tales of
+     daring enterprises and adventurous good times. What now is
+     needful is not that his taste should be thwarted but
+     trained. There should constantly be presented to him the
+     books the boy likes best, yet always the books that will be
+     best for the boy. As a natter of fact, however, the boy's
+     taste is being constantly vitiated and exploited by the
+     great mass of cheap juvenile literature.</p>
+
+<p>     To help anxiously concerned parents and educators to meet
+     this grave peril, the Library Commission of the Boy Scouts
+     of America has been organized. EVERY BOY'S LIBRARY is the
+     result of their labors. All the books chosen have been
+     approved by them. The Commission is composed of the
+     following members: George F. Bowerman, Librarian, Public
+     Library of the District of Columbia, Washington, D.C.;
+     Harrison W. Graver, Librarian, Carnegie Library of
+     Pittsburgh, Pa.; Claude G. Leland, Superintendent, Bureau of
+     Libraries, Board of Education, New York City; Edward F.
+     Stevens, Librarian, Pratt Institute Free Library, Brooklyn,
+     New York; together with the Editorial Board of our Movement,
+     William D. Murray, George D. Pratt and Frank Presbrey, with
+     Franklin K. Mathiews. Chief Scout Librarian, as Secretary.</p>
+
+<p>     In selecting the books, the Commission has chosen only such
+     as are of interest to boys, the first twenty-five being
+     either works of fiction or stirring stories of adventurous
+     experiences. In later lists, books of a more serious sort
+     will be included. It is hoped that as many as twenty-five
+     may be added to the Library each year.</p>
+
+<p>     Thanks are due the several publishers who have helped to
+     inaugurate this new department of our work. Without their
+     co-operation in making available for popular priced editions
+     some of the best books ever published for boys, the
+     promotion of EVERY BOY'S LIBRARY would have been
+     impossible.</p>
+
+<p>     We wish, too, to express our heartiest gratitude to the
+     Library Commission, who, without compensation, have placed
+     their vast experience and immense resources at the service
+     of our Movement.</p>
+
+<p>     The Commission invites suggestions as to future books to be
+     included in the Library. Librarians, teachers, parents, and
+     all others interested in welfare work for boys, can render a
+     unique service by forwarding to National Headquarters lists
+     of such books as in their judgment would be suitable for
+     EVERY BOY'S LIBRARY. </p></div>
+
+<div class='blkquot'>
+<pre>  Signed</pre>
+<img src='images/page003.jpg' width='167' height='39' alt='' title=''>
+<p>Chief Scout Executive. </p></div>
+<br />
+
+<h1>A GUNNER ABOARD THE &quot;YANKEE&quot;</h1>
+
+<br />
+<h4>ACKNOWLEDGEMENT</h4>
+
+<center>
+<p>Acknowledgements are due to J. Harper Skillen, Stewart Flagg, George
+Yardley, W.G. Wood, and E. Howe Stockwell for the use of photographs;
+and to C.B. Hayward and Allan H. Seaman for the use of notes and
+diaries.</p>
+</center>
+<br />
+<a name='front_page'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/front_page.jpg' width='300' height='415' alt='' title='THE NAVAL RESERVES LEAVING NEW YORK&mdash;GOING OFF IN THE
+TUGBOAT TO MAN THE &quot;YANKEE&quot;'>
+</center>
+
+<h5>THE NAVAL RESERVES LEAVING NEW YORK&mdash;GOING OFF IN THE
+TUGBOAT TO MAN THE &quot;YANKEE&quot; (<i>page</i> 8).</h5>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<h2>A GUNNER ABOARD THE &quot;YANKEE&quot;</h2>
+
+<center>
+FROM THE DIARY OF NUMBER FIVE<br />
+OF THE AFTER PORT GUN (RUSSELL DOUBLEDAY)<br />
+
+THE YARN OF THE CRUISE AND FIGHTS<br />
+OF THE NAVAL RESERVES IN THE<br />
+SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR<br />
+
+Edited by<br />
+H.H. LEWIS<br />
+Late a S.N.<br />
+
+With Introduction by<br />
+W.T. SAMPSON<br />
+Rear Admiral U.S.<br />
+
+1896<br />
+</center>
+<br /><br /><br />
+
+<center>
+THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY<br />
+RUSSELL DOUBLEDAY<br />
+NUMBER FIVE OF THE AFTER PORT GUN OF THE YANKEE<br />
+TO THE NAVAL RESERVE ORGANIZATIONS<br />
+THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, WHO HAVE MADE SUCH<br />
+AN ENVIABLE RECORD DURING THE SPANISH-AMERICAN<br />
+WAR AND BEFORE WHOM SUCH A<br />
+GLORIOUS FUTURE<br />
+OPENS<br />
+</center>
+<br /><br />
+
+<a name='Forward'></a><h2>AUTHOR'S FOREWORD.</h2>
+
+<h3>1898 April 1917</h3><br />
+
+<p>The successors of the crew of the &quot;Yankee&quot; are now &quot;somewhere in the
+service.&quot; The boys of the First Battalion New York Naval Militia were
+just as eager to get to sea in the service of Uncle Sam to do their part
+for the great cause, as we were in the Spring of '98.</p>
+
+<p>The old frigate &quot;Granite State&quot; (formerly the New Hampshire), living
+through three wars, has resounded to the tramp of hundreds of tars in
+the making. She is the school ship, the home ship of the First
+Battalion. Down her gangways went most of the &quot;Yankee's&quot; crew and
+between her massive decks they returned after their job was done.</p>
+
+<p>As I write it seems as if I can hear the shrill whistle of the bo'sn's
+pipe sounding in all parts of the old wooden ship, then the long drawn
+call &quot;all hands on deck.&quot; The men come tumbling up from below, touching
+their caps in salute as their heads rise above the hatch coaming. Men
+standing in battalion formation, by divisions, at attention, each man
+answers &quot;here&quot; as his name is called. Some of the voices are a little
+husky as the speaker realizes that war is on and he is about to be
+called for real service.</p>
+
+<p>And so they are mustered in. The state's sailors become Uncle Sam's
+man-o'-war's-men. The old &quot;Granite State&quot; is once more emptied of its
+crew. The decks are silent and the long, low gangways beneath the
+ancient deck beams are checked with squares of undisturbed yellow-light,
+as the sun streams through the square gun ports.</p>
+
+<p>The readers of this book can imagine the men on our great gray ships of
+war going through much the same routine followed by the &quot;Yankee's&quot; crew,
+for there has been but little change in the work and play of the
+man-o'-war's-men.</p>
+
+<p>So let us take off our caps and give the men of 1917 three cheers and a
+tiger. May they shoot straight, and keep fit.</p>
+
+<p>Pipe down.</p>
+
+<p>RUSSELL DOUBLEDAY</p><br />
+<br />
+April, 1917<br />
+Nineteen years ago this<br />
+month the &quot;Yankee's&quot;<br />
+crew went to sea.<br /><br />
+
+<a name='Intro'></a><h2>INTRODUCTION.</h2><br />
+
+
+<p>As the Commander-in-Chief of the American Naval Squadron blockading
+Santiago and the Cuban coast, the auxiliary cruiser &quot;Yankee,&quot; manned by
+the New York Naval Reserves, came immediately under my observation, and
+it is a pleasure for me to speak of the spirit and efficiency shown by
+the officers and crew during their stay under my command.</p>
+
+<p>The young men forming the ship's company of the &quot;Yankee&quot; were called
+into service several weeks prior to any other Naval Reserve battalion;
+they came from all walks of civil life, and their minds, devoted to
+peaceful pursuits, were suddenly diverted to the needs and requirements
+and the usages of naval routine. Notwithstanding this radical change,
+they have made the name of their ship a household word throughout the
+country, and have proved that the average American, whether he be clerk
+or physician, broker, lawyer, or merchant, can, on the spur of the
+moment, prove a capable fighter for his country even amid such strange
+and novel surroundings as obtain in the naval service. These young men
+have especially upheld the American supremacy in the art of gunnery, and
+have, on all occasions, proved brave and efficient.</p>
+
+<p>The conclusion of the Spanish-American War released them from their
+voluntarily assumed positions in the regular navy, but when they
+returned to civil life they carried with them the consciousness of duty
+well done at Santiago and Cienfuegos and whenever their guns were used
+in hostile action. In a word, the Naval Reserves manning the &quot;Yankee,&quot;
+in common with those on board other vessels in the service, have proved
+their aptitude for sea duty, and made apparent the wisdom of the
+Government in calling them into active service.</p>
+
+W.T. SAMPSON,<br />
+<i>Rear-Admiral, U.S.N.</i><br />
+<br />
+U.S. FLAGSHIP &quot;NEW YORK,&quot;<br />
+<i>September 3, 1898.</i><br />
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<h2>CONTENTS</h2>
+
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#Forward'><b>AUTHOR'S Forward.</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#Intro'><b>INTRODUCTION.</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#PREFACE'><b>PREFACE.</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_I'><b>I.&nbsp; IN WHICH THE &quot;YANKEE&quot; GOES INTO COMMISSION</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_II'><b>II.&nbsp; IN WHICH WE GET UNDER WAY AT LAST</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_III'><b>III.&nbsp; IN WHICH THE &quot;YANKEE&quot; CRUISES FOR PRIZES</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_IV'><b>IV.&nbsp; WE GET ORDERS TO GO SOUTH</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_V'><b>V.&nbsp; A WILD GOOSE CHASE</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_VI'><b>VI.&nbsp; WE BECOME COAL HEAVERS</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_VII'><b>VII.&nbsp; WE ENTER THE &quot;THEATRE OF WAR&quot;</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_VIII'><b>VIII.&nbsp;WE JOIN SAMPSON'S FLEET</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_IX'><b>IX.&nbsp; CLEAR SHIP FOR ACTION</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_X'><b>X.&nbsp; WE BOMBARD SANTIAGO DE CUBA</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_XI'><b>XI.&nbsp; A PERILOUS MOMENT</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_XII'><b>XII.&nbsp; IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURE</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_XIII'><b>XIII.&nbsp;A NARROW ESCAPE</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_XIV'><b>XIV.&nbsp; WE ENGAGE IN A SEA FIGHT</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_XV'><b>XV.&nbsp; COALING IN THE TROPICS</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_XVI'><b>XVI.&nbsp; &quot;REMEMBER THE FISH</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_XVII'><b>XVII.&nbsp;IN GOD'S COUNTRY</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_XVIII'><b>XVIII.&nbsp;THE &quot;YANKEE&quot; ARRIVES OFF SANTIAGO</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_XIX'><b>XIX. HOPE DEFERRED</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'><a href='#CHAPTER_XX'><b>XX.&nbsp;TAPS</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+ <span style='margin-left: 1em;'> <a href='#APPENDIX'><b>APPENDIX.</b></a></span><br />
+<br />
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='LIST_OF_ILLUSTRATIONS'></a><h2>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2>
+
+<br />
+ <a href='#front_page'><b>THE NAVAL RESERVES LEAVING NEW YORK&mdash;GOING<br />OFF IN THE TUGBOAT TO MAN THE &quot;YANKEE&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page019'><b>&quot;THAT FAT MAN IN THE CELLAR WANTS ME TO<br />SLEEP IN A BAG&mdash;&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page050a'><b>&quot;THE GIG WAS LOWERED&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page050b'><b>&quot;THE MEN ON THE STAGES&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page057'><b>&quot;STAND BY, MEN. BE READY FOB INSTANT ACTION&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page077'><b>&quot;THE 'YANKEE' DROPPED HER ANCHOR OFF TOMPKINSVILLE&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page082'><b>&quot;WITH A FRIGHTFUL ROAR THE DEFECTIVE CARTRIDGE EXPLODED&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page112'><b>&quot;THE SIX-POUNDERS ON THE 'YANKEE'S' FORECASTLE JOINED IN THE CHORUS&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page115'><b>&quot;CLEAR SHIP FOR ACTION!&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page138'><b>THE BOMBARDMENT OF MORRO CASTLE, SANTIAGO</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page152'><b>ON THE GUN DECK DURING THE BOMBARDMENT</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page175'><b>THE SEARCHLIGHT &quot;SWEEPING BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE BLACK OF THE HORIZON&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page203'><b>&quot;THERE WAS TEMPORARY CONFUSION&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page221'><b>&quot;THE FUSILLADE WAS LIVELY&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page240a'><b>&quot;THE SPAR DECK WAS COVERED WITH RED SHELLAC&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page240b'><b>&quot;THE MARINES AIRED THEIR HAMMOCKS ON THE FORECASTLE DECK&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page258a'><b>&quot;HE GOT HIS ORDERS FROM THE BRIDGE&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page258b'><b>&quot;ALL YOU MEN WHO WANT TO GO IN SWIMMING MAY DO SO&quot;</b></a><br />
+<br />
+ <a href='#page294'><b>MARCHING THROUGH CITY HALL PARK, NEW YORK CITY</b></a><br />
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<h2>A GUNNER ABOARD THE &quot;YANKEE.&quot;</h2>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='PREFACE'></a><h2>PREFACE.</h2>
+<br />
+
+<p>When the important events of the first part of April, 1898, were shaping
+themselves toward an inevitable conflict between Spain and the United
+States of America, the authorities at Washington began to perfect their
+plans for an immediate increase of the navy. The Naval Militia of the
+country, of whom Assistant Secretary Theodore Roosevelt had a very high
+opinion, came in for early attention, and word was sent to the different
+States to prepare for service. Several days previous to the actual
+outbreak of war, messages were forwarded from the Naval Reserve
+receiving ship &quot;New Hampshire,&quot; lying at a dock in the East River, to a
+number of young men, members of the Naval Militia, residing in New York
+City. These summons contained simply a request to report at once on
+board the ship, but they resulted in a most curious and interesting
+transformation&mdash;in fact, they formed the foundation of a chain of events
+which was destined to amalgamate into a common grade&mdash;that of a naval
+bluejacket&mdash;several hundred young Americans, who, in their natural
+characters, were sons of rich men and of men of moderate means, of
+doctors and lawyers and brokers and clerks and bookkeepers, and of all
+sorts and conditions of respectable citizens. Patriotism was the
+incentive which called these youths of various stations together, and
+sheer love of country and the courage to fight her battles formed the
+cement which bound them cheerfully to their duty. To fight for pay and
+as a profession is one thing; to offer your freedom and your life, to
+endure discomforts and actual hardships, to risk health in a
+fever-stricken foreign country, and to sacrifice settled ambition for
+mere patriotism, is another. It is the latter which the Volunteer Naval
+Reserve of the United States has done, and every American citizen with a
+drop of honest blood in his veins will surely give the organization the
+praise it so richly deserves.</p>
+
+<p>On the third of May, while Cervera's whereabouts was still an absorbing
+mystery, the &quot;Yankee&quot; (an auxiliary cruiser, converted from the
+steamship &quot;El Nort&quot;) went into commission at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. She
+was manned entirely, save for the captain, executive officer, navigator,
+paymaster, and the marine guard, by members of the New York State Naval
+Militia. For four months she remained in commission, weaving the threads
+of a glorious record which will ever redound to the credit and honor of
+the Volunteer Naval Reserve. Truth is ever stranger than fiction, and
+the simple story of the boys of the gallant &quot;Yankee,&quot; as set forth in
+the diary of Number Five of the After Port Gun, should appeal to the
+heart of every reader in this great country of ours&mdash;a country made
+grander and better and more potent in the world's history by the
+achievements of such brave lads as those who formed the crew of the
+&quot;Yankee.&quot; Number Five's diary was written simply for his family, but the
+fame gained by the &quot;Yankee&quot; leads the publishers to believe that it will
+prove interesting to Americans far and wide. It is set forth in
+narrative form, but the incidents and the straightforward, simple, and
+sailor-like words are those of the actual participant. This is his
+story.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_I'></a><h2>CHAPTER I.</h2>
+
+<h3>IN WHICH THE &quot;YANKEE&quot; GOES INTO COMMISSION.</h3>
+<br />
+
+U.S.S. &quot;NEW HAMPSHIRE,&quot;<br />
+<i>April</i> 26, 1898.<br />
+<p>Report at &quot;New Hampshire&quot; immediately, ready to go on board auxiliary cruiser &quot;Yankee.&quot;</p>
+
+(Signed)<br />
+JOHN H. BARNARD,<br />
+<i>Lieut, commanding 3d Division</i>,<br />
+<i>N.Y. State Naval Militia</i>.<br />
+
+<p>It was this telegram, brief but extremely comprehensive, received early
+on the morning of the twenty-sixth of April, which sent me post-haste to
+the old receiving-ship &quot;New Hampshire,&quot; moored at the end of an East
+River dock. The telegram had been anxiously expected for several days by
+the members of the First Battalion, and when I reached the ship I found
+the decks thronged with excited groups.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;War was a certainty, and the very air was filled with rumors. The
+prevailing topic was discussed from every point of view, and within
+sixty seconds as many destinations had been picked out for the
+'Yankee.' It was variously reported that she was to go to Havana, to
+Manila, to Porto Rico, and even to Spain. This last rumor brought shouts
+of laughter, and 'Stump,' as we termed him, a well-known young insurance
+broker of New York, remarked, in his characteristic way:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It probably won't be this particular 'Yankee,' boys, that will go
+there, but there'll be others.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>There was much cleaning of kits and furbishing of cutlasses. We knew
+that we would not take the latter with us, but then it was practice, and
+we felt anxious to do something martial as a relief to our excitement.
+There was a diversion shortly before noon, when the &quot;old man&quot; (the
+captain) appeared with a number of official-looking papers in his hands.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;He's got the orders,&quot; whispered little Potter, our latest recruit.
+&quot;Whoop! we'll get away this morning, sure.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The whistle of the bosun's mate on watch echoed shrilly about the decks
+a few moments later.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Now, d'ye hear there,&quot; he shouted, hoarsely, &quot;you will break out mess
+gear and get yourselves ready for messing aboard ship.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>That did not sound as if we were destined to see our new vessel put into
+commission very soon, and there was some grumbling, but the boys fell to
+work with good grace, and we were soon preparing for our stay aboard the
+old frigate. The officer of the deck was lenient, however, and the
+majority of the crew secured permission to sleep at home that night.</p>
+
+<p>The following Monday, on reporting on board the &quot;New Hampshire,&quot; we
+learned that the entire detail selected to man the &quot;Yankee&quot; would
+proceed to that ship shortly after eight bells. Word was passed that our
+enlistment papers&mdash;for we were to regularly enter Uncle Sam's naval
+service&mdash;would be made out, and that our freedom and liberty, as some of
+the boys put it, would cease from that hour. The latter statement made
+little impression. We had entered the Naval Reserves for business, if
+business was required, and we expected hardships as well as fun.</p>
+
+<p>A navy-yard tug, sent by the Commandant, steamed alongside at two
+o'clock, and the company was marched on board without delay. The boys
+were eager to enter on this, their first real detail, and, in the rush
+to gain the deck of the tug, young Potter slipped from the rail and fell
+with a mighty splash into the water. &quot;Man overboard!&quot; bawled his
+nearest mate, and &quot;Man overboard!&quot; echoed one hundred and fifty voices.
+There was a scramble for the side, and the tug's deck hand, assisted by
+several of our fellows, fished Potter from the river with a boat hook.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hereafter, please ask permission before you leave the ship,&quot;
+facetiously remarked the officer in charge.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Humph! as if I meant to do it,&quot; grunted Potter, wringing the East River
+from his duck shirt.</p>
+
+<p>We caught our first view of the &quot;Yankee&quot; as we steamed past the cob dock
+at the yard. We were favorably impressed at once. She is a fine-looking
+ship, large, roomy, and comfortable, with lines which show that she is
+built for speed. As her record is twenty knots an hour, the latter
+promise is carried out. The &quot;Yankee&quot; was formerly the &quot;El Norte,&quot; one of
+the Morgan Line's crack ships, and, when it was found necessary to
+increase the navy, she was purchased, together with other vessels of the
+same company, and ordered converted into an auxiliary cruiser. Gun
+mounts were placed in the cargo ports, beams strengthened, magazines
+inserted, and interior arrangements made to accommodate a large crew.
+The &quot;Yankee's&quot; tonnage is 4,695 tons; length, 408 feet; beam, 48 feet.
+The battery carried consists of ten five-inch quick-firing
+breechloaders, six six-pounders, and two Colt automatic guns. After
+events proved conclusively the efficiency of the &quot;Yankee's&quot; armament.</p>
+
+<p>The detail was taken alongside the &quot;Yankee&quot; by the tug. We had our first
+meeting with our new captain, Commander W.H. Brownson, of the regular
+navy. His appearance and his kindly greeting bore out the reputation he
+holds in the service as a gentleman and a capable officer. It is well to
+say right here that Commander Brownson, although a strict
+disciplinarian, was ever fair and just in his treatment of the crew. Our
+pedigrees were taken for the enlistment papers, and the questions asked
+us in regard to our ages, occupations, etc., proved that the Government
+requires the family history of its fighters. The following day each man
+was subjected to a rigid physical examination. The latter ceremony is so
+thorough that a man needs to be perfect to have the honor of wearing the
+blue shirt. Personally, when I finally emerged from the examining room,
+I felt that my teeth were all wrong, my eyes crossed, my heart a wreck,
+and that I was not only a physical ruin, but a gibbering idiot as well.
+That I really passed the examination successfully was no fault of the
+naval surgeon and his assistants.</p>
+
+<p>After the medical department had finished with us, the enlistment papers
+were completed, and we became full-fledged &quot;Jackies,&quot; as &quot;Stump&quot; termed
+it. The members of the battalion were rated as landsmen, ordinary
+seamen, and able-bodied seamen, according to their skill, and a number
+of men, hastily enlisted for the purpose, were made machinists, firemen,
+coal-passers, painters, and carpenters. Some of these had seen service
+in the regular navy, and they were visibly horny-handed sons of toil.
+One Irishman, whose brogue was painful, looked with something very like
+contempt on the Naval Reserve sailors.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Uncle Sam is a queer bird,&quot; several of us overheard him remark to a
+mate. &quot;He do be making a picnic av this war wid his pleasure boats an'
+his crew av pretty b'yes. If we iver tackle the Spaniards, there'll be
+many a mama's baby on board this hooker cryin' for home, swate home.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hod,&quot; a six-footer, who played quarter-back on a famous team not long
+ago, took out his notebook and made an entry.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I'll spot that fellow and make him eat his words before we get into
+deep water,&quot; he said, quietly. He was not the only one to make that
+vow, and it was plain that Burke, the Irishman, had trouble in store for
+him.</p>
+
+<p>On our return to the &quot;New Hampshire,&quot; the battalion was placed under the
+regular ship's routine. All the men were divided into two watches,
+starboard and port. The port watch, for instance, goes on duty at eight
+bells in the morning, stands four hours, and is then relieved by the
+starboard watch; this routine continues day and night, except from four
+until eight in the afternoon, when occur the dog watches, two of them,
+two hours long each, stood by the port and starboard men respectively.
+The dog watches are necessary to secure a change in the hours of duty
+for each watch.</p>
+
+<p>From now on we were given a taste of the actual work of the service.
+Details were made up each morning and sent to the &quot;Yankee&quot; to assist in
+getting her in readiness for service. One of the first duties was to
+carry on board and stow away in the hold one hundred kegs of mess pork.
+As each keg contained one hundred pounds, the task was not easy for men
+unaccustomed to manual labor. Still there was no complaint. In fact, the
+only growling heard so far had come from some of the men who had seen
+service in the regular navy. Burke, the fireman, declaimed loudly
+against the &quot;shoe leather an' de terrer-cotter hard-tack which they do
+be tryin' to feed to honest workers. As for the slops they call coffee,
+Oi wouldn't give it to an Orangeman's pig!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The food served out on board the &quot;New Hampshire&quot;&mdash;being the usual
+Government ration of salt-horse, coffee, and hard-tack&mdash;was vastly
+different from that to which the majority of the boys were accustomed,
+but it was accepted with the good grace displayed by the members of the
+Reserve on every occasion. All these little discomforts are, as the
+Navigator (a commissioned officer of the regular navy) remarked, &quot;merely
+incidental to the service.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>As the time approached when we were to board the &quot;Yankee&quot; for good, the
+ordinary watches were abandoned, and only anchor watches kept. An anchor
+watch is a detail of five or six men, selected from the different parts
+of the ship, who do duty, really, as watchmen, during the night. Two
+days before the order arrived to leave the &quot;New Hampshire,&quot; it was found
+necessary to station several men, armed with guns and fixed bayonets, on
+the dock near the ship, to stop men from taking the &quot;hawser route&quot;
+ashore. The firemen and coal-passers had been refused shore leave, or
+liberty, as it is called, because of their habit of getting
+intoxicated, pawning their uniforms, and loitering ashore. Truth to
+tell, the guns and bayonets had little effect, as the offenders were old
+in the business.</p>
+
+<p>The second night after the order was put in force it happened that
+&quot;Hod,&quot; who was rated as an able seaman, was on duty with gun and bayonet
+on that end of the dock opposite the forecastle. He had just relieved
+the man whose watch ended at midnight, and he stood thoughtfully
+watching the twinkling lights on the opposite side of the mighty East
+River. There was so much to occupy his mind in a situation which was
+both charming and fascinating that he remained motionless for several
+minutes. Presently there came a slight, scraping sound, and the end of a
+rope struck the dock almost at his feet.</p>
+
+<p>Glancing up, &quot;Hod&quot; saw a man's figure, dimly outlined in the gloom, slip
+from the topgallant forecastle and quickly descend the rope. It was
+evidently one of the men taking &quot;French&quot; leave, and it was the sentry's
+duty to give the alarm at once. But &quot;Hod&quot; had other views in this
+particular case. Hastily stepping back into the shadows, he laid his gun
+upon the floor of the dock, and rolled up his sleeves with an air that
+meant business. The next moment the absconder dropped from the rope.</p>
+
+<p>As he prepared to slip past the ship a sinewy hand was placed upon his
+shoulder, and another equally sinewy caught him by the collar.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Burke, suppose you return aboard ship,&quot; said &quot;Hod,&quot; quietly. &quot;You are
+not going to hit the Bowery this time.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The Irish fireman attempted to wrench himself free, then he struck out
+at &quot;Hod&quot; with all the force of his right arm. The quarter-back's
+practice on the field came into play, and the college graduate tackled
+his opponent in the latest approved style. The struggle was short and
+decisive, and it resulted in Burke declaring his willingness to return
+to the ship.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The next time you try to size up a new shipmate be sure you are on to
+his curves,&quot; remarked &quot;Hod,&quot; as he escorted his prisoner over the
+gangway. &quot;You will find some of 'mama's pretty boys' rather tough nuts
+to crack.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The day following this little episode found the members of the State
+Naval Militia detailed to form the crew of the &quot;Yankee&quot; in full
+possession of the cruiser which they were to sail to glory or defeat in
+defense of their country. The ship's company, two hundred and
+twenty-five in all, boarded the auxiliary warship without ceremony, and
+were speedily set to work hoisting in provisions, removing to the yard
+all unnecessary stuff with which the ship was littered, and getting her
+generally in condition for sailing. The work was extremely hard, but it
+was done without demur.</p>
+
+<p>A naval officer attached to the yard stood near me at one time during
+the afternoon, and I heard him remark to a visitor who had accompanied
+him on board: &quot;You will find an object lesson in this scene. These young
+men working here at the hardest kind of manual labor, buckling down
+cheerfully to dirty jobs, were, a few days ago, living in luxury in the
+best homes in New York City. The older men were clerks, or lawyers, or
+physicians, and not one of them had ever stained his hands with toil.
+Look at them now.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Unconsciously I glanced across the deck to where three men were hauling
+upon a whip, or block-and-tackle, which was being used to hoist huge
+boxes and casks of provisions on board. The three men were working
+sturdily, and it would have been difficult to recognize in them, with
+their grimy faces and soiled duck uniforms, a doctor, a bank cashier,
+and a man-about-town well known in New York City. Near the forward
+hatch, industriously swabbing the deck, was a black-haired youth whose
+father helps to control some of the largest moves on 'Change. Scattered
+about the gangway were others, some painting, some rolling barrels, and
+a number engaged in whipping in heavy boxes of ammunition. They were all
+cheerful, and the decks resounded with merry chatter and whistling and
+song.</p>
+
+<p>I turned to myself. My hands were brown and smeared and bruised. My
+uniform, once white, was streaked and stained with tar. I wore shoes
+innocent of blacking and made after a pattern much admired among
+navvies. I had an individual ache in every bone of my body, and I was
+hungry and was compelled to look forward to a dinner of odorous
+salt-horse, hard bread, and &quot;ennuied&quot; coffee, but I was happy&mdash;I had to
+admit that. Perhaps it was the novelty of the situation, perhaps it was
+something else, but the fact remained that I would not have left the
+ship or given up the idea of going on the cruise for a good deal.</p>
+
+<p>We worked hard all day, and, when mess gear was piped for supper, we
+could hardly repress a sigh of heartfelt relief. The food, bad as it
+was, was welcome, and when I reluctantly swung away from the mess table
+I felt much better. At six bells, shortly before hammocks were piped
+down, the &quot;striker,&quot; or helper, for our mess cook, said mysteriously:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Don't turn in early, Russ, there's going to be a little fun. 'Bill' and
+'Stump' have young Potter on a string. It will be great.&quot;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_II'></a><h2>CHAPTER II.</h2>
+
+<h3>IN WHICH WE GET UNDER WAY AT LAST.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The hint of possible fun that night was sufficient to keep me alert.
+&quot;All work and no play, etc.,&quot; was part of our code aboard the &quot;Yankee,&quot;
+and goodness knows we had worked hard enough getting the ship ready for
+sailing to be permitted a little sport. Then, again, any badgering of
+young Potter would be innocent amusement, so I laid by and waited,
+keeping my eye on &quot;Bill.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Bill,&quot; by the way, was the captain of our mess, a jolly good fellow,
+popular, and always in evidence when there was any skylarking on foot.</p>
+
+<p>Hammocks were piped down at seven bells (7:30 p.m.), and, as it was our
+first experience on board the &quot;Yankee,&quot; there was some confusion. A
+number of new recruits had joined that afternoon, and their efforts to
+master the mysteries of the sailor's sleeping outfit were amusing. A
+naval hammock differs largely from those used ashore. A hammock aboard
+ship is of canvas, seven feet long, with holes a few inches apart at
+each end, through which are reeved pieces of strong cord. The latter are
+called clews, and they meet at an iron ring, which is attached to the
+hooks in the carline beams when the hammock is in position for use. When
+a hammock is properly slung it hangs almost straight, with very little
+sagging. To get in properly, one grasps two hoops near the head, and,
+with an agile spring, throws body and feet into the canvas bed. This
+requires a knack, and is learned only after a more or less painful
+experience. A three-inch mattress and two blankets go with each outfit.
+For sheets a bag-like mattress cover is used, and, in lieu of the downy
+pillows of home, the sailor must be content with his shoes rolled up
+inside his trousers or flannel shirt. With it all, however, the naval
+hammock is very comfortable. There is the advantage of being able to not
+only wash your blankets and sheets, but your bed as well. Once each
+month clean hammocks are issued and the old ones scrubbed.</p>
+
+<p>While I was below, rigging up my clews, I saw a commotion on the other
+side of the deck. The master-at-arms was expostulating with one of the
+new recruits who had reported that afternoon. Suddenly the latter called
+out, angrily, &quot;I'll see if I have to, durn you!&quot; and bolted for the
+upper deck. The master-at-arms followed him at once, and several of us
+followed the master-at-arms to see the excitement. We reached the
+quarter-deck just as the recruit came to a stop in front of the officer
+on watch.</p>
+
+<a name='page019'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page019.jpg' width='300' height='448' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+
+<h5>&quot;THAT FAT MAN IN THE CELLAR WANTS ME TO SLEEP IN A
+BAG&mdash;&mdash;&quot; <i>(page</i> 19).</h5>
+
+<p>&quot;What's the matter with you?&quot; demanded the latter, curtly. &quot;What's up?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Th-th-that m-m-man down in the&mdash;the cellar wants me to sleep in a bag,
+durn him,&quot; gasped the recruit, waving his lanky arms, &quot;and I won't do it
+for him or no one else.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Cellar?&quot; Then the officer shouted with laughter.</p>
+
+<p>The recruit was sent back to the &quot;New Hampshire&quot; next day, but it was
+long before the master-at-arms was known by any other name or title than
+&quot;the man in the cellar.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>A few minutes before tattoo, &quot;Bill&quot; and &quot;Stump&quot; came up and intimated by
+signs that I was to accompany them to the forward part of the berth
+deck. On reaching the extreme end, which was occupied by an immense
+hawser reel, &quot;Bill&quot; indicated a hammock which was swinging with the
+forward clews directly above the great spool, or reel.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;If young Potter doesn't think this old hooker is haunted I'll never
+play another joke,&quot; he chuckled. &quot;Get in and show him, 'Stump.'&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The latter grasped two hooks, gave himself a swing, landed in the
+hammock, and in an instant struck the deck with a thump, the hammock
+under him. As he rolled out I rubbed my eyes. The hammock had swiftly
+returned to its former position!</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It isn't hoodooed,&quot; grinned &quot;Bill.&quot; &quot;Just look here.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>He hauled up on the head clews and presently a five-inch shell appeared
+above the top of the reel. The shell was fastened to the end of the
+hammock lashing, at the other end of which was attached the ring. The
+lashing led over the hook, and the weight of the shell was just
+sufficient to keep the hammock in its place. As I finished inspecting
+the clever contrivance, the boatswain's mate piped tattoo.</p>
+
+<p>We hurried away to watch from a distance. Laughing and singing, the
+fellows trooped down to prepare for turning in; the hard labor of the
+day had not dampened their spirits. The deck soon presented an animated
+scene. A number of us had slept long enough on board the &quot;New Hampshire&quot;
+to become accustomed to man-o'-war style, but the new recruits were like
+so many cats in a strange garret. They stood about, glancing doubtfully
+at their hammocks and then at their clothes. They did not know just what
+to do with either.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;How do you get into the thing, I wonder?&quot; asked the fellow from Harlem,
+eyeing his suspended bed.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Borrow the navigator's step-ladder,&quot; suggested the coxs'n of the gig.
+&quot;He keeps it in the chart room.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The greatest difficulty was the disposal of our clothes. There were no
+wardrobes nor closets nor convenient hooks, and it was strictly against
+the rule to leave anything lying around decks. The question was solved
+presently by an old naval sailor, who calmly made a neat roll of his
+duck jumper and trousers and another of his shoes and shirt. The latter
+he tucked into his clews at the foot, and the other he used as a pillow.
+We thanked our lucky stars we did not have creased trousers, smooth
+coats, vests, white shirts, collars, and neckties to dispose of.</p>
+
+<p>In due time young Potter, who had stayed on deck viewing the scenery
+until chased by the corporal of the guard, came down and made for his
+hammock. Four dozen pairs of eyes watched him with delightful
+anticipation. Unconscious of the attention he was attracting, he doffed
+his clothes and brought out something from his black bag which proved
+to be a night-shirt! If there was any compunction in regard to the trick
+intended for him, it instantly vanished. A sailor with a night-shirt was
+legitimate prey.</p>
+
+<p>Whistling softly, the victim prepared himself for the swing, grasped the
+hooks, and then, with good momentum, landed in the hammock. There was a
+swish, a distinct thud, and young Potter rolled out upon the deck with a
+gasp of amazement. Turning as quickly as he could, he looked up and saw
+the hammock swinging in its proper place. It was physical labor for us
+to keep from howling with glee at the expression on his face. He glanced
+sheepishly about to see if his catastrophe had been observed; then he
+made another attempt. This time a heave of the ship sent him even more
+quickly to the deck, and he landed with a bump that could have been
+heard in the cabin. He was fighting mad when he again scrambled to his
+feet.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I can lick the lubber who threw me out,&quot; he shouted.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Stop that talking,&quot; came from the master-at-arms' corner. &quot;Turn in and
+keep quiet about the decks.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Potter grumbled something under his breath, then he made a careful
+search in the vicinity of his hammock. It was worth a dollar admission
+to see him poke about with, the end of a broom. He found nothing
+suspicious, and proceeded to try again. Very gingerly he grasped the
+hooks, and he experimented with one foot before trusting his whole
+weight to the hammock. The second he released his hold of the hooks he
+fell, and the fall was even greater than before.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The blamed thing is spooky!&quot; he howled, as he gathered himself
+together. He made a quick run for the ladder leading on deck, but was
+stopped by the master-at-arms, who demanded an explanation. While they
+were arguing, &quot;Bill&quot; and I quickly fixed the hammock, casting off the
+shell and concealing it behind a black bag. We had barely finished when
+the chief petty officer came up and examined the clews. He tested them
+by applying his own weight, then gave the crestfallen and astounded
+Potter a few terse words of advice about eating too much supper. Five
+minutes later the deck was quiet.</p>
+
+<p>The hard labor of the previous day&mdash;such labor as hauling and pulling,
+handling heavy boxes and casks, and bales and barrels of provisions and
+ammunition&mdash;had made me dead tired, and I slept like a log until
+reveille. This unpleasant function occurred at three bells (half-past
+five o'clock), and it consisted of an infernal hubbub of drums and
+bugles and boatswains' pipes, loud and discordant enough to awaken the
+seven sleepers. We roused in a hurry, and, with eyes scarcely open,
+began to lash up our hammocks.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Seven turns, no more, no less,&quot; bawled the master-at-arms. &quot;Get just
+seven turns of the lashing around your hammocks, and get 'em quick. If
+you can't pass your hammock through a foot ring, you'll go on the
+report. Shake a leg there!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The rumor had gone about that it was the custom to &quot;swat&quot; the last man
+with a club, and there was a great scramble. We found the hammock
+stowers in the nettings, which were large boxes on the gun deck, and our
+queer canvas beds were soon stowed away for the day. As the reveille
+hour is too early for breakfast, coffee and hard-tack is served out by
+each mess cook. The coffee is minus milk, but it is hot and palatable,
+and really acts as a tonic.</p>
+
+<p>The first order of the day is to scrub down decks and clean ship
+generally, but, as the &quot;Yankee&quot; was still in the throes of preparation,
+we were spared that disagreeable work and permitted to arrange our
+belongings for the long voyage before us. In the service each man is
+allowed a black bag about three feet six inches high, and twelve inches
+in diameter, and a small wooden box, eighteen inches square, known as a
+&quot;ditty box,&quot; to keep his wardrobe in. All clothing is rolled, and
+careful sailors generally wrap each garment in a piece of muslin before
+consigning it to the black bag. In the ditty box are kept such articles
+as toothbrush, brush and comb, small hand glass, writing material, and
+odds and ends. Each bag and box is numbered, and must be kept in a
+certain place. At first we thought it wouldn't be possible to keep our
+clothing in such a small space, but experience taught us that we would
+have ample room.</p>
+
+<p>The following days until the eighth of May were days of manual labor,
+which hardened our muscles and placed a fine edge on our appetites. To
+see the men who had been accustomed to a life of luxury toiling away
+with rope and scrubbing brush and paint pot, working like day laborers,
+and happy at that, was really a remarkable spectacle. For my part, I
+noticed with surprise that scratched and bruised hands&mdash;scratched so
+that the salt water caused positive pain&mdash;did not appeal to me. I tore
+off a corner of my right thumb trying to squeeze a large box through the
+forward hatch, and the only treatment I gave it was a fragment of rather
+soiled rag and a little vaseline borrowed from a mate. To quit work and
+apply for the first aid to injured never struck me. Ashore I would
+probably have called a doctor.</p>
+
+<p>The day before we left the yard one of my mates sprained his back
+lifting a box of canned meat. In civil life he had been a lawyer with a
+promising practice, his office being with one of the best known men of
+the bar. He gave it up and joined the Naval Reserves because, as he
+expressed it, &quot;To fight for one's country is a patriot's first duty.&quot;
+When the accident happened, he refused to go below to the sick bay until
+the doctor stated that rest for a few days at least was absolutely
+necessary.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It isn't that I mind the hurt, boys,&quot; he said, with a smile, as he was
+assisted to the hatch, &quot;but I hate to be knocked out in my first
+engagement, and that with a box of canned corned beef.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The monotony of work was broken on the ninth of May, when preparations
+were made to leave the yard. The destination was only Tompkinsville, but
+there was not a man on board but felt that, as the last hawser was cast
+off, we were fairly started on our cruise in search of action. As the
+&quot;Yankee&quot; was assisted away from the wharf by a Government tug, a number
+of friends gathered ashore cheered lustily and waved their hats and
+handkerchiefs. The scene had been repeated time without end, no doubt,
+but it went to our hearts all the same, and there was many a husky note
+in the cheers we gave in return.</p>
+
+<p>There was also encouragement in the whistles we received as we dropped
+down the East River, and we felt as if our small share in the war would
+be appreciated by those compelled to stay at home. We steamed directly
+to the vicinity of Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island, anchored off
+Tompkinsville, and then picked up a berth there for the night. Half way
+down the bay we met a tug carrying a committee from the &quot;Sons of the
+Revolution&quot; of New York State. The committee had been selected by the
+society to present us with a set of colors. The tug accompanied us to
+our anchorage, then the committee came on board. The ceremony of
+presentation was rather picturesque.</p>
+
+<p>The visitors gathered on the bridge, the ship's bugler sounded the
+assembly, and in obedience to the call we lined up on the forward deck.
+We wore the white duck service uniform, including trousers, jumper, and
+cap. Some of the uniforms had suffered in contact with pitch, but the
+general effect was good. When everything was in readiness, the chairman
+of the committee presented the set of colors and said:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Captain Brownson, officers and men of the 'Yankee,' I have the honor,
+on behalf of the Society of the Sons of the Revolution in the State of
+New York, to present these colors to the members of the Naval Reserve of
+the State of New York, who have enlisted for service under your
+command.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>He continued by hoping that the colors would ever float victorious, and
+said that he did not doubt it, and then our skipper made a little speech
+in reply. The affair wound up with a round of cheers and general
+congratulations. The flags were handsome, and, as it came to pass, they
+flaunted amid battle smoke before many weeks.</p>
+
+<p>Our stay off Tompkinsville was to be short, but we had time to become
+acquainted with a characteristic naval oddity known as the bumboat.
+Diligent inquiries among the old sailors on board the &quot;Yankee&quot; failed to
+enlighten me as to the derivation of the name, but the consensus of
+opinion was that these floating peddlers sold articles which, to use a
+slang phrase, were pretty &quot;bum.&quot; Experience has given the opinion some
+color of truth. Our bumboat boarded us early and stayed with us until
+the corporal of the guard called &quot;time.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>She came laden with pies and doughnuts, pins and needles, tape and
+buttons and whisk brooms and shoe blacking, handkerchiefs, ties,
+scissors, soap, writing paper, envelopes, ink, pens, cakes, bread,
+jelly, pocket knives, and a schedule of prices that would have brought a
+blush of envy to the face of a Swiss inn-keeper. As the boys had not yet
+grown entirely accustomed to what is called &quot;Government straight,&quot; i.e.,
+salt meat and hard-tack, the bumboat did a thriving business. Young
+Potter's bill was tremendous, and Mrs. Bumboat bade him a regretful
+farewell when she visited us for the last time.</p>
+
+<p>At three in the afternoon of the tenth we hoisted anchor on our way to
+sea. Our good friends had not deserted us, and a number of them, aboard
+several tugs, accompanied us as far as the Narrows. The &quot;God-speed&quot;
+given us as we steamed away would have been a fine object lesson to our
+future antagonists.</p>
+
+<p>Up to the present we had been concerned simply with the preparations for
+war, but it was destined that before another twenty-four hours had
+passed we would have a taste of the actual realities.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Yankee&quot; was to see service.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_III'></a><h2>CHAPTER III.</h2>
+
+<h3>IN WHICH THE &quot;YANKEE&quot; CRUISES FOR PRIZES.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>It was evening, the evening of the day on which the &quot;Yankee&quot; sailed from
+Tompkinsville bound out on her maiden cruise as an auxiliary ship of
+war. The afternoon had passed without event, save that which attacks the
+amateur sailor when he first feels the heaving swell of old ocean. The
+crew had shaken into its place, and the men of the watch on deck were
+commencing to appreciate their responsibilities.</p>
+
+<p>The ship was quiet, save for the faint chug-chug of the propeller under
+the stern and the occasional clang of a shovel in the fire room deep
+down in the innermost reaches of the ship. The sun had vanished in a
+hazy cloud which portended a stiff breeze, but the wind was still
+gentle, and, as it swept across the decks from off the port quarter, it
+seemed grateful indeed to those who came from below for a breath of air.</p>
+
+<p>Orders had been issued to darken the decks. The running lights of red
+and green were still in the lamp room, and, except for a soft, rosy
+glow from the binnacle-bowl, there was a blackness of night throughout
+the upper part of the ship. Cigars and pipes and cigarettes had been
+tabooed, and doors were opened in the deck houses only after the inside
+lights had been lowered to a flickering pin point.</p>
+
+<p>Up on the forward bridge Captain Brownson stood talking in a low voice
+to the executive officer, Lieutenant Hubbard. The lurching swing of the
+ship caused them to sway back and forth against the rail and a metallic
+sound came from a sword scabbard suspended from the captain's belt. The
+presence of this sword, betrayed by the clatter it made, told a secret
+to several sailors gathered under the lee of the pilot house, and one
+said, in an excited whisper:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;There's something up, Chips. The old man is fixed for trouble. I'm
+going aft and stand by.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The speaker started off, but before he had taken ten steps the shrill
+blast of a bugle suddenly broke the stillness of the night. The
+discordant notes rang and echoed through the ship, and, while the sound
+was still trembling in the air, two score of shadowy figures sprang up
+from different parts of the deck and scurried toward the ladders leading
+below.</p>
+
+<p>The transformation was instant and complete.</p>
+
+<p>From a ship stealthily pursuing its way through the darkness&mdash;a part of
+the mist&mdash;the &quot;Yankee&quot; became the theatre of a scene of the most intense
+activity.</p>
+
+<p>There was no shouting, no great clamor of sound; nothing but the
+peculiar shuffling of shoes against iron, the hard panting of hurrying
+men, the grating of breech-blocks, low muttered orders from officer to
+man, and a multitude of minor noises that seemed strange and weird and
+uncanny in this blackness.</p>
+
+<p>A belated wardroom boy, still carrying a towel across his arm, slips
+from the cabin and hastens forward to his station in the powder
+division. The navigator, an officer of the regular navy, whose ideas of
+discipline are based on cast iron rules, espies the laggard and
+administers a sharp rebuke. A squad of marines dash from the &quot;barracks&quot;
+below and line up at the secondary battery guns on the forecastle. Some
+of the marines are hatless and coatless, and one wiry little private
+shambles along on one foot. He stumbles against a hatch-coaming and
+kicks his shoe across the deck.</p>
+
+<p>Suddenly an order comes out of the gloom near the main hatch and is
+carried from gun to gun.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Cast loose and provide!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The hitherto motionless figures waiting at the battery spring into
+activity. Hands move nimbly at the training and elevating gear.
+Breech-blocks are thrown open, sights adjusted, the first and second
+captains take their places, the former with the firing lanyard in
+readiness for use at his gun; then there is silence again as the officer
+in charge of the division holds up one hand as a signal that all is
+prepared. Then comes the word to load.</p>
+
+<p>In a twinkling the ammunition hoists are creaking with their burdens and
+boxes of shell appear on deck. These are quickly lifted to the guns and
+taken in hand by the loaders. The latter do their part of the general
+work thoroughly and with despatch, and presently the breech-blocks are
+swung to and the battery is ready for action.</p>
+
+<p>In the meantime there has been systematic preparation in other parts of
+the auxiliary cruiser. Down in the sick bay aft, the surgeon and his
+assistants have made ready for their grewsome task. Cases of glittering
+instruments have been opened, lint and bandages and splints are in their
+proper places, and the apothecary and bayman are getting the cots in
+trim for instant use.</p>
+
+<p>In the fire room the firemen and coal-passers are heaping up the
+furnaces, a couple of men hurry away to attend to the fire mains, and,
+standing by in readiness for duty, are the engineers and crew of the off
+watch. The carpenters are ready below with shot-hole plugs, and
+everywhere throughout the ship can be found officers and sailors and
+marines and men of the &quot;black gang,&quot; each at his proper station in
+readiness for the word to begin action.</p>
+
+<p>But that word does not come. Instead a stentorian command is heard from
+the bridge:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Secure!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Laughing and joking, the crew of the &quot;Yankee&quot; hasten to restore the ship
+to its former state. All this has been a drill, the drill known as
+general quarters. It is the first time it has been held under service
+conditions, and when the captain steps down from the bridge and says in
+his brisk, authoritative way, &quot;Very well done, very well done indeed,&quot;
+the boys of the cruiser are satisfied and happy.</p>
+
+<p>Twice during the night the drill is repeated. There is no grumbling
+because of disturbed sleep, for a rumor has gone about the ship that
+Spanish vessels have been seen off the coast, and even the cranks on
+board admit that drills and exercises are necessary.</p>
+
+<p>Sea watches have been set, and the rules followed when under way are now
+operative. A brief explanation of the routine attending the first hours
+of a naval day may help to make succeeding descriptions more plain. The
+ship's daily life commences with the calling of the ship's cook at
+3:30 a.m. The ordinary mess cooks are awakened at four o'clock, so that
+coffee can be prepared for the watch. Coffee is always served with
+hard-tack to the watch coming on deck at four. It is all the men get
+until breakfast at 7:30, and a great deal of work must be accomplished
+before that time.</p>
+
+<p>After the hard-tack and coffee had been consumed&mdash;and it went to that
+spot always reserved for good things&mdash;the lookouts of the other watch on
+the port and starboard bridge and the patent life buoys port and
+starboard quarter were relieved. As soon as the first streaks of dawn
+Were to be seen a long-drawn boatswain's pipe, like the wail of a lost
+soul, came from forward, and the order &quot;scrub and wash clothes&quot; given.</p>
+
+<p>A day or two before the &quot;Yankee&quot; left the navy yard, one of the pretty
+girls who had come over to visit her asked: &quot;Where do you have your
+washing done? It must require a great many washerwomen to keep the
+clothes of this dirty [glancing rather disdainfully at her somewhat
+grimy friend] crew clean.&quot; Though we knew that the luxury of a laundry
+would not fall to our lot, we were at a loss as to the method pursued to
+clean clothes.</p>
+
+<p>We soon learned.</p>
+
+<p>We who had been anticipating an order of this sort came running forward
+with bundles of clothes that would discourage a steam laundry. This was
+the first opportunity we had had to clean up. The forecastlemen led out
+the hose, which was connected to the ship's pump, and, after wetting
+down the forecastle deck (where all clothes must be scrubbed), we were
+told we might turn to.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Kid,&quot; who was the youngest member of the crew aboard, very popular
+with officers and men, and who afterward became the ship's mascot, said,
+&quot;How do you work this, anyway?&quot; I confessed that I was in the dark
+myself, but proposed that we watch &quot;Patt,&quot; the gunner's mate, who had
+served in the navy before. Presently we saw him lay his jumper flat on
+the deck, wet it thoroughly with water from the hose, then rub it with
+salt-water soap. Then he fished out a stiff scrubbing brush and began to
+scrub the jumper as if it was a floor. We then understood the
+significance of the order <i>scrub</i> and wash clothes. In salt water the
+clothes have not only to be washed, but scrubbed as well.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Kid&quot; remarked, &quot;Well, I'll be switched,&quot; and forthwith fell on his
+knees and proceeded to follow &quot;Patt's&quot; example.</p>
+
+<p>Though we scrubbed manfully, &quot;putting our backs into it&quot; and &quot;using
+plenty of elbow grease,&quot; as instructed, still the result was hardly up
+to our expectations. The navigator remarked, as we were &quot;stopping&quot; the
+clothes on the line, &quot;You heroes might scrub those clothes a little bit;
+it does not take a college education to learn how to wash clothes.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>I agreed with the &quot;Kid&quot; that, though cleanliness was next to Godliness,
+cleanliness, like Godliness, was often a difficult virtue to acquire. We
+found it almost impossible to be cleanly without the aid of fresh water,
+so the schemes devised to avoid the executive's order and get it were
+many and ingenious.</p>
+
+<p>One man would go to the ship's galley, where the fresh water hand-pump
+was, and, without further ado, begin to fill his bucket, remarking, if
+the cook attempted to interfere, that he had to scrub paint work or he
+had orders from the doctor to bathe in fresh water. These excuses would
+be successful till too many men came in with buckets and plausible
+excuses, when the cook would shut down on the scheme for the time. The
+man with fresh water was the envy of his fellows, and must needs be
+vigilant, or bucket and water would disappear mysteriously.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Kid&quot; happened to be next me when &quot;stopping&quot; his clothes on the
+line, and remarked, as he tied the last knot on his last jumper, &quot;I like
+to be clean as the next chap, but this scrubbing clothes on your knees
+is no snap.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>He stopped to feel them.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Why, I can feel the corns growing on them already. How often do we have
+to do this scrubbing job, anyhow?&quot; he asked.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You <i>can</i> do it every morning, if you really feel inclined,&quot; I replied,
+smiling at his rueful countenance; &quot;clothes can only be washed during
+the morning watch (four to eight), I understand, and, as the starboard
+men are on duty one day during that time and the port watch the next,
+each is supposed to 'scrub and wash clothes' in his own watch. See?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Kid&quot; looked up at the dripping line of rather dingy clothes, then
+down at his red and soapy knees, and said, as he turned to go aft,
+&quot;Well, when we get back to New York, I am going to have a suit of whites
+made of celluloid that can be washed with a sponge.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>At 6:30 the order &quot;knock off scrubbing clothes&quot; was given, and then all
+hands of the watch &quot;turned to&quot; and scrubbed decks, scoured the gratings
+and companion-way ladders with sand and canvas, brass work was polished,
+paint work wiped down, and everything on board made as spick and span as
+a new dollar.</p>
+
+<p>A vast quantity of water is brought from over the side through the
+ship's pump, and the men work in their bare feet. In fact, the usual
+costume during this period of the day consists of a pair of duck
+trousers and a thin shirt. On special occasions even the shirt is
+dispensed with. During warm weather it is delightful to splash around a
+water-soaked deck, but there are mornings when a biting wind comes from
+the north, and the keenness of winter is in the air, and then Jackie,
+compelled to labor up to his knees in water, casts longing glances
+toward the glow of the galley fire, and makes his semi-yearly vow that
+he will leave the &quot;blooming&quot; service for good and go on a farm.</p>
+
+<p>This scrubbing of decks and scouring of ladders put an extra edge on our
+appetites, so we agreed with &quot;Stump&quot; when he said, &quot;I feel as if I could
+put a whole bumboat load of stuff out of commission all by my lonely.&quot;
+&quot;Stump's&quot; appetite was out of proportion to his size.</p>
+
+<p>When the boatswain's mate gave his peculiar long, quavering pipe and the
+order &quot;spread mess gear for the watch below,&quot; at 7:20, we of the watch
+on deck realized that there was still forty minutes to wait. Every man's
+hunger seemed to increase tenfold, so that even the odor of boiling
+&quot;salt-horse&quot; from the galley did not trouble us.</p>
+
+<p>Finally the order came, &quot;on deck all the starboard watch&quot;; followed by
+the boatswain's mess call for the watch on deck. The scramble to get
+below and to work with knife, fork, and spoon resembled a fire panic at
+a theatre. It is first come first served aboard ship, and the man who
+lingers often gets left.</p>
+
+<p>The gun deck of the &quot;Yankee,&quot; like the gun deck of most war vessels, is
+Jack's living room. Here he sleeps, in what he facetiously calls his
+folding-bed, which is swung from the deck beams above; here he enjoys
+the various amusements that an ordinary citizen would call work; here he
+goes through his drills; here he fights, not his shipmates, but his
+country's enemies, and here he eats.</p>
+
+<p>The remark, &quot;he spread his legs luxuriously under the mahogany,&quot; would
+hardly apply to Jack's mode of dining. His table is a swinging affair
+that is hung on the hammock hooks&mdash;a mere board a couple of feet wide
+and twelve or fourteen feet long, having a ridge around the edge to keep
+the plates from sliding off in a seaway. Jack's dining chairs are called
+&quot;mess benches,&quot; and consist of a long folding bench that with the table
+can be stowed away in racks overhead when not in use. A mess chest for
+each mess, an enamelled iron plate and cup, and a knife, fork, and spoon
+for each man complete the &quot;mess gear&quot; outfit.</p>
+
+<p>The ship's company is divided into messes, each man being assigned to a
+certain mess at the same time his billet number or ship's number is
+given to him. There are from fifteen to thirty men in a mess. Each has
+its own &quot;berth-deck cook,&quot; who prepares the food for the galley; each,
+too, has a mess caterer, or striker, whose business it is to help the
+mess cook and see that all goes well. The caterer is a volunteer from
+the mess, and generally serves for a week, when another volunteer takes
+his place. If the quantity or quality of the food is not up to
+expectations, it would be better for the caterer that he be put down in
+the &quot;brig&quot; out of harm's way, for Jack is apt to speak his mind in
+vigorous English, and his mind and stomach have generally formed a close
+alliance.</p>
+
+<p>The twenty minutes allowed for meals are well spent, and the clatter of
+knives and forks attests the zest with which Uncle Sam's
+man-o'-war's-man tackles his not always too nice or delicate fare. The
+nine dollars a month allowed by the navy for rations is expended by the
+paymaster of the vessel, not by the men, so, if the paymaster concludes
+that the men shall have &quot;salt-horse,&quot; rice, and hard-tack, Jack gets
+&quot;salt-horse,&quot; rice, and hard-tack, and that is all he does get unless
+his mess cook and caterer are unusually prudent and save something from
+the previous day's rations, or the mess has put up some extra money and
+has &quot;private stores.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>As the man with the biggest appetite or the fellow who eats slowly are
+putting away the last morsel of cracker hash or the last swallow of
+coffee, &quot;Jimmy Legs&quot; (the master-at-arms) comes around, shouting as he
+goes, &quot;Shake a leg there, we want to get this deck cleared for
+quarters.&quot; He is often followed by the boatswain's mate of the watch,
+who echoes his call, and between them they clear the deck. Then begins
+the real work of the day.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_IV'></a><h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2>
+
+<h3>WE GET ORDERS TO GO SOUTH.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>Shortly after breakfast the &quot;Yankee&quot; came to anchor outside of
+Provincetown, Mass. An hour later a large man-of-war was discovered
+steaming toward us. Rumors were rife at once, and the excitement
+increased when the vessel, which proved to be the gallant cruiser
+&quot;Columbia,&quot; passed close alongside, and the captain was observed to lean
+over the bridge railing with a megaphone in his hands.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;'Yankee' ahoy!&quot; came across the water.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hello, 'Columbia!'&quot; replied Captain Brownson.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I have orders for you.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Whoop! we are going to Cuba,&quot; cried young Potter. &quot;It's dead sure this
+time. They can't do without us down&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Silence!&quot; called out the executive officer, sternly. &quot;Corporal of the
+guard, see to that man.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Poor Potter is sent below in disgrace amid the chuckles and jeers of
+his unsympathetic shipmates. The little episode nearly earned him many
+hours of extra duty.</p>
+
+<p>In the meantime the &quot;Columbia's&quot; captain had communicated the welcome
+intelligence that we were to cruise to the southward at once to look for
+several suspicious vessels that had been sighted in the vicinity of
+Barnegat. This promised action so strongly that a cheer went up from the
+crew. This time even the officers joined in.</p>
+
+<p>Very shortly after came the order &quot;All hands on the cat falls,&quot; at which
+every man Jack came running forward. The blue-clothed figures poured up
+the companion-ways like rats out of a sinking ship, for &quot;all hands on
+the cat falls&quot; means up anchor, and up anchor meant new experiences,
+perhaps a brush with a Spanish man-of-war or the capture of a Spanish
+prize. The anchor was yanked up and guided into place on its chocks in a
+hurry, and soon the &quot;Yankee&quot; was under way and headed southward. As we
+passed the &quot;Columbia,&quot; the men of both ships stood at attention, feet
+together, hands at the side, heads up, silent. So a ship is saluted in
+the United States Navy, a ceremony dignified and impressive, though not
+as soul-stirring as the American cheer.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Scuttle Butt Navigators,&quot; or, as the &quot;Yankee&quot; boys called them,
+the Rumor Committee, were very busy that bright day in May. According to
+them we were to sail seaward and discover Cervera's fleet, the
+whereabouts of which was then unknown. We were to sail south and bombard
+Havana. The older, wiser heads laughed at such rumors, and said it was
+foolishness, but all were ready and anxious to listen to the wildest
+tales.</p>
+
+<p>All the time the ship was getting under way the routine work was going
+on. The sweepers had obeyed the order given by the boatswain's mate,
+accompanied by the pipe peculiar to that order, &quot;Gun-deck sweepers,
+clean sweep fore and aft; sweepers, clean your spit kits.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>At twenty minutes past nine the bugle sounded the first or officers'
+call to quarters, a call that sounded like &quot;Get your sword on, get your
+sword on, get your sword on, get your sword on, get your sword on right
+away!&quot; Ten minutes later came &quot;assembly,&quot; and the men rushed to their
+places at the guns and their stations in the powder divisions.</p>
+
+<p>After our division had been mustered, &quot;Long Tommy,&quot; the boatswain's mate
+and captain of our gun, said to &quot;Hay,&quot; &quot;I think we'll have some shooting
+to-day. I saw the gunners' mates rigging a target.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Good!&quot; said &quot;Hay,&quot; &quot;what does it look like?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Why,&quot; explained Tommy, &quot;it's a triangular sail, having a black spot
+painted in the middle, supported by a raft, also triangular, which is
+floated by three barrels, one at each corner.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Can't be very big,&quot; said &quot;Stump.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;About ten feet at the base, tapering to a point. The red flag that
+flies from the top is perhaps fourteen feet from the water, I should
+say.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;And they expect us to hit that?&quot; broke in &quot;Lucky bag Kennedy.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Of course,&quot; said Tommy the confident, &quot;and we shall.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>As soon as the officers of the different divisions had returned from the
+bridge, where they had been to report, the quick, sharp bugle call which
+summons the crew to general quarters was sounded.</p>
+
+<p>As the first notes were heard, the men scattered as if a bomb with a
+visible burning fuse had fallen in their midst. Some hurried to lead out
+the hose, some to get the gun sights and firing lanyards, some to get
+belts and revolvers for the guns' crews, some down into the hot, dark
+magazines, and some to open up the magazine hoists. All was apparent
+confusion, but was in reality perfect discipline. Soon boxes of shell
+were ready by the guns, but the order &quot;load&quot; had not yet been given.</p>
+
+<p>The triangular target was then lowered over the side and cast loose. In
+a few minutes the six-pounders on the spar deck began to bark. &quot;Getting
+the range, I guess,&quot; said &quot;Hod,&quot; who had sneaked over from the powder
+division to get a look at the target.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Pretty near it,&quot; replied &quot;Stump,&quot; as a shot splashed close to the
+triangular piece of canvas.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Here comes Scully,&quot; some one whispered; &quot;now we'll have a chance.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The captain says fire when ready, at 1,500 yards,&quot; said Scully,
+saluting Mr. Greene, the officer of the division. &quot;Captain says, sir,
+instruct your men to shoot at the top of the roll, and a little over,
+rather than under the target,&quot; continued he, saluting again.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Port battery take stations for exercise, load, set your sights at 1,500
+yards, and when ready, fire.&quot; Mr. Greene's orders came sharp and clear;
+there was never any misunderstanding of them.</p>
+
+<p>Most of us of Number Eight's gun crew had never stood near a big gun
+when it spoke, and most of us dreaded it and felt inclined to run away
+out of ear-shot. It was our business to stand by, however, so we stood
+by while Tommy, firing lanyard in hand, sighted the machine.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Right!&quot; he sung out to &quot;Stump&quot; and &quot;Flagg,&quot; who were at the training
+wheels. &quot;Right handsomely,&quot; added Tommy, working the elevating gear, as
+the gun moved slowly round. The gun roared and jumped back on its mount
+six or eight inches, but promptly slid back again&mdash;forced back by
+powerful springs. The shell sped on its way, humming as it went, and
+struck a little short of the target, sending up a great fountain as it
+was exploded by the impact with the water.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hay&quot; pulled the breech lever and the breech plug came out, allowing
+&quot;Stump,&quot; who wore heavy gloves for the purpose, to extract the empty
+shell. This he dropped in the concrete waterway, then ran to his place
+at the training wheel; a fresh shell had been put in the gun, meanwhile,
+and it was ready for business again. A number of good shots were made by
+different gunners. Enough to show that, amateur tars that we were, there
+was the making of good gunners in us. As the &quot;Kid,&quot; in his overweening
+confidence, said, &quot;Ain't we peaches? When we get down south we will have
+a little target practise, and the 'dagos' will be so scared that they
+will haul down their colors tight away.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>During the day we steamed slowly along, a bright lookout being kept by
+the men at the foremast-head for suspicious steamers. After dinner at
+eight bells (12 o'clock), the smoking lamp, which hangs near the scuttle
+butt aft, was kept lighted about fifteen minutes. Smoking is allowed
+aboard only when the smoking lamp is lighted, and as &quot;Hay&quot; was wont to
+say, it was lighted &quot;when you did not want to smoke.&quot; At ten minutes
+past one &quot;turn to&quot; was piped by the boatswain's mates, followed by the
+call for sweepers. Then came the order, &quot;Stand by your scrub and wash
+clothes.&quot; So the &quot;Kid&quot; and I hastened forward, both anxious to see if
+our initial clothes-washing venture was a success. We had depended on
+the sun to bleach our much be-scrubbed clothes, but&mdash;well&mdash;I would have
+left them where they were if I could. As for the &quot;Kid's&quot;&mdash;after holding
+them off at arm's length for a while, he remarked, &quot;Why, I would not use
+such rags to clean my bicycle at home,&quot; and threw them overboard. He was
+always a reckless chap.</p>
+
+<p>The infantry drill we had at afternoon quarters at 1:30, served to keep
+us busy. The same thing had been gone through on the &quot;New Hampshire&quot;
+many a time and oft. We found it rather difficult to march straight and
+keep a good line on a swaying deck. So we were kept at it until we had
+got the hang of it. We were still parading to and fro on the spar deck,
+when some one sighted land off the starboard bow. The dismissal call was
+given none too soon, for the curiosity as to what we were heading for
+made discipline lax and attention far from close.</p>
+
+<p>We soon learned that this was Block Island.</p>
+
+<p>The gig was lowered, and the captain and mail orderly went ashore.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Now we'll get our real orders,&quot; said Potter. &quot;Ho! for the Spanish
+main,&quot; he shouted, forgetting his narrow escape of the day before.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It will be Ho! for the ship's brig, and Ho! for five days on bread and
+water, if you don't look out,&quot; said &quot;Stump,&quot; dryly.</p>
+
+<p>About dark, the gig came back again, bringing the captain in it and the
+mail orderly&mdash;but no mail, and how we did long for a word from home. A
+scrap of newspaper, even, would be a blessing.</p>
+
+<p>We had just sat down to evening mess when the order, &quot;All hands on the
+gig falls!&quot; was given, and the master-at-arms chased us off the gun
+deck. Soon the measured tread of many feet could be heard, and then the
+order was given by the officer of the deck to the coxswain of the
+gig, &quot;Secure your boat for sea.&quot;</p>
+
+<a name='page050a'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page050a.jpg' width='328' height='300' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>&quot;THE GIG WAS LOWERED&quot; (<i>page</i> 50)</h5>
+
+<a name='page050b'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page050b.jpg' width='342' height='300' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>&quot;THE MEN ON THE STAGES&quot; (<i>page</i> 78)</h5>
+
+<p>So we were to go off again. Where?</p>
+
+<p>Within a short time we were under way again. The usual watches were set,
+but very few of the boys went below. The mere rumor that the enemy was
+prowling along the coast was enough to prevent sleep. My watch went on
+duty at four o'clock. We were not called in the usual way, by the
+boatswain's whistle, but each man was roused separately. This in itself
+was sufficient to lend an air of intense interest to the scene.</p>
+
+<p>On reaching the deck I found that the night had grown stormy. A chill
+wind was blowing off the coast, rendering pea coats and watch caps
+extremely comfortable. A fine rain began to fall shortly after four, and
+by the time I had taken my post forward as a lookout it had increased to
+a regular squall.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Yankee&quot; was a splendid sea boat, but in the course of an hour the
+choppy waves kicked up by the storm set her to bobbing about like the
+proverbial cork. The gloom of the night had changed to a blackness that
+made it impossible to see an arm's length away. Standing on the
+starboard bridge, I could scarcely distinguish the faint white foam
+gathered under the forefoot. Aft there was nothing visible save a
+length of stay which seemingly began at nothing and ended in darkness.</p>
+
+<p>The howling of the wind through the taut cordage of the foremast, the
+sullen plunging of the ship's hull in the trough of the sea, the rise to
+a wave crest and the poising there before falling once more, the smell
+of the dank salt air, and the occasional spurt of spray over the leaning
+bow, all made a scene so novel to me that I forgot Spanish ships and my
+duty and stood almost entranced.</p>
+
+<p>It was a dereliction for which I was to suffer. In the midst of my
+reverie a hand was suddenly placed upon my shoulder and I heard a
+familial voice exclaim sternly:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Lookout, what do you mean by sleeping on post? Why did you not report
+that light?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>It was Captain Brownson!</p>
+
+<p>Asleep on post! The accusation was grave enough to startle me, and I
+lost no time in stammering a denial. Luckily, the discovery of the
+strange light, which was just faintly visible dead ahead, occupied the
+commander's attention for the moment and I escaped further rebuke.</p>
+
+<p>Captain Brownson hurried to the bridge and presently word was passed to
+go to quarters at once. The ports were opened, ammunition made ready
+for both the main and secondary batteries, and the crew stood at their
+guns in readiness for action. It was a very impressive sight, the grim
+weapons just showing in the dim lantern light, the great cartridges
+standing close to the breeches, the men quiet and steady, their faces
+showing anxiety but perfect self-control.</p>
+
+<p>I was proud to belong to such a crew, for the majority thought that an
+action was imminent, and perhaps a superior foe to be fought, yet there
+was no sign of that fear which is supposed to attack the novice in
+battle. It was a convincing proof of American bravery and self-reliance.</p>
+
+<p>In the meantime the engines had been called on for full speed, and the
+ship throbbed and swayed with the increased power. Extra men were
+presently sent below to the fire room, and it soon became evident that
+we were in actual chase of the suspicious vessel. From my station at the
+after port gun I was enabled to catch an occasional glimpse of the sea
+through the open port.</p>
+
+<p>The squall had passed in part and the night was growing lighter. The
+rain still fell, though fitfully, and at times a dash of water entered
+the port, besprinkling gun and crew and fighting tackle, leaving great
+drops that glistened like dew in the waning light of the lanterns.
+Alongside, white-capped waves raced with the ship.</p>
+
+<p>As the gloom lightened, the horizon spread, and presently, away in the
+distance, a dark spot, like a smudge upon a gray background, became
+visible. &quot;Long Tommy,&quot; attached to my gun, leaned far out of the port
+with an exclamation of excitement.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;By George! it's another ship,&quot; he added.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;We are in a nest of the Dagoes,&quot; cried young Potter, rather wildly. &quot;We
+have run into an ambuscade.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You've got a great chance to become a dead hero,&quot; remarked the first
+gun captain dryly.</p>
+
+<p>Word was passed from above to break out more shell, and presently the
+navigator slipped down the ladder and made a close inspection of the
+different five-inch guns. As he went from crew to crew he gave whispered
+instructions to the officers in charge.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The old man expects trouble this trip,&quot; whispered Tommy. He coolly
+stripped off his shirt and stood, half-naked, the muscles of his
+athletic chest and arms gleaming like white marble in the uncertain
+light. Most of us followed his example, and the spectacle of the swaying
+groups of men, bared for action, added a dramatic tinge to the scene.</p>
+
+<p>Below, the powerful engines throbbed with a pulsation that set every
+bolt and joint creaking, the strident echoes of the firemen's shovels
+could he heard scraping against the iron floor, and little whistlings of
+steam came like higher notes in the general tune. Even the noises of the
+ship were strange and weird and impressive.</p>
+
+<p>The crews had been standing in readiness at their stations for almost an
+hour when it suddenly became noticeable that the darkness of night was
+giving way before a gradual dawn. The glimmering flame in the lanterns
+faded and waned, objects buried in gloom began to assume shape, and the
+edges of the open ports grew sharp and more defined. Constant waiting
+brought a relaxation of discipline, and the members of the different
+crews grouped about the ports and eagerly searched for the chase.</p>
+
+<p>The smudge on the horizon had long since disappeared, but directly ahead
+could be seen the faint outlines of a steamer. A dense cloud of smoke
+was pouring from her funnel, and it was plainly apparent that she was
+making every effort to escape. This in itself was enough to stamp her
+identity, and we shook our clenched fists exultantly after her.</p>
+
+<p>The night broke rapidly. In the east a rosy tinge proclaimed the coming
+sun. Just as the first glitter of the fiery rim appeared above the
+horizon, a gray, damp mist swept across the water, coming like an
+impenetrable wall between the &quot;Yankee&quot; and the chase.</p>
+
+<a name='page057'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page057.jpg' width='300' height='345' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>&quot;STAND BY, MEN. BE READY FOR INSTANT ACTION&quot; (<i>page</i>
+57).</h5>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_V'></a><h2>CHAPTER V.</h2>
+
+<h3>A WILD GOOSE CHASE.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>A howl of disappointment went up from the crew.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Oh, if she was only within range,&quot; cried &quot;Hay,&quot; smiting the breech of
+the five-inch rifle with his hand. &quot;Just one shot, just one shot.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Guns' crews will remain at stations,&quot; ordered the first lieutenant from
+near the ladder. &quot;Stand by, men. Be ready for instant action.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hurray! the old man won't give it up,&quot; cheered &quot;Stump,&quot; under his
+voice. &quot;That's the stuff. Now, if only that measly fog lifts and we get
+a trifle nearer, we'll do something for the old flag.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The minutes passed slowly. It was heartbreaking work, this waiting and
+watching, and there was not one of the &quot;Yankee's&quot; crew but would have
+given a year's pay to have seen the mist lift long enough to bring us
+within range.</p>
+
+<p>Suddenly, just as the fervent wish was trembling on our lips, &quot;Hod
+Marsh,&quot; who was near the port, cried out joyfully:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;She's fading, fellows, she's fading!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Like a theatre curtain being slowly raised, the mist lifted from the
+surface of the water. Little by little the expanse of ocean became
+visible, and at last we, who were watching eagerly, saw the hull of a
+steamer appear, followed by masts and stack and upper rigging. An
+exclamation of bitter disappointment came from Tommy. &quot;Durned if it
+ain't an old tramp!&quot; he groaned. &quot;Fellows, we are sold.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>And so it proved.</p>
+
+<p>The fog lifted completely in the course of an hour and we secured a good
+view of our &quot;will o' the wisp&quot; of the night's chase. It was a great
+lumbering tramp, as high out of the water as a barn, and as
+weather-stained as a homeward-bound whaler. She slouched along like a
+crab, each roll of the hull showing streaks of marine grass and
+barnacles. There was little of man-o'-war &quot;smartness&quot; in her make-up, of
+a verity.</p>
+
+<p>For several days the &quot;Yankee&quot; cruised up and down the coast between
+Delaware Breakwater and Block Island. Many vessels were sighted, and on
+two occasions it was considered expedient to sound &quot;general quarters,&quot;
+but nothing came of it. We finally concluded that the enemy were
+fighting shy of the vicinity of New York, and all began to long for
+orders to the southward.</p>
+
+<p>Drill followed drill during these waiting days. Target practice was held
+whenever practicable, and the different guns' crews began to feel
+familiar with the rapid-fire rifles.</p>
+
+<p>The men, accustomed to a life of ease and plenty, found this first
+month's work an experience of unparalleled hardship.</p>
+
+<p>Their hands, better fitted for the grasp of pen and pencil, were made
+sore and stiff by the handling of hawsers, chains, and heavy cases.
+Bandages on hands, feet, and, in some cases, heads, were the popular
+form of adornment, and the man who did not have some part of his anatomy
+decorated in this way was looked upon as a &quot;sloper,&quot; or one who ran away
+from work. For how could any one do his share without getting a finger
+jammed or a toe crushed?</p>
+
+<p>The work that was done, too, during this month of cruising along the
+coasts of Long Island and New Jersey was hard and incessant. Drills of
+all kinds were frequent, and sleep at a premium.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Yankee&quot; at this time was attached to the Northern Patrol Fleet, of
+which Commodore Howell was the commander. It was her business to cruise
+along the coast from Block Island south to Delaware Breakwater, and
+watch for suspicious vessels. This duty made constant movement
+necessary, and unwearying vigilance on the part of the lookouts
+imperative.</p>
+
+<p>Rainy, foggy weather was the rule, and &quot;oilers&quot; and rubber boots the
+prevailing fashion in overclothing. Sea watches were kept night and day;
+half of the crew being on duty all the time, and one watch relieving the
+other every four hours.</p>
+
+<p>The watch &quot;on deck&quot; or on duty on a stormy night found it very tedious
+waiting for the &quot;watch below&quot; to come and relieve them. The man who
+could tell a story or sing a song was in great demand, and the man who
+could get up a &quot;Yankee&quot; song was a popular hero. The night after our
+wild goose chase, described in the last chapter, the port watch had the
+&quot;long watch&quot;; that is, the watch from 8 p.m. to midnight, and from four
+to eight the next morning&mdash;which allowed but four hour's sleep.</p>
+
+<p>It was raining and the decks were wet and slippery. The water dripped
+off the rims of our sou'westers in dismal fashion, and the fog hung like
+a blanket around the ship, while the sea lapped her sides unseen. Our
+fog-horn tooted at intervals, and everything was as damp, dark, and
+forlorn as could be.</p>
+
+<p>A knot of men were gathered under the lee of the after deckhouse,
+huddled together for warmth and companionship. There was &quot;Stump,&quot;
+&quot;Bill,&quot; Potter, and a number of others.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Say! can't any one sing, or tell a yarn, or whistle a tune, or dance a
+jig?&quot; said &quot;Bill&quot; in a muffled tone. &quot;If some one does not start some
+kind of excitement I will go to sleep in my tracks, and Doctor 'Gangway'
+says I mustn't sleep out of doors.&quot; His speech ended in a fit of
+coughing and a succession of sneezes.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Here, 'Morse,' give us that new song of yours,&quot; said &quot;Steve,&quot; as
+another oilskinned figure joined the group. &quot;Morse&quot; and &quot;Steve&quot; were our
+chief song writers. Each sat on a quarter six-pounder, one on the
+starboard, the other on the port. &quot;I will, if you chaps will join in the
+chorus,&quot; answered &quot;Morse.&quot; &quot;No, thank you,&quot; he added, as some one handed
+him an imaginary glass. &quot;<i>Nature</i> has wet my whistle pretty thoroughly
+to-night.&quot; &quot;Stump,&quot; in his most impressive manner, stepped forward, and
+in true master-of-ceremonies style introduced our entertainer. He was
+enlarging on the undoubted merits of the composer and singer, and had
+waxed really eloquent, when a strong gust of wind blew the water that
+lodged in the awning squarely down his neck. This dampened his ardor but
+not our spirits.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Morse,&quot; like the good fellow he was, got up and sang this song to the
+tune of &quot;Billy Magee Magaw&quot;:</p>
+
+<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'>
+<span>When the &quot;Yankee&quot; goes sailing home again,<br /></span>
+<span class='i16'>Hurrah! Hurrah!<br /></span>
+<span>We'll forget that we're &quot;Heroes&quot; and just be men,<br /></span>
+<span class='i16'>Hurrah! Hurrah!<br /></span>
+<span>The girls will giggle, the boys will shout,<br /></span>
+<span>We'll all get a bath and be washed out,<br /></span>
+<span>And we'll all feel gay when<br /></span>
+<span>The &quot;Yankee&quot; goes sailing home.<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>The city bells will peal for joy,<br /></span>
+<span class='i16'>Hurrah! Hurrah!<br /></span>
+<span>To welcome home each wandering boy,<br /></span>
+<span class='i16'>Hurrah! Hurrah!<br /></span>
+<span>And all our sisters and cousins and girls<br /></span>
+<span>Will say &quot;Ain't they darlings?&quot; and &quot;<i>See</i> the pearls!&quot;<br /></span>
+<span>So we'll all feel gay when<br /></span>
+<span>The &quot;Yankee&quot; goes sailing home.<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>Our patrolling cruise will soon be o'er,<br /></span>
+<span class='i16'>Hurrah! Hurrah!<br /></span>
+<span>We'll be happy the moment our feet touch shore,<br /></span>
+<span class='i16'>Hurrah! Hurrah!<br /></span>
+<span>And &quot;Cutlets&quot; and &quot;Hubbub&quot; and all the rest<br /></span>
+<span>May stick to the calling they're fitted for best,<br /></span>
+<span>But <i>we'll</i> all feel gay when<br /></span>
+<span>The &quot;Yankee&quot; goes sailing home.<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>Even &quot;Bill&quot; was able to find voice enough to shout &quot;Good!&quot; and give
+&quot;Morse&quot; a resounding slap on his wet oilskinned shoulder. The song
+voiced our sentiments exactly, and cheered us a lot. None of us believed
+that &quot;Our patrolling cruise would soon be o'er,&quot; however, and hardly a
+man would have taken his discharge had it been offered to him that
+moment. We had put our names to the enlistment papers and had promised
+to serve Uncle Sam on his ship the &quot;Yankee&quot; faithfully. We had gone into
+this thing together, and we would see it through together. Still we
+would &quot;All feel gay when the 'Yankee' goes sailing home.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That reminds me of a story,&quot; began Potter, when &quot;Long Tommy,&quot; the
+boatswain's mate of the watch, interrupted with, &quot;Potter, take the
+starboard bridge. I will send a man to relieve you at the end of an
+hour.&quot; So Potter went forward to relieve his mate, who had stood an hour
+of lookout duty on the starboard end of the bridge.</p>
+
+<p>He went forward, swaying with the motion of the ship, his oilskin
+trousers making a queer, grating noise as one leg rubbed against the
+other, and &quot;Stump&quot; said, &quot;I'll bet he won't stay with us long; he talks
+too much.&quot; A prophetic remark, as future events proved.</p>
+
+<p>The group broke up after this. Some who were not actually on lookout
+duty went into the hot fire room, and after taking off their outer
+clothing, tried to snatch a few winks of sleep. The &quot;watch on deck&quot; was
+not allowed to go below at night, so the only shelter allowed us was the
+fire room and the main companion-way. The latter could hold but a few
+men, and the only alternative was the fire or &quot;drum&quot; room, into which
+the heat and gas from the furnaces ascended from the bowels of the ship,
+making it impossible for a man to breathe the atmosphere there for more
+than half an hour at a time. The after wheel-house was sometimes taken
+advantage of by the more venturesome of the boys, but the risk was
+great, for &quot;Cutlets&quot; was continually prowling around, and the man found
+taking shelter there would receive tongue lashings hard to bear, with
+abuse entirely out of proportion to the offence.</p>
+
+<p>A little before twelve o'clock we heard the boatswain's pipe, and the
+long drawn shout, &quot;On deck all the starboard watch,&quot; and &quot;All the
+starboard watch to muster.&quot; So we knew that we would soon be relieved,
+and would be able to take the much-needed four hours' sleep in our
+&quot;sleeping bags,&quot; as &quot;Hay&quot; called them. The starboard men came slowly up,
+rubbing their eyes, buttoning their oilskins, and tying their
+sou'westers on by a string under their chins as they walked.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hurry up there, will you?&quot; calls out a port watch man, as the men of
+the other watch sleepily climb the ladder. &quot;Get a move on and give us a
+chance to get out of this beastly wet.&quot; A sharp retort is given, and the
+men move on in the same leisurely way. The men of both watches are
+hardly in the best of humors. It is not pleasant to be waked up at
+midnight to stand a four hours' watch in the rain and fog, nor is it the
+most enjoyable thing in life to be delayed, after standing a four hours'
+watch in the rain, realizing all the time that each minute of waiting
+takes that precious time from the scant four hours' sleep.</p>
+
+<p>But finally &quot;all the watch&quot; is piped, and we go below and flop into our
+hammocks, to sleep as soundly and dreamlessly as babies. A sailor will
+sleep like a dead man through all kinds of noises and calls, but the
+minute his own watch is called he is wide awake in an instant, from
+sheer force of habit.</p>
+
+<p>So when the boatswain's mate went around with his pipe, singing out as
+he dodged in and out among the swinging hammocks, &quot;On deck all the port
+watch,&quot; each of us jumped out of his swaying bed and began to climb
+into his damp clothes and stiff &quot;oilers.&quot; We then made our way through
+the darkness, often bumping our heads on the bottom of hammocks, and
+earning sleepy but strongly worded rebukes from the occupants; colliding
+with stanchions, and stubbing our toes on ring bolts and hatch covers.
+All arrived at length, formed an unsteady line on the forecastle deck,
+and answered to our names as they were called by the boatswain's mate.
+So began another day's work on one of Uncle Sam's ships.</p>
+
+<p>It was Sunday, and after a while the fog lifted and the sun came out
+strong and clear. All the men who were off duty came on deck to bask in
+the sun, and to get dried and thawed out.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Steve&quot; poked his uncombed, sleepy head through the &quot;booby&quot; hatch cover.
+&quot;Well, this is something like! If the 'old man' will let us take it easy
+after inspection, I won't think life in the navy is so bad after all.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Well, inspection and general muster and the reading of the ship's bible
+will take up most of the morning,&quot; said gunner's mate &quot;Patt,&quot; as he
+emerged from the hatch after &quot;Steve,&quot; wiping his grimy hands on a wad of
+waste, for he had been giving the guns a rub. &quot;And if we don't have to
+go chasing an imaginary Spaniard or lug coal from the after hold
+forward, we'll be in luck,&quot; he continued.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What about the 'ship's bible'? What is 'general muster'?&quot; queried half
+a dozen of us.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Why,&quot; said &quot;Patt,&quot; &quot;the ship's bible is the book of rules and
+regulations of the United States Navy. It is read once a month to the
+officers and crew of every ship in the navy. The officers and crew will
+be mustered aft&mdash;you'll see&mdash;the deck force and engineer force on the
+port side, the petty officers on the starboard side forward, the
+commissioned officers on the starboard side aft, and the marines
+athwartships aft. This forms three sides to a square. See?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I don't see the use of all this,&quot; broke in the irreverent &quot;Kid.&quot; &quot;Do we
+have to stand there and have war articles fired at us?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That's what, 'Kid,'&quot; replied &quot;Patt,&quot; good-naturedly.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;After all hands have taken their places,&quot; continued our informant, &quot;the
+'old man' will walk down the galley ladder in that dignified way of his,
+followed by the executive officer. 'Mother Hubbub' will then open the
+blue-covered book that he carries, and read you things that will make
+your hair stand on end and cause you to consider the best wording for
+your last will and testament.&quot; &quot;Patt&quot; was very impressive, and we stood
+with open mouths and staring eyes.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;When old 'Hubbub' opens the book, all hands, even the captain, will
+take off their hats and stand at attention. Then the war articles will
+be read to you. You will learn that there are twenty-seven or more
+offences for which you are liable to be shot&mdash;such as sleeping on post,
+desertion, disobedience, wilful waste of Government property, and so
+forth; you will be told that divine service is recommended whenever
+possible&mdash;in short, you are told that you must be good, and that if you
+are not there will be the deuce to pay. Then the captain will turn to
+'Scully' and say, 'Pipe down,' whereupon 'Scully' and the other bosun's
+mates will blow a trill on their pipes, and all hands will go about
+their business.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>So concluded our oracle.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Gee whiz!&quot; said the &quot;Kid.&quot; &quot;I nearly got into trouble the other night,
+for I almost dozed when I was on the buoy. I'm not used to getting along
+on eleven hours' sleep in forty-eight yet,&quot; he added, apologetically.</p>
+
+<p>We all looked forward to &quot;general muster&quot; with a good deal of interest,
+and when it occurred, and the captain had inspected our persons,
+clothes, the ship, and mess gear, we decided that &quot;Patt's&quot; description
+fitted exactly, and were duly impressed with its solemnity.</p>
+
+<p>We found to our sorrow that we of Number Eight's crew were not to enjoy
+sunshine undisturbed, but were soon put to work carrying coal in baskets
+from the after hold forward, and dumping it in the bunker chutes.</p>
+
+<p>This work had been going on almost every day, and all day, since we left
+Tompkinsville. The coal was in the after hold and was needed in the
+bunkers forward, so every piece had to be shovelled into bushel baskets,
+hoisted to the gun deck, and carried by hand to the chute leading to the
+port and starboard bunkers. A dirty job it was, that not only blackened
+the men, but covered the deck, the mess gear, the paint work, and even
+the food, with coal dust.</p>
+
+<p>Number Eight's crew had been at this pleasant occupation for about an
+hour, with the cheerful prospect of another hour of the same diversion.
+&quot;Hay&quot; was running the steam winch, &quot;Stump&quot; was pulling the baskets over
+the hatch coaming as they were hauled up by the winch, and the other
+five were carrying.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Say, this is deadly slow, tiresome work,&quot; said &quot;Flagg,&quot; who was
+carrying with me. &quot;I'd give almost anything for a little excitement.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The last word had scarcely been uttered when there came the sounds of
+'commotion on deck. A voice cried out in sharp command, the rudder
+chains creaked loudly, the ship heeled over to starboard, and then we
+who were at the open port saw a long, snaky object shoot out from the
+edge of the haze and bear down upon us.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;My heaven!&quot; shouted &quot;Stump,&quot; &quot;it's a torpedo boat!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The commotion on deck had given us some warning, but the sudden dash of
+the long, snaky torpedo boat from out the haze came as a decided shock.
+For one brief moment we of the after port stood as if turned to stone,
+then every man ran to his quarters and stood ready to do his duty. With
+a cry, our second captain sprang to the firing lanyard. Before he could
+grasp it, however, the officer of the division was at his side.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Stop!&quot; he exclaimed authoritatively.</p>
+
+<p>The interruption was fortunate, for, just then, a swerve of the oncoming
+torpedo boat revealed a small flag flying from the taffrail staff. It
+was the American ensign.</p>
+
+<p>The reaction was great. Forgetting discipline, we crowded about the port
+and laughed and cheered like a lot of schoolboys. Potter, in his joy and
+evident relief, sent his canvas cap sailing through the air. A rebuke,
+not very stern, however, came from the lieutenant in charge of the
+division, and we shuffled back to our stations.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Cricky! what a sell,&quot; exclaimed the second rifleman, grinning. &quot;I was
+sure we had a big job on our hands this time. I'm rather glad it is one
+of our fellows after all.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I'm not,&quot; spoke up young Potter, blusteringly. &quot;What did we come out
+here for, hey? I say it's a confounded shame. We might have had a chance
+to send one of the Spaniards to the bottom.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It may be a Dago after all,&quot; suggested &quot;Bill,&quot; glancing from the port.
+&quot;The flag doesn't mean anything. They might be flying Old Glory as a
+<i>ruse de guerre</i>. By George! That craft looks just like the 'Pluton.'&quot;</p>
+
+<p>We, who were watching, saw Potter's face lengthen. He peered nervously
+at the rapidly approaching torpedo boat, and then tried to laugh
+unconcernedly.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You can't 'string' me,&quot; he retorted. &quot;That's one of your Uncle Samuel's
+boats all right. See! they are going to hail us.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>A bell clanged in the engine room, then the throbbing of the machinery
+slackened to a slow pulsation. The rudder chains rattled in their
+fair-leaders, and presently we were steaming along, with the torpedo
+craft a score of yards off our midships.</p>
+
+<p>On the forward deck of the latter stood two officers clad in the uniform
+of the commissioned service. One placed a speaking trumpet to his lips
+and called out:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Cruiser ahoy! Is that the 'Yankee'?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You have made a good guess,&quot; shouted Captain Brownson. &quot;What boat is
+that?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;'Talbot' from Newport. Any news? Sighted you and thought we would speak
+you.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Our commander assured them that we were in search of news ourselves. The
+&quot;Talbot's&quot; officers saluted and then waved a farewell.</p>
+
+<p>The narrow, low-lying craft spun about in almost her own length, a
+series of quick puffs of dense black smoke came from the funnels, and
+then the haze swallowed up the whole fabric.</p>
+
+<p>We were left to take our discomfiture with what philosophy we could
+muster. When &quot;secure&quot; was sounded we left our guns with a sense of great
+danger averted and a feeling of relief.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_VI'></a><h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2>
+
+<h3>WE BECOME COAL HEAVERS.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The little strip of North American coast between Delaware Breakwater and
+Block Island is very interesting, and, in places, beautiful. The long
+beaches and bare sand dunes have a solemn beauty all their own.</p>
+
+<p>Though the boys on the &quot;Yankee&quot; took in and appreciated the loveliness
+of this bit of coast, they were getting rather familiar with it and
+somewhat bored. They longed for &quot;pastures new.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Summer had almost begun, but still the fog and rain held sway. The ship
+crept through the night like a big gray ghost&mdash;dark, swift, and, except
+in the densest fogs, silent. Pea-coats were an absolute necessity, and
+woolen gloves would have been a great comfort. All this in the blooming,
+beautiful month of May!</p>
+
+<p>One bleak morning the starboard watch was on duty. We of the port watch
+had turned in at four (or, according to ship's time, eight bells). We
+were glad to be between decks, and got under way for the land of Nod
+without delay. It seemed as if we had been asleep but a few minutes,
+when &quot;Scully,&quot; chief boatswain's mate, came down the gun deck gangway,
+shouting loud enough to be heard a mile away: &quot;All hands, up all
+hammocks;&quot; then, as the disposition to get up was not very evident,
+&quot;Show a leg there; ham and eggs for breakfast.&quot; This last was a little
+pleasantry that never materialized into the much-coveted and long
+abstained from delicacy.</p>
+
+<p>The hammocks were lashed up and stowed away in the &quot;nettings,&quot; as the
+lattice-like receptacles are called, leaving the deck clear for the work
+of the day.</p>
+
+<p>Mess gear for the &quot;watch below&quot; had just been piped, and we were glad;
+even the thought of burnt oatmeal and coffee without milk was pleasant
+to us.</p>
+
+<p>The ports were closed and the gun deck was dark and dismal. The fog
+oozed in through every crack and cranny, and all was very unpleasant.</p>
+
+<p>Of a sudden there was a sharp reverberation that sounded so much like
+the report of a big gun that all hands jumped.</p>
+
+<p>The course of the ship was changed, and the jingle bell sounded. The
+&quot;Yankee&quot; forged on at full speed in the direction from which the sound
+had come.</p>
+
+<p>We all stood in expectant attitudes, listening for another report. We
+had about made up our minds that our ears had deceived us, when another
+explosion, louder and nearer than the first, reached us.</p>
+
+<p>On we rushed&mdash;toward what we knew not&mdash;through a fog so thick that the
+water could be seen but dimly from the spar deck.</p>
+
+<p>The suspense was hard to bear, and the desire to do something almost
+irresistible. The men unconsciously took their regular stations for
+action, the guns' crews gathered round their guns, the powder divisions
+in the neighborhood of the ammunition hoists.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I wish Potter was here,&quot; said &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;I rather think he would be
+white around the gills. This sort of business would give him a bad case
+of 'cold feet.'&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Oh, he had 'cold feet' a few days after we left New York, and wrote to
+his friends to get his discharge,&quot; said &quot;Bill.&quot; &quot;Got it and quit two
+weeks after we left New York, the duffer,&quot; added &quot;Hay.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Yankee&quot; still steamed on into the bank of fog.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Cupid,&quot; the ship's bugler, began to play the call for general
+quarters, but was stopped by a sharp command from the bridge.</p>
+
+<p>What was it all about? Was it to be tragedy or farce?</p>
+
+<p>Then Scully came down the starboard gangway, a broad smile on his ruddy
+face.</p>
+
+<p>A clamoring group gathered round him instantly. &quot;What is it?&quot; &quot;Is the
+'old man' playing a joke on us?&quot; &quot;Do you suppose Cervera has got over to
+this side?&quot; &quot;Scully,&quot; overwhelmed with questions, put up his hands
+protestingly.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;No, no; none of those things,&quot; said he. &quot;What do you suppose we have
+been doing for the last twenty minutes?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>We confessed we did not know.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Chasing thunder claps&mdash;nothing more nor less than thunder claps! And
+we'll see nothing worse on this coast,&quot; he added sententiously, as soon
+as he could get his breath.</p>
+
+<p>The wind rose, and while it blew away the fog in part, it kicked up a
+nasty sea, in which the &quot;Yankee&quot; wallowed for hours, waiting for the fog
+to clear enough to make the channel and enter New York harbor. It seemed
+we had been heading for New York, and we did not know it. It was not the
+custom aboard that hooker to give the men any information.</p>
+
+<a name='page077'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page077.jpg' width='413' height='300' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>&quot;THE 'YANKEE' DROPPED HER ANCHOR OFF TOMPKINSVILLE&quot;(<i>page</i> 77).</h5>
+
+<p>When we learned for sure that we were bound for New York, our joy was
+beyond measure.</p>
+
+<p>Shore leave was the chief topic of conversation. And every man not on
+duty went down into his black bag, fished out his clean blues, and set
+to work sewing on watch marks and cap ribbons. For Jack must be neat and
+clean when he goes ashore.</p>
+
+<p>The mud-hook was dropped in the bay off Tompkinsville, Thursday, May
+26th, seventeen days after we left the navy yard. It seemed seventeen
+months.</p>
+
+<p>An &quot;anchor watch&quot; of sixteen men was set for the night, and most of us
+turned in early to enjoy the first good sleep for many weary days.</p>
+
+<p>All hands were turned out at five o'clock. We woke to find a big coal
+barge on either side of the ship.</p>
+
+<p>After breakfast the order &quot;turn to&quot; was given. &quot;All hands coal ship,
+starboard watch on the starboard lighter, port watch on the port
+lighter.&quot; From seven o'clock in the morning till twelve o'clock that
+night, the crew of the &quot;Yankee&quot;&mdash;aforetime lawyers, physicians, literary
+men, brokers, merchants, students, and clerks&mdash;men who had never done
+any harder work than play football, or row in a shell&mdash;coaled ship
+without any rest, other than the three half hours at meal times. About
+the hardest, dirtiest work a man could do.</p>
+
+<p>The navy style of coaling is different from that customary in the
+merchant service. In the latter, the dirty work is done in the quickest,
+easiest way possible. The ship is taken to a coal wharf and the coal is
+slid down in chutes, or barges are run alongside and great buckets,
+hoisted by steam, swing the black lumps into the hold or bunker.</p>
+
+<p>The navy style, as practised on the &quot;Yankee,&quot; was quite different. The
+barges were brought alongside, the men divided into gangs&mdash;some to go in
+the hold of the barge, some to go on the platforms, some to carry on the
+ship herself. The barge gang shovelled the coal into bushel baskets;
+these were carried to the men on the stages; and the latter passed them
+from one to the other, to the gun deck; finally, the gang on the vessel
+carried the baskets to the bunker holes, and dumped them. The ship was
+well provided with hoisting machines, but, for some reason, this help
+was not permitted us.</p>
+
+<p>It was a long, inexpressibly dreary day's work, and though undertaken
+cheerfully and with less complaining than would have been believed
+possible, the drudgery of it was a thing not easily forgotten. Before
+the day had ended, all hope of getting ashore was lost, for we were
+told that no liberty would be given.</p>
+
+<p>The following day and half of our stay in New York harbor was spent in
+the same way&mdash;shovelling, lifting, and carrying coal. The eyes of many
+of us were gladdened by the sight of friends and relatives, who were
+allowed aboard when mess gear was piped, and put off when &quot;turn to&quot;
+sounded. We were pleased to see our friends, but our friends, on the
+contrary, seemed shocked to see us. One dainty girl came aboard, and, as
+she came up the gangway, asked for a forecastle man. The word was passed
+for him. He had just finished his stint of coaling, and was as black as
+a negro. In his haste to see his sister, he neglected to clean up, and
+appeared before her in his coal heaver's make-up.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You, Will? I won't believe it! I won't, I won't, I won't!&quot; And for a
+second she covered her face with her hands. Then she picked out the
+cleanest spot on his grimy countenance and kissed him there, while we
+looked on in envy.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Yankee&quot; at last receiving orders to sail for the front, left
+Tompkinsville May 29th. We passed out of the Narrows with a feeling of
+relief. The work we had just finished was the hardest we had ever
+experienced. It was particularly tantalizing because we were almost in
+sight of our homes, but could not visit them. A starving man suffers
+more from hunger if pleasant food is placed within sight, but beyond his
+reach.</p>
+
+<p>However, we were to go to the front at last, and we rejoiced at the
+prospect of being really useful to our country.</p>
+
+<p>The following day, Decoration Day, dawned pleasantly, both wind and
+weather being all that could be desired.</p>
+
+<p>Directly after dinner we were sent to quarters for target practice. The
+target was dropped astern, and the ship steamed ahead to the required
+distance. Word was given to the marines manning the six-pounders to
+prove their skill.</p>
+
+<p>The port forecastle six-pounder, using a shell containing cordite, a
+powerful English explosive, was in charge of a marine corporal named
+J.J. Murray, who acted as captain of the gun. After firing several
+rounds with marked success, Murray saw that the gun was loaded for
+another trial.</p>
+
+<p>Standing at the breech, he steadied the gun with his left arm and
+shoulder, seized the pistol-grip, placed his finger on the trigger, and
+then slowly and carefully brought the target within the sighting line in
+readiness to fire.</p>
+
+<p>The other members of the gun's crew were at their proper stations.
+Numbers 2 and 3, respectively second captain and first loader and
+shellman, were directly behind the corporal. They saw him steady the
+piece again, take another careful aim, then noted that his finger gave a
+quick tug at the trigger.</p>
+
+<p>The result was a dull click but no explosion.</p>
+
+<p>The corporal stepped back from his place in vexation. He had succeeded
+in getting a fine &quot;bead&quot; just as the cartridge failed.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Blast the English ammunition!&quot; he exclaimed. &quot;It's no good.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The other men at the gun nodded approval. Their experience bore out the
+corporal's assertion. They also knew that the cordite cartridges were
+not adapted to American guns, and should not have been used. But they
+were marines and they were accustomed to obey orders without comment.</p>
+
+<p>Captain Brownson had noticed the incident and he sent word to delay
+opening the breechblock until all danger of explosion had passed. After
+waiting some time, Corporal Murray proceeded to extract the shell. He
+took his place at the breech, while No. 2 unlocked the plug and swung it
+open.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Now we'll see what is the matter,&quot; he began. &quot;I guess it is another
+case of&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>He never finished the sentence. With a frightful roar the defective
+cartridge exploded, sending fragments of shell and parts of the
+breech-block into the corporal's face and chest. He was hurled with
+terrific force to the deck, where he lay motionless, mortally wounded.</p>
+
+<p>Numbers 2 and 3 of the unfortunate gun's crew did not escape, the former
+being struck down with the hand lever, which penetrated his arm. The
+injured men received prompt attention from the surgeon and his
+assistants, but Corporal Murray was beyond mortal aid. He died ten
+minutes after the accident.</p>
+
+<p>He was a good soldier, jolly and light-hearted, and a great favorite
+with the crew. The peculiar feeling of antagonism which is supposed to
+exist between the sailors and marines did not obtain in his case.</p>
+
+<p>In the navy the hammock which serves the living as a bed by night is
+also their coffin and their shroud. It so served Corporal Murray.</p>
+
+<a name='page082'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page082.jpg' width='300' height='402' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>&quot;WITH A FRIGHTFUL ROAR THE DEFECTIVE CARTRIDGE EXPLODED&quot;
+<i>(page 82)</i>.</h5>
+
+<p>Shortly after four bells (six o'clock) on the evening of the day on
+which the accident occurred, the boatswain's mate sent the shrill piping
+of his whistle echoing through the ship, following it with the words,
+doleful and long drawn out:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;All hands shift-ft-ft into clean-n-n blue and stand by to bury the
+dead-d-d!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>When the crew assembled on the gun deck in obedience to the call, the
+sun was just disappearing beyond the edge of the distant horizon. Its
+last rays entered the open port, showing to us the dead man's figure
+outlined under an American flag. The body had been placed upon a grating
+in front of an open port, and several men were stationed close by in
+readiness to launch it into the sea.</p>
+
+<p>The ceaseless swaying of the ship in the trough of the sea, the engines
+having been stopped, set the lines of blue uniformed men swinging and
+nodding, and, as the surgeon, Dr. McGowan, read the Episcopal service,
+it seemed in the half light as if every man were keeping time with the
+cadence.</p>
+
+<p>The words of the service, beautiful and impressive under such novel
+circumstances, echoed and whispered along the deck, and at the sentence,
+&quot;We commit this body to the deep,&quot; the grating was raised gently and,
+with a peculiar <i>swish</i>, the body, heavily weighted, slid down to the
+water's edge and plunged sullenly into the sea. A moment more and the
+service was finished, the bugler sounding &quot;pipe down.&quot; A salute, three
+times repeated, was fired by sixteen men of the marine guard.</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<p>The voyage down the coast was utilized in making good men-o'-war's men
+of the &quot;Yankee's&quot; crew. Captain Brownson believes thoroughly in the
+efficacy of drill, and he lost no time in living up to his belief. When
+all the circumstances are taken into consideration, the task allotted to
+the captain of the &quot;Yankee&quot; by the fortunes of war, was both peculiar
+and difficult.</p>
+
+<p>On his return from Europe, where he had been sent to select vessels for
+the improvised navy, he was ordered by the Navy Department at Washington
+to take command of the auxiliary cruiser &quot;Yankee.&quot; This meant that he
+was to assume charge of a ship hastily converted from an ordinary
+merchant steamer, and to fight the battles of his country with a crew
+composed of youths and men whose whole life and training had hitherto
+followed totally different lines.</p>
+
+<p>It was a &quot;licking of raw material into shape&quot; with a vengeance.</p>
+
+<p>When the &quot;Chesapeake&quot; sailed forth to fight her disastrous battle with
+the British ship &quot;Shannon,&quot; her crew was made up of men untrained in
+the art of war. The result was the most humiliating naval defeat in the
+history of the United States. The same fate threatened Captain Brownson.
+There was this difference in the cases, however. The &quot;Chesapeake&quot; had
+little time for drilling, while the &quot;Yankee&quot; was fully six weeks in
+commission before her first shot was fired in action. Every minute of
+those six weeks was utilized.</p>
+
+<p>During the trip down the coast from New York general quarters were held
+each day, and target practice whenever the weather permitted. In
+addition to these drills the crew was exercised in man and arm boats,
+abandon ship, fire drill, infantry drill, and the many exercises
+provided by the naval regulations. Before the &quot;Yankee&quot; had been in the
+Gulf Stream two days, the various guns' crews were almost letter-perfect
+at battery work. As it happened, the value of good drilling was soon to
+be demonstrated.</p>
+
+<p>As we neared Cuba, the theatre of our hopes and expectations, we were
+scarcely able to control ourselves. The bare possibility of seeing real
+war within a few days made every man the victim of a consuming
+impatience. Rumors of every description were rife, and the many weird
+and impossible tales invented by the ship's cook and the captain's
+steward&mdash;the men-o'-war oracles&mdash;would have put even Baron Munchausen to
+the blush.</p>
+
+<p>The Rumor Committee, otherwise known as the &quot;Scuttle-butt Navigators,&quot;
+to which every man on board was elected a life member the moment he
+promulgated a rumor, was soon actively engaged, and it was definitely
+settled that the &quot;Yankee&quot; was to become the flagship of the whole fleet,
+our captain made Lord High Admiral, and the whole Spanish nation swept
+off the face of the globe, in about thirteen and a half seconds by the
+chronometer.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_VII'></a><h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2>
+
+<h3>WE ENTER THE &quot;THEATRE OF WAR.&quot;</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The shrill pipe of the bosun's whistle, followed by the order &quot;All hands
+to muster,&quot; reached our ears a day or two out from New York. We were
+enjoying an hour of well-earned leisure, so it was with reluctance that
+we obeyed and went aft on the gun deck. All hands are seldom called to
+muster, so we knew that something of importance was in the wind.</p>
+
+<p>After the three-sided hollow square had been formed, the captain
+appeared. The small men stood on tip-toe, and the tall men craned their
+necks.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;We are about to enter the theatre of war,&quot; said the captain, in his
+sharp, decisive way, &quot;and I expect every man to do his duty, to redouble
+his efforts to preserve discipline, to perfect drills. Drills will, of a
+necessity, be frequent and hard. I would have you understand that our
+best protection is the fire from our own guns. The more rapid and
+accurate our fire, the safer we shall be. Pipe down.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>After we had been dismissed, the men formed little groups and discussed
+the captain's speech.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I like the 'old man's' talk,&quot; said the &quot;Kid,&quot; condescendingly; &quot;it's to
+the point and short. But how in the name of common sense are we going to
+find time to drill with more frequency? Three times a day and once or
+more at night, allows us just about time enough to eat and do the
+necessary routine work, to say nothing about sleeping. Clear ship,
+general quarters, and fire drill during the day, and general quarters
+after ten last night. That's already somewhat frequent, methinks,&quot; he
+concluded, suppressing a yawn.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Well, if we are to have any scraps,&quot; said &quot;Bill,&quot; &quot;we certainly must
+know how to work the ship and the guns. For, as the skipper said, 'our
+own fire is our best protection.'&quot;</p>
+
+<p>We bowled along at a good fifteen-knot gait, day after day and night
+after night. The weather was magnificent and the climate delightful. It
+was full moon, and such a moon as few of us had seen before&mdash;so bright
+that letters could be and were written by her silvery light.</p>
+
+<p>Though drills of all sorts were of constant occurrence, there were times
+after mess when we could &quot;caulk off&quot; and enjoy the glorious weather.
+Our experience of bad weather along the coast of New Jersey and Long
+Island had given us keen zest for the good conditions we were now
+enjoying. We were sailing along in the warm waters of the Gulf
+Stream&mdash;the Gulf weed peculiar to that current slipping by as we forged
+through it. &quot;Stump,&quot; &quot;Dye,&quot; of Number Eight's gun crew, a witty chap and
+a good singer, &quot;Hay,&quot; and I were leaning over the taffrail, looking into
+the swirling water made by the propeller's thrust, when &quot;Dye&quot; remarked:
+&quot;This is the queerest water I ever saw in all my days; it looks like the
+bluing water our laundress used to make, with the suds mixed in.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The smooth sea was dark and clear as could be, but where churned by the
+propeller it turned to the color of turquoise.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I really believe,&quot; said &quot;Bill,&quot; as he joined the group, &quot;that we could
+use it to turn our whites blue.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>It was a delight and marvel to us all; we would have liked nothing
+better than to have spent hours gazing at these wonderful colors.</p>
+
+<p>As we stood absorbed in the sight before us, we were interrupted by the
+short, sharp ringing of the ship's bell&mdash;a dozen or more strokes given
+in quick succession followed, after a short pause, by two more strokes.</p>
+
+<p>Some one shouted &quot;Fire, boys!&quot; and all hands rushed for their
+stations&mdash;some to the hose-reel, some below to the gun deck to close the
+ports, and some to the berth deck to receive the hose when it came down.
+We did not know whether it was drill or actual fire, but the skipper's
+talk of the night before gave us unusual energy, and the preparations
+were made in record time. The canvas hose was pulled along the deck with
+a swish, the nozzle grasped by the waiting hands below and carried with
+a run away aft on the berth deck. The fire was supposed to be raging at
+this point, as was indicated by the two last strokes of the alarm
+signal.</p>
+
+<p>While the hose was being led out, sturdy arms tugged at the port
+lanyards and pulled them to. Others battened down the hatches, to keep
+the draught from adding fury to the flames.</p>
+
+<p>All this was done in less time than it takes to tell it, and the men
+stood at their posts, perspiring and panting from the quick work.</p>
+
+<p>We had hardly time to catch our breath when the order &quot;Abandon ship&quot; was
+heard. Immediately there was a scurry of feet, and a rush for the upper
+deck; but some stayed below to carry ship's bread and canned meats to
+the boats&mdash;two cases of bread and two cases of meat for the large boats,
+and one case of each for the smaller. The crews and passengers of each
+boat gathered near it. Every man had been assigned to a boat either as
+crew or passenger, and when the order &quot;abandon ship&quot; was given, every
+one knew instantly where to go for refuge.</p>
+
+<p>Though we had already gone through this &quot;fire drill&quot; and &quot;abandon ship&quot;
+(one always followed the other), it had then been done in peaceful
+waters and in a perfunctory way. Now that we were entering &quot;the theatre
+of war,&quot; we felt the seriousness of it all, and realized that what was
+now a mere drill might become a stern reality.</p>
+
+<p>The order &quot;Secure&quot; was given; the hose was reeled up, the ports opened,
+and the provisions returned to their places in hold and store room. The
+men went to their quarters, and so stood till the bugler blew &quot;retreat.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The time not devoted to drills was taken up in getting the ship ready
+for the serious work she was to undertake.</p>
+
+<p>All woodwork on the gun deck not in actual use was carried below or
+thrown overboard, and the great cargo booms were either taken down and
+stowed safely away, where the splinters would not be dangerous, or were
+covered with, canvas.</p>
+
+<p>These preparations had a sinister look that made us realize, if we had
+not done so before, that this was real war that we were about to engage
+in&mdash;no sham battle or man[oe]uvres.</p>
+
+<p>The men went about their work more quietly and thoughtfully, for one and
+all now understood their responsibilities. If the ship made a record for
+herself, the crew would get a large share of the credit; and if she
+failed to do the work cut out for her, on the crew would be laid the
+blame. If the men behind the guns and the men running the engines did
+not do their work rapidly and well, disaster and disgrace would follow.</p>
+
+<p>As we neared the scene of conflict, the discipline grew more and more
+strict. Before a man realized that he had done anything wrong, his name
+would be called by the master-at-arms and he would be hauled &quot;up to the
+mast&quot; for trial.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You ought to see the gang up at the mast,&quot; said &quot;Stump,&quot; one bright
+afternoon. &quot;'Mac' and 'Hod Marsh' have gathered enough extra duty men to
+do all the dirty work for a month.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What were you doing up there?&quot; asked a bystander.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Why, I thought I heard my name called, and as discretion is the better
+part of valor, I lined up with the rest, and I was glad I did, too, for
+it was good sport.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Maybe you thought it was sport, but how about the chaps that were
+'pinched'? Who was up before the skipper, anyhow?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Oh, there was a big gang up there&mdash;I can't remember them all; 'Lucky
+Bag Kennedy' was there, for being late at general quarters the other
+day. When the captain looked at him in that fierce way of his and asked
+what he had to say for himself, 'Lucky Bag' said he didn't realize the
+time. The skipper could hardly keep his face straight. 'Four hours,' he
+said, and that was all there was to it.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Poor 'Lucky Bag,'&quot; came from all sides as &quot;Stump&quot; paused to take
+breath.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Then there was 'Big Bill,' the water tender,&quot; continued &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;He
+was hauled up for appearing on the spar deck without a uniform. When the
+skipper asked him what he had to say for himself, 'Big Bill' cleared his
+throat with a <i>woof</i>&mdash;you know how it sounds: the ship shakes and
+trembles when he does it&mdash;and the 'old man' fairly tottered under the
+blast. 'Big Bill' explained that he could not get a uniform big enough
+for him, because the paymaster could not fit him out. The captain
+almost grinned when he heard the excuse, and 'Big Bill'&mdash;well, he
+enjoyed the situation, I'll bet a month's pay.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>There was a little pause here, and we heard a great voice rumbling from
+below. Then we knew that &quot;Big Bill&quot; was telling his intimates all about
+it, embellishing the story as only he could do.</p>
+
+<p>We laughed sympathetically as the shouts of glee rose to our ears. We
+had all enjoyed his good-humored Irish wit.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Well, who else was in trouble this afternoon, 'Stump'?&quot; said &quot;Mourner,&quot;
+the inquisitive.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Oh, a lot of unfortunate duffers. Several who were put on the report
+for being slow in lashing up their hammocks got a couple of hours extra
+duty each. One or two were there because they had clothes in the 'lucky
+bag'&mdash;they had left them round the decks somewhere, and the
+master-at-arms had grabbed them. The owners had to go on the report to
+get the clothes out. It cost them a couple of hours each.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Well, how did you get out of it?&quot; said I, when &quot;Stump&quot; paused to
+breathe.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I was nearly scared to death,&quot; he continued, after a minute or two. &quot;My
+name was not called, and the rank thinned out till there were only a
+few of us left. I began to think that some special punishment was being
+reserved for me, and that the captain was waiting so he could think it
+over. What my offence was I could not imagine; my conscience was clear,
+I vow. As I stood there in the sun I thought over the last few days, and
+made a confession to myself, but couldn't think of anything very wicked.
+Had I unintentionally blocked a marine sentry's way and thus interfered
+with him in the performance of his duty? I had visions at this point of
+myself in the 'brig,' existing on bread and water. Had I inadvertently
+gone into 'Cutlet's' pet after wheel-house? I was in a brown study,
+conjuring up imaginary misdeeds, when a voice sounded in my ear: 'Here,
+my man; what do you want?' I looked around, dazed, at the captain, who
+stood by, the closed report book in his hand. Then I realized that my
+being there was a mistake, so I saluted and said, 'Nothing, sir.'&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That's a very nice tale,&quot; said &quot;Dye.&quot; &quot;We'll have to get 'Mac' to
+verify it.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's straight,&quot; protested &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;Ask the skipper himself if you want
+to.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The old boat ploughed her way through the blue waters of the Gulf Stream
+at the rate of from fourteen to fifteen knots an hour. The skies were
+clear and the sun warm and bright&mdash;cool breeze tempered its heat and
+made life bearable. The ship rolled lazily in the long swell and the
+turquoise wake boiled astern. We steamed for days without sighting a
+sail or a light; we were &quot;alone on a wide, wide sea.&quot; At times schools
+of dolphins would race and shoot up out of the water alongside, much to
+our glee. All the beauties of these tropical waters were new to us.
+Every school of flying fish and flock of Mother Carey's chickens brought
+crowds to the rail. The sunsets were glorious, though all too short, and
+the sunrises, if less appreciated, just as fine.</p>
+
+<p>At night the guns' crews of the &quot;watch on deck&quot; slept round their loaded
+guns, one man of each crew always standing guard. The men of the powder
+divisions manned the lookout posts.</p>
+
+<p>All hands were in good spirits, calmed somewhat, however, by the thought
+that soon we might be in the thick of battle, the outcome of which no
+man could tell.</p>
+
+<p>It was during this voyage that friendships, begun on the Block
+Island-Barnegat cruise, were cemented. The life aboard ship tended to
+&quot;show up&quot; a man as he really was. His good and bad qualities appeared so
+that all might see. Was he good-natured, even-tempered, thoughtful, his
+mates knew it at once and liked him. Was he quick-tempered, selfish,
+uncompanionable, it was quite as evident, and he had few friends.
+Sterling and unsuspected qualities were brought out in many of the men.</p>
+
+<p>Every man felt that we must and would stand together, and with a will do
+our work, be it peaceful or warlike.</p>
+
+<p>Where were we bound? Were we to join the Havana blockading fleet? Were
+we destined for despatch and scout duty? Or were we to take part in
+actual conflict?</p>
+
+<p>It was while we were settling these questions to our own satisfaction on
+the morning of June 2d, that a hail came from the lookout at the
+masthead forward.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Land O!&quot; he shouted, waving his cap. &quot;Hurray! it's Cuba!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The navigator, whose rightful surname had been converted by the
+facetious Naval Reserves into &quot;Cutlets,&quot; for reasons of their own, lost
+no time in rebuking the too enthusiastic lookout.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Aloft, there, you measly lubber! What in thunder do you mean? Have you
+sighted land?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Ye-es, sir-r,&quot; quavered the lookout.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Then why don't you say so without adding any conjectures of your own?&quot;
+commented the irascible Lieutenant &quot;Cutlets,&quot; severely.</p>
+
+<p>The rest of the crew were too deeply interested in the vague streak of
+color on the horizon to pay any attention to the &quot;wigging&quot; of the man at
+the masthead. We knew that the dun-hued streak rising from the blue
+shadows of the ocean was Cuba, and we could think or talk of nothing
+else.</p>
+
+<p>Somewhere beyond that towering mountain was Santiago, the port in which
+the flea-like squadron of Admiral Cervera was bottled up, and there was
+a deadly fear in our hearts that the wily Spaniard would sally forth to
+battle before we could join our fleet.</p>
+
+<p>We pictured to ourselves the gray mountain massed high about the narrow
+entrance of Santiago Bay, the picturesque Morro Castle, squatting like a
+grim giant above the strait, and outside, tossing and bobbing upon the
+swell of a restless sea, the mighty semicircle of drab ships waiting,
+yearning for the outcoming of the Dons. We of the &quot;Yankee,&quot; I repeat,
+were in an agony of dread that we would arrive too late.</p>
+
+<p>Cape Maysi, the scene of many an adventurous filibustering expedition,
+was passed at high noon, and at eight bells in the evening the anchor
+was dropped off Mole St. Nicholas, a convenient port in the island of
+Hayti. As we steamed into the harbor we passed close to the auxiliary
+cruiser &quot;St. Louis.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The anchor was scarcely on the bottom when the gig was called away. We
+awaited the return of Captain Brownson with impatience. The news he
+brought was reassuring, however. Nothing of moment had occurred since
+our departure from New York. Within an hour we were again out at sea,
+this time en route to Santiago.</p>
+
+<p>There was little sleep on board that night, and when morning dawned,
+every man who could escape from below was on deck watching, waiting for
+the first glimpse of Admiral Sampson's fleet. Shortly after daylight,
+the squadron was sighted. The scene was picturesque in the extreme.</p>
+
+<p>The gray of early dawn was just giving way before the first rays of a
+tropical sun. Almost hidden in the mist hovering about the coast were a
+number of vague spots seemingly arranged in a semicircle, the base of
+which was the green-covered tableland fronting Santiago. The spots were
+tossing idly upon a restless sea, and, as the sun rose higher, each
+gradually assumed the shape of a marine engine of war. Beyond them was
+a stretch of sandy, surf-beaten coast, and directly fronting the centre
+ship could be seen a narrow cleft in the hill&mdash;the gateway leading to
+the ancient city of Santiago de Cuba.</p>
+
+<p>As we steamed in closer to the fleet we saw indications that something
+of importance had occurred or was about to occur. Steam launches and
+torpedo boats were dashing about between the ships, strings of
+parti-colored bunting flaunted from the signal halliards of the flagship
+&quot;New York,&quot; and nearer shore could be seen one of the smaller cruisers
+evidently making a reconnaissance.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;We are just in time, Russ,&quot; exclaimed &quot;Stump,&quot; jubilantly. &quot;The fleet
+is getting ready for a scrap. And we'll be right in it.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>I edged toward the bridge. The first news would come from that quarter.
+Several minutes later, Captain Brownson, who had been watching the
+signals with a powerful glass, closed the instrument with a snap, and
+cried out to the executive officer:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hubbard, you will never believe it.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What's happened?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The reply was given so low that I could catch only a few words, but it
+was enough to send me scurrying aft at the top of my speed. The news was
+startling indeed.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_VIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER VIII.</h2>
+
+<h3>WE JOIN SAMPSON'S FLEET.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>As the &quot;Yankee&quot; steamed in toward the blockading fleet off the entrance
+to Santiago harbor, the scurrying torpedo boats and the many little
+launches darting here and there like so many beetles on a pond, became
+more apparent, and it was plainly evident to all that something of great
+importance had recently happened.</p>
+
+<p>The scattered remarks made by Captain Brownson on the bridge formed,
+when pieced together, such a wonderful bit of news that I could scarcely
+contain myself as I hurried aft. I wanted to stop and fling my cap into
+the air. I felt like dancing a jig and hurrahing and offering praise for
+the fact that I was an American.</p>
+
+<p>As it happened, I was not the only member of the &quot;Yankee's&quot; crew that
+had overheard the &quot;old man's&quot; words. The second captain of the after
+port five-inch gun, a jolly good fellow, known familiarly as &quot;Hay&quot; by
+the boys, chanced to be under the bridge. As I raced aft on the port
+side he started in the same direction on the starboard side of the spar
+deck. His legs fairly twinkled, and he beat me to the gangway by a neck.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What do you think?&quot; I heard him gasp as I came up. &quot;Talk of your
+heroes! Whoop! Say, I'm glad I am a son of that old flag aft there. It's
+the greatest thing that ever happened.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What?&quot; chorused a dozen voices.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Last night&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Yes.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Last night a volunteer crew&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hurry up, will you?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Last night, or rather early this morning, a volunteer crew, under the
+command of a naval constructor named Hobson, took the collier 'Merrimac'
+into the mouth of the harbor and&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That old tub?&quot; interrupted a marine who had served in the regular navy,
+incredulously. &quot;Why, she's nothing but a hulk. She hasn't a gun or&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;She didn't go in to fight,&quot; said &quot;Hay.&quot; &quot;They were to block up the
+channel with her.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;To block up the channel?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Yes. Cervera and his fleet are in the harbor, you know, and the scheme
+was to keep them from coming out.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Did they succeed?&quot; chorused the whole group of eager listeners.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Yes, but&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The conclusion of &quot;Hay's&quot; sentence was drowned in a wild whoop of joy, a
+whoop that brought a number of other &quot;Yankees&quot; to the spot, and also a
+gesture of remonstrance from the executive officer on the bridge.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Wait, boys,&quot; I said, gently; &quot;you haven't heard all.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>There was quiet at once.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hobson and his brave men succeeded in accomplishing their object, but
+they have paid the penalty for it.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Not dead?&quot; asked one in almost a whisper.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;So the captain read the signals. The 'Merrimac' went in about three
+o'clock this morning. It seems she reached the channel all right, but
+she was discovered and sent to the bottom with all on board.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hay&quot; took off his cap reverently, and the others instantly followed his
+example. Nothing more was said. The glory of the deed was overshadowed
+by the supposed fate of the gallant volunteer crew.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Yankee&quot; steamed in to a position designated by the flagship, and
+the captain went aboard to pay his respects to Admiral Sampson. A
+Spanish tug, flying a flag of truce, which had emerged from the harbor
+at noon, met one of our tugs, also flying a flag of truce, and almost
+immediately a string of signals went up to the signal yard of the &quot;New
+York.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Then came such a burst of cheers and whistling and tossing of hats from
+every ship in the fleet that it seemed as if every officer and sailor in
+Sampson's squadron had suddenly gone daft. Like wildfire, the glorious
+news spread&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>Hobson and his men were safe!</p>
+
+<p>The tug from the harbor had brought an officer sent by Admiral Cervera
+himself with a message stating that the brave naval constructor and all
+his crew had been captured alive and were now prisoners in Morro Castle.
+Later, a press boat came alongside and confirmed the news through a
+megaphone.</p>
+
+<p>The excitement on board the &quot;Yankee,&quot; like that throughout the fleet,
+was tremendous. Those in the North who had received both the news of the
+feat and the rescue at the same time, can hardly understand the
+revulsion of feeling which swept through the American ships gathered
+off Santiago. It was like hearing from a supposed dead friend.</p>
+
+<p>These heroes were comrades&mdash;nay, brothers. They wore the blue and they
+were fighting for Old Glory. Their praise was ours and their deed
+redounded to the eternal credit and fame of the American navy. Small
+wonder that we welcomed the news of their safety, and cheered until our
+throats were husky and our eyes wet with something more than mere
+exertion.</p>
+
+<p>All hail to Richmond Pearson Hobson and his men!</p>
+
+<p>Heroes all!</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<p>During the afternoon of our arrival, when we finally secured time to
+look about us, we were struck with the appearance of the really
+formidable fleet of warships collected under Admiral Sampson's flag. For
+size of individual ships and weight of armor and armament, there had
+never been anything in the history of the United States to equal it.</p>
+
+<p>The fleet consisted of the powerful battleships &quot;Iowa,&quot; &quot;Indiana,&quot;
+&quot;Massachusetts,&quot; and &quot;Texas,&quot; the two splendid armored cruisers &quot;New
+York&quot; and &quot;Brooklyn,&quot; cruisers &quot;New Orleans&quot; and &quot;Marblehead,&quot; converted
+yachts &quot;Mayflower,&quot; &quot;Josephine,&quot; and &quot;Vixen,&quot; torpedo boat &quot;Porter,&quot;
+cable boat &quot;Adria,&quot; gunboat &quot;Dolphin,&quot; and the auxiliary cruisers &quot;St.
+Louis&quot; and &quot;Yankee.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The vessels formed a semicircular line, completely enclosing the
+entrance to Santiago harbor. From where the &quot;Yankee&quot; rested, on the
+right wing, a fine view of the coast could be obtained. Two insurgent
+camps were plainly visible&mdash;one on the beach and another in the hills,
+which at that point rose to the height of fully four thousand feet.
+Morro Castle, a grim, sullen, gray embattled fort, directly overlooking
+the channel, was in plain sight, and here and there could be seen little
+green or sand-colored mounds, marking the site of earthworks.</p>
+
+<p>The stretch of blue sea, edged by the tumbling surf-beaten beach, and
+the uprising of foliage-covered hills, all brought out clearly by a
+tropical sun, formed a picture as far removed from the usual setting of
+war as could be. But war was there, and the scenery appealed to few.
+There was more interest in the drab hulls of the fleet and the outward
+reaching of the mighty guns.</p>
+
+<p>That evening&mdash;the evening of June 3d&mdash;the &quot;Yankee's&quot; decks presented an
+animated spectacle. The novel surroundings and the prospect of action
+kept the boys interested. The &quot;Rumor Committee&quot; was in active session,
+and one of its principal members, the captain's orderly, brought the
+news forward that the auxiliary cruiser would surely lead a procession
+of battleships into Santiago harbor the following day.</p>
+
+<p>This was a little too strong for even the marines to swallow. We lay
+down by our loaded guns that night, feeling that it was well to be
+within easy reach of our defenders.</p>
+
+<p>Hammocks were laid on the deck close to each five-inch breechloader, and
+the regular watch was doubled. Lack of experience made all these warlike
+preparations very impressive, and it was some time before the boys fell
+asleep. For my part, such a restlessness possessed me that, after trying
+to woo slumber for a half hour, I left my place and crawled over nearer
+the open port.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hello, Russ,&quot; whispered a voice, apparently from the outside. &quot;Just
+lean out here if you want to cool off. Isn't the night air fine?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>A small figure wriggled in from where it had been hanging over the port
+sill, and in the faint light I recognized &quot;Kid,&quot; as we called him, the
+smallest boy on board, and so pleasant and popular that we had
+unanimously elected him the mascot of the ship.</p>
+
+<p>I was glad to see that it was &quot;Kid.&quot; His fund of ready wit and his
+never-failing good-nature made him a welcome companion at all times. He
+did not belong to my gun, being a &quot;powder monkey&quot; on No. 16, a
+six-pounder on the spar deck, but &quot;Kid&quot; was privileged, and he could
+have penetrated to the captain's cabin with impunity.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Thought I'd drop down here for a rest,&quot; he began, stretching himself
+and yawning. &quot;Too much tramping about on deck to sleep. Say, looks as if
+we were going to have a little rain, doesn't it?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The moon had just passed behind a scurrying cloud, causing the silvery
+sparkle of its reflection to suddenly fade from the surface of the
+water. The lights and shadows on the nearby beach changed to a streaky
+dark smudge. There was a damp touch to the air.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;This would be a proper night for one of those sneaking torpedo boats to
+give us a scare,&quot; resumed &quot;Kid,&quot; thoughtfully. &quot;Funny ways of fighting
+those Dagoes have, eh? It's like prisoner's base that I played when I
+was a boy.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Kid's&quot; eighteen years were a mature age in his opinion.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The two torpedo craft in Santiago harbor could do a great deal of
+damage if they were properly handled,&quot; I ventured. &quot;They are
+magnificent vessels of their class. Look what Cushing did with a slow
+steam launch and a powder can on the end of a stick.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The case was different.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Yes, but&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Cushing was an American,&quot; interrupted the boy convincingly.</p>
+
+<p>There was silence for awhile and we lolled in the port, gazing idly at
+the black spots in the gloom representing the blockading fleet. Between
+us and the shore was the &quot;New Orleans,&quot; the faint tracery of her masts
+just showing above the distant background of the hills. The dampness in
+the air had increased, and a dash of rain came in the open port.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What were you doing at the mast this morning, 'Kid'?&quot; I asked by way of
+variety.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Had a mustering shirt in the lucky bag.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>I heard the boy chuckle. There was an escapade behind the remark.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You know that wardroom Jap with the bad eye?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Yes.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It was his shirt.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;But how&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It was this way. You know how hard it has been to put up with
+'government straight' as a steady diet, don't you?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>I nodded. As &quot;government straight&quot; meant the extremely simple bill of
+fare provided by Uncle Sam, consisting of salt beef, pork, hardtack,
+beans, and canned butter, with an occasional taste of dried fruit, I was
+compelled to admit my acquaintance with it.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Well, the other night I got to dreaming that I was back in New York,&quot;
+resumed &quot;Kid.&quot; &quot;I dreamt I dropped into a bang-up restaurant and ordered
+beefsteak, fried potatoes, pie, and&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>A groan came from one of the gun's crew, who was within hearing, and
+&quot;Kid&quot; lowered his voice.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hit him where he lived, I guess,&quot; he chuckled. &quot;Well, I woke up so
+hungry that I couldn't stand it any longer. I looked up the Jap and
+struck him for a hand-out. He wanted a shirt, and I wanted something to
+eat, and we made a bargain. I brought him my extra mustering shirt&mdash;it
+was too large for me, anyway&mdash;and he gave me some bread and butter, cold
+potted tongue, three bananas, and&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;For mercy's sake, stow that,&quot; muttered a voice from back of the
+gun-mount. &quot;Don't we suffer enough?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That's 'Hand-Out' Hood,&quot; grinned &quot;Kid.&quot; &quot;He's kicking because he didn't
+get it. Well, I gave the shirt to the Jap, and what did he do but lose
+it. My name was on the collar, and 'Jimmy Legs' put me on the report.
+The 'old man' was easy, though. Gave me four hours extra duty. I asked
+him if I couldn't work it out in the wardroom pantry.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Kid's&quot; chuckle came to a sudden stop, and he leaned out through the
+port.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What's the matter?&quot; I asked.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Thought I saw something moving over there near the beach.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Must have been a shadow.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Guess so. Still, it looked like some kind of a&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Bang!</p>
+
+<p>The sharp report of a rapid-fire gun cut short his words. Another
+followed almost instantly, then came a regular volley. The effect on the
+crew of the &quot;Yankee&quot; was instantaneous. The men sleeping at the guns
+scrambled to their feet, hammocks were kicked out of the way, and before
+the word to go to general quarters was passed, every member of the crew
+was at his station.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I thought I saw something moving inshore,&quot; cried &quot;Kid,&quot; as he scurried
+away.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's a Spanish torpedo boat,&quot; muttered &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;Great Scott! just
+listen to the 'New Orleans.' She's firing like a house afire.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Suddenly there came a deep, thunderous roar. It was the voice of a
+thirteen-inch gun on the &quot;Massachusetts.&quot; Sixty seconds later the
+six-pounders on the &quot;Yankee's&quot; forecastle joined in the chorus, and the
+action became general.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Do not fire without orders, men,&quot; cautioned Lieutenant Greene, the
+officer in charge of our division. &quot;Just take it easy and bide your
+time.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>It was our first experience in actual fighting, and our anxiety to &quot;let
+loose&quot; was almost overwhelming. We were held to our stations so rigidly
+that but few glimpses could be caught of the outside. The &quot;New Orleans,&quot;
+on our starboard, was still rattling away.</p>
+
+<p>Notwithstanding our own inaction (the gun deck battery was not used),
+there was a certain exhilaration in even listening to the sounds of
+conflict, and the eager, tense faces surrounding the guns reflected in
+the dim light of the deck lanterns such a fierce desire to fight that
+they were absolutely transfigured.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Can't stand this much longer,&quot; muttered &quot;Hay,&quot; the second captain, as a
+peculiarly vicious report came from the direction of the
+&quot;Massachusetts.&quot; &quot;Why don't they give a fellow a chance?&quot;</p>
+
+<a name='page112'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page112.jpg' width='300' height='363' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>&quot;THE SIX-POUNDERS ON THE 'YANKEE'S' FORECASTLE JOINED IN
+THE CHORUS&quot; (<i>page</i> 112).</h5>
+
+<p>&quot;Steady, men,&quot; admonished Lieutenant Greene. &quot;Don't be impatient. Our
+turn will come soon. Steady!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>A turn of the hull&mdash;we were under way at half speed&mdash;brought the land on
+the port bow just then. The moon suddenly emerged from behind the
+clouds, and we who were nearest the port, distinctly saw a long, black
+object fade into the obscurity of the coast almost directly under Morro
+Castle.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;She's escaped!&quot; groaned &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;It's the torpedo boat, and she is
+safe again.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>As if to prove the truth of his words the guns on the &quot;New Orleans&quot; and
+&quot;Massachusetts&quot; became silent; then word was sent below to &quot;secure.&quot; Our
+first action was disappointing, but there was little grumbling. We knew
+full well that momentous events were bound to occur before long.</p>
+
+<p>The following morning, shortly after daybreak, the torpedo boat &quot;Porter&quot;
+steamed alongside. Her coming created some excitement, and the
+&quot;Yankee's&quot; crew promptly lined the railing.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What's that object on the deck?&quot; asked &quot;Stump,&quot; pointing to a long
+brass cylinder lying abaft the after conning tower.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's a torpedo, but not like those used in our navy,&quot; replied &quot;Hay.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Captain Brownson leaned over the end of the bridge and waved his hand to
+Lieutenant Fremont, the &quot;Porter's&quot; commander. The latter was smiling,
+and as we watched, he made a gesture toward the mysterious brass
+cylinder.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;See that thing, Brownson?&quot; he called out.</p>
+
+<p>The captain nodded.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It almost paid you a visit last night.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;We picked it up near shore this morning and sunk another. That Spanish
+torpedo boat made a great attempt to sink one of our ships, and, if I am
+not mistaken, the 'Yankee' was her intended prey. Congratulations.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>As the &quot;Porter&quot; steamed away we felt very much like congratulating
+ourselves. This was grim war of a certainty. Like the boy who was blown
+a mile in a cyclone without injury, we experienced a certain pride that
+we really had been in danger.</p>
+
+<p>About the middle of the afternoon a signal was seen on the flagship. It
+was read at once, and immediately the boatswain's mate passed a call
+that sent a thrill of anticipation through us. It was:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;All hands clear ship for action!&quot;</p>
+
+<a name='page115'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page115.jpg' width='300' height='344' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>&quot;CLEAR SHIP FOR ACTION!&quot; (<i>page</i> 115).]</h5>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_IX'></a><h2>CHAPTER IX.</h2>
+
+<h3>CLEAR SHIP FOR ACTION.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The boatswain's mate's shrill piping and the long drawn out cry, &quot;All
+hands clear ship for action!&quot; was not entirely unexpected. An unusual
+activity on the part of the signal men on the flagship &quot;New York&quot; had
+not escaped our notice, and when the summons to prepare for battle
+echoed through the &quot;Yankee's&quot; decks it found us in readiness for prompt
+obedience.</p>
+
+<p>At the time the call sounded a number of us were standing in the port
+waist idly watching the fleet and the shore. &quot;Bill,&quot; a member of the
+powder division, whose father is a prominent real estate broker of New
+York, and whose great talent is for practical joking and general fun
+making, was telling a story. As we scattered at the summons, he started
+below with me. Even the circumstances could not prevent him following
+his hobby, and he whispered as we hurried along:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Say, Russ, this reminds me of a good story I once heard. There was a
+man who was too lazy to live and the neighbors finally decided to bury
+him. So they took him out to the village graveyard one morning before
+day and&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Here, you men, pass this mess chest below,&quot; interrupted an officer,
+beckoning to us. &quot;Bill&quot; grasped one end of the object indicated and
+lugged it to the hatch.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;They took the lazy man to the village graveyard, as I was saying,&quot;
+resumed &quot;Bill,&quot; &quot;and they buried him up to his neck in the earth. Then
+they hid back of tombstones and&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Less talking there, men,&quot; exclaimed the navigator, hurrying past us.
+&quot;You 'heroes' do too much yarning to suit me. Get those things below at
+once. Shake it up.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;They are in an almighty hurry,&quot; grumbled &quot;Bill.&quot; &quot;The forts won't move.
+They'll be there to-morrow, I guess. Well, as I was saying, the
+villagers concealed themselves behind convenient tombstones and waited
+to see what the lazy man would do when he woke up. By and by day broke,
+and just as the sun gilded the windows of the old church the fellow who
+was buried up to his neck&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Chase those mess chests below, bullies,&quot; called out the boatswain's
+mate, dropping down the ladder a few feet away. &quot;Lively there; the 'old
+man' wants to break a record. When you have finished, hustle to the oil
+and paint lockers and help carry all inflammable material to the spar
+deck.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>For several minutes &quot;Bill&quot; worked away in silence. Between us we managed
+to lower a number of chests into the hold where they would be out of the
+way; then we disposed of more objects liable to produce unwelcome
+splinters, and finally we started toward the paint locker.</p>
+
+<p>The gun deck presented a scene of the most intense activity. The process
+of clearing ship for action requires the united efforts of the entire
+crew. On vessels of the regular service, such as the &quot;New York&quot; or
+&quot;Indiana,&quot; where everything has been constructed with a view to the
+needs of battle, the work is thoroughly systematized and comparatively
+easy. The &quot;Yankee,&quot; being a merchant steamer hastily converted into a
+vessel of war, presented greater difficulties.</p>
+
+<p>However, the crew was fairly familiar with its duties and the work
+progressed at a rapid rate. When &quot;Bill&quot; and I reached the paint locker
+we found several others preparing to convey the oil to the deck. It was
+a momentary respite, and &quot;Bill&quot; took advantage of it.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;When the sun rose the fellows hiding behind the tombstones saw the lazy
+man open his eyes,&quot; he resumed hurriedly. &quot;He looked around and took in
+all the details of the scene, the old church with the windows glowing
+redly, the weeping willows shaking and trembling in the crisp morning
+breeze, the rows of sod-covered mounds, the crumbling tombstones, and on
+one side the old rickety fence marking the passing of the road. All this
+he saw and then&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hear the news, fellows?&quot; interrupted the &quot;Kid,&quot; suddenly approaching.
+&quot;We are going to&mdash;what's the matter, 'Bill'?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>For &quot;Bill&quot; had caught him by the slack of the shirt and one arm and was
+hustling him along the deck. The &quot;Kid,&quot; looking aggrieved, went his way,
+and &quot;Bill&quot; returned.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;As I was saying,&quot; he continued calmly; &quot;the lazy fellow saw all those
+things, then he threw back his head and laughed and laughed until the
+tears rolled down his cheeks. 'Whoop!' he cried, 'this is the best piece
+of luck I've struck yet. Hurray! blamed if it ain't the resurrection day
+and I'm the first feller above ground. Whoop!'&quot;</p>
+
+<p>After I had finished laughing I picked up a can of oil and asked:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Where's the similarity, 'Bill'? It's a good story, but you said this
+reminded you of it.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Humph! aren't we going to see the resurrection of some of these old
+Spanish fossils around here to-day?&quot; &quot;Bill&quot; demanded. &quot;And aren't we the
+first volunteer force on the spot? I guess that makes the story
+apropos.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>As the &quot;Yankee&quot; was the first vessel manned by Naval Reserves to reach
+the scene of hostilities, I could not deny &quot;Bill's&quot; claim. Seeing the
+success of one story, he was on the point of telling another, when word
+came to hasten the clearing of the ship for action, and we were
+compelled to devote our energies to the work in hand.</p>
+
+<p>The decks were sanded&mdash;a precaution that made more than one wonder if
+the spilling of blood was really anticipated; all boats and spare booms
+were covered with canvas to prevent the scattering of splinters, the
+steel hatch covers were closed down, hammocks were broken out of the
+racks and made to serve as an added protection to the forward
+wheel-house, and everything possible done to make the ship fit for
+action.</p>
+
+<p>The time taken to gain this end did not exceed ten minutes, which was
+almost a record. Signals were displayed stating that we were in
+readiness, then all hands were called to general quarters. As we hurried
+to our stations I saw the entire blockading fleet moving slowly
+shoreward.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;We are going to bombard the Dagoes this trip for sure,&quot; observed the
+first captain of Number Eight as we lined up. &quot;I see their finish.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Don't be too sure,&quot; said &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;There's many a slip between the
+muzzle and the target. Maybe we won't do much after all. Just to make it
+interesting I'll bet you a dinner at Del's that we will only chuck a
+bluff. What d'ye say?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Done, if you make it for the whole ship's company,&quot; chuckled the first
+captain.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Stump&quot; shook his head.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;A dinner at Del's for over two hundred hungry Reserves, and on a salary
+of $35 per month. Nope. Not on your life.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Cast loose and provide,&quot; came the order.</p>
+
+<p>There were a few moments of rapid work, then the battery was reported in
+readiness for firing. Through the open port we could catch a glimpse of
+the other vessels of the fleet, and the spectacle formed by the
+low-lying battleships, the massive cruisers, and the smaller, but
+equally defiant gunboats, was one long to be remembered.</p>
+
+<p>Every ship was cleared for business. On the vessels of the &quot;Oregon&quot;
+class nothing could be seen but the gray steel of turrets and
+superstructure. The &quot;New York&quot; and the &quot;Brooklyn&quot; were similarly
+cleared. On the bridges could be seen groups of officers, but the decks
+were empty. Every man was at his gun.</p>
+
+<p>The ships steamed in to within a short distance of the beach and then
+formed a semicircle, the heavier vessels taking the centre where they
+could directly face the forts. The little &quot;Dolphin&quot; was on the extreme
+right of the line, with the &quot;Yankee&quot; next.</p>
+
+<p>When within easy range of the guns ashore there ensued a wait. No signal
+to fire came from the flagship, and there did not seem to be any move
+toward opening the battle by the forts. We stood at our guns in silence,
+awaiting the word, until finally patience ceased to be a virtue.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Seems to me they ought to do something,&quot; murmured &quot;Stump,&quot; glancing
+shoreward rather discontentedly. &quot;Ain't we fair targets?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Why don't the admiral tell us to sail in?&quot; queried the first captain in
+the same tone. &quot;The day is fine and the range is good. There's the
+beggars plain enough with their measly old forts. What more is wanted?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Wish they would pipe down and light the smoking lamp,&quot; said the second
+loader. &quot;It would be a great deal more fun than standing here like a
+dummy.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The sun had passed beyond the top of the hills, but the light was
+sufficiently strong to bring out in plain relief the batteries guarding
+the entrance to Santiago. Grim Morro Castle appeared almost deserted.
+The red and yellow banner of Spain flaunted lazily from the ramparts,
+but only here and there could be distinguished the little black dots
+representing the soldiers on guard. The earthworks and smaller forts
+were equally idle.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;We won't get anything out of them to-day,&quot; remarked &quot;Stump&quot; decisively.
+&quot;It must be one of their eternal feast days when they won't even fight.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;There goes a signal on the flagship,&quot; exclaimed the first loader,
+pointing out the port. &quot;I'll bet a dollar it's&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The signal to pull out again,&quot; groaned &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;Didn't I say so?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The admiral intends to postpone the bombardment for some reason,&quot; I
+ventured. &quot;Perhaps it's too late in the day.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Whatever the cause, it was now plain that we would not engage the forts.
+In obedience to the signals on the &quot;New York,&quot; which were repeated by
+the &quot;Brooklyn,&quot; the whole fleet returned to the former station several
+miles from shore. The word to &quot;secure&quot; was passed and presently the
+&quot;Yankee&quot; had resumed its former condition of armed watchfulness.</p>
+
+<p>That evening after supper there was a gathering of the choice spirits of
+the crew in the vicinity of the after wheel-house. &quot;Dye,&quot; the chief
+member of the &quot;Yankee's&quot; choir, started one of &quot;Steve's&quot; little songs,
+which, although rendered very quietly in deference to the rules observed
+on blockade, was greatly enjoyed. The air was &quot;Tommy Atkins,&quot; and the
+words ran as follows:</p>
+
+<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;They made us sign our papers for a year,<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>And dressed us in a natty sailor's suit;<br /></span>
+<span>They taught us how to heave the lead and steer,<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>And how to handle guns and how to shoot.<br /></span>
+<span>We fancied we'd be leaving right away<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>To capture prizes on the Spanish Main,<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>And be raising merry hades<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>With the dusky Spanish laddies,<br /></span>
+<span>And within a month come steaming home again.<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>CHORUS.<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;But instead we ran a ferry<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>All along the Jersey shore,<br /></span>
+<span>And our turns were empty very,<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>And our hands were awful sore.<br /></span>
+<span>We would give our bottom dollar<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>Just to see a cable car,<br /></span>
+<span>Just to hear a newsboy holler,<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>Just to smoke a good cigar.<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;In times of peace we do not have to sweep<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>Or carry coal or stand on watch all night;<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>We do not have to scrub down decks or keep<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>Our toothbrush chained, or brasswork shining bright.<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>We never washed our faces in a pail,<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>We never heard the fog-horn's awful shriek,<br /></span>
+<span class='i6'>We never ate salt horse,<br /></span>
+<span class='i6'>We combed our hair, of course,<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>And we never wore our stockings for a week.&quot;<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>CHORUS.<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>&quot;Suppose you 'heroes' pipe down there,&quot; came from the darkness just
+then. &quot;What do you think this is, a concert hall?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's 'Cutlets,'&quot; muttered &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;He would like to make the ship a
+funeral barge.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>We sat in silence for a while, watching the retreating form of the
+navigator passing forward; then Tom Le Valley, a zealous member of
+Number Nine gun's crew, spoke up.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Do you see those two lights twinkling over there about where the
+'Dolphin' should be, fellows?&quot; he asked.</p>
+
+<p>Some one yawned and nodded.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Reminds you of a story, eh?&quot; asked &quot;Bill,&quot; who was leaning against the
+rail. &quot;Well, come to think of it I remember a&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Several years ago I happened to be a patient in a hospital over in
+Brooklyn,&quot; continued Tom. &quot;I was almost well and about to leave the
+place when a man in the upper ward&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I had a cousin once who used to travel a great deal,&quot; interrupted
+&quot;Bill,&quot; taking a seat on the deck with his back against a bitt. &quot;One
+time he happened to be in a small town just outside of Dublin, Ireland.
+The inn was crowded and he had to take up his quarters with a family who
+occasionally rented out rooms. A circus and menagerie was giving
+exhibitions in the city, and one night the biggest monkey escaped from
+its cage and skipped out. They instituted a search at once, but the
+animal could not be found. Well, it happened that the family with whom
+my cousin was stopping consisted of father and mother and one son about
+ten years old. The boy, whose name was Mike, was a regular limb. Always
+in mischief and&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;As I was saying,&quot; broke in Tom at this juncture, &quot;when I was about to
+leave the hospital, a man in the upper ward concluded to depart this
+world for a better one. It happened about eight o'clock in the evening,
+and, as was usual in such cases, the nurse on watch was supposed to get
+several convalescent patients and a stretcher and carry the body down to
+a little wooden house a hundred yards from the main building. The nurse,
+with whom I was on friendly terms, had an important case to attend to
+just then and he asked me if I wouldn't take charge of the stretcher
+party. Well, we started down the yard, I leading the way with a lantern,
+and we finally reached the little house. We entered and&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Some people think they are the only story tellers in the group,&quot;
+remarked &quot;Bill&quot; with mild sarcasm at that interesting point. &quot;To tell a
+good story with a point to it is an art. Now, as I was saying, this boy
+Mike would rather get into mischief than eat a&mdash;what's the Irish for
+potato?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Spud,&quot; suggested &quot;Hod.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Murphy,&quot; said &quot;Stump.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Well, it's immaterial. Anyway the boy was full of mischief. The night
+the monk got away he had been sent to bed early because of some trick he
+had played. He slept in a little room at the head of the stairs leading
+to the second story. His window opened on a lean-to shed, and, as it was
+a warm evening, the sash was raised. Shortly after the youngster got to
+bed, something slipped over the back fence, and after prowling about the
+yard for a moment, climbed upon the shed and through the window into the
+room where Mike was just in the act of falling asleep. The thing, which
+was about the youngster's size, crept over the floor toward the bed,
+and then with a spring, landed squarely upon&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Some people use more wind in telling a story than would fill a
+maintop-sail,&quot; drawled Tom. &quot;There's nothing like getting at your
+subject. Now, when we reached the little wooden house we entered, and
+after accomplishing our errand, started back to the main building. While
+on the way it suddenly occurred to me that I had forgotten to close the
+door between the two rooms of which the house was composed. There was an
+open window in the front room, and there was no telling what might get
+in. I told the fellows to go on and I tasked back to the little house. I
+still carried the lantern, but just as I reached the door, it went out.
+I tell you, I felt like letting the whole thing go, but I didn't want to
+get the nurse into trouble. So I unlocked the front door, opened it,
+and, Great Scott! I saw&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;There's everything in choosing a subject when you want to tell a good
+story,&quot; calmly interrupted Bill. &quot;This story I am trying to tell has a
+laugh in it. You don't have to keep your hair down with both hands and
+feel the cold chills playing tag up and down your spinal column, like
+you have to do when some people are trying to yarn. Well, when the thing
+that had crept through the window landed on the bed, Mike let out a
+yell that could have been heard in Dublin. 'Ow-w-w!' he whooped,
+scrambling to the floor. He caught one sight of the visitor, and then
+made a dash for the window and slid clear to the ground, leaving pieces
+of shirt and his epidermis on every nail on the shed roof. The noise he
+made roused the father and mother below, and the latter started for the
+stairs. 'That b'ye 'll be the death av me yet,' she complained. 'I'll go
+up and give him a slap.' She lost no time in reaching the little room,
+and when she entered she saw the bed with what she thought was Mike
+under the clothes. 'Mike, ye rascal,' she exclaimed, 'turn down the
+sheet this minute. It's mesilf as'll tache ye to raise a noise at this
+time o' night. For shame, ye spalpane! What, ye won't obey your own
+mother? I'll show ye. Take that!' She brought her hand down upon the
+figure outlined under the sheet with a resounding whack. The next second
+the thing leaped from the bed squarely into her arms. 'Wow! Murther!
+Mike, what have ye been doing?' she howled, adding at the top of her
+voice, 'Patrick, Patrick, come quick! The b'ye has got hold of your hair
+restorer. He's all covered with hair and he's gone daft. Murther!' With
+that the father made for the stairs as fast as his legs could carry
+him. Just as he got to the top&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The sight I saw when I opened the outer door of the little house almost
+knocked me silly,&quot; broke in Tom, rather excitedly. &quot;There in the other
+room gleamed&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;When Patrick reached the second floor,&quot; interrupted Bill, raising his
+voice, &quot;he felt something strike him full in the chest; then two hairy
+arms clasped him about the throat and&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;In the other room gleamed two&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Oh, give a fellow a chance, will you?&quot; cried Bill. &quot;You want the whole
+floor. What do you think&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Sh-h-h! here comes the executive officer,&quot; hastily whispered &quot;Stump.&quot;
+&quot;We've made too much racket. Let's go into the after wheel-house.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;We must be quiet about it,&quot; spoke up the &quot;Kid,&quot; warningly. &quot;'Cutlets'
+is chasing around to-night, and if he catches us in there he'll raise
+Cain.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;All right,&quot; replied Bill. &quot;And I'll finish that story if I have to stay
+up all night.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Same here,&quot; retorted Tom, with evident determination. &quot;Come on.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>And we all followed the twain.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_X'></a><h2>CHAPTER X.</h2>
+
+<h3>WE BOMBARD SANTIAGO DE CUBA.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The after wheel-house on board the &quot;Yankee&quot; was a round structure of
+steel built on the spar deck directly over the counter. It contained a
+steering wheel to be used in case the wheel in the pilot-house should be
+disabled. When the chill winds of May and early June were blowing off
+the northern coast during the &quot;Yankee's&quot; period of cruising in that
+vicinity, the after wheel-house formed a snug and comfortable retreat
+for the men of the watch.</p>
+
+<p>It was freely used for that purpose until the navigator chanced to
+discover the fact. He forthwith issued orders forbidding any person to
+enter the house, except on duty. His order, like many others, received
+respectful consideration&mdash;when he happened to be looking. In the present
+case we were so eager to hear the conclusion of the stories being
+related by the rival yarn-spinners, that we were fain to brave
+&quot;Cutlets'&quot; displeasure. Led by Bill and Tom, we piled inside.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What I was trying to say,&quot; spoke up the former, getting the first
+opening, &quot;was that when Patrick reached the top of the stairs, something
+struck him full in the chest, and two hairy arms were thrown about his
+neck. The sudden shock sent him tumbling backward, and he fell kerflop!
+down the steps. Up above, his wife was howling to beat the band, 'Mike,
+Mike, ye spalpane! You do be killing your poor father. Och! why did I
+live to see this day?' In the meantime the real Mike&mdash;for the one inside
+was the escaped monk from the menagerie&mdash;had scooted for the police.
+They came, a half dozen of them, and as they entered the front door&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Time!&quot; chuckled &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;Give Tom a chance.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;As I opened the front door of the little wooden house where we had
+placed the body,&quot; said Tom, prompt to take advantage of the opportunity,
+&quot;I saw two gleaming eyes glaring at me from the inner room. I tell you,
+my heart fell clean down into my boots.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Should think it would,&quot; muttered the &quot;Kid,&quot; peering about the
+wheel-house with a shiver. &quot;Ugh!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I dropped the lantern,&quot; resumed Tom, &quot;and staggered back. Just then
+a&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Half dozen policemen entered the front door just as Patrick and the
+supposed Mike reached the bottom of the stairs,&quot; broke in Bill, taking
+up the thread of his story. &quot;Well, when the Irish coppers saw Pat with
+the monk hanging around his neck they thought the old Nick had him. They
+started to run, but the old woman reached the lower floor in time to see
+both Mike and the monkey. She grabbed a broom, but the monk slipped
+through the front door, and&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That's the end of your story. And a good job it is too,&quot; remarked Tom.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It is better than having no end,&quot; retorted Bill. &quot;You spin out a yarn
+to beat the band.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's getting late,&quot; spoke up &quot;Hod,&quot; yawning. &quot;If you fellows are going
+to chew the rag all night I&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Only a word more,&quot; interrupted Tom. &quot;As I staggered back I fell into
+the arms of the nurse, who had come down to see what kept me. I
+explained in a hurry, and he lit a match. We both went in and
+discovered&mdash;&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Sh-h-h! Get out of here, you fellows,&quot; suddenly spoke up a voice at the
+door on the starboard side. &quot;Here comes 'Cutlets'!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>There was a scramble for the opposite door, and in much less time than
+is taken in the telling, the wheel-house was empty. We huddled in the
+shadows for a moment; then dodged forward. As we reached the hatch I
+heard the &quot;Kid&quot; ask Tom:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Say, what was it you saw? Tell a fellow, won't you?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Two brass knobs on an old chest,&quot; was the calm reply.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Huh!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The following day being Sunday, was given over to rest and recreation
+and the writing of letters, until late in the afternoon. The day dawned
+clear but very warm. There was very little breeze stirring, and the spar
+and gun decks, where we spent the most of our time, were almost
+stifling. &quot;Corking mats,&quot; as they are termed in naval parlance, were
+very much in evidence. The sailor's &quot;corking mat&quot; is a strip of canvas
+which he spreads upon the deck to protect his clothing from the tarry
+seams, when he feels the necessity for a siesta or nap, which is quite
+often.</p>
+
+<p>Toward evening we were put to work at a task which gave welcome promise
+of coming action. Under the direction of the executive officer we broke
+out a number of bags of coal from the orlop deck and piled them five
+deep, and about the same number in height, around the steam steering
+engine under the forward wheel-house. This was to give added protection
+to a vital part of the ship.</p>
+
+<p>The work was hard and unpleasant, especially to men who had not spent
+the major portion of their lives at manual labor, but it was one of
+those disagreeable fortunes of war to which we were growing accustomed,
+and we toiled without comment. That night when we turned in, that is,
+those who were fortunate enough to have the &quot;off watch,&quot; it was
+generally rumored about the decks that the fleet would surely bombard
+early the following morning.</p>
+
+<p>About two bells (five o'clock) the different guns' crews, who were
+sleeping at the batteries, were called by the boatswain's mates, and
+told to go to breakfast at once.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's coming,&quot; exclaimed &quot;Hay,&quot; joyfully. &quot;The old 'Yankee' will see her
+real baptism of fire to-day. 'Kid,' you young rat, you'll have a chance
+to dodge shells before you are many hours older.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You may get a chance to stop one,&quot; retorted the boy.</p>
+
+<p>After a hurried meal, word to clear ship for action was passed, and the
+&quot;Yankee's&quot; boys set to work with a vim. The task was done more
+thoroughly than usual. The boats and wooden hatches were covered with
+canvas, everything portable that would splinter was sent below, the
+decks were sanded, and all the inflammable oils were placed in a boat
+and set adrift for the &quot;Justin,&quot; one of the colliers, to pick up.</p>
+
+<p>The day seemed fitted for the work we had in hand. The sky was overcast,
+and occasionally a rain squall would sweep from the direction of the
+land, and envelop the fleet. It was not a cold, raw rain, like that
+encountered in more northern latitudes in early summer, but a dripping
+of moisture peculiarly grateful after the heat of the previous day.</p>
+
+<p>Shortly before seven o'clock, the members of the crew were in readiness
+for business. The majority had removed their superfluous clothing, and
+it was a stirring sight to watch the different guns' crews, stripped to
+the waist and barefooted, standing at their stations. There was
+something in the cool, practical manner in which each man prepared for
+work that promised well, and it should be said to the everlasting credit
+of the Naval Reserves that they invariably fought with the calmness and
+precision of veterans whenever they were called upon.</p>
+
+<p>In the present case, there would have been some excuse for
+faint-heartedness. The crew of the &quot;Yankee,&quot; made up of men whose
+previous lives had been those of absolute peace, who had never heard a
+shot fired in anger before their arrival at Santiago, who had left home
+and business in defence of the flag&mdash;these men went about their
+preparations for attacking the fortifications with as little apparent
+concern as if it were simply a yachting trip.</p>
+
+<p>There was no holding back, no hesitancy, no looks of concern or anxiety,
+but when the signal to advance inshore appeared on the &quot;New York,&quot; at
+six bells (seven o'clock), there was a feeling of relief that the time
+of waiting was over.</p>
+
+<p>We were to be in it at last.</p>
+
+<p>The flagship's signal to advance in formation was obeyed at once. Moving
+in double column, the fleet stood in toward the batteries. The first
+line, as we saw from the after port, was composed of the &quot;Brooklyn,&quot;
+&quot;Texas,&quot; &quot;Massachusetts,&quot; and &quot;Marblehead.&quot; The line to which the
+&quot;Yankee&quot; was attached, included, besides that vessel, the &quot;New York,&quot;
+&quot;Oregon,&quot; &quot;Iowa,&quot; and &quot;New Orleans.&quot; When within three thousand yards
+from shore, the first line turned toward the west, leaving us to steam
+in the opposite direction.</p>
+
+<p>The batteries ashore could now be plainly distinguished. Morro Castle,
+grim and defiant, seemed to ignore our coming, if the absence of life
+was any proof. Lower down on the other side of the entrance where the
+Estrella and Catalena batteries were located, there seemed to be more
+activity. Men could also be seen running about in some new batteries a
+little to the eastward of Morro Castle. It was evident to us at once
+that the enemy had not anticipated an attack on such a rainy, windy day.</p>
+
+<p>On swept the two lines of ships without firing a shot until they formed
+a semicircle, with the heavier vessels directly facing the forts; then
+the &quot;New York&quot; opened fire with one of her heavy guns, the &quot;Iowa&quot;
+following immediately. At this moment, 7:45 a.m., the ships were
+arranged as follows, counting from the right: &quot;New York,&quot; &quot;Yankee,&quot; &quot;New
+Orleans,&quot; &quot;Massachusetts,&quot; &quot;Oregon,&quot; &quot;Iowa,&quot; &quot;Indiana,&quot; &quot;Texas,&quot;
+&quot;Marblehead,&quot; and &quot;Brooklyn.&quot; Guarding the extreme left were the &quot;Vixen&quot;
+and &quot;Suwanee,&quot; and doing similar duty on the other flank were the
+&quot;Dolphin&quot; and &quot;Porter.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The shot from the flagship was the signal for a general bombardment.
+There was no settled order of firing, but each ship just &quot;pitched in,&quot;
+to use a common expression, and banged away at the forts with every
+available gun.</p>
+
+<p>The scene on the gun deck of the &quot;Yankee&quot; was one never to be forgotten.
+When the word to commence firing reached us, we sprang to the work at
+once. Each crew paid strict attention to its own station, and the
+routine of loading and firing went on with the regularity of clockwork.
+A number of boxes of the fixed ammunition had been &quot;whipped&quot; up from
+below while we were steaming into position, and there was no lack of
+death-dealing food for the hungry maws of the battery.</p>
+
+<p>Not much could be seen of the outside at first, as the task in hand
+claimed our strict attention, but after a while an occasional glimpse
+was obtained of the other ships and the forts. The heavy battleships,
+the &quot;Indiana,&quot; &quot;Oregon,&quot; &quot;Massachusetts,&quot; &quot;Iowa,&quot; and &quot;Texas,&quot; were lost
+in the dense smoke of their guns. It was thrilling to see them, like
+moving clouds, emitting streams of fire which shot through the walls of
+vapor like flashes of lightning athwart a gloomy sky.</p>
+
+<a name='page138'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page138.jpg' width='357' height='300' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>THE BOMBARDMENT OF MORRO CASTLE, SANTIAGO (<i>page</i> 138).</h5>
+
+<p>The noise was terrific. It seemed to gather at times in such an
+overwhelming, soul-stunning clamor of sound, that the very air was rent
+and split and shattered, and the senses refused further burden. There
+was no possibility of hearing the human voice, save at odd intervals
+when a brief cessation occurred in the firing. Orders were transmitted
+by gestures.</p>
+
+<p>The smoke was thick and stifling, the saltpetre fumes filling the throat
+and lungs, until breathing was difficult. The dense bank of vapor
+enveloping the ship also rendered it almost impossible to aim with any
+accuracy. We of Number Eight gun were early impressed with this fact,
+and &quot;Hay,&quot; the second captain, exclaimed during a lull:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's that fellow in charge of Number Six. He won't give us any show.
+Just look how he's working his crew. Did you ever see the beat of it?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The captain of Number Six, a broker of considerable note in New York, a
+member of the Calumet Club, and the son of a distinguished captain in
+the Confederate navy, was fighting his gun with savage energy. Under his
+direction, and inspired by a running fire of comments from him, the
+different members of Number Six crew were literally pouring a hail of
+steel upon the batteries. The firing was so rapid, in fact, that it kept
+our port completely filled with smoke, much to our sorrow.</p>
+
+<p>Notwithstanding that fact, &quot;Hay,&quot; the second captain of Number Eight,
+did such marvellous shooting, that word presently came from Captain
+Brownson on the bridge, publicly commending him. We were correspondingly
+elated, and worked all the harder.</p>
+
+<p>It was not until we had been firing some time that we began to take
+particular note of our surroundings. At first the novelty of the
+situation and a state of excitement, natural under the circumstances,
+kept us absorbed in our duties, but when it became apparent that the
+engagement was to be a matter of hours&mdash;and also that the Spaniards did
+not aim very well&mdash;we commenced to look about.</p>
+
+<p>One of the first things to strike me personally, and it was rather
+humorous, was the appearance of &quot;Stump,&quot; the second loader. Orders had
+early been given to avoid exposing ourselves to the enemy's fire as much
+as possible. &quot;Stump,&quot; than whom no more daring and aggressive man could
+be found on board, thought it wise to obey, so he crouched behind the
+gun-mount and compressed himself so as to be out of range. From this
+position he had only to reach out one hand to train the gun, which was
+his special duty. Meanwhile, he continually urged &quot;Hay&quot; to keep on
+firing.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Doesn't make any difference whether you can see or not,&quot; he exclaimed.
+&quot;Shoot anyway. Give it to the beggars! That's the ticket, old chap. Now
+another. Whoop! did you see that land? Ah-h-h! we are the people.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>As the novelty of the scene gradually wore off we began to enjoy it
+hugely. We pumped away at the guns, commenting freely on the enemy's
+marksmanship. We felt more like a party watching a fireworks display
+than the crew of a warship engaged in bombarding a number of forts.</p>
+
+<p>The two lines were steaming back and forth in front of the batteries,
+firing as the guns would bear. At first, Morro Castle and the smaller
+forts maintained a spirited fire, but finally their response to our
+fusillade slackened considerably, and it became evident that they had
+been driven from their guns.</p>
+
+<p>The difference in aim between the Spanish gunners and ours was very
+perceptible. Their shells invariably passed over the ships or landed
+short, and at no time during the engagement were any of the American
+vessels in imminent danger. This was not due to length of range either,
+as the lines were maintained at from two to four thousand yards. As Bill
+put it, &quot;Any Dago that can't hit a flock of barn doors like this fleet,
+had better go back home and hoe onions.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The ships of our fleet also made better targets than did the batteries
+ashore. It was certainly easy to distinguish the position of each
+vessel, but as the Spanish batteries were nearly all situated a short
+distance back from the crest of the ridge with a background little
+different in color from that of the battery, we found it difficult to
+locate them at times. Our elevation had to be perfect, as with an inch
+or two below or above, the projectile would either vanish in the
+distance or take effect on the cliffs below the batteries.</p>
+
+<p>We of Number Eight gun, when the &quot;Yankee&quot; was steaming with the
+starboard broadside bearing, managed to slip across the deck and watch
+the firing from the ports and deadlights. It was really beautiful to see
+the landing of the great shells upon the forts and surrounding earth.
+Some battered into the soft spots on the cliffs, sending huge masses of
+dirt and d&eacute;bris high into the air; then when the explosion came, there
+would follow a great cloud of dust resembling the wavering smoke over a
+city fire.</p>
+
+<p>Others struck the harder portions of the cliff, bursting into a shower
+of fragments, each kicking up its own pother of dirt and shattered rock.
+At times a shell would land in a crack in the face of the hill, and
+immediately following would come an upheaval of stones. These boulders,
+many of them of immense size, would roll down the slope and splash in
+the water at the base, creating a series of fountain-like cascades.</p>
+
+<p>Accompanying the display was a continuous roar of explosion and
+detonation that echoed and reechoed across the water like the pealing of
+tropical thunder. In fact, it was these noises, mingled with the fierce
+reports of our guns, which impressed us the most. Taking it all in all,
+the scene was spectacular in the extreme.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Boys,&quot; remarked No. 7 of our crew&mdash;&quot;Morrie,&quot; we called him&mdash;&quot;this sight
+is worth all the coaling and standing watches and poor food we have had
+to put up with. I would experience it all over again just to see this
+bombardment.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>And we heartily agreed with him.</p>
+
+<p>After a time it seemed as if the admiral was determined to plump shells
+into the vicinity of Santiago until there was nothing left to fire at.
+There had been a continuous outpouring of projectiles from the guns of
+the fleet for over an hour, yet that grim line of gray steel fortresses
+still passed and repassed in front of the forts.</p>
+
+<p>It was really growing monotonous, when something occurred at the gun to
+which I was attached that served to give us an exciting minute or two.
+&quot;Hay&quot; had just fired a shot which caught one of the new batteries
+directly in the centre. The shell was extracted, and another inserted,
+but when the second captain pressed the electric firing lanyard, there
+was no report. The shell had missed fire.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Long Tommy&quot; reached forward to open the breech, but was stopped by a
+sharp order from the divisional officer.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Don't open that breech till I give the word,&quot; he said.</p>
+
+<p>The electrical connections were examined and the contacts scraped
+bright.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Stand by,&quot; said &quot;Hay&quot; finally; &quot;let's try her again.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The great gun moved slowly on its pivot while &quot;Hay&quot; worked the elevating
+gear. The orders came sharp and clear through the roar of the cannon and
+the shriek of the shells.</p>
+
+<p>As we watched our young gun captain, we saw his set face grow even more
+determined, and we knew that he had got his sight to suit him and that
+he was about to fire the gun.</p>
+
+<p>With a gesture of disgust he threw down the firing lanyard.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's no go,&quot; he said, &quot;that cartridge will have to come out.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>We looked at one another; it was a serious moment. The bombardment was
+now at its height, and the thunderous roaring of the guns was increasing
+with every passing second. Above and around us the vicious reports of
+the &quot;Yankee's&quot; five-inch rapid-firers seemed like one continuous volley.
+A hoarse cheer came from a nearby ship, proclaiming the landing of some
+favored shot.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hurry, fellows,&quot; shouted &quot;Hay&quot; in an ecstasy of impatience. &quot;Lively
+there; we're missing all the sport.&quot;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_XI'></a><h2>CHAPTER XI.</h2>
+
+<h3>A PERILOUS MOMENT.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The scene on the gun deck of the &quot;Yankee&quot; at that moment would have made
+an eloquent subject for the brush of a Meissonier. It was the deck of a
+warship in battle, and the spectacle enacted was accompanied, by an
+orchestra of the mighty guns of a fleet in action.</p>
+
+<p>Imagine a compartment of steel, a compartment filled with smoke that
+surged and eddied as the ship lunged forward or rolled upon a heavy
+swell.</p>
+
+<p>Imagine scattered about in this pungent vapor many groups of men, men
+half-naked, perspiring; their glistening bodies smeared and stained with
+the grime of conflict.</p>
+
+<p>Imagine in the centre of one of these groups a wicked, menacing gun&mdash;a
+five-inch breechloader, its long, lean barrel raised shoulder-high upon
+the apex of a conical gun-mount, near the base of which are significant
+wooden cases, some empty and others filled with elongated, formidable
+cartridges; and pails of black, dirty water ascum with powder; and other
+objects each significant of war.</p>
+
+<p>Imagine these things, and then understand that this gun, made to be
+turned against an enemy, has now turned against its workers. In the
+bore, pent in by the polished breechblock, is a cartridge which has
+failed in its duty. It is apparently defective.</p>
+
+<p>The tide of battle is surging on; other ships of the bombarding fleet
+are still pouring their shot and shell upon the grim array of forts
+ashore; other guns of this ship are pursuing their duty with savage
+energy. But this gun is silent.</p>
+
+<p>The men wax impatient. It is the height of the conflict. Many shots have
+been fired, and many more will yet be required to subdue the enemy. To
+be &quot;out of action&quot; will mean passiveness in the face of the enemy.
+Anything but that.</p>
+
+<p>There is a rivalry between the guns' crews. It is a rivalry as to which
+shall make the best shots and create the most damage. The members of
+Number Eight&mdash;the after gun on the port side&mdash;are proud of their record.
+Their second captain&mdash;he whom they call &quot;Hay&quot;&mdash;has received the public
+commendation of the captain himself, sent down from the bridge in the
+midst of the battle. It is a mark of distinction not given freely, and
+Number Eight is eager for more honors.</p>
+
+<p>But the men have not forgotten a similar case, occurring on the voyage
+down the coast, when another cartridge failed, and on being extracted
+from the breech chamber, exploded, killing a marine corporal and
+wounding others.</p>
+
+<p>The men of Number Eight have not forgotten that tragedy, and that is why
+their gun is now to them a menacing creature of steel, whose breath may
+be the breath of death. They stand in groups, they eye it, they
+speculate, and they feel that a desperate and perilous duty is before
+them.</p>
+
+<p>The risk must be taken. The cartridge must be extracted. It is a fortune
+of war which all who enlist must expect. But it is one thing to fall
+before an enemy's blow, and another to lose your life at the stroke of
+your own weapon.</p>
+
+<p>The officer of the division steps forward.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;We will see if we can't take it out without much danger,&quot; he says,
+briefly. &quot;Bring a rope.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>One is hastily procured, and the first captain&mdash;a great, brawny,
+good-natured fellow, who has spent years at sea&mdash;deftly fastens the
+bight of the rope to the handle of the breechblock. He then retreats a
+short distance and signifies his readiness.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;When I give the word,&quot; calls out the officer, &quot;pull handsomely.
+Ready&mdash;pull away!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>From out the smoke-filled compartment men lean forward,
+eagerly&mdash;anxiously. They instinctively shrink back as the breech plug
+slowly moves. Then, when it finally opens, revealing the brass head of
+the cartridge inside the firing chamber, a sigh of relief comes from
+all.</p>
+
+<p>But the danger is not yet over.</p>
+
+<p>The defective projectile must be taken out and tossed into the sea. The
+second loader steps forward at a signal from the gun captain. This
+second loader is &quot;Stump.&quot; He shows no fear, but draws out the heavy
+cartridge, handling it as he would a harmless dummy, and passes it to
+another man and myself. Carrying it between us&mdash;and carrying it
+gingerly&mdash;we hasten to the side, and with a powerful swing, launch the
+hundred-pound projectile through the open port.</p>
+
+<p>It barely clears the port sill, coming so close to it, in fact, that for
+one breathless second we think that it will strike. As the shell passes
+from view, another sigh of relief comes from the spectators. &quot;Hay&quot;
+passes a grimy towel over his perspiring face.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Whew! that was a ticklish moment,&quot; he said, solemnly. &quot;I'd just as soon
+not handle any more defective shells.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Which exactly represented our sentiments.</p>
+
+<p>Three minutes later Number Eight was barking away at the forts ashore,
+and the episode of the cartridge that missed fire was a thing of the
+past.</p>
+
+<p>The bombardment of Santiago had now lasted over an hour. As yet not one
+of the American vessels had been reached by a shell, nor had the forts
+suffered any perceptible damage. The fleet, roaring and thundering, was
+swinging back and forth through the great semicircle, the smoke from the
+guns was banking along the beach, and from Morro Castle and its
+attending batteries came sharp, defiant answers to the interminable
+volleys fired by our squadron.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's a good thing Uncle Sam's shot locker is pretty capacious,&quot;
+remarked Flagg, as we shoved another cartridge into the yawning breech
+of our five-inch gun. &quot;If we haven't fired over three hundred rounds
+since seven o'clock I can't count.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It'll be double that before we get through,&quot; grunted &quot;Long Tommy,&quot; as
+we stepped back from the loaded gun. &quot;Steady, there. Stand by!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>A motion to &quot;Hay,&quot; who held the firing lanyard, and almost instantly
+came the sharp, vicious report of the breechloader. Each man sprang back
+to his station, and the process of reloading went on without delay. The
+battle smoke from Number Six, which had filled our port for some time,
+cleared away just then, enabling us to see &quot;Hay's&quot; last shot strike
+squarely upon the outer line of earthworks of the Punta Gorda battery.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Splendid shot, 'Hay'!&quot; exclaimed our division officer, briefly.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Bully, that's what it is&mdash;bully!&quot; cried &quot;Stump,&quot; patting the second
+captain upon the back.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hurray! it's knocked out a gun,&quot; reported &quot;Dye,&quot; from nearer the port.
+&quot;I saw the piece keel over backward.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>There was no time for further comment. When a gun's crew is firing at
+will, and the excitement of combat has taken possession of the
+individual members, the task in hand requires all one's attention. We of
+Number Eight had suffered one delay, and we really felt that the lost
+time must be made up.</p>
+
+<p>Personal impressions in battle have been described in prose and poem
+until the subject is hackneyed, but it may be of interest to note that
+the impressions experienced by the novices in naval warfare manning the
+&quot;Yankee,&quot; during the bombardment of Santiago, consisted mainly of one
+feeling. It was well-voiced by &quot;Hod,&quot; who said many days later:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I felt just as I did one time when I attended Barnum's circus in
+Madison Square Garden. They had three rings, two platforms, a lot of
+tight-ropes and trapezes and other things all going at the same time.
+Before I had been in the place three minutes I was wishing for a hundred
+eyes. And that is the way I felt at Santiago.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>What we saw of the bombardment was limited to the range of our gun port,
+but that little was worth all the hardships and toil and discomforts of
+the whole cruise. The spectacle of the fleet itself was almost enough.
+To see the great ships ploughing through the water, each enveloped in a
+shroud of smoke, shot here and there with tinges of ruddy flame; to see
+that mighty line swinging and swaying in front of the enemy; to see the
+shells land and explode in fort and battery; to see the great gaps torn
+in cliff and earthworks; to see the geyser-like fountains of water spout
+up here and there as the Spanish shells struck the surface of the
+bay&mdash;to see all this, and to hear the accompanying thunder and
+booming of the guns, was payment in full for coal handling and
+standing watch and &quot;Government straight.&quot; Not one of the &quot;Yankee&quot; boys
+would have missed the spectacle for anything earth could offer.</p>
+
+<a name='page152'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page152.jpg' width='300' height='308' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>ON THE GUN DECK DURING THE BOMBARDMENT (<i>page</i> 152).</h5>
+
+<p>During the second hour of the attack we were enabled to observe the work
+being done by other vessels of the fleet. Near us was the gallant &quot;New
+Orleans,&quot; the ship purchased from Brazil. Her foreign build made it easy
+to distinguish her, and, as she was the only craft using smokeless
+powder, she presented a prominent mark. The guns on board the &quot;New
+Orleans&quot; were being served rapidly and with precision, and we saw a
+number of shots strike well within the limits of the batteries.</p>
+
+<p>At our end of the line the flagship &quot;New York,&quot; the &quot;Iowa,&quot; and the
+&quot;Oregon&quot; were pouring an appalling fire into some new earthworks near
+Morro Castle. It was seen that but very few shots were sent in the
+direction of the latter, and it transpired that Admiral Sampson had
+issued strict orders to the fleet to avoid endangering Lieutenant Hobson
+and his brave companions, who were supposed to be imprisoned in old
+Morro. Before the end of the second hour the &quot;New York&quot; and the &quot;New
+Orleans&quot; had succeeded in completely silencing Cayo Battery,
+dismantling the guns and wrecking the outer fortifications.</p>
+
+<p>At the other end of the line Admiral Schley's division was doing
+splendid work. We could see the &quot;Massachusetts,&quot; &quot;Brooklyn,&quot; and &quot;Texas&quot;
+move in toward shore and open fire at close range. It was a stirring
+sight, this mighty duel between warships and forts. As compared with the
+cliffs and hills of the land, the ships seemed veritable pigmies, but in
+this strife the pigmies were all powerful.</p>
+
+<p>The guns of the fleet were working havoc in the forts ashore, and we
+could see the Spanish artillerymen abandon battery after battery. Cayo,
+Punta Gorda, Estrella, and Catalena were rapidly being vacated. The
+former was entirely out of the fight, and the others were replying only
+at intervals. Presently the &quot;Massachusetts&quot; and &quot;Marblehead&quot; advanced
+within two thousand yards of the Estrella fortification and began such a
+terrific firing that within a few minutes a great cloud of smoke
+appeared above the works. The Spanish guns became quiet at once, and a
+rousing cheer went up from the fleet.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hay,&quot; in his exuberance, wanted to send a five-inch shell from our gun
+at the burning fort, but the distance was too great and he was
+compelled to be content with a couple of well-aimed shots at the
+nearest battery.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I wish we had thirteen-inch guns and the range was about ten feet,&quot;
+grumbled &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;I'd like to smash the whole outfit in a pair of
+minutes. By Cricky! we have poured enough good old American steel into
+those forts to build a bridge across the Atlantic, but the dagoes are
+still giving us guff.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It won't last much longer,&quot; said Tommy reassuringly. &quot;From the looks of
+those batteries they haven't much fight left. I'll bet a hardtack
+against a prune we haul off at four bells.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Licked?&quot; queried Flagg.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Nope.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Will the Spaniards give up?&quot; asked &quot;Dye.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Tommy hesitated before replying. It was a brief lull and we were resting
+at the gun. The crew, grimy, dirty, battle-stained and tired, was glad
+to lean against the side of the deck or a convenient stanchion. Tommy's
+long service in the regular navy as apprentice and seaman made his
+opinions official, and we were always glad to listen to his
+explanations.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Will the Spaniards give up?&quot; repeated &quot;Dye.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Yes, and no,&quot; replied the first captain thoughtfully. &quot;You see, it's
+this way. Those dagoes are not fools by any means. They have selected
+good places for their batteries, and they know earthworks are hard to
+destroy. They aren't like the old-style stone forts that could be
+knocked to pieces in no time. When a shell, even a thirteen-incher, hits
+a mound of earth it tears up the dirt and spoils the look of the
+parapet, but it really doesn't do much harm. To completely ruin an
+earthwork battery, you must dismantle every gun in it. And that's pretty
+hard to do. Mark my words, those fellows will give us a shot of defiance
+after we quit.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What's the idea of all this bombarding then?&quot; asked &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;We'd be
+much better 'caulking off,' seems to me.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;And think what it costs the Government,&quot; I suggested. &quot;The cost of the
+projectiles and the wear and tear to guns and ships must be something
+enormous.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Tommy's answer was drowned in the thundering roar of the &quot;New York's&quot;
+battery, which opened fire just then a short distance away, but it was
+evident he agreed with me. A moment later Number Eight went into action
+once more, and we worked the breechloader without cessation until the
+conclusion of the bombardment, which came a half hour later.</p>
+
+<p>The fortifications ashore had entirely ceased firing, and at ten
+o'clock a signal to stop bombarding appeared on the flagship. It was
+obeyed with reluctance, and it was evident the crews of the various
+ships were anxious and eager to continue. As the fleet drew off there
+was a puff of smoke in one corner of Punta Gorda battery and a shell
+whizzed over the &quot;Massachusetts.&quot; A second shot came from one of the
+earthworks, and still another from Punta Gorda; then the firing ceased
+again.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Didn't I tell you so?&quot; quietly remarked Tommy. &quot;The beggars ain't
+licked yet.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;But they got a taste of Uncle Sam's strength,&quot; said Flagg.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;And I'll bet anything they haven't enough whole guns left to equip one
+small fort,&quot; added &quot;Stump.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I heard the skipper say the destruction of life must be enormous,&quot;
+spoke up the &quot;Kid,&quot; stopping on his way aft to deliver a message. &quot;He
+watched the whole thing with his glass. He told 'Mother Hubbub' the
+moral effect was worth all the trouble.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That's an expert opinion,&quot; observed &quot;Hay,&quot; wiping off the breech of the
+gun. &quot;Now you've had your little say, youngster, so just trot along.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The fleet presently reached its former station several miles off shore,
+and the bombardment of Santiago was at an end.</p>
+
+<p>No attempt was made to clean ship until late in the afternoon. The men
+were permitted to lie around decks and rest, smoke, and discuss the
+fight, which they did with exceeding interest. When dinner was piped at
+noon, the shrill call of the boatswain's whistle was welcome music. A
+sea battle is a good appetizer.</p>
+
+<p>About four o'clock in the afternoon the fleet was treated to a spectacle
+both novel and humorous. The little &quot;Dolphin,&quot; a gunboat of not fifteen
+hundred tons displacement, which was keeping guard close in shore, began
+to use her guns. A battery near the channel returned the fire, but the
+plucky little craft maintained her position, and from the series of
+rapid reports coming from her four-inch breechloaders and six-pounders,
+it was evident she had something important on hand.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Yankee&quot; was signalled to run in to her assistance, but before we
+could reach a position, the &quot;Dolphin&quot; had accomplished her task. It was
+not until then that we discovered what she had been doing.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;May I never see home again if the gunboat hasn't corralled a railway
+train in a cut!&quot; exclaimed &quot;Patt.&quot; &quot;Just look there, fellows. See that
+ridge of earth on the other side of the channel? Just under it is a
+track running into a cut and&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The 'Dolphin' has closed up both ends,&quot; interrupted &quot;Stump,&quot; with a
+laugh. &quot;She's knocked down a pile of earth and d&eacute;bris on the track and
+the, train can't get out. What a bully trick.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Flagg produced a glass, and after a careful scrutiny reported that he
+could see part of the train lying on its side at the eastern end of the
+cut. He could also distinguish a number of bodies, and it was plain that
+the Spanish loss had been heavy. It was not until later that we learned
+the details, which were as follows:</p>
+
+<p>After the bombardment the &quot;Dolphin&quot; remained at her station, firing
+occasionally at the batteries ashore. She was directly opposite a cut in
+the cliff, through which runs a little railway connecting the iron mines
+with the dock in Santiago harbor. During the bombardment, a train loaded
+with Spanish troops remained in the cut, and at its conclusion attempted
+to leave. It was espied by the &quot;Dolphin&quot; and driven back. It tried the
+other end with like results, and for an hour this game of hide-and-seek
+was kept up, to the discomfiture of the train. While waiting for the
+train to appear at either end, the gallant little gunboat shelled a
+small blockhouse, and in time disabled it. Then she steamed back to the
+fleet and reported that she had &quot;wrecked a trainload of troops and
+dismantled a blockhouse.&quot; When she left for her station again she was
+applauded by the whole squadron. We learned later that one hundred and
+fifty men were killed on the train.</p>
+
+<p>Shortly after supper the &quot;Yankee's&quot; whaleboat was called away and sent
+to the flagship, returning an hour later with sealed orders from the
+admiral.</p>
+
+<p>At midnight we quietly steamed from our station and passed out to sea,
+our destination being unknown to all save the commanding officer.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_XII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XII.</h2>
+
+<h3>IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURE.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>When a man-of-war sails from port under what are called &quot;sealed orders,&quot;
+which means that the orders given to the captain by the admiral are not
+to be opened for a certain number of hours, or until the ship reaches a
+certain degree of latitude, there is a mystery about the affair which
+appeals strongly to the crew.</p>
+
+<p>We of the &quot;Yankee&quot; felt very curious as to our destination when we left
+Santiago that night, and the interest was greatly stimulated by the
+discovery, before we had gone very far, that the &quot;St. Louis&quot; and
+&quot;Marblehead&quot; were following us.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Rumor Committee&quot; went into active session without delay.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Bet I can guess it,&quot; said &quot;Stump,&quot; as a half dozen of us met in the
+gangway. &quot;We are bound for a cable station somewhere.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;To cable the news of the fight?&quot; said Flagg.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;No. That was done by one of the other ships.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What then?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;To get permission from Washington to go ashore and reclaim all that
+steel we wasted in the bombardment.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>There was a laugh at this sally.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I have been figuring on the cost of the fight,&quot; remarked &quot;Hay,&quot; after a
+pause. &quot;A five-inch shell is worth $60, and as we fired about two
+hundred and fifty, it means just $15,000 worth of five-inchers alone.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Then there are the six-pounders.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;They cost $20 a shot,&quot; resumed &quot;Hay,&quot; reflectively. &quot;I guess we must
+have fired about a million of them.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hardly that,&quot; smiled Tommy, &quot;but we expended enough to bring the total
+up to $18,000 at the very least. War is a costly thing, boys.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>When the quartermaster on duty came off watch he joined us in the
+gangway, and reported that we were steering a straight course to the
+southward.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;If we keep it up we'll land somewhere near the Antarctic Ocean,&quot;
+remarked Kennedy, doubtfully. &quot;I wonder&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I know, I know,&quot; broke in the &quot;Kid,&quot; eagerly. &quot;We're going for ice.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The burning question was solved at daybreak. The morning sun brought
+into view a stretch of highland which proved to be Cuba. We had steamed
+out to sea on scouting duty, and had doubled on our tracks, as it were.
+The port we found to be Guantanamo, a small place some forty miles to
+the eastward of Santiago.</p>
+
+<p>The town itself lies on a bay connected with the sea by a tortuous and
+winding channel. The entrance is protected by a fort and several
+blockhouses, and when we steamed inshore we espied the &quot;St. Louis&quot; and
+&quot;Marblehead&quot; laying to, waiting for us outside.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Marblehead&quot; preceding us, we entered the harbor, and the two ships
+began a lively bombardment, while the &quot;St. Louis&quot; lay outside. Shortly
+after the firing began, a Spanish gunboat was seen steaming out past the
+fort. A few shots in her direction sent her scurrying back again, and
+that was the last seen of her during the fight. After the battle of the
+previous day, this affair seemed insignificant, and aroused little
+interest.</p>
+
+<p>The blockhouses were destroyed and the fort silenced after a short
+period of firing, and the &quot;St. Louis&quot; proceeded with the duty which
+evidently had caused our visit. It was the cutting of a cable
+connecting Guantanamo with the outer world.</p>
+
+<p>Our little fleet steamed to sea in the afternoon, returning just before
+dark. The fort, showing signs of reanimation, was treated to another
+bombardment, which effectually settled it. A small fishing hamlet
+composed of a dozen flimsy huts of bamboo was set on fire and burned to
+the ground. When we left Guantanamo shortly after dark, bound back for
+Santiago, we had the satisfaction of knowing that one more blow had been
+struck against Spanish rule in the fair isle of Cuba.</p>
+
+<p>At dawn the following day, Santiago was sighted. The fleet was still
+lying off the entrance like a group of huge gray cats watching a mouse
+hole. As we passed in, the flagship began signalling, and it soon became
+noised about the ship that we had received orders to leave for Mole St.
+Nicholas after dark.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It looks as if the 'Yankee' will come in handy as a messenger boy,&quot;
+said &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;When the admiral wants 'any old thing' he tells his flag
+officer to send the Naval Reserve ship.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's a good thing to be appreciated,&quot; grinned &quot;Dye.&quot; &quot;To tell the
+truth, though, I'd rather be on the move than lying here watching the
+land.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;We don't want to be away when Cervera comes out,&quot; remarked Flagg.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;When he comes out,&quot; retorted &quot;Stump,&quot; emphasizing the first word
+meaningly. &quot;The old gentleman knows when he is well off and he'll stay
+inside.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Which, as the Texan said when he was accused of stealing a horse,&quot; put
+in Tommy, &quot;remains to be proved. Just you keep your eye on the gun and
+wait.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;There goes another string of signals on the 'New York,'&quot; exclaimed
+&quot;Dye,&quot; pointing toward the flagship. &quot;Whiz! I'd hate to be a signalman
+aboard of her. They are always at it.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The flagship of a fleet like that assembled in front of Santiago during
+the blockade, is certainly kept very busy. In the naval service,
+everything in the way of routine emanates from the flagship. Every ship
+in the squadron, for instance, takes the uniform of the day from her.
+The number of sick each morning must be reported by signal; all orders
+(and they are legion) are transmitted by wigwag or bunting; scores of
+questions are asked daily by each ship, and it is indeed seldom that the
+signal yards of a flagship are bare of colored flags.</p>
+
+<p>In the American navy the present methods of communication are by the
+use of flags representing numerals, by the Meyer code of wigwag signals,
+and by a system of colored electric bulbs suspended in the rigging. The
+latter system is called after its inventor, Ardois.</p>
+
+<p>In the daytime, when ships are within easy distance, wigwagging is
+commonly used. A small flag attached to a staff is held by the signalman
+in such a position that it can be seen by the ship addressed. A code
+similar to the Morse telegraph alphabet is employed. By this system the
+flag, when waved to the right, represents 1, or a dot; and 2, or a dash,
+when inclined to the left. Each word is concluded by bringing the flag
+directly to the front, which motion is called 3. Naval signalmen,
+generally apprentices, become very expert, and the rapidity with which
+they can wigwag sentences is really remarkable.</p>
+
+<p>The Ardois system of night signalling consists of electric lights
+attached to the rigging. There are four groups of double lamps, the two
+lamps in each group showing red and white respectively. By the
+combination of these lights letters can be formed, and so, letter by
+letter, a word, and thence an order, can be spelled out for the guidance
+of the ships of a squadron. The lamps are worked by a keyboard generally
+placed on the upper bridge.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;flag hoist&quot; system, as it is termed, consists of the displaying of
+different flags at some conspicuous place like the masthead. There are a
+great many flags and pennants, differing in color, shape, and design,
+each having its own particular meaning, and when three or four are shown
+aloft together, a number is formed, the significance of which can only
+be determined by referring to a code book. Each navy has a private code,
+which is guarded with great care. So particular are Governments in this
+respect, that the commanding officer of every ship has instructions to
+go to any length to destroy the code book, if capture is imminent.
+During the late war with Spain it was reported at one time that the
+Spanish code had been secured. This means that the Dons will be
+compelled to adopt an entirely new code of signals.</p>
+
+<p>Besides the above systems, signalling in the navy includes various other
+devices. For instance, the fog whistle can be utilized in connection
+with the Meyer system of numerals. One toot represents 1, two short
+toots 2, and a long blast the end of a word. In a fog, this is the only
+means practicable. Similar sounds can be made by horn or gunfire. At
+night searchlights are often used by waving the beam from the right to
+the left, thus forming an electric wigwag, or by flash like the
+heliograph. On small ships not fitted up with the Ardois system, the
+Very night signal is used. This consists of a pistol made for the
+purpose, which discharges lights similar to those found in the ordinary
+Roman candles. The colors are red and green, and they are fired in
+combinations expressing the numbers from 1 to 9 and 0, so that the
+numbers to four digits contained in the signal book may be displayed.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Yankee&quot; was rigged with the Ardois lamps, and she also carried all
+the necessary signal flags and other paraphernalia required to
+communicate with other vessels of the fleet. The signalmen on board had
+been drilled in their work as members of the Naval Reserve prior to the
+beginning of the war, and they were experts to a man.</p>
+
+<p>On the evening of June 8th, while we were idling about decks awaiting
+the order to get under way, a small boat came alongside, having as a
+passenger a captain of the army. He proved to be a special agent who had
+succeeded in visiting the vicinity of Santiago, and was on his way to
+Mole St. Nicholas for the purpose of cabling to Washington. The
+mysterious manner in which he boarded the ship, and the quickness with
+which we steamed from port, created some excitement, and we felt the
+importance of our mission.</p>
+
+<p>The night was dark and muggy&mdash;an ideal time for torpedo-boat work, and
+extra lookouts were posted by order of the captain. Nothing of interest
+occurred, however, until early next morning. The ship was ploughing
+along at a steady gait, and those of the watch who were not on actual
+duty were snatching what sleep they could in out-of-the-way corners,
+when suddenly the call to &quot;general quarters&quot; was sounded. Long practice
+caused prompt obedience, and the various guns' crews were soon ready for
+action.</p>
+
+<p>Very few of us knew just what was on foot until the &quot;Kid,&quot; in passing,
+contrived to convey the interesting information that a big Spanish fleet
+had been sighted dead ahead.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That's funny,&quot; remarked &quot;Stump,&quot; trying to peer from the port. &quot;We are
+not changing our course any. Surely the 'old man' doesn't intend to
+tackle them alone.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I guess the 'Kid' is 'stringing' us,&quot; observed Tommy, sagely. &quot;He's up
+to that trick every time. We're not chasing Spanish fleets alone. The
+captain knows his business all right, all right.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Word was brought from the upper deck presently, that we were in pursuit
+of a strange steamer which had been discovered lurking on the horizon.
+She failed to respond to our signals, and chase was made forthwith. The
+&quot;Yankee's&quot; speed soon proved superior to that of the stranger, and
+within an hour we had her close aboard.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's an English tramp from the looks of her,&quot; reported &quot;Hay,&quot; who had a
+choice position near the gun port. &quot;She's got a dozen people on the
+bridge and they are badly scared.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>A blank six-pounder was fired, but she did not heed it, so a shot was
+fired across the stranger's bows, and she hove-to in short order.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Steamer ahoy!&quot; came faintly to our ears from on deck. &quot;What steamer is
+that?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The answer reached us in disjointed sentences, but we heard enough to
+set us laughing. Tommy smacked his hand upon the breech of the gun and
+chuckled: &quot;It's one of those everlasting press boats. The sea is full of
+'em.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What in the deuce did they run for, I wonder?&quot; exclaimed Kennedy.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Afraid of us, I suppose. It's ticklish times around here, and I don't
+blame them. Press boats are not made to fight, you know.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That idea doesn't carry out their motto,&quot; drawled &quot;Dye.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;How's that?&quot; asked Flagg, innocently.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Why, they claim that the pen is mightier than the sword, don't they?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>After the laugh had subsided, &quot;Morrie,&quot; one of the Rochester detail, who
+acted as a shellman in the crew of Number Eight, said seriously:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I am a great admirer of the press representatives down here, fellows.
+They are capable, good writers, and there is not a branch of the whole
+outfit that has been more faithful to duty. They were sent here to get
+the news, and they get it every time. There has never been a war more
+ably reported than this, and, although the correspondents have to hustle
+day and night, they still find time to keep us informed, and to give us
+an occasional paper from home. They are good fellows all.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Amen!&quot; said &quot;Hay.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>After a time, the press boat sheered off, and we continued on our
+course. Later in the morning another steamer was sighted. The &quot;Yankee&quot;
+was sent after her at full speed. The chase crowded on all steam, but
+she was soon overhauled, and found to be a Norwegian trader. After a
+satisfactory explanation she was permitted to go. Three hours later the
+&quot;Yankee&quot; dropped anchor off Mole St. Nicholas, a Haytian seaport
+brought into some prominence through the location of a cable station.</p>
+
+<p>Mole St. Nicholas is a little collection of tropical-looking houses set
+among palm trees at the foot of a large hill, which in places aspires to
+the dignity of a mountain. The town itself is rather picturesquely
+situated, the foliage-covered background and beautiful inlet of pure
+clear water giving it a natural setting very attractive to our eyes.</p>
+
+<p>After we had been anchored an hour or so, a bumboat came out, manned by
+a crew of two coal-black negroes who spoke a French patois, intermingled
+with comical English. The boat itself was a queer, stubby craft
+propelled by home-made oars. Before the morning was well advanced the
+ship was surrounded by boats carrying shells, limes, prickly pears,
+green cocoanuts, bananas, fish, and &quot;water monkeys.&quot; The latter were
+jugs made of a porous clay, and they were eagerly purchased. The &quot;water
+monkey&quot; is a natural cooler, and when placed in a draught of air will
+keep water at a temperature delightful in a warm latitude.</p>
+
+<p>We parted with our mysterious passenger, the army officer, and weighed
+anchor just as the sun was setting. Lookouts were posted early, and
+special instruction given by the captain to maintain a vigilant watch.
+The fact that we were in the very theatre of war, and that several
+Spanish cruisers, including the Spanish torpedo boat &quot;Terror,&quot; were
+reported as being in the vicinity, kept a number of us on deck.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It is one thing lying off a port with a lot of other ships and
+bombarding a few measly earthworks, and another to be sneaking about in
+the darkness like this, not knowing when you will run your nose against
+an enemy twice as large,&quot; said Flagg, as several of Number Eight's crew
+met on the forecastle. &quot;I tell you, it feels like war.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Reminds me of a story I heard once,&quot; put in &quot;Stump,&quot; lazily. He was
+lounging over the rail with his back to us and his words came faintly.
+The deck was shrouded in gloom, and the vague outlines of the
+pilot-house, only a dozen feet away, was the length of our vision aft. A
+soft, purling sound came from over the side where the waves lapped
+against the steel hull. A shovel grated stridently now and then in the
+fire room, and occasionally a block rattled or a halliard flapped
+against the foremast overhead. The surroundings and the strange, weird
+&quot;feel&quot; of the darkness were peculiarly impressive.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I don't know whether we care to hear any story,&quot; observed &quot;Hay.&quot;
+&quot;Better keep it until later, 'Stump.' The night's too wonderful to do
+anything except lounge around and think. Whew! isn't it dark?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;This story I was going to tell you requires a setting like this,&quot;
+replied &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;It is about a ship that started from England years and
+years ago. She had as passengers a lot of lunatics who were to be
+experimented upon by a doctor about as crazy as they. He bought the
+ship, fitted it up with a number of little iron cages, and set forth
+with his queer cargo. Ten days out, the lunatics broke from their
+quarters and captured the vessel. One of them, who had been a sea
+captain in his time, took charge, and proceeded to carry out a little
+idea of his own, which was to make sane people crazy.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That was turning the tables with a vengeance,&quot; drawled &quot;Dye,&quot; from his
+perch on an upturned pail. &quot;I wonder if he was any relation to
+'Cutlets'?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;A lineal ancestor, I'll bet a biscuit,&quot; chimed in &quot;Hay.&quot; &quot;Don't you
+remember the quotation, 'By these acts you will know their forefathers,'
+or something like that?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Well,&quot; resumed &quot;Stump,&quot; &quot;the crazy captain put the doctor and the crew
+in the cages and began to feed them hardtack and berth-deck scouse and
+salt-horse and&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<a name='page175'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page175.jpg' width='300' height='446' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>THE SEARCHLIGHT &quot;SWEEPING BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE BLACK OF THE HORIZON&quot; (<i>page</i> 175).</h5>
+
+<p>&quot;Must have been a Government naval contractor in his time,&quot; murmured
+&quot;Morrie.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I bet I know the rest,&quot; exclaimed the &quot;Kid,&quot; coming up in time to grasp
+the situation. &quot;The captain set his prisoners to carrying coal from the
+after hold forward and then back again, didn't he?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;If you fellows think you can tell the story better than I can, go
+ahead,&quot; retorted &quot;Stump,&quot; in disgust. &quot;You are like a lot of old maids
+at a sewing circle. I give&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What was that?&quot; suddenly cried &quot;Hay,&quot; springing to his feet. &quot;If it
+wasn't a flash of light I'll eat my&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>A figure hastily emerged from the gloom aft.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Go to your stations at once, you men,&quot; called out a voice. &quot;General
+quarters!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>As we scurried toward the hatch a great shaft of light appeared off the
+port beam, and began sweeping back and forth across the black of the
+horizon.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Good heavens!&quot; exclaimed &quot;Hay,&quot; &quot;it's a searchlight on some man-of-war.
+We're in for it now!&quot;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_XIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XIII.</h2>
+
+<h3>A NARROW ESCAPE.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The finger of light sweeping the heavens above the distant horizon meant
+to us the presence either of friend or foe, and the question was one we
+had little desire to solve at that moment. Rumors of Spanish warships
+lurking in the waters adjacent to Cuba were rife, and it had even been
+stated that another squadron inferior only to Cervera's fleet was
+somewhere in the neighborhood.</p>
+
+<p>We of the &quot;Yankee&quot; were willing, and I may say, without undue boasting,
+eager to meet any vessel of equal size or even larger, but to give
+battle to a whole fleet was a little too much. Nevertheless, when the
+word was passed to go to &quot;general quarters,&quot; there was no sulking nor
+hesitancy.</p>
+
+<p>The battery was ready in record time.</p>
+
+<p>Our gun was placed in trim, ammunition hatches opened, cartridges
+whipped on deck, and the piece prepared for instant use so rapidly that
+the officer of the division, Lieutenant Greene, gave us warm praise.</p>
+
+<p>Then we waited.</p>
+
+<p>It is difficult for a layman&mdash;a citizen who has not experienced the test
+of action and danger in battle&mdash;to understand or appreciate our feelings
+that night. It is hard to describe them, to paint with mere words the
+intense seriousness and gravity of the situation. You can imagine a dark
+night at sea&mdash;a night so black that the senses feel oppressed. You can
+add to these a thrill of impending danger and a vision of capture by a
+cruel enemy and the thought that the very next second will sound the
+signal for an uproar and outbreak of combat, but your impressions will
+fall far short of the reality&mdash;that must be experienced to be
+appreciated.</p>
+
+<p>As we stood at our stations surrounding Number Eight gun, I tried to
+read the faces of my companions, to see if I could find in them traces
+of worry or anxiety, or of fear. The situation warranted even the latter
+emotion. The dim light cast by the nickering battle lanterns sent
+fantastic shadows dancing over deck and bulkhead, and caused the men at
+the guns to resemble, in their stained white working clothes, so many
+gaunt spectres.</p>
+
+<p>But they were spectres with a grim purpose in view, and as the officer
+of the division strode back and forth, alert and watchful, they followed
+his movements with their eyes, eager for the word that would set them in
+action. They were not veterans, and their experience in war could have
+been measured by days, but they were honestly ready to fight and to shed
+the last drop of their blood for the flag waving over the taffrail.</p>
+
+<p>It was a ticklish situation. Even the &quot;Kid,&quot; with his careless,
+happy-go-lucky mind, would have admitted that; but as time passed
+without bringing a break in the monotony of waiting, we began to feel
+restless. The tension was still great, but the first sense of
+apprehension was gone.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I do wish something would happen,&quot; muttered &quot;Hay,&quot; after a while. &quot;Can
+you see anything from that port, 'Morrie'?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;A wall of blackness, that's all,&quot; replied the Rochester man.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;We've changed our course several times,&quot; spoke up Flagg. &quot;I think the
+'old man' is scooting for cover.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Fool if he didn't,&quot; growled Tommy. &quot;They have a pretty habit of
+court-martialling naval officers when they risk their ship
+unnecessarily. If Captain Brownson should fail to do all in his power
+to escape from what his judgment tells him is overwhelming odds, he'd
+find himself in trouble. Discretion is the better part of valor, even in
+the navy.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Suddenly we began to notice a peculiar glow tinging the darkness, and
+reflecting from the polished parts of the gun. It came suddenly and with
+a spurt of ruddy light unmistakable.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's a fire somewhere,&quot; exclaimed Flagg. &quot;Look! it's getting brighter.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It comes from this ship,&quot; cried &quot;Stump,&quot; edging toward the port. &quot;Is it
+possible the old hooker is on fire?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>We waited for the ringing of the alarm bell, or the call to &quot;fire
+quarters,&quot; but the minutes slipped by without the summons. Outside, the
+ruddy glare tinged the surface of the sea, sparkling from foam-crested
+waves, and forming a circle of dancing light through which the &quot;Yankee&quot;
+speeded on in her flight for safety.</p>
+
+<p>Our curiosity increased apace, and we watched eagerly for passing
+messengers or for some stray word that would explain the peculiar
+phenomenon. It was Kennedy who finally solved the mystery&mdash;Kennedy the
+luckless, he whom we dubbed &quot;Lucky Bag,&quot; because of his propensity to
+allow his wearing apparel to find its way into the clutches of &quot;Jimmy
+Legs.&quot; Kennedy had slipped near the port and was trying to perform the
+difficult feat of scanning the upper deck from the opening.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Come back here and stop that 'rubber-necking,' No. 7,&quot; called out
+Tommy. &quot;Do you want to get on the report?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;For the hundred and 'steenth time,&quot; added &quot;Stump,&quot; with a grin.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Perhaps he's seasick,&quot; suggested &quot;Dye.&quot; &quot;It's about due. He hasn't
+heaved up his boots since noon.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Did you hear what 'Cutlets' said to him yesterday?&quot; spoke up &quot;Hay.&quot; &quot;He
+was 'wigging' Kennedy, and he remarked in his tender way, 'Look here,
+you hero, why don't you brace up and be a man? You are continually sick
+or on the report, and you aren't worth your salt. Get down below now,
+and fill your billet.' Poor devil! he tries to do his best, I guess.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Just then Kennedy faced around toward us and we saw that he was
+laughing.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What do you think?&quot; he said. &quot;It's a fire after all.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;A fire? Where?&quot; we gasped simultaneously.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;In the furnaces. I saw a big flame leaping from the funnel. Gee! they
+must be whooping her up below to beat the band. Coal piled up to the
+top of the flues.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's oil,&quot; exclaimed Tommy, gravely. &quot;They are feeding the fires with
+crude oil. That means the last resort, fellows. The 'old man' is trying
+to get every ounce of steam possible.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Our curiosity satisfied, we felt more at ease, and we lounged at our
+stations and listened to the banging of furnace doors and grating of
+shovels in the fire room below. Occasionally one of us would venture an
+opinion or try to exchange views, and &quot;Stump&quot; even started a story, but
+in the main we were quiet and watchful.</p>
+
+<p>From the swaying and trembling of the hull it was evident the &quot;Yankee&quot;
+was being pushed at her utmost speed. Mess gear rattled in the chests,
+the deck quivered, and from down in the lower depths came the quick
+throb-throb of the overworked engines. Presently the red glare caused by
+the upleaping flames from the funnel died away, and darkness settled
+down again.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I guess we are making it,&quot; observed Tommy. &quot;We have been a good two
+hours racing at this gait, which means a matter of almost forty miles.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;They might let us take a run on deck,&quot; grumbled Flagg. &quot;What's the use
+of holding up this gun all night? It's getting monotonous.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Here comes the 'Kid,'&quot; exclaimed &quot;Dye.&quot; &quot;He may have some news.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The youngster brought a message to Lieutenant Greene. As he started off,
+he whispered:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;We are going to 'secure' in a few moments. It has been a great scoot. I
+heard the captain say to 'Mother Hubbub' that it would go down in
+history as a masterly retreat.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Was it a Spanish fleet?&quot; queried &quot;Hay.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;They are not certain. The skipper now thinks that it was a convoy of
+transports bringing the army of occupation. He didn't stop to find out,
+though. Say, you fellows look tired. Why don't you 'pipe down'?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>He scurried off with a laugh, and we were just settling back for another
+siege of it when the welcome order came to &quot;secure.&quot; The order was
+executed in a jiffy, and then those who had the off watch piled into
+their hammocks with a celerity seldom equalled. Santiago was reached
+early the following morning, and before the day was over we heard that
+our neighbors of the night before were, as the captain had suspected, a
+fleet of transports bringing troops from the United States.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Which doesn't alter the fact that we displayed wisdom in taking a
+'sneak,'&quot; commented Tommy, grimly. &quot;It's a clever chief who knows when
+to retreat.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The great gray ships still tossed idly on the rolling blue sea when we
+took our station at the right of the line.</p>
+
+<p>It seemed more like a panorama, arranged for the amusement of an
+admiring crowd, than a fleet of floating forts ready at a moment's
+notice to pour out death and destruction.</p>
+
+<p>The flagship &quot;New York,&quot; gay with signal bunting, was the centre of a
+fleet of launches and small boats. The boats' crews, in white duck,
+lounged in their places, while the captains were aboard conferring with
+the admiral.</p>
+
+<p>The torpedo boat &quot;Porter&quot; flashed in and out between the grim
+battleships in an almost playful way.</p>
+
+<p>A signal boy on the &quot;Brooklyn&quot; held a long wigwag conversation with the
+flagship, the bit of bright color showing sharply against the
+lead-colored turret.</p>
+
+<p>It was hard to realize that only a few days ago these same ships, that
+now rested so calmly and majestically, were enveloped in clouds of
+smoke, their great guns spitting forth fire and a fearful hail of steel.</p>
+
+<p>We looked at picturesque old Morro on the bluff, and there, close to
+the lighthouse, still floated the Spanish colors. It was aggravating,
+and we would like to have shot the hateful bunting away.</p>
+
+<p>We had no sooner reached our station than the boatswain's call echoed
+from one end of the ship to the other, &quot;Away gig.&quot; Whereupon the gig's
+crew rushed below and &quot;broke out&quot; clean whites. No matter what happens,
+the gig's crew must always be clean, both in person and apparel.</p>
+
+<p>Our gig soon joined the fleet of waiting boats at the flagship's
+gangway, and lay there while the captain went aboard.</p>
+
+<p>The skipper returned about noon and went forward. Immediately, we heard
+the cry &quot;All hands on the gig falls.&quot; Then, before the boat was fairly
+out of water, we heard the engine bell jingle.</p>
+
+<p>We were off again.</p>
+
+<p>Some active member of the &quot;Rumor Committee&quot; said we were bound for
+Jamaica. And after consultation with a signal boy, who came aft to read
+the patent log, we found that we were heading for that island.</p>
+
+<p>The wind was dead ahead and blowing fresh and cool, but the sun was hot,
+and the boatswain's mates were instructed to keep the men in the shade
+as much as possible.</p>
+
+<p>The stress and strain of the night before made the few hours of
+&quot;caulking off,&quot; that we now enjoyed, particularly grateful.</p>
+
+<p>We lay so thick on the windward side of the spar deck under the awning,
+that it would have been difficult to find foot room.</p>
+
+<p>Every hour a signal boy came running aft to read the log, which was
+attached to the taffrail on the starboard quarter. The log worked on the
+same principal as a bicycle cyclometer. It had two dials that indicated
+the miles and fractions of miles as they were reeled off. A long,
+braided line, having what we called a &quot;twister&quot; attached, trailed behind
+in the water and made the wheels go round, a certain number of
+revolutions to the mile.</p>
+
+<p>Hour after hour the ship rushed through the water. The engines throbbed
+in a regular, settled sort of way, that reminded one of a man snoring.
+The wind blew softly and caressingly. The ship rolled easily in the long
+swell. It was soothing and restful, and we felt quite reconciled to life
+in the navy. We almost forgot that we were on an engine of war; that
+there was enough ammunition below to blow up several &quot;Maine's,&quot; and that
+we were cruising in the enemy's country.</p>
+
+<p>The men talked cheerfully of home, pursuits, and pleasures, for it was
+too fine, too bright, to be depressed.</p>
+
+<p>Finally the sun went down in a blaze of glory, dropping suddenly into
+the sea as it is wont to do in the tropics.</p>
+
+<p>In a few minutes it was dark. In these latitudes there is practically no
+twilight; the sun jumps into his full strength in the morning, and
+quenches his glory in the sea before one realizes the day is gone.</p>
+
+<p>Soon after dark the lookouts began to report lights, and before long we
+found ourselves steaming into a fine harbor, which we learned was Port
+Antonio.</p>
+
+<p>A delightful feeling of security stole over us. We were at anchor in a
+friendly port, the inhabitants of which spoke the same tongue as we did
+and sympathized with us. We turned in at the earliest possible moment,
+and as we lay in our &quot;elevated folding beds,&quot; as &quot;Hay&quot; called them, we
+could hear unmistakable shore sounds&mdash;the barking of dogs, the crowing
+of cocks, and according to some active imaginations, even the bell of a
+trolley car.</p>
+
+<p>At one o'clock we were wakened by the call, &quot;All hands on the cat
+falls.&quot; We slipped out of our &quot;dream bags&quot; with the best grace we could
+muster, and went forward to pull up the anchor to its place on the
+forecastle deck.</p>
+
+<p>So we gave up the pleasant idea that we were to spend the night
+undisturbed, and the guns' crews of the watch on deck made themselves as
+comfortable as possible under the circumstances, on their wooden couch
+around the guns; viz., the deck.</p>
+
+<p>When the sun rose next morning, we found that land was plainly visible
+from the port side, and we soon learned that we were still in Jamaican
+waters and would arrive at Montego Bay about ten o'clock.</p>
+
+<p>The programme was carried out to the dot.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Yankee&quot; steamed into the beautiful bay, the crew &quot;at quarters,&quot; in
+honor of the English man-of-war &quot;Indefatigable,&quot; which lay at anchor
+there, and we had hardly let down our anchor when a fleet of &quot;bumboats&quot;
+came chasing out to us.</p>
+
+<p>Though an American warship had never visited this port before, we seemed
+to be recognized by these enterprising marine storekeepers as easy prey.</p>
+
+<p>The native &quot;bumboat&quot; is a dugout affair very narrow for its length, and
+seemingly so cranky that we marvelled at the size of the sail carried.
+They brought fruits of all kinds, and tobacco, so we didn't stop to
+criticise their rig, but showed plainly that we were right glad to see
+them.</p>
+
+<p>The boatmen and women were all colored people and, like the race the
+world over, were most fantastically and gaily clothed. The women wore
+bright-hued calico dresses, and brighter bandana handkerchiefs on their
+heads. The men wore flaming neckties, gay shirts, and, in some cases,
+tall white or gray beaver hats.</p>
+
+<p>The boats were filled with yellow, green, and red fruits and
+brightly-colored packages of tobacco, the whole making a most vivid and
+brilliant display of color.</p>
+
+<p>The crew bought eagerly, regardless of price. Limes, oranges, mangoes,
+bananas, and pineapples came over the side in a steady stream, while an
+equally steady, though smaller, stream of silver went back to the boats.</p>
+
+<p>It was a harvest day for the Montego Bay &quot;bumboatmen.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Though we bought the fruits without hesitation, we bit into them
+gingerly, for, to most of us, many of them were strange.</p>
+
+<p>Tom LeValley brought me a mango and said that I could have it if I would
+sample it and tell what it was like. I accepted, for I had not been
+lucky enough to get near a boat to buy for myself.</p>
+
+<p>He handed me something that looked like a pear but was of the color of
+an orange. I was just about to bite into it when I chanced to look up. I
+saw that I was the target of all eyes. Putting on a bold front, I sunk
+my teeth in the yellow rind. I found it was pleasant to the taste, but
+unlike anything that I had ever put in my mouth before. Still the
+fellows gazed at me. Was it a trick mango I had tackled so recklessly? I
+determined not to be stumped, and took a good big bite. In a moment, I
+discovered why I was the &quot;observed of all observers.&quot; The last bite
+loosened a good deal of the peel, and the thing began to ooze. It oozed
+through my fingers and began to run down my sleeve; it dripped on my
+trousers and made an ineradicable stain; my face was smeared with it, my
+hands were sticky with it, my mouth was full of it, and still the blamed
+thing oozed.</p>
+
+<p>Then the unfeeling crowd laughed. Some one shouted &quot;get under the hose.&quot;
+Another yelled &quot;Swab ho,&quot; whereupon a none too clean deck swab was
+brought and applied to my face and hands, protests being unavailing.</p>
+
+<p>I afterwards remarked to Tom that he had better try experiments on
+himself, or present me with a bathtub along with the next mango, and I
+have since learned that a Distinguished Person came to the same
+conclusion when first introduced to this deceitful fruit.</p>
+
+<p>We enjoyed our stay in this beautiful island port very much, and it was
+with great reluctance that we obeyed the order to &quot;haul on the cat
+falls.&quot; As we were walking away with that heavy line, we saw a liberty
+party from the English warship start for shore in the ship's cutters,
+and we envied them with all our hearts.</p>
+
+<p>The town looked very attractive, set as it was on the side and at the
+base of a high hill, the red-tiled roofs of its houses showing against
+the graceful, green palm trees. On our left, a grove of cocoanut palms
+flourished, and beneath grazed a herd of cattle.</p>
+
+<p>Soon the ship began to back out, and then, as the bay grew wider, she
+turned slowly and headed for the open.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Lash your mess chests,&quot; said messenger &quot;Kid&quot; to the berth deck cooks.
+&quot;Orders from the officer of the deck,&quot; he added.</p>
+
+<p>He turned to us, who were standing by the open port. &quot;I guess we'll have
+a lively time of it, for I heard 'Cutlets' say the barometer is dropping
+at a terrible rate.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Kid&quot; scurried further aft to give the order to the boatswain's
+mates and master-at-arms.</p>
+
+<p>We looked out to seaward and noted the black sky and the rising wind.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I guess you 'heroes' will have a chance to show what right you have to
+be called seamen,&quot; said &quot;Stump,&quot; mimicking &quot;Cutlets.&quot;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_XIV'></a><h2>CHAPTER XIV.</h2>
+
+<h3>WE ENGAGE IN A SEA FIGHT.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>&quot;Watch on deck, put on your oilers,&quot; shouted the boatswain's mates.</p>
+
+<p>The order came none too soon, for as the last man ran up the
+companion-way ladder, the rain began to drop in sheets.</p>
+
+<p>The rising wind drove the rain in our faces with stinging force, and we
+were soon wet as drowned rats.</p>
+
+<p>The white-capped seas raced alongside, and the &quot;Yankee&quot; heaved and
+tossed like a bucking bronco. The lookouts at the masthead swayed
+forward and back, to and fro, dizzily, and the officer of the deck on
+the bridge had difficulty in keeping his feet. The pots and pans in the
+galley banged noisily, and ever and anon the screw was lifted out of the
+water, and for a few turns shook the ship from stern to stem with its
+accelerated speed.</p>
+
+<p>A number of men who had partaken too freely of tropical fruits manned
+the rail and seemed too much interested in the seething water below to
+notice the rain that was dripping down their necks.</p>
+
+<p>For a time, things were very lively aboard the old hooker, and, though
+in the main unpleasant, the grandeur of the sea in the tempest made up
+for all discomforts. The flash of the lightning, the roar of the
+thunder, the hum and whistle of the wind through the rigging, and the
+swish of the seas as they dashed themselves to spray against the sides
+of the ship&mdash;all this made an impressive chorus, more stirring even than
+the roar of cannon and the shriek of shell.</p>
+
+<p>When &quot;hammocks&quot; was blown by the ship's bugler at a quarter to seven, we
+found it difficult to make our way forward to the nettings. One moment
+we were toiling up the deck's steep incline; the next, the ship would
+bury her prow, and we were rushing forward pell mell. The boat seemed to
+be endowed with diabolical intelligence that night. A man might,
+perchance, stoop to tie his shoe or examine a freshly stubbed toe, when
+the ship would seem to divine that she had him at a disadvantage, and
+would leap forward so that he would immediately stand on his head, or
+affectionately and firmly embrace a convenient stanchion. &quot;Pride cometh
+before a fall,&quot; and the man who thought he had caught the swing and
+could walk a chalk line on the deck, soon found that the old boat knew a
+new trick or two, and in a twinkling of an eye he was sawing the air
+frantically with his arms, in his efforts to keep his balance.</p>
+
+<p>Though the force of the tropical storm was soon spent, the sea continued
+high, and locomotion was difficult.</p>
+
+<p>The hammocks were given out by the &quot;hammock stowers&quot; of the watch on
+duty. They called out the numbers stenciled on our &quot;dream bags,&quot; and the
+owners stepped forward and claimed them. As soon as a man secured his
+hammock he immediately slung it in place, unlashed it, and arranged the
+blankets to his liking.</p>
+
+<p>A group gathered around the capstan aft, after the hammock ceremony had
+been completed.</p>
+
+<p>Some one said, &quot;I'm glad I can sleep in a hammock a night like this; the
+heave of the ship will be hardly felt.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Yes,&quot; responded the &quot;Kid,&quot; &quot;I wouldn't swap my 'sleeping bag' for the
+captain's bed, to-night.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That reminds me,&quot; said &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;Speaking of beds&mdash;when we were in New
+York a friend of mine came aboard to see me. He had a sister, but left
+her at home.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You can thank your lucky stars he did. If she'd seen your weary,
+coal-covered visage, you could not even have been a brother to her,&quot;
+interrupted &quot;Hay.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I guess you're right,&quot; responded &quot;Stump,&quot; with an appreciative grin.
+&quot;Anyhow, she did not come. So when her brother got home she plied him
+with questions&mdash;this he wrote me afterwards&mdash;wanted to know how I
+looked, asked what the ship was like, inquired about our food, and then
+she questioned him about my stateroom. Was it prettily decorated? Whose
+photograph occupied the place of honor on my dressing table?</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Billy, my friend,&quot; explained &quot;Stump,&quot; &quot;is a facetious sort of chap, so
+he told her that of course such a large crew could not <i>all</i> have
+staterooms, but <i>I</i> had a very nice one, that could be folded when not
+in use, and put to one side out of the way. It was made of canvas, he
+said, so constructed that it would always swing with the ship, and so
+keep upright in a rolling sea.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;She listened intently, and finally broke out enthusiastically: 'How
+nice!'</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Billy almost had a fit at that, and I nearly had, when I read his
+letter.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>We all laughed heartily and trooped below to enjoy a few hours' sleep
+in our &quot;folding staterooms.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The next day dawned bright and clear, and warm; with nothing to remind
+us of the storm of the night before except the seedy look on the faces
+of some of the &quot;heroes&quot; who were prone to seasickness.</p>
+
+<p>The sun had not been up many hours when the masthead lookout shouted,
+&quot;Sail ho!&quot; To which the officer of the deck replied, &quot;Where away?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Dead ahead, sir. Looks like one of the vessels of the fleet, sir.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>And so we joined the squadron again, after an absence of twenty-four
+hours.</p>
+
+<p>Nothing had occurred while we were away. Cervera's fleet was still
+&quot;bottled up&quot; in Santiago harbor, and the American fleet held the cork so
+effectively that even a torpedo boat could not get out.</p>
+
+<p>After preparing the ship for the usual Sunday inspection, and arraying
+ourselves in clean whites, polished shoes, and stockings, we thought we
+had done all the work that would be required of us for the day. But when
+the gig returned, bringing the skipper from the flagship, we learned
+that we were to get under way right after dinner, and steam to the
+westward.</p>
+
+<p>After &quot;turn to&quot; was sounded at 1:15 o'clock, we noted a long string of
+signal flags flying from the signal yard, which we found requested
+permission from the flagship to proceed at once. As the affirmative
+pennant on the &quot;New York&quot; slowly rose to its place on the foremast, the
+&quot;Yankee's&quot; jingle bell sounded, and the ship began to gather headway.</p>
+
+<p>At &quot;afternoon quarters&quot;&mdash;1:30&mdash;a drill, new to us, was taught; called by
+the officers &quot;physical drill,&quot; and by the men &quot;rubber-necking.&quot; We
+hardly felt the need of exercise. The swinging of a swab and use of sand
+and canvas, to say nothing of &quot;scrub and wash clothes&quot; before breakfast,
+seemed to us sufficient work to keep our muscles in good condition; but
+it is one of the axioms in the navy that &quot;Satan finds some mischief
+still for idle hands to do,&quot; so the men were soon lined up&mdash;sufficient
+space being given each man to allow him to swing his arms, windmill
+fashion, without interfering with his neighbor.</p>
+
+<p>A regular calisthenic exercise was gone through, such as may be seen in
+gymnasiums all over the country; but instead of a steady, even floor,
+upon which it would be quite easy to stand tiptoe, on one foot, or
+crouched with bended knees, it was quite a different matter to do these
+&quot;stunts&quot; on the constantly rolling deck.</p>
+
+<p>At the order, &quot;Knee stoop, one,&quot; we bent our knees till we sat on our
+heels. &quot;Heads up, hands on the hips, there!&quot; said Mr. Greene of our
+division, as some one obeyed an almost irresistible impulse to keep his
+balance by putting out his hand. The man obeyed, but at that instant the
+ship gave a lurch, and the poor chap fell over on his head and almost
+rolled down the berth-deck hatch.</p>
+
+<p>The laugh that followed was promptly suppressed, and though the exercise
+was not carried out with a great deal of grace or ease, Mr. Greene
+seemed to be satisfied with the first attempt.</p>
+
+<p>We steamed along all the afternoon past the coast of Cuba and within
+plain sight of the beautiful, surf-rimmed beach. We looked for signs of
+the enemy, but not a living thing could be seen. Not a sign of human
+habitation; not an indication that any human being had ever set foot on
+this desolate land. So beautiful, so grand, so lonely was it that we
+longed to go ashore and shout, just to set a few echoes reverberating in
+the hills.</p>
+
+<p>Toward night, we turned seaward, and the land was lost to view; at the
+same time the &quot;Yosemite,&quot; manned by the Michigan Naval Reserves, who
+had accompanied us thus far, dropped out of sight in the haze. She was
+bound for Jamaica.</p>
+
+<p>A ship painted the &quot;war color&quot; now in vogue in the United States navy,
+will disappear as if by magic when dusk comes on. The lead color makes
+any object covered with it invisible in half light or a haze.</p>
+
+<p>There had been much speculation during the day and evening as to our
+probable destination, but we remained in ignorance until the next
+morning, when it became known that our orders were to call at the port
+of Cienfuegos, a prominent city of southern Cuba, some three hundred and
+thirty miles from Santiago.</p>
+
+<p>It was reported that the object of our visit was to intercept and
+capture a blockade runner said to be aiming for that port. The news
+received an enthusiastic welcome fore and aft. The billet of &quot;fleet
+messenger&quot; was becoming tiresome.</p>
+
+<p>The land had been sighted at two bells (nine o'clock), and all hands
+were looking for Cienfuegos, but it was past one before the mouth of the
+harbor was gained. The &quot;Yankee's&quot; crew were at regular quarters at the
+time, but a hurried order to dismiss and clear ship for action sent the
+different guns' crews scurrying to their stations.</p>
+
+<p>To add to the interest, word came from the bridge to train the guns aft
+and to do everything possible to disguise the cruiser.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;We are to masquerade as a blooming merchantman,&quot; chuckled &quot;Dye.&quot; &quot;This
+reminds me of my boyhood days when I read pirate stories. Do you
+remember that yarn about Kydd, where he rigged painted canvas about his
+ship and hid all the ports, 'Stump'? It was great. The whole piratical
+crew, with the exception of a dozen men, kept below, and when a poor
+unfortunate ship came along, the bloodthirsty villains captured her.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I wish they had caught you at the same time,&quot; retorted &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;Then
+we wouldn't be bothered with your infernal cackle. Here, give me a hand
+with this mess chest.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>By this time the task of preparing for action was an old story, and we
+made short work of it. The call to &quot;general quarters&quot; followed without
+delay, and, as we prepared the battery for action, word came from above
+that a large gunboat, showing Spanish colors, was leaving the harbor in
+our direction.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Which means a scrap of the liveliest description,&quot; muttered Tommy.
+&quot;They evidently take us for a trader without guns, and they'll attack
+us sure.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Boom!</p>
+
+<p>A six-pounder gave voice from the spar deck, instantly followed by a
+five-inch breechloader in the waist. Number Eight was loaded, and &quot;Hay,&quot;
+who held the firing lanyard, snatched another sight, then stood erect
+with left hand in the air.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Ready, sir,&quot; he called out to the officer of the division.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Fire!&quot; came the reply promptly.</p>
+
+<p>With the word a vicious report shook the deck, and the gun muzzle
+vanished in a cloud of smoke. Eager hands opened the breech, others
+inserted another cartridge, there was a shifting of the training lever,
+a turn of the elevating wheel, then &quot;Hay&quot; stood back once more, and
+coolly made the electrical connection.</p>
+
+<p>Following the second report came a dull, booming sound, apparently from
+a distance. We eyed one another significantly.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's a fort,&quot; quoth &quot;Dye.&quot; &quot;We've got to tackle both sea and land
+forces.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Presently, while we were hard at work sending shots at the Spanish
+gunboat, which was in lively action a short distance away, we became
+aware of a peculiar whirring noise&mdash;a sound like the angry humming of a
+swarm of hornets. It would rise and fall in volume, then break off short
+with a sharp crash. Suddenly, while glancing through the port, I saw
+something strike the surface, sending up a great spurt of water. It was
+followed by a dull, muffled report which seemed to shake the ship.</p>
+
+<p>It was a shell!</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Whiz! they are coming pretty fast,&quot; remarked Flagg. &quot;That last one
+didn't miss us by a dozen yards.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;This isn't Santiago shooting,&quot; put in Tommy. &quot;These beggars know how to
+aim.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>During the next ten minutes the fighting was fast and furious. It was
+load and fire and load again without cessation. There was the old
+trouble in regard to the smoke, and half the time we had to aim blindly.
+Notwithstanding that fact, &quot;Hay&quot; did so well that word came from Captain
+Brownson complimenting him warmly.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Yankee&quot; seemed to be the centre of a series of eruptions. The
+Spanish shells kept the water continually boiling, and with the
+splashing of each projectile there would arise a geyser-like fountain
+accompanied by a muffled explosion which could be plainly felt on board
+the ship.</p>
+
+<a name='page203'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page203.jpg' width='300' height='315' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>&quot;THERE WAS TEMPORARY CONFUSION&quot; (<i>page</i> 208).</h5>
+
+<p>It was the first real naval battle experienced by us&mdash;the bombardment of
+Santiago being of an entirely different calibre&mdash;and it needed only the
+grewsome setting of surgeons and wounded and blood to make it complete.
+That soon came.</p>
+
+<p>We of Number Eight gun were working at our stations, so intent on our
+duties that the uproar of shot and shell outside claimed little
+attention, when suddenly there came a louder explosion than usual
+directly in front of the open port.</p>
+
+<p>There was a blinding flash, a puff of stifling smoke, and then Kennedy,
+who was just approaching the gun with a shell, staggered back, and
+almost fell to the deck. Tommy, the first captain, made a gesture as if
+brushing something from his breast, and then leaped to the injured man's
+assistance.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It was a piece of shell,&quot; cried &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;It came through the port.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>There was temporary confusion. The surgeon and his assistants came on a
+run, but before they could reach the spot, Kennedy recovered and
+advanced to meet them. He presented a horrible spectacle, with his face
+and neck and body spattered with blood, and we who were nearest saw that
+he had been frightfully wounded in the left shoulder.</p>
+
+<p>Notwithstanding that fact, he remained cool and steady, and never made
+the slightest indication that he was suffering. When he finally
+disappeared down the berth-deck ladder we exchanged glances of surprise
+and sympathy.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That isn't Kennedy,&quot; murmured &quot;Stump,&quot; softly.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;We didn't know him after all,&quot; said &quot;Hay.&quot; &quot;Poor devil! I hope he isn't
+badly injured.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;He has been in the hardest kind of luck since we left New York,&quot; spoke
+up Tommy. &quot;Seasick half the time, always in trouble, and bucking against
+homesickness and everything else. And now he has to be wounded. It's a
+shame.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Our thoughts were with our comrade as we served the gun, and when word
+came a few moments later that he was doing fairly well, we could hardly
+repress a cheer.</p>
+
+<p>There was little time, however, for displaying emotion. We were right in
+the thick of the fight, and the &quot;Yankee's&quot; battery was being worked to
+the limit. It seemed as if the air fairly reeled with the noise and
+clamor of combat. Shells buzzed and shrieked about us, and smoke
+gathered in thick, stifling clouds all about the ship.</p>
+
+<p>While we were laboring, stripped to the waist, and trying our utmost to
+disable or sink the Spanish gunboat, an incident was occurring on deck
+which seemed more fitted for the pages of a novel than those of a story
+of facts.</p>
+
+<p>It was a display of daredevil courage seldom equalled in warfare.</p>
+
+<p>The lad whom we familiarly termed the &quot;Kid&quot; was the central figure and
+the hero. The diary of No. 5 of the after port gun, from which this
+narrative is taken, says of him: &quot;'Kid' Thompson is the ship's human
+mascot and all-round favorite with officers and men. His bump of respect
+is a depression, but his fund of ready wit and his unvarying good nature
+are irresistible. He is eighteen years of age, and is a 'powder monkey'
+on Number Sixteen, a six-pounder on the spar deck. This gun and Number
+Fifteen were the last to obey the order to cease firing during the
+bombardment of Santiago.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>During the fight with the Spanish gunboat it chanced that the port
+battery was not engaged for a brief period, so the &quot;Kid,&quot; with the rest
+of Number Sixteen crew, were at rest. To better see the shooting the
+&quot;Kid&quot; climbed upon the after wheel-house roof. The shells from the
+gunboat and the forts were dropping all around, fore and aft, port and
+starboard; they whistled through the rigging, and exploded in every
+direction, sending their fragments in a veritable hail of metal on all
+sides.</p>
+
+<p>The fact that the &quot;Yankee&quot; had so far escaped injury aroused in the
+&quot;Kid's&quot; breast a feeling of the utmost contempt for the Spanish gunners.
+Coolly standing upon his feet, he assumed the pose of a baseball player,
+and holding a capstan bar in his hands, called out tauntingly:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Here, you dagoes, give me a low ball, will you? Put 'em over the
+plate!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>As a shell would fly past with a shriek, he would strike at it, shouting
+at the same time:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Put 'em over the plate, I say. Do you expect me to walk up to the
+fo'c's'le to get a rap at 'em? Hi, there! wake up!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Then as a shot fell short, he laughed: &quot;Look at that drop, will you? Do
+you think I'm going to dive for it?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>A moment later a shell flew past so close that the windage almost
+staggered him, but the daring lad only cried banteringly: &quot;That's more
+like it. One more a little closer and I'll show you a home run worth
+seeing.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>And so it went until he was espied from the bridge and peremptorily
+ordered down.</p>
+
+<p>In the meantime, while this little episode was in progress, we on the
+gun deck were laboring without cessation. A dozen shots had been fired
+from Number Eight alone, when suddenly another fort secured the range,
+and began a deadly fusillade.</p>
+
+<p>The situation was becoming extremely serious!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_XV'></a><h2>CHAPTER XV.</h2>
+
+<h3>COALING IN THE TROPICS.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The well-directed fire of the forts at the entrance to Cienfuegos was
+rapidly making the &quot;Yankee's&quot; position untenable, and it soon became
+apparent that we would have to give way before overwhelming odds.
+Fifteen minutes after the battle began between the Spanish gunboat and
+the &quot;Yankee,&quot; the former beat a hasty retreat, steaming back into the
+harbor.</p>
+
+<p>It was plainly evident, however, that she had been badly hulled, as she
+yawed wildly while passing from sight behind the headlands. This of
+itself was victory enough for the present, and at the end of twenty
+minutes' firing, we withdrew out of range.</p>
+
+<p>Our object in the first place was, as we ascertained from forward during
+the day, to intercept a Spanish blockade runner, the &quot;Purissima
+Concepcion&quot;; so we laid off the harbor and waited for the coming of the
+ship, which was supposed to have left Jamaica for Cienfuegos. The day
+was spent in cleaning up after our brief but lively battle, and when
+night came, we were again shipshape.</p>
+
+<p>Shortly after daybreak the following morning, the lookout aloft reported
+that a steamer, evidently a man-of-war, was emerging from the harbor.
+The crew were called to &quot;general quarters&quot; at once, and every
+preparation made to give the stranger a lively reception. She proved,
+however, to be the German warship &quot;Geier&quot; bound for Santiago.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;In time of peace prepare for war&quot; is a good adage, but the reverse is
+also true. Peaceful pursuits are of a necessity carried out even in the
+face of the enemy.</p>
+
+<p>At &quot;evening quarters&quot; new hammocks were doled out, and all hands were
+instructed to scrub the old ones next morning and turn them in.</p>
+
+<p>By this time we had become quite expert laundrymen, but we had never
+tackled a stiff canvas hammock, and the prospect was far from pleasant;
+the following morning, however, we learned how to perform this final
+feat of cleansing; after which we felt qualified to wash anything&mdash;from
+a handkerchief to a circus tent.</p>
+
+<p>As &quot;Hay&quot; said, &quot;I feel equal to applying for the position of general
+housework man, if I lose my job. I can sew&mdash;you ought to see the
+elegant patch I put on the seat of my old blues&mdash;I can 'scrub and wash'
+clothes, I can sweep beautifully, I can make a bed with neatness and
+despatch. And I have been known to get on my knees and scrub the deck.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You're not the only one,&quot; growled Bill. &quot;Why, even 'Dirty Greene'
+escapes the aforetime customary 'calling down.'&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Greene was a clever fellow, a student at Harvard, the owner of a yacht,
+and a good sailor, but his college education did not help him to get his
+clothes clean. That was a study that had been left out of his university
+curriculum. The consequence was that he, with a good many others, was
+&quot;called down&quot; at every inspection.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Greene is getting it in the neck now,&quot; said his friend &quot;Steve&quot;; &quot;but I
+think he will get even some day with his cousin, the lieutenant of his
+division.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;How's that?&quot; we chorused.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Why, you see he owns a schooner yacht. And his cousin, the lieutenant,
+is very fond of sailing and never fails to accept an invitation to go
+cruising on her. Some day when the lieutenant is aboard, Greene will
+look him over and discover that his shoes are not polished, that his
+hair has not been combed properly, or his white duck trousers are not
+immaculate. He will then be sent below in disgrace to repair these
+faults, and our friend Greene will have the merry Ha! Ha! on him. 'He
+who laughs last, laughs best.'&quot;</p>
+
+<p>We one and all wished we owned yachts and could invite some of the other
+officers&mdash;&quot;Cutlets&quot; in particular.</p>
+
+<p>Blockading duty is monotonous work, though the strain on the lookouts is
+intense. During the day, a bright lookout must be kept for the lightest
+tinge of smoke on the horizon, and at night for the faintest glimmer of
+light, or a deeper shadow on the rim of the ocean that would betray a
+ship.</p>
+
+<p>It was Tuesday night, and time hung heavy on our hands. Eight bells had
+not sounded, and, though hammocks had been given out, neither watch
+could turn in. It was with particular glee, therefore, that we welcomed
+the news that &quot;Steve&quot; had composed an up-to-date verse to his &quot;Tommy
+Atkins&quot; song. After some persuasion&mdash;for he is a modest chap&mdash;he
+consented to sing it for us.</p>
+
+<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;The first two verses of this song were writ<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>Before we sailed away for Cuba's Isle;<br /></span>
+<span>And since that time the Spaniards we have fit,<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>And chased their gunboats many a weary mile.<br /></span>
+<span>We've heard the bullets whistling overhead.<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>We've heard the shells fly by and called it sport,<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>And down at Cienfuegos<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>We proved ourselves courageous<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>By tackling both a gunboat and a fort.<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>CHORUS.<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span class='i2'>&quot;Now we'd <i>like</i> to run a ferry,<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>All along the Jersey shore;<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>Fighting Spaniards, it is very<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>Nice, but we don't want&mdash;no more.<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>We would give our bottom dollar,<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>And of that you need not fear,<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>Just to hear the masthead holler<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>Brooklyn navy yard is here.&quot;<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>&quot;That's very good, 'Steve,'&quot; said Greene, &quot;but I can't quite agree to
+that line: 'Fighting Spaniards it is very nice, but we don't want&mdash;no
+more.' I'd like to have a few more raps at 'em.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You are such a bloodthirsty chap,&quot; said Flagg, &quot;you slam the charges
+into your old Number Seven as if you would like to wipe out the whole
+enemy with one fell swoop.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Well,&quot; replied Greene, thoughtfully, &quot;a man does get awfully excited
+when the guns begin to bark.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>And every one of us knew exactly how he felt.</p>
+
+<p>We maintained a close vigil until the sixteenth of June&mdash;two days
+later&mdash;then sailed for Santiago. Shortly after entering port we were
+informed that the Spanish gunboat with which we had been engaged off
+Cienfuegos had sunk, sent to the bottom by our fire; a bit of news
+highly appreciated.</p>
+
+<p>Our stay in Santiago was short, the &quot;Yankee&quot; leaving for Guantanamo the
+next day at eleven o'clock. On reaching the latter port we found
+evidences of a considerable change in the condition of affairs. On our
+former visit, as the reader will remember, we had engaged in an
+interesting argument with a gunboat, a blockhouse, and a fort, driving
+the boat back into the harbor and silencing the fort. The good work done
+that day had borne fruit.</p>
+
+<p>On entering the bay we found several of our vessels quietly riding at
+anchor&mdash;the &quot;Oregon,&quot; &quot;Marblehead,&quot; &quot;Dolphin&quot; (of railway-train fame),
+the ambulance ship &quot;Solace,&quot; the &quot;Panther,&quot; &quot;Suwanee,&quot; and three or four
+colliers and despatch boats.</p>
+
+<p>But that which attracted our instant attention and brought an
+involuntary cheer from us, was the sight of Old Glory, flaunting proudly
+from a tall flagstaff erected on the site of the former Spanish
+blockhouse.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hurray!&quot; shouted &quot;Stump,&quot; &quot;it's the first American flag to fly over
+Cuba. And we dug the hole to plant it.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That's right,&quot; assented &quot;Dye.&quot; &quot;We are the people.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What's that camp on top of the hill?&quot; queried Flagg, indicating a
+number of tents gleaming in dots of white against the background of
+green foliage.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It is the marine camp,&quot; explained &quot;Hay.&quot; &quot;Didn't you hear about it in
+Santiago? Why, man, it's the talk of the fleet. The marine corps has
+been adding to its laurels again. The other day eight hundred of them
+landed from the 'Panther' and fairly swept the place of Spaniards,
+fighting against three times their number. It was great.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The marines have a fine record,&quot; put in Tommy. &quot;I've been shipmates
+with them for years, and I am free to confess that they always do their
+duty.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;And are always faithful,&quot; remarked &quot;Dye.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That's their motto, 'Semper fidelis.' They have lived up to it in every
+war. They antedate the navy, you know.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;How's that?&quot; asked the &quot;Kid,&quot; who was willing to absorb knowledge at
+times.</p>
+
+<p>Tommy produced an ancient book from his ditty box, and proceeded to
+read an extract in a loud, sonorous voice. It was as follows:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Resolved, That two battalions of marines be raised, consisting of one
+colonel, two lieutenant-colonels, two majors, and other officers, as
+usual in other regiments; that they consist of an equal number of
+privates with other battalions; that particular care be taken that no
+persons be appointed to offices or enlisted into said battalions but
+such as are good seamen, or so acquainted with maritime affairs as to be
+able to serve to advantage on sea when required, that they be enlisted
+and commissioned to serve for and during the present war with Great
+Britain and the colonies, unless dismissed by order of Congress, that
+they be distinguished by the names of the First and Second Battalions of
+Marines.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The date of that resolution,&quot; added Tommy, with the air of a
+schoolmaster impressing a particular point, &quot;is November 10, 1775, which
+was before any naval vessel had been sent to sea by the Continental
+Congress. So you see the marines can claim priority in point of
+service.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;And priority in point of landing in Cuba,&quot; added &quot;Hod.&quot; &quot;Here's to
+them.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Our discussion on the subject of marines was cut short by a summons to
+coal ship, a task which had come to form the greatest thorn in the flesh
+of all on board the &quot;Yankee.&quot; The ship was run alongside the collier
+&quot;Sterling,&quot; and the port watch was set to work at once.</p>
+
+<p>From four to six and from eight to twelve p.m., and from four to eight
+the next morning the port watch shovelled, hoisted, and carried coal.</p>
+
+<p>Coaling in the tropics is a very different thing from similar work in
+northern latitudes. The exertion of shovelling, or lifting the heavy
+baskets, added to the intense heat of the weather, makes of it a task
+extremely trying even to those of the strongest physique. During the
+time thus spent in Guantanamo two of the &quot;Yankee's&quot; crew were overcome
+by heat and exhaustion, and compelled to ask for medical attendance.</p>
+
+<p>Our appearance beggared description. The exertion brought out a profuse
+perspiration on our half-naked bodies, to which the coal-dust stuck,
+thick and black. The black rubbed off in spots, showing the white skin
+beneath, the result being a most ludicrous mottled effect. A dime museum
+manager would make a fortune if he could have exhibited some of us as
+the piebald wild men from Guantanamo. It was not till afterward,
+however, that we could appreciate the humor of our looks. During the
+thick of the work we were too busy to note the funny side of things; in
+fact, we felt quite sure that there was nothing funny about it. It is
+impossible to awaken the sense of humor in a man who is plying a heavy
+shovel in the hold of a collier, or lugging a weighty basket, while the
+temperature is soaring to unknown altitudes.</p>
+
+<p>The ship had to be supplied with fuel, however, and as the crew had
+neglected to ingratiate themselves with a good-natured fairy to wish it
+aboard for them, they had to do the work with the best grace possible.</p>
+
+<p>During a &quot;spell&quot; of resting, &quot;Hay,&quot; who was a bit of a philosopher in
+his way, glanced about decks at the groups of panting, perspiring men,
+and remarked:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It would be an object lesson to some of our friends in New York if they
+were to see us now. Just look at those fellows. Not one had ever before
+been compelled by ill-fortune to soil his hands with toil, yet when war
+threatened, and it was necessary to man ships in their country's
+service, they cheerfully took upon themselves the labor's of a common
+sailor, and not only fought for the flag, but worked hard for it in
+menial tasks.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Menial tasks is good,&quot; said &quot;Dye,&quot; ruefully eyeing the baskets piled
+high with coal.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Self-laudation is bad form,&quot; spoke up Flagg, &quot;but I think the Naval
+Reserves who are manning the different auxiliary cruisers&mdash;the
+'Yosemite,' 'Prairie,' 'Dixie,' 'Badger,' 'Yankee,' and the monitors&mdash;as
+well as those serving on board the regular ships, should be given credit
+for their patriotism.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The boys will get it when the time comes,&quot; remarked &quot;Stump,&quot;
+confidently. &quot;And while we are waiting we'll just carry a little more
+coal. Get in line there.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Kennedy, all this time, was bearing up under his trouble splendidly, and
+when the launch of the hospital ship &quot;Solace&quot; came alongside to take him
+away, we could hardly repress a cheer. He was lowered over the side in a
+chair. As the launch steamed away, carrying Kennedy and two other
+shipmates who had been overcome by heat, there was a lump in many a
+throat.</p>
+
+<p>It was not until almost dark the next day that the bunkers were filled.
+At three bells (half-past five o'clock) we dropped the collier and
+steamed to sea en route down the coast. Shortly after ten the &quot;Yankee&quot;
+passed the fleet off Santiago. The electric searchlights in use on the
+ships nearer shore made a particularly brilliant display. The rays were
+turned directly upon the entrance to the harbor, and it was plainly
+evident that not even a small boat could emerge without being
+discovered.</p>
+
+<p>All day Sunday we steamed out of sight of land, our course being to the
+westward and our speed a good fourteen knots.</p>
+
+<p>For four hours in the morning we scrubbed the gun deck, washed the white
+paint work with fresh water and soap, scrubbed the deck with stiff
+&quot;kiyi&quot; brushes, and polished off the bright work. By noon the deck had
+its pristine immaculate look. We were in the midst of the sloppy job
+when &quot;forecastle Murray&quot; (one of the Murray twins&mdash;they looked so much
+alike that the invariable greeting in the morning was &quot;How are you,
+Murray&mdash;or are you your brother?&quot;) came aft for a bucket of fresh water.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What do you think of this?&quot; he inquired pugnaciously. &quot;Here we are
+scrubbing this blooming gun deck to beat the band, cleaning up the dirt
+of a two day's coaling, and now, forsooth, we are ploughing through the
+water at a fourteen or fifteen knot gait and burning up that coal almost
+as fast as we put it in.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>He disappeared up the galley ladder, grumbling as he went.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Another county heard from,&quot; said &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;It does seem rather tough,
+but here goes&quot;&mdash;he gave a vicious jerk to the hose he was handling and
+the stream caught &quot;Hay&quot; full in the neck, whereupon &quot;Hay&quot; saw to it that
+&quot;Stump&quot; had a salt-water bath.</p>
+
+<p>By the time &quot;mess gear&quot; was piped, the ship was very clean, so during
+the afternoon we were left largely to our own devices. Some wrote
+letters, though the possibility of sending them or of receiving answers
+was very remote. Others gathered in little knots and read or sewed, and
+still others took advantage of the time to &quot;caulk off&quot; and make up some
+lost sleep.</p>
+
+<p>And so passed another Sunday. Though we might not have a religious
+service we were certainly cleanly, and, therefore, at the worst, not far
+from godly.</p>
+
+<p>Nothing of interest occurred until early Monday morning. Several minutes
+before &quot;mess gear&quot; was due, a lookout at the masthead reported smoke in
+sight off the starboard bow. The engine room was signalled for full
+steam, and the &quot;Yankee&quot; sped away in chase.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's our day for scrapping,&quot; said &quot;Stump.&quot; &quot;We've had more fighting on
+Monday than on any other day of the week. I wonder if it's a Spanish
+cruiser?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It is heading for Trinidad, whatever it is,&quot; remarked &quot;Hay.&quot; &quot;Do you
+see that sloping hill just ahead? It marks the entrance to the little
+port of Trinidad. If I am not mistaken we'll find a gunboat or two in
+the harbor.&quot;</p>
+
+<a name='page221'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page221.jpg' width='300' height='325' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>&quot;THE FUSILLADE WAS LIVELY&quot; (<i>page</i> 221)</h5>
+
+<p>&quot;Hay&quot; proved to be a prophet.</p>
+
+<p>An hour later, on rounding a point of land, we came upon a small, armed
+launch steaming about near an old-time roofed-in gunboat which was
+riding at anchor in the harbor. As soon as we hove in sight the gunboat
+and launch opened fire. It was at long range, however, and the
+projectiles merely stirred up the water a mile away.</p>
+
+<p>As the &quot;Yankee's&quot; guns replied, a two-masted steamer made her appearance
+from within the harbor and vanished behind the keys. The fusillade was
+lively, we firing fully one hundred rounds, but there was little damage
+done. After a time, the launch retreated, and we went outside for the
+night.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's the last of that scrap,&quot; remarked Tommy, the boatswain's mate, as
+he piped down. &quot;We haven't any time to devote to such small fry.&quot;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_XVI'></a><h2>CHAPTER XVI.</h2>
+
+<h3>&quot;REMEMBER THE FISH.&quot;</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The following morning, after &quot;all hands,&quot; the &quot;Yankee&quot; started westward
+along the coast. Cienfuegos was passed, and presently the cruiser was
+taken nearer shore. The lookouts were told to keep watch for horsemen
+riding near the beach. This order aroused our flagging interest, and the
+majority of men on board maintained a careful scrutiny of the white
+strip of land just beyond the breakers.</p>
+
+<p>It was not until noon, however, that our search was rewarded. It was
+just after passing a deep inlet that one of the lookouts espied a group
+of men gathered near the water's edge. There seemed to be a number of
+them, and not far away could be seen a blue and white flag flying from a
+small staff.</p>
+
+<p>The engines were stopped, and a boat officered by Lieutenant Duncan, and
+carrying &quot;Hay&quot; as interpreter, went ashore. &quot;Hay&quot; had spent several
+years in the West Indies and was thoroughly familiar with the Spanish
+language. As he was unique in that respect on board the ship, he often
+did duty as interpreter.</p>
+
+<p>The boat landed in a little cove. After parleying for a while, one of
+the landing party was seen to wigwag. A few moments later the boat
+returned, bringing three Cubans, one of whom was the Cuban governor of
+Matanzas. The others were a captain and commander respectively. &quot;Hay&quot;
+was immediately surrounded and asked to describe what he saw ashore.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I have had the honor of photographing a detachment of the Cuban Army of
+Liberation,&quot; he replied, quizzically. &quot;To tell the truth, it looked like
+a part of Coxey's army. There were about thirty of them, and the
+clothing of the whole outfit wouldn't supply a New England farmer with a
+season's scarecrow. They carried guns of all descriptions, some of them
+with the barrels sawed off short like cavalry carbines; and not one of
+the men looked as if he knew the meaning of a square meal.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Like Washington's army at Valley Forge, eh?&quot; observed LeValley, joining
+the group.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Yes, and they are fighting for their liberty, too.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;How did they like being photographed?&quot; asked Tommy.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Tickled to death. When I asked them to line up they almost fell over
+each other. Next to eating, I think the poor devils love to have their
+pictures taken. They were just like children, and when I pressed the
+button they stood round waiting for the photograph to drop from the
+kodak.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Reminds me of the Cubans of Puerto Principe when the railway was built
+to that place,&quot; put in &quot;Zere,&quot; the chief quartermaster. &quot;A temporary
+roundhouse had been constructed, and when the first locomotive reached
+the city and was placed in it to be cleaned, all the natives from miles
+around gathered there. They crowded the windows and doors and were
+evidently waiting for something. Finally the engineer asked one of them
+what he wanted to see. 'We watch for mule to come out,' was the
+startling reply.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Mule?&quot; echoed Flagg.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Yes, that was the only motive power known to them,&quot; grinned &quot;Zere.&quot;
+&quot;They thought even a Yankee engine must have a mule somewhere inside.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That's like the natives of Guatemala,&quot; spoke up &quot;Hop,&quot; the messenger.
+&quot;When the street cars were introduced it was the usual thing for a
+native wishing to ride, to mount the platform and knock politely on the
+door. Some one inside would rise and open it, and then the native would
+enter and shake hands all round.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Fancy doing that on a Broadway cable car,&quot; laughed &quot;Stump.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Our imagination was not strong enough for that.</p>
+
+<p>The Cuban guests remained with us for several hours, then went ashore,
+together with a boat-load of provisions contributed by the ship.</p>
+
+<p>The whaleboat returned to the ship when the watch on deck had just been
+piped to supper. The other watch, therefore, had the job of pulling her
+up. The steady tramp, tramp, began and the boat slowly rose up foot by
+foot, till it was level with the rail, then there was a sudden jar and a
+crash. In an instant six men of the crew were in the water, while the
+boat floated away by itself.</p>
+
+<p>There was a rush of feet on deck, loud shouts and cries of &quot;Throw them a
+rope,&quot; &quot;Set adrift the life buoy,&quot; &quot;Where's that life belt?&quot; and the
+like.</p>
+
+<p>The men at mess jumped up, overturning cups and plates and dishes of
+food. One forecastle man pulled off his jumper and dove in to help.</p>
+
+<p>The sea ladder was put over the side and &quot;Long Tommy&quot; went down it,
+taking with him a piece of line; this he slipped under the arms of
+Rowland, the forecastle man, who had struck an oar on the way down, and
+was hurt. The man was soon hauled up on deck. The other four were also
+rescued. One went floating calmly off on the life buoy and was picked up
+by the gig, and the rest caught rope-ends and were safely hauled aboard,
+none the worse for their involuntary bath.</p>
+
+<p>Lines were coiled down again, the sea ladder unshipped and put in its
+place, and soon all was quiet and shipshape again&mdash;but we discovered
+that two spit kits and a monkey-wrench had been thrown overboard to aid
+the sinking sailors.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It's an ill wind that blows nobody good,&quot; quoted the &quot;Kid,&quot; who
+happened to be sweeper that week. &quot;I won't have to polish the brass on
+<i>those</i> kits again.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Shortly after the return of the last boat, smoke was sighted to seaward.
+The crew was called to general quarters without delay, and our ship
+steamed out to investigate. After a brief but exciting chase, we
+discovered that the supposed enemy was the auxiliary cruiser &quot;Dixie,&quot; a
+sister ship of the &quot;Yankee.&quot; She was manned by the Maryland Naval
+Reserves, and her armament was composed of six-inch breechloading
+rifles, not of the rapid-fire class.</p>
+
+<p>It soon became evident that her commanding officer, Commander Davis, was
+superior in rank to Commander Brownson, and he took charge of affairs at
+once. Captain Brownson was rowed over to the &quot;Dixie&quot; to pay his
+respects, and on his return a rumor that we were to be relieved of coast
+patrol duty by the &quot;Dixie&quot; and to proceed to Key West, went through the
+ship like wildfire.</p>
+
+<p>Tom LeValley brought the news to a group of us gathered on the after gun
+deck. We were just discussing the peculiar, and apparently ridiculous,
+degrees of etiquette found among naval officers in general, as
+exemplified by the ranking of Commander Davis over Commander Brownson.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;They are both commanders,&quot; Tommy was explaining, &quot;but Commander Davis
+happens to rank Commander Brownson by sixteen numbers in the official
+list. Both entered the service November 29, 1861, and&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Whoop!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Down the ladder charged LeValley, wildly flourishing his cap. He stopped
+in front of us and gasped: &quot;Hurrah! we're going&mdash;going to the United
+States, fellows.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What's up?&quot; demanded &quot;Stump.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The 'Dixie'&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Yes?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;She's to relieve us, and we are ordered to Key West and then to New
+York. We're going&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Rats!&quot; broke in &quot;Hay,&quot; in disgust. &quot;You can't give us any game like
+that. It's a rumor, my boy. We're never going home. The 'Yankee' is the
+modern 'Flying Dutchman,' and&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>At that moment the &quot;Kid&quot; appeared in sight, and his beaming face
+convinced us. It was glorious news, but not one of us felt like
+cheering. Our emotions were too deep for that. The mere prospect of
+seeing home again was enough pleasure for the moment, and we were
+content to talk quietly over the welcome possibility of soon meeting
+relatives and friends.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Yankee&quot; was destined, however, to experience a little more service
+before dropping anchor in home waters.</p>
+
+<p>For several days we cruised along the coast between Casilda and
+Cienfuegos. We came to know it very well; every ravine in the mountains
+was familiar, every inlet in the coral-bound shore known to us. It began
+to grow monotonous.</p>
+
+<p>Time lay rather heavy on our hands, but not too heavy, for we were put
+to work, two guns' crews at a time, coaling in a new and torrid fashion:
+the coal in the after hold had not all been taken out during the
+northern cruise, so it was decided to pack it in bags, two hundred
+pounds to a bag, carry it forward and stack it in an unused ballast
+tank.</p>
+
+<p>Number Six and Number Eight guns' crews were among the first to engage
+in this pleasant occupation.</p>
+
+<p>We found heat enough below to supply a good-sized house all winter, so
+clothing seemed unnecessary. We stripped to the waist, &quot;Cumming,&quot; a
+member of Number Six gun's crew, remarking that he thought a cool glance
+and a frozen smile would be sufficient in such a warm climate.</p>
+
+<p>The work was hard and dirty and the heat terrific. We saw no necessity
+for the transfer. Jack never can see the need of work unless it happens
+that some other crew is doing it.</p>
+
+<p>We cheered ourselves, however, by singing &quot;There's a hot time in the old
+ship to-day.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>While we lay close inshore, the &quot;Dixie&quot; cruised outside, and toward
+evening the two vessels met, and together we went to Casilda, a port
+near Trinidad. We stood by while the &quot;Dixie&quot; threw a few shells into
+the fort. Two days later the &quot;Yankee&quot; parted from her consort and
+proceeded to the Isle of Pines.</p>
+
+<p>It was here one of the most laughable incidents of the cruise occurred.
+While steaming past one of the outlying islands, a small fleet of
+fishing sloops was discovered at anchor inshore. Under ordinary
+circumstances such unimportant craft would not have been molested, but
+in the present case it was suspected that they formed part of the fleet
+supplying fish to the Havana market. To destroy them was our bounden
+duty.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Man the starboard fo'c'sle six-pounder and fire a shell in their
+direction,&quot; ordered the captain from the bridge.</p>
+
+<p>The gun was loaded in short order, and presently a projectile went
+screeching across the water, dropping with a splash near the largest
+sloop. Several small rowboats were seen to pull away from the smacks,
+and it was evident the crews had fled in terror. Directly after dinner,
+the &quot;Yankee's&quot; first cutter and the second whaleboat were ordered away,
+manned and armed. A Colt machine gun was placed in the bow of the
+former, and each carried an extra squad of armed marines.</p>
+
+<p>When the expedition returned it had in tow five decked sloops, one of
+which contained a quantity of fresh fish. Orders were given to attach
+the latter to our stern, and to fire the others and set them adrift.
+Before this was done, however, enough fish to supply the wardroom and
+cabin messes were taken out.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The crew can have its share to-morrow,&quot; quoth the captain.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;crew&quot; waited impatiently, but when the morrow came it was found
+that, through some one's blunder, the sloop containing the fish had been
+burned, and an empty one towed to sea with us. The joke, if it might be
+so termed, was on the crew.</p>
+
+<p>The watchword heretofore on the &quot;Yankee,&quot; as on every one of Uncle Sam's
+ships, had been &quot;Remember the Maine.&quot; Hereafter it was &quot;Remember the
+fish.&quot; This was done so persistently that the officer who was
+responsible for the blunder was dubbed &quot;Fish,&quot; and whenever he went near
+any member of the crew he was likely to hear, in a low tone, &quot;Remember
+the fish.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>After leaving the Isle of Pines the eastern shore of Cuba was rounded
+and a straight run made for Key West. At noon on the 27th of June, just
+twenty-nine days after the &quot;Yankee&quot; sailed from New York, we again
+entered a home port. The time was brief as time goes, but our varied
+experiences in foreign waters made the sight of the stars and stripes
+flaunting over American soil particularly pleasing.</p>
+
+<p>As we neared our anchorage the most entrancing rumors were rife. We were
+to get shore liberty without doubt, and the ship was to be coaled by
+outside labor. We took no stock in the latter rumor till an officer
+voiced it&mdash;then we believed. Our clean blues were furbished up, lanyards
+scrubbed, and money counted. We understood that there was little to see
+at Key West; that it was a dull and uninteresting place. Still it was
+land, and we had not set foot ashore for almost three months.</p>
+
+<p>If we had not been so anxious to get ashore we might have been able to
+appreciate the marine picture.</p>
+
+<p>The harbor, if it could be called a harbor, was full of war vessels,
+prizes, and colliers. Three grim monitors tugged at their anchor chains,
+apparently impatient at the restraint, while a few graceful, clean-cut,
+converted yachts swung with the tide.</p>
+
+<p>The gunboat &quot;Wilmington,&quot; and the cruisers &quot;Newark&quot; and &quot;Montgomery,&quot;
+floated with a bored air. In ship's language they said, Why are we
+loafing here? Why not be up and doing?</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Lancaster,&quot; a fine old frigate, the flagship of the commodore, had
+a fatherly air and seemed to say: &quot;Be good and you will all have a
+chance.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Once more we got our shore-going clothes ready, only to be disappointed,
+and again the promises made to us proved elusive. The day following our
+arrival, we were told that no shore liberty would be given at Key West,
+and while the reasons were all sufficient, a man who has set his mind on
+an outing ashore after a hundred days at sea, finds it somewhat hard to
+reconcile himself to the inevitable.</p>
+
+<p>One of the hardest, if not the hardest, thing we had to bear was the
+lack of letters and news from home. When one has been deprived of all
+tidings from his own people for so long the longing for word of them
+becomes almost unbearable.</p>
+
+<p>In the midst of our toughest work we felt that a letter from home would
+act like a strong tonic and brace us for the effort, and it would have
+done so. But no such balm came, though we eagerly scanned every incoming
+vessel for the signal &quot;We have mail for you.&quot; Now at last, though there
+might be tons on tons of coal to be put in at Key West, though the ship
+might have to be scrubbed and painted from truck to water line, we felt
+certain we would get letters from home. Letters that we ached for. And
+so when we sighted the fleet and old fort, and realized that we had
+reached Key West and mail at last, our joy was too great for utterance.</p>
+
+<p>The whaleboat went ashore and brought back two bags of precious
+missives, with the sad news that eight bags had been sent on a despatch
+boat to the &quot;Yankee&quot; at Santiago.</p>
+
+<p>We were glad enough to get two bags, yet we almost gnashed our teeth
+when we thought of the eight fat pouches that were chasing us around the
+island of Cuba.</p>
+
+<p>The mail was brought to the wardroom and dumped out on the table for the
+commissioned officers to sort and pick out their own letters. A
+news-hungry group stood the while at the doors, watching and mentally
+grumbling that such an awfully long time was being taken to accomplish
+so simple a thing.</p>
+
+<p>Finally the master-at-arms was sent for and the worth-its-weight-in-gold
+mail turned over to him to distribute. To the gun deck poured the eager
+throng. The master-at-arms backed up against the scuttle-butt for
+protection, then shouted out: &quot;Let one man from each mess get the mail;
+the rest of you stand off, or you won't get any till to-morrow.&quot; The
+rest of us stood to one side then, realizing that time would be thus
+saved.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Jimmy Legs&quot; called out the names, and the representatives of the
+different messes took them. We heard Kennedy's name called, and a murmur
+of sympathy spread around. &quot;Poor chap,&quot; said one, &quot;he would give the use
+of his wounded arm for that letter.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Yes,&quot; said another; &quot;he has to suffer homesickness as well as pain, and
+a letter from home would brace him up as nothing else could.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Every man took his treasures to a quiet place, a place apart, if such
+could be found, to enjoy them alone. The few who got none&mdash;well! may I
+never see such disappointed, sorrowful faces again.</p>
+
+<p>The letters read and pondered over awhile, tongues began to be loosened,
+and soon all over the ship was heard the buzz of conversation. Chums
+told each other the little items of news that to them seemed the most
+important things in the world. And after all had been told and retold,
+the men gathered in groups and discussed their past months' experiences.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Do you know,&quot; said Craven (a descendant of that famous line of naval
+heroes, a seaman and member of Number Thirteen six-pounder gun's crew),
+&quot;I think we are wonderfully fortunate to come through this experience
+as well as we have. Just think! We have been under fire five times, and
+only one man has been injured. Why,&quot; he continued, and his hearers
+nodded assent, &quot;I used to have the most awful visions&mdash;thought I saw the
+men lying round our gun in heaps, while fresh ones jumped to take the
+places of the fallen.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;And they would,&quot; said messenger &quot;Hop,&quot; who happened to be passing on
+his way aft to deliver an order.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Yankee&quot; had seen some spirited fighting, though most of her crew
+had anticipated nothing more exciting than patrol duty.</p>
+
+<p>Moreover, it was almost certain that we had not seen the end of active
+service. At present, however, the crew settled down once more to the
+monotony of ship life in port&mdash;which is about equivalent to garrison
+duty for a soldier.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_XVII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XVII.</h2>
+
+<h3>IN GOD'S COUNTRY.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The &quot;Yankee's&quot; stay in Key West was marked by one of the most melancholy
+incidents of the cruise. Thomas Clinton LeValley, one of the first of
+the New York Naval Reserves to respond to the call for volunteers, died
+from appendicitis in the hospital ashore, to which he had been removed
+for treatment. &quot;Tom,&quot; as he was familiarly called by his shipmates, was
+on board the &quot;Yankee&quot; during the five engagements of that vessel, and
+proved himself loyal and steadfast on every occasion. He was well liked
+by the officers and men of the crew, and his death was deeply regretted
+by all. It was his fate to be the one member of the New York Naval
+Reserves to lose his life in the service of his country.</p>
+
+<p>When a big barge heaped high with coal came alongside and was made fast,
+we began to doubt the assurances given us, that the coal would be put in
+by outside labor. A tug hove in sight shortly afterward that caused our
+gloomy faces to light up with gladness, for it carried a gang of
+negroes. The tug made fast to the barge, and its living cargo was soon
+hard at work filling the ship's bunkers.</p>
+
+<p>All that afternoon we &quot;lingered in the lap of luxury,&quot; as &quot;Bill&quot; put it.
+At six o'clock our dusky (doubly dusky) coal heavers went ashore, their
+labor over for the day. Though the workmen had left, the work was still
+to continue. The crew coaled till twelve o'clock, working in quarter
+watches. The following day another barge came alongside and part of the
+crew had to turn to and help the hired shovellers.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;So much,&quot; said &quot;Stump,&quot; snapping his fingers, &quot;for the officers'
+assurances.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Up to this time we did not <i>know</i> where we were going. Of course the
+&quot;Rumor Committee&quot; were ready with news of destinations galore. We were
+to return to our patrol duty, to join the Flying Squadron and threaten
+the coast towns of Spain, to join the blockading squadron off Havana. We
+were to do a dozen or more things just as probable or just as
+improbable.</p>
+
+<p>A coal barge still lay alongside the starboard side of the ship, when a
+lighter appeared and made fast to the port side, loaded with express
+packages, parts of machinery, pipes, and bags of mail for every ship on
+the Santiago blockade.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Now we will get those eight bags of mail,&quot; said a forecastle man,
+exultantly. And from that moment we knew we were going back to Cuba.</p>
+
+<p>But like a good many people who think they know it all&mdash;we didn't.</p>
+
+<p>Bunkers, holds&mdash;almost every available space, in fact, was filled with
+coal.</p>
+
+<p>Then began the much dreaded job of painting. Stages were hung over the
+side, each manned by two men, and with much reluctance we began to daub
+the old &quot;Yankee&quot; with gray paint.</p>
+
+<p>The men were unaccustomed to such work, though some could handle the
+brushes sold in &quot;artist's materials&quot; shops well enough, and they
+spattered gray paint all over themselves. It was thought easier to wash
+skins than jumpers, so many were decorated in wonderful fashion.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You would make a 'professor of tattooing' wild with envy,&quot; said Greene
+to &quot;Steve,&quot; as the latter appeared over the rail.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Well, I don't know,&quot; retorted &quot;Steve,&quot; &quot;I am thinking of reporting you
+for misappropriating government property. You've got more paint on
+yourself than you put on the ship.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>After a day and a half of dreary work we had the satisfaction of seeing
+the vessel's sides one uniform color from stem to stern. It was a big
+job for such a short time and our arms ached at the very thought of it.</p>
+
+<p>The sides painted, our attention was given to the decks. They were
+swabbed thoroughly, first with a damp swab, and after they were entirely
+dry the spar deck was covered with red shellac, this being applied with
+a wide varnish brush. The gun deck was then taken in hand and treated in
+the same way.</p>
+
+<p>By Saturday night the ship was as fine as a &quot;brand new jumping-jack
+before the baby sucked the paint off.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Some of the men still suffered from black-and-blue spots, which,
+however, a little turpentine liniment would have banished.</p>
+
+<p>Rumors were rife that we would be bound for New York shortly, but few
+believed them; the circulators themselves certainly did not, of that we
+felt sure.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The idea!&quot; said &quot;Mourner,&quot; who, though ready to swallow most rumoristic
+pills, could not manage this one. &quot;Go to New York with eighty bags of
+mail for the Santiago fleet! I can see us doing it.&quot;</p>
+
+<a name='page240a'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page240a.jpg' width='352' height='300' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>&quot;THE SPAR DECK WAS COVERED WITH RED SHELLAC&quot; (<i>page</i> 240)</h5>
+
+<a name='page240b'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page240b.jpg' width='347' height='300' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>&quot;THE MARINES AIRED THEIR HAMMOCKS ON THE FORECASTLE DECK&quot; (<i>page</i> 244).</h5>
+
+<p>&quot;Taps&quot; sounded at nine o'clock, and we were glad enough to turn in.</p>
+
+<p>When all hands were called, I rubbed my eyes in astonishment, for as I
+glanced out of the deadlight near which my hammock swung, I saw that we
+were under way and well out to sea. I put on my togs in a hurry, and
+after lashing and stowing my &quot;dream bag,&quot; rushed on deck.</p>
+
+<p>Yes, sure enough, we were at sea.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Stump&quot; came and grabbed me round the waist&mdash;he could hardly reach
+higher. &quot;We're bound for New York,&quot; said he. &quot;We met the 'St. Paul'
+going in and the signal boys say we signalled, 'We have urgent orders to
+proceed to New York.' What do you think of that?&quot; he added,
+breathlessly.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;With eighty bags of mail for the Santiago fleet,&quot; said I, thinking of
+the poor fellows who were longing with all their hearts for those same
+bags.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Regular navy style,&quot; added &quot;Stump.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Though it was hard on our friends off Santiago we could not be cast
+down, and the near prospect of liberty&mdash;of an opportunity to see home
+and friends, of again setting foot on shore&mdash;transformed the entire
+crew.</p>
+
+<p>Everywhere could be seen smiling faces. Laughter and merry chatter
+filled the air, and the rollicking songs written by &quot;Steve&quot; and others
+were more in evidence than ever. The daily routine of work seemed
+lighter. There was no grumbling, no fault finding; even the interminable
+task of shifting coal was carried on with actual cheerfulness. Grimy
+hands and blackened faces and tired bodies were forgotten.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;There's a mighty good dinner waiting for me in the dear old house,&quot;
+exclaimed &quot;Stump,&quot; unctuously. &quot;I can sniff it afar. And say, fellows,
+won't we forget&mdash;for a few hours at least&mdash;that such things as reveille
+and scrub and wash clothes and coal humping and salt-horse exist on
+earth?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Oh, good Mr. Captain, how long will it be before we hear the welcome
+call, 'Shift into clean blue, the liberty party!' and find ourselves
+piling over the side,&quot; groaned &quot;Hay.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You will be glad enough to come back to your Uncle Samuel,&quot; grinned
+&quot;Steve.&quot; &quot;When your time is up you will be waiting for the boat.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;No doubt,&quot; replied Flagg. &quot;We will be ready to complete our time of
+service, but there are some, if rumor speaks the truth&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>He finished with a significant wink.</p>
+
+<p>He referred to the many threats of &quot;French leave&quot; made by certain
+members of the crew&mdash;threats which did not materialize except in a very
+few cases. The disgruntled members of the &quot;Yankee's&quot; crew were composed
+mainly of the &quot;outside&quot; men&mdash;men not of the Naval Reserves. Among the
+latter, despite the unaccustomed hardships to which they were subjected,
+a firm determination existed to remain until lawfully mustered out.</p>
+
+<p>The trip from Key West to New York was marked by only one important
+incident&mdash;the celebration of the Fourth of July. It was unlike that
+familiar to the majority of the crew. There were no fireworks, no
+parades, nor bands playing the national anthem. The day opened squally,
+and sharp gusts of rain swept the decks. The usual routine of work was
+proceeded with, and it was not until eight bells (noon) that we fully
+realized the date. At exactly midday a salute of twenty-one guns was
+fired, and those of us who were super-patriotic, took off our caps in
+honor of the flag. That ended the ceremony.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Never mind,&quot; said Tommy, when one of the boys bewailed the meagre
+celebration, &quot;never mind, shipmate. There's a good time coming when we
+can whoop 'er up for Old Glory as much as we please. Then we'll make up
+for to-day. We can't expect to do much under these conditions, you
+know.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The day following (a fine, <i>cool</i>, bright one, and how we did appreciate
+it!) was spent by all hands in getting the ship spick and span for the
+inspection of visitors, who were sure to be on hand to welcome us.</p>
+
+<p>The semi-weekly ceremony of airing hammocks and bedding was indulged in.
+The bugler blew &quot;hammocks,&quot; whereupon all hands lined up to receive them
+from the stowers. They were then unlashed on the gun deck, and inspected
+by the officers of the different divisions, who ordered that they should
+be taken up to the spar deck. The blankets and mattresses were spread
+wherever sun and breeze could get at them. The rail, as well as the
+boats, was covered with them. Red blankets flaunted in the breeze from
+the rigging till we resembled an anarchist emigrant ship.</p>
+
+<p>The marines aired their hammocks on the forecastle deck in the
+neighborhood of their guns.</p>
+
+<p>After an hour or two, the word was passed to &quot;stow hammocks,&quot; and soon
+all was shipshape again.</p>
+
+<p>This duty was performed once or twice a week, the frequency depending
+on weather and circumstances.</p>
+
+<p>Wednesday, July 6th, we passed Sandy Hook and entered New York harbor,
+just thirty-six days since we left it.</p>
+
+<p>As we made our way up the channel, a pilot boat hailed us and told us of
+Sampson and Schley's glorious victory over Cervera.</p>
+
+<p>Though our joy was great and our enthusiasm intense, we were greatly
+disappointed that we were not in at the death. We felt sure that if we
+had been there our skipper would have worked the old craft in near
+enough to have given us a shot.</p>
+
+<p>We steamed on up the bay and through the Narrows, the happiest lot of
+Jackies afloat. The captain of every vessel we met pulled his whistle
+cord until the steam gave out, and the passengers cheered and waved
+their handkerchiefs, or whatever came handy.</p>
+
+<p>The health officer passed us in a jiffy, and before eight bells struck
+we were safely at anchor off Tompkinsville.</p>
+
+<p>It transpired that we had been sent North on account of a yellow fever
+scare. The health officer proved that the fear was groundless. Again we
+set to work cleaning, scrubbing, polishing, and painting, so by the time
+our friends came crowding aboard, the ship was as neat as a new pin.</p>
+
+<p>The visitors&mdash;how glad we were to see them! Only one who has looked
+danger in the face and realized that there might never be a home-coming
+in this world, could understand our feelings as our relatives and
+friends&mdash;bless them&mdash;came aboard.</p>
+
+<p>Fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and other fellows' sisters crowded
+up the gangway to greet us.</p>
+
+<p>And all were welcome.</p>
+
+<p>The second day after we anchored, the port watch was given shore leave
+of twenty-four hours. So we donned our clean blues, and for the first
+time since May 9th, set foot on solid ground.</p>
+
+<p>As the port watch came over the side the following day, after its
+liberty ashore, they were met with the order &quot;Shift into working clothes
+at once and get those shells below.&quot; The red ammunition flag was flying
+at the foremast head, and all thoughts must be given up of the good
+times ashore.</p>
+
+<p>The starboard watch then went on liberty ashore and the port watch
+tackled the ammunition.</p>
+
+<p>From noon till after ten, we were kept busy storing thirteen-inch
+shells for the biggest guns in the navy. They weigh 1,100 pounds apiece
+and are dangerous things to handle, not only on account of their weight,
+but because of the charge of powder each carries. We also loaded eight,
+six, and five-inch shells into the after hold. We turned in at eleven
+o'clock, and were roused at 3:30 next morning to begin the same heavy
+work. When the starboard watch returned the following noon, we were
+still at it, and they, too, had to pitch in and help as soon as they
+could get into working clothes.</p>
+
+<p>Saturday, Sunday, and Monday were spent in the same way&mdash;stowing food
+for Uncle Sam's mighty guns.</p>
+
+<p>The thirteen-inch shells were crated in heavy planks, bound with iron;
+slings of rope were placed around them and they were lowered slowly into
+the hold. The eight, six, and five-inch shells had a lashing of tarred
+rope and a loop by which they might be lifted and handled.</p>
+
+<p>Charges of smokeless powder for thirteen, eight, and six-inch guns, in
+copper canisters, were also taken aboard.</p>
+
+<p>When all was stowed, we carried enough explosives to blow the water out
+of the bay. At half-past two on July 12th, the anchor was raised, the
+cat falls manned, and we bade New York good-by once more. A brisk
+northeast breeze was blowing, kicking up an uncomfortable sea, and when
+Sandy Hook was passed it became necessary to close all ports and batten
+down hatches.</p>
+
+<p>The rolling and pitching of the ship soon began to make things
+interesting on the gun deck. Immense green seas, shipped at intervals on
+the upper deck, sent little streams of water trickling down through
+openings as yet unprotected.</p>
+
+<p>At evening quarters it was all we could do to stand upright. A number of
+men left their stations suddenly without permission, and seemed to take
+great interest in the sea just over the rail.</p>
+
+<p>As the sun sank, the wind rose, and with it came rain&mdash;rain in
+sheets&mdash;the &quot;wettest&quot; kind of rain.</p>
+
+<p>When the port watch was relieved at eight o'clock, even the veriest
+landsman among us could tell that the situation was becoming serious. We
+turned in at once, determining to get all the sleep possible in that
+pandemonium of sound.</p>
+
+<p>The value of hammocks in a heavy sea was proved beyond all peradventure,
+for once we got into them and closed our eyes, we hardly realized that
+the ship was almost on her beam ends much of the time.</p>
+
+<p>From time to time we were wakened by the crash of a mess chest, as it
+broke from its lashings and careened around the deck. The mess pans and
+pots banged and thumped. At intervals the lurching of the vessel caused
+a mess table with the accompanying benches to slide to the deck with a
+crash.</p>
+
+<p>At twelve, we of the port watch were wakened from our much-interrupted
+rest and ordered on deck for muster.</p>
+
+<p>As we slid from our hammocks we realized for the first time the fury of
+the storm. It was impossible to stand upright.</p>
+
+<p>The old hooker rolled so, that it was impossible to keep from sliding
+even when one lay prone on the deck. The men on lookout had all they
+could do to hang on. One moment the end of the bridge would rise high in
+air and the next almost bury itself in the seething waters.</p>
+
+<p>The wind roared, the lightning flashed, and the thunder rolled.</p>
+
+<p>The dense fog hung like a curtain round the ship, so the whistle was
+blown incessantly.</p>
+
+<p>The boatswain's mate ordered me to go forward and stand an hour's watch
+on the bridge. I obeyed, creeping on all fours most of the time, till I
+reached the opening between the deck houses. I escaped, by a hair's
+breadth, a sea which came over the side like a solid green wall.</p>
+
+<p>The man on the port end of the bridge whom I relieved, shouted in my
+ear&mdash;he could not be heard otherwise&mdash;&quot;You want to get a good hold or
+you'll be fired overboard in a jiffy.&quot; Then he left me.</p>
+
+<p>It was the kind of a night one felt the need of companionship. I spent a
+lonely hour on the bridge, eyes and ears strained for signs of other
+vessels, face and hands stung by the pelting rain. Underlying all other
+thoughts was the consciousness that we carried several hundred tons of
+deadly explosive that might shift any moment or be ignited by a spark
+from a lamp and explode.</p>
+
+<p>The sandbags stored about the steering gear broke loose and were heaped
+in picturesque confusion. The scene aft was indescribable. A quantity of
+d&eacute;bris of varying nature slid across the smooth surface of the gun deck
+with a rush at every roll, making navigation a difficult, if not
+perilous, task. Later, to add to the tumult, one man's hammock was cut
+down by a falling mess table, but he escaped serious injury.</p>
+
+<p>It was not until the following morning that the seas subsided, but the
+day proved pleasant, and the mishaps of the preceding afternoon were
+forgotten in the excitement of reaching Norfolk, which port was reached
+by the &quot;Yankee&quot; shortly before dark. Later in the evening the ship was
+taken to the navy yard.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Which means that we are going to hustle more ammunition,&quot; observed
+Tommy, as we made fast to a dock.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;And more stores,&quot; added &quot;Dye.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;And coal,&quot; chimed in &quot;Stump,&quot; with a grimace. &quot;I am glad of it, too.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Glad of it?&quot; echoed &quot;Dye,&quot; in surprise. &quot;That's queer.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Not at all, dear boy,&quot; was the second loader's calm reply. &quot;D'ye see, I
+am in training for the billet of chief deck hand on a tramp canal boat,
+and this experience is just in my line.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Four days later the mooring hawsers were cast off and the &quot;Yankee&quot;
+steamed out between the capes en route to Santiago. From the hour we
+left Norfolk until the sighting of the Cuban coast, our time was taken
+up with drills of every description. The following extract from the log
+for July 18th, will suffice for an example:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Cleared ship for action at three bells along with general quarters.
+General quarters again half an hour after turn to at noon. Fire drill
+and abandon ship at three bells in the afternoon. General quarters
+again at two bells (9 p.m.).&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Under date of July 19th, one of the crew states in his private diary:
+&quot;Clear ship for action again. This is a very pretty drill, and is much
+liked by the boys, as it includes sending all the mess gear and
+provisions below, where most of them are usually 'pinched.' Clear ship
+for action always means an exchange of undesirable mess gear, such as
+broken benches, tables, etc. General quarters at 1:30; fired two shots
+at an invisible target with smokeless powder. Great success, this new
+powder. If we had only been provided with it before, every living
+Spaniard would have trembled at the word 'Yankee'!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What are we doing all this clear ship, general quarters, fire drill,
+and such business for?&quot; said a forecastle man to Craven, who, besides
+being on a deck gun, from which all that was occurring on the bridge
+could be seen, was a messenger.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Why, don't you know?&quot; said the latter. &quot;We have a war artist aboard,
+and all this extra drilling is being done for his special benefit, so he
+can work it up for his paper, I suppose.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Well, if we ever get that artist aboard the old 'New Hampshire' we will
+teach him a few things, so he can describe them from actual
+experience,&quot; said &quot;Hod&quot; the husky. &quot;He'll be able to describe scrub and
+wash clothes, sweeping decks, washing dishes, and all the rest, most
+vividly,&quot; he continued, vindictively. &quot;We'll show him how we get under
+the hose in the morning. Oh, we'll have a bully time with him, and I'll
+wager that when we're through the honors of naval battles will seem too
+trivial for him to draw!&quot;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_XVIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XVIII.</h2>
+
+<h3>THE &quot;YANKEE&quot; ARRIVES OFF SANTIAGO</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>On the twenty-first of July the &quot;Yankee&quot; arrived off Santiago. The
+&quot;Brooklyn&quot; was the only warship on guard, and the absence of that grim
+line of drab-colored ships changed the whole appearance of the coast.
+The &quot;Brooklyn&quot; seemed lonely, though she rode the seas proudly. &quot;See,&quot;
+she seemed to say, &quot;I am monarch of all I survey&quot;; and she looked every
+inch a queen, as she swayed slowly in the long ground swell, her ensign
+snapping in the brisk breeze and Admiral Schley's flag standing out like
+a board. From our proximity to the shore we were enabled to obtain a
+better view than before. Old Morro Castle, perched above the mouth of
+the channel, seemed battered and forlorn. The Stars and Stripes floated
+on high exultingly from the very staff that formerly bore the Spanish
+colors, and we thrilled when we saw it. The wreck of the &quot;Reina
+Mercedes&quot; could be plainly made out, and beyond her could also be seen
+the masts and stack of the &quot;Merrimac&quot;&mdash;a monument to American heroism.</p>
+
+<p>With the U.S.S. &quot;Yankton&quot; (which had run out of coal) in tow, we
+proceeded to Guantanamo. While entering the bay, the first fleet of
+transports bearing troops for the invasion of Porto Rico was
+encountered. Inside the harbor a vast squadron of American ships lay at
+anchor&mdash;some forty vessels in all. The spectacle of such a mighty fleet
+bearing our beloved colors was indeed inspiring.</p>
+
+<p>We found the &quot;Iowa,&quot; &quot;Massachusetts,&quot; &quot;Indiana,&quot; &quot;Oregon,&quot; &quot;Texas,&quot; &quot;New
+York,&quot; &quot;Marblehead,&quot; &quot;Detroit,&quot; &quot;Newark,&quot; &quot;Porter,&quot; &quot;Terror,&quot;
+&quot;Gloucester,&quot; the repair ship &quot;Vulcan,&quot; several despatch boats and
+colliers in the bay. Two gunboats and several steamers captured at
+Santiago also bore the American colors.</p>
+
+<p>Such a fleet many an important port has never seen, and in New York
+harbor would draw immense crowds. Here the spectacle was wasted on
+unappreciative Cubans.</p>
+
+<p>The bay presented a lively appearance with the innumerable little
+launches and despatch boats darting about from ship to ship. Vessels
+went alongside sailing colliers to have their bunkers replenished; other
+ships entered or left at all hours; signals were continually flying
+from the flagship; occasionally a Spanish launch bearing a flag of truce
+would come down from the town, and in the midst of it all the crews of
+the different men-of-war worked on in the accustomed routine, as if
+peace and war, drills and fighting, were all a part of man's ordinary
+existence.</p>
+
+<p>Over a month ago we had sailed into this harbor with the &quot;Marblehead&quot;;
+the ship cleared for action, the crews at their loaded guns, and the
+battle ensigns flying from fore and mainmast, as well as from taffrail.
+This time we entered the bay with a feeling that we were to take part in
+a great naval spectacle.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as we joined the fleet we became amenable to fleet discipline.
+All orders for routine work came from the flagship. &quot;Quarters&quot; were held
+but twice a day instead of three times, and then they were short and,
+therefore, sweet.</p>
+
+<p>Each morning at eight o'clock, when a war vessel is in port, the bugler
+plays &quot;colors,&quot; while the drummer beats three rolls; those of the crew
+who are under the open sky stand at attention, silent, facing aft, where
+the flag is being hauled slowly to its place. At the completion of the
+call all hands salute; then the work is carried on. It is a beautiful
+ceremony.</p>
+
+<p>Saluting the &quot;colors&quot; morning and evening is not merely a mark of
+respect for the Government of the nation, but is an act of worship to
+the God of nations&mdash;a silent prayer for guidance and care and an
+expression of thankfulness.</p>
+
+<p>Shortly after &quot;colors&quot; the morning following our arrival at Guantanamo,
+orders were given to &quot;turn to&quot; on the ammunition. Launches and barges
+from other warships came alongside, and the charges of powder and the
+shells were transferred to them.</p>
+
+<p>When this cargo of deadly explosive began to come aboard a &quot;magazine
+watch&quot; was set. The ammunition was stowed in all parts of the
+ship&mdash;forward, main, and after holds were filled. A watch was set on
+each of the holds. It was their duty to watch the temperature day and
+night and to report the same to the officer of the deck every half hour.
+Extreme care was taken to guard against fire. In case fire was
+discovered, it was the duty of the man on watch to run and turn on the
+water&mdash;the key for the valve which regulated this being always carried
+on his wrist. Then he must notify the officer of the deck, shouting
+&quot;fire&quot; as he went, after which he must go back and with the hose
+endeavor to put out the blaze.</p>
+
+<p>Constant, wide-awake, alert watchfulness was necessary. It was hot and
+close below, and at night it was almost impossible to keep awake. It is
+difficult enough to keep wide awake for an hour's lookout on deck, when
+there is much to see and the air is brisk and invigorating, but it is
+quite a different matter to be roused in the middle of the night to
+stand two hours' watch in a close, hot hold, where nothing more
+interesting than cases of powder and the bare, blank sides of the ship
+are to be seen.</p>
+
+<p>At first, the knowledge that the lives of all on board and the safety of
+the ship herself depended on the alertness of the watch, kept us wide
+awake and anxious, but as time went on, it grew harder and harder to
+resist nature's demand for sleep; therefore, when the order was given to
+unload the ammunition, none were gladder than the men of the &quot;magazine
+watches.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>After evening mess the boatswain's mate&mdash;he got his orders from the
+bridge&mdash;came aft, shouting as he walked, &quot;All you men who want to go in
+swimming may do so right away.&quot;</p>
+
+<a name='page258a'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page258a.jpg' width='345' height='300' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>&quot;HE GOT HIS ORDERS FROM THE BRIDGE&quot; <i>(page</i> 258)</h5>
+
+<a name='page258b'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page258b.jpg' width='341' height='300' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>&quot;ALL YOU MEN WHO WANT TO GO IN SWIMMING MAY DO SO&quot; <i>(page</i> 258).</h5>
+
+<p>There was no doubt as to the popularity of that order. &quot;All we men&quot;
+wanted to go in swimming, and that right away. In a jiffy, white figures
+began to drop over the side with a splash, and soon shouts of glee
+filled the air. The water was warm and clear as crystal, and so dense
+with salt that a man diving, came up like a cork. In fifteen minutes the
+order &quot;Knock off swimming&quot; was passed, and though we left the water with
+reluctance, obedience was prompt, lest the privilege might not again be
+accorded us.</p>
+
+<p>After hammocks had been given out, boats hoisted&mdash;all the work of the
+day finished, in fact&mdash;most of the men gathered aft to hear the band of
+the &quot;Oregon&quot; play. It was a volunteer band; that is, the musicians were
+enlisted men, not assigned for the band. They played with vim and
+precision.</p>
+
+<p>It was almost dark; only the ships' outlines could be made out. The red
+and white signal lights twinkled at intervals at the mastheads of
+different vessels, while beams of light showed on the still, dark water
+from open ports. The whole fleet lay quiet while the men listened to the
+strains of music from the &quot;Oregon.&quot; It was more like the rendezvous of a
+cruising yacht club than a fleet of warships gathered in the enemy's
+country.</p>
+
+<p>The music from the battleship ceased, and for a moment all was still
+save for the lapping of the water against the ships' sides and the
+splash of a fish as it leaped out of water.</p>
+
+<p>Suddenly and together, a shrill piping on all the ships broke the
+silence, followed by the hoarse cry, &quot;All the anchor watch to muster.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>On all men-of-war at eight o'clock, the anchor watch is mustered. It
+consists of sixteen men&mdash;eight on duty from nine till one o'clock, the
+other eight from one till &quot;all hands&quot; at 5:30. The first part always
+calls its relief at one o'clock.</p>
+
+<p>The mustering over, all flocked aft to hear the band again, but were
+disappointed, for the concert was over.</p>
+
+<p>However, the men had come aft for music and music they must have in some
+shape.</p>
+
+<p>So &quot;Steve&quot; the modest was dragged out, and after some persuasion sang
+the following to the tune of &quot;Lou, Lou, How I Love Ma Lou.&quot; &quot;Baron,&quot; the
+gunner's mate, accompanied him on the mandolin, and Eickmann, the marine
+corporal, helped out with his guitar.</p>
+
+<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;'Way down at the Brooklyn navy yard,<br /></span>
+<span class='i3'>Where ships are rigged for sea,<br /></span>
+<span class='i1'>Three hundred little 'heroes'<br /></span>
+<span class='i3'>Went aboard the old 'Yankee.'<br /></span>
+<span class='i1'>Oh! we were young and foolish,<br /></span>
+<span class='i3'>We longed for Spanish gore,<br /></span>
+<span class='i1'>And so they set us working<br /></span>
+<span class='i3'>As we never worked before.<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>CHORUS:<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>&quot;Hard-tack and salt-horse every day,<br /></span>
+<span class='i5'>Work, slave, for mighty little pay;<br /></span>
+<span class='i5'>And just before we get to sleep<br /></span>
+<span class='i5'>We hear the bosun pipe like this<br /></span>
+<span class='i15'>(Whistle),<br /></span>
+<span class='i5'>'Up all hammocks, all hands.'<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;They turn us out each morning,<br /></span>
+<span class='i3'>To scrub our working clothes;<br /></span>
+<span class='i1'>To polish guns and bright work,<br /></span>
+<span class='i3'>To 'light' along the hose.<br /></span>
+<span class='i1'>To wash down decks and ladders,<br /></span>
+<span class='i3'>To coil down miles of rope,<br /></span>
+<span class='i1'>To carry coal in baskets,<br /></span>
+<span class='i3'>To live on air and hope.<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>CHORUS:<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>&quot;Hard-tack and salt-horse every day,<br /></span>
+<span class='i5'>Work, slave, for mighty little pay;<br /></span>
+<span class='i5'>And when we think our work is done<br /></span>
+<span class='i5'>We hear the bosun pipe like this<br /></span>
+<span class='i15'>(Whistle),<br /></span>
+<span class='i5'>'Turn to.'<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;Way down at Santiago,<br /></span>
+<span class='i3'>We fit the forts one day.<br /></span>
+<span class='i1'>The shells were bursting o'er us,<br /></span>
+<span class='i3'>There was the deuce to pay.<br /></span>
+<span class='i1'>We hid our inclination<br /></span>
+<span class='i3'>To run and hide below,<br /></span>
+<span class='i1'>Because we're little 'heroes,'<br /></span>
+<span class='i3'>They've often told us so.<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>CHORUS:<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;Hard-tack and salt-horse every day,<br /></span>
+<span>Work, slave, for mighty little pay;<br /></span>
+<span>And just as all the fight was over<br /></span>
+<span>We heard the bosun pipe like this<br /></span>
+<span class='i10'>(Whistle),<br /></span>
+<span>'Gun-deck sweepers, clean sweep fore and aft.<br /></span>
+<span>Sweepers, clean your spit kits.'<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;One Saturday we anchored<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>Just off the Isle of Pines,<br /></span>
+<span>To load up with pineapples,<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>And look for Spanish signs.<br /></span>
+<span>We called away the cutters,<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>With seamen filled them up,<br /></span>
+<span>And captured five small sailboats,<br /></span>
+<span class='i2'>Two Spaniards and a pup.<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>CHORUS:<br /></span>
+</div><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;Hard-tack and salt-horse every day,<br /></span>
+<span>Work, slave, for mighty little pay;<br /></span>
+<span>And when we'd like to talk it over<br /></span>
+<span>We heard the bosun pipe this<br /></span>
+<span class='i4'>(Whistle),<br /></span>
+<span>'Pipe down.'&quot;<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>&quot;That's great!&quot; said one and all.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;There is just time for the 'Intermezzo' before tattoo, 'Baron,'&quot; said
+&quot;Pair o' Pants,&quot; the signal boy. &quot;Give it to us, will you?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Baron&quot; obligingly complied.</p>
+
+<p>The boys lay around in comfortable, though ungraceful, attitudes, a
+small but appreciative audience.</p>
+
+<p>As the last high note died away the ship's bugler began that lovely
+call, &quot;tattoo.&quot; We listened in silence, for though we had heard it many
+times, it was always a delight to us. Then, too, it meant rest (not a
+drug in the market by any means). Every ship's crew in the harbor, at
+the same moment was listening to the call blown by their own bugler.</p>
+
+<p>The men tumbled below and began to prepare for the voyage to dreamland.</p>
+
+<p>Five minutes later, when the sleepy &quot;taps&quot; sounded, the decks were
+almost deserted save for the hammocks, which looked like huge cocoons
+swung horizontally.</p>
+
+<p>The following days till Sunday were spent in unloading powder and shell.
+The six and eight-inch charges of powder and the shell were lifted by
+hand and slid down chutes to the barges alongside. To handle the powder
+and shell for the thirteen-inch guns, steam was called into service; the
+thirteen-inch charges being lowered into the waiting boat, by the aid of
+the cargo boom and steam winch.</p>
+
+<p>This work was hard and the heat trying, but it was accomplished with
+good grace, for we were glad to get rid of the dangerous stuff.</p>
+
+<p>Sunday, after the usual inspection, several visiting lists were
+arranged, the most popular being that for the &quot;Oregon.&quot; We all wanted to
+inspect that wonderful ship. Visiting is generally conducted on Sunday
+or after dark. The word is passed for those who wish to visit a certain
+ship to &quot;lay aft and report to the officer of the deck.&quot; The party, all
+in clean clothes, are taken to the vessel designated and lined up. After
+being counted they are allowed to go forward, where they yarn to their
+heart's content until the word is given by the boatswain's mate for them
+to muster aft again.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;visiting party&quot; to Uncle Sam's bulldog was cordially received and
+shown all over. The great battleship was as clean and neat as a new pin.
+She looked as if she had just come out of her builders' hands. Paint
+work spotless, brass work shining, engines fairly dazzling in their
+brightness. The crew contented and full of enthusiasm for their ship and
+commander&mdash;gallant Captain Clark!</p>
+
+<p>We saw the guns that helped to lay low Cervera's splendid fleet and we
+saw &quot;the men behind the guns.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Our attention was called to a Jacky sewing on a blue shirt.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Do you see that man over there?&quot; said our guide.</p>
+
+<p>We answered &quot;Yes.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Well, that's the chap that blew up one of the torpedo boats.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Is that so? Tell us about it.&quot; We gazed open-mouthed at the gunner as
+he sat cross-legged on the deck, sewing with all his might.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Yes, that's the chap. You see, the Spaniard was coming in our
+direction, and coming like greased lightning. The six-pounders on the
+superstructure had not been able to stop her, and things began to be
+interesting&mdash;&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Yes,&quot; we gasped, breathlessly, as he stopped to light his pipe.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Well, as I was saying, the blooming torpedo boat came nearer and
+nearer, and did not seem to mind the hail of six-pounders any more than
+a duck does the rain. I dunno why, for she had no protection that a
+sixer would not penetrate.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;It got to be blamed exciting, when the officer of the division said to
+that feller over there, who was a captain of an eight-inch rifle, 'Try
+your hand at it.'</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Bill said, 'Aye, aye, sir, give me time and I'll plunk her sure.' All
+this time the sneaking craft was coming nearer and nearer. Bill
+adjusted his sight and looked and looked, but still did not fire.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;'For heaven's sake, hurry up!' said the division officer, getting
+nervous.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;'In a minute, sir,' said Bill. 'As soon as I get a good bead.'</p>
+
+<p>&quot;He was as cool as an ice machine, and as deliberate as an old hen, but
+he could shoot, so we held ourselves in as best we could and watched.
+After waiting for what seemed an hour, Bill pulled the lanyard and the
+old gun roared. As soon as the smoke cleared away, we looked to see the
+result of the shot. There was some wreckage floating where the torpedo
+boat had been&mdash;that was all. Bill's shot went home, and exploded in the
+boiler room, and the whole craft went up in an instant.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>We looked again admiringly at the man sitting there so unconcernedly,
+and then in obedience to the boatswain's call, went aft and aboard our
+cutter.</p>
+
+<p>All the ammunition for the fleet was unloaded by Tuesday. We still
+carried a small quantity of both powder and shell for the
+&quot;Massachusetts.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Tuesday afternoon we anchored alongside the sailing collier &quot;Frank A.
+Palmer,&quot; and began to coal. The &quot;Yankee's&quot; sister ship &quot;Prairie,&quot;
+manned by the Massachusetts Naval Reserves, lay on the other side; we
+exchanged visits and found them good fellows, and we yarned away to our
+heart's content.</p>
+
+<p>We had now become, in a degree, used to coaling; our muscles were
+hardened and some long-needed labor-saving devices had been introduced,
+so the work was a little easier.</p>
+
+<p>Coaling continued till Friday night. During the morning of that day we
+were told that if two hundred tons were put aboard, a chance would be
+given us on the morrow to see the wrecks of Cervera's once fine vessels.
+It was all the incentive we needed, and the coal came aboard in a steady
+stream. A little after seven the required amount was in the bunkers, and
+by eight o'clock the stages and other coaling paraphernalia were stowed
+away and the &quot;Yankee&quot; had cast loose and was anchored by herself.</p>
+
+<p>The following morning dawned bright and clear. Admiral Sampson came
+aboard at 8:30. We manned the &quot;cat falls&quot; and got under way at once.</p>
+
+<p>On the way down to the wrecks, the ship was cleaned, so by the time we
+reached the ruins of the Spanish vessels, the &quot;Yankee&quot; was spick and
+span.</p>
+
+<p>We passed the wrecks of the two torpedo boats, passed the mouth of
+Santiago harbor, till finally we came to the &quot;Almirante Oquendo&quot; and the
+&quot;Maria Teresa,&quot; fifteen miles west of old Morro.</p>
+
+<p>The two wrecks lay close together. They were a melancholy sight; the
+&quot;Almirante Oquendo,&quot; badly listed to port, a great rent in her side,
+rusted, almost completely demolished. The &quot;Maria Teresa&quot; seemed in
+better shape, but many shot holes were visible in her side.</p>
+
+<p>It was a dreary though gratifying sight. The great green-clothed
+mountains looked down serenely on these two examples of man's handiwork
+and man's destructiveness; the blue sea dashed itself to foam against
+the coral-bound coast; and the bright sun shone over all.</p>
+
+<p>The admiral went over in our gig, together with the captain and
+executive officer. Several other boats went along, carrying, beside the
+regular crews, commissioned and chief petty officers.</p>
+
+<p>As we watched the boats bobbing in the short billows on their way, we,
+who were left behind, could not help comparing these battered hulks
+before us with our magnificent ships in Guantanamo Bay.</p>
+
+<p>All hail to the American seamen, &quot;the men behind the guns&quot;!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_XIX'></a><h2>CHAPTER XIX.</h2>
+
+<h3>HOPE DEFERRED.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>For a few days there was little to do beyond the never-ending routine
+work: scrubbing decks, cleaning paint, and polishing bright work on guns
+and equipments.</p>
+
+<p>We were beginning to wonder if we were to lie at anchor indefinitely,
+and if our last chance of seeing any active service had gone by.</p>
+
+<p>On the morning of Monday, August 1st, we had orders to get under way and
+go to sea. Tongues began to wag at once, and before we had fairly
+cleared the harbor a dozen different destinations had been picked out.</p>
+
+<p>It would seem as if there could be no great danger in letting the men
+have some knowledge of where they are bound when fairly at sea, with no
+beings to whom the secret might be told, save sharks and dolphins, but</p>
+
+<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;Theirs not to make reply,<br /></span>
+<span class='i1'>Theirs not to reason why.&quot;<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>The navy has little use for Jacky's brains; only his trained muscles and
+sinews. There is no life that can be depended upon to take the pride of
+intellect out of a man like that of a sailor, as Rudyard Kipling has
+shown in the case of Harvey Cheyne. We of the crew could think of many a
+cad on whom we would like to try the discipline.</p>
+
+<p>The most popular rumor ran to this effect: we are bound for Porto Rico
+to take part with the &quot;Massachusetts,&quot; &quot;New Orleans,&quot; &quot;Dixie,&quot; and other
+ships of the fleet in a bombardment of San Juan.</p>
+
+<p>By the time land had faded from view, we knew that we really were bound
+for Porto Rico, but for what purpose we knew not. The rumor was correct
+in part, at least.</p>
+
+<p>We were glad to get to sea again. There is an undefinable feeling of
+relief, almost of joy, when the regular throbbing of the engines begins
+and the ship rolls and heaves to the swell.</p>
+
+<p>The spirits of the men rise; smiles lighten up their faces, and snatches
+of song can be heard as they work coiling down lines, lashing movables,
+and preparing the vessel for the rough-and-tumble conflict with the sea.</p>
+
+<p>As the sun sank, the waves rose. By the time the first night watch went
+on duty, the old steamer was tossing like a chip.</p>
+
+<p>The guns' crews of the watch on deck were ordered to sleep by their
+posts, and all was in readiness for instant action.</p>
+
+<p>At eleven o'clock we were roused by the call for &quot;general quarters,&quot; and
+in a minute, all hands were in their places. We looked vainly, at first,
+for the cause of this commotion, but finally made out off our port bow
+the dim outlines of a steamer.</p>
+
+<p>It was only when our ship was on the top of the roll that we could make
+out our chase at all&mdash;nothing but a wall of water could be seen when we
+lay in the trough.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;That boat is certainly doing her best to get away,&quot; said &quot;Bill.&quot; &quot;And,
+holy smoke! see how she rolls.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;She can't trot in our heat,&quot; said &quot;Dye.&quot; &quot;We're gaining on her every
+minute.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;She's not a warship,&quot; said &quot;Long Tommy,&quot; who was lucky enough to
+possess a pair of glasses. &quot;I wonder if we're going to get a prize at
+last?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;You forget the fishing sloops. 'Remember the fish,'&quot; laughed &quot;Hay.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The two vessels came nearer and nearer, till finally they were within
+hailing distance.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;What ship is that?&quot; called out Captain Brownson, through the
+megaphone. &quot;And where are you bound?&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The answer came faintly over the tossing waves: &quot;The 'Burton,' with coal
+for Santiago from Guadeloupe.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Ah, ha!&quot; said Tommy, &quot;we get a prize at last.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Wait a minute,&quot; said &quot;Stump,&quot; &quot;he is saying something else.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>A gust of wind came at that moment and carried most of the sound away,
+but we gathered that our hoped-for prize had papers from our consul
+allowing her free passage.</p>
+
+<p>There was a universal groan of disappointment, and when the order was
+given to &quot;secure,&quot; the hose was pulled up with unnecessary violence,
+hatches were lowered, and gun closets closed with no gentle hands. Such
+keen disappointment must somehow find a vent.</p>
+
+<p>There was great excitement the following afternoon when the word was
+passed for all hands to get out their leggings and to wear shoes to
+midday quarters. And when we were arranged into companies, and had
+haversacks, canteens, and knapsacks doled out to us, we concluded that a
+landing party would be made up for Porto Rico.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The 'old man' is going to show the 'Spinache' that the 'Yankee' boys
+can fight on land as well as on sea,&quot; said Tommy, as he yanked at an
+obstinate haversack strap.</p>
+
+<p>We marched round and round the spar deck to the music of bugle and drum
+till we got well into the swing of it, and felt very martial and
+formidable indeed.</p>
+
+<p>The &quot;Dixie&quot; hove in sight at this juncture, and after a long megaphone
+conversation, we learned that the &quot;Massachusetts,&quot; for which we had some
+ammunition, was on her way to Guantanamo, so we reluctantly turned
+around and retraced our way, the &quot;Dixie&quot; leading. Porto Rico was not for
+us. Alas!</p>
+
+<p>We felt like</p>
+
+<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;The King of France and his hundred thousand men<br /></span>
+<span class='i1'>Drew their swords and put them up again.&quot;<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>The next morning we hove-to a Norwegian steamer, the &quot;Marie,&quot; and before
+we realized what was being done, we found that we had a prize at last. A
+snug little steamer she was, well loaded down with coal for Cervera's
+fleet.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Cutlets&quot; went over in a whaleboat, with a prize crew of six men.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Well, well! this is almost too good to be true,&quot; said an after guard.
+&quot;This <i>is</i> great luck. We capture a prize and get rid of 'Cutlets' at
+the same time.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>To which we all said, Amen.</p>
+
+<p>We separated from the &quot;Marie,&quot; and, as the &quot;Yankee&quot; was much the faster,
+she was soon lost to sight.</p>
+
+<p>The anchor had no sooner been dropped in Guantanamo Bay than our captain
+went over to the &quot;New York,&quot; and then signals began to be displayed, and
+soon after all hands were hauling on the &quot;cat falls.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The skipper returned; the gig was pulled up to its place, and very soon
+we were ploughing the water in the open. As we went out, our prize came
+in.</p>
+
+<p>It seems the encounter with the &quot;Burton&quot; was told to the admiral, and he
+at once ordered us to go out and get her.</p>
+
+<p>We headed straight out. The black smoke poured out of the funnels; the
+ship shook with the pounding of the strained engines. The land faded
+from view.</p>
+
+<p>About two o'clock we sighted the object of our chase, and it only
+required a blank shot from the forward six-pounder to bring her to.</p>
+
+<p>The prize crew, consisting of six seamen, some firemen and engineers,
+and officered by Lieutenant Duncan, went over and took possession of
+our second prize in one day.</p>
+
+<p>Captor and captive then turned and headed for Guantanamo.</p>
+
+<p>The men were in high spirits. Speculation was rife as to the amount of
+prize money each would secure, and some even went so far as to plan the
+spending of it.</p>
+
+<p>Every one felt very gay, and as if something should be done to celebrate
+our good fortune. We would have liked to spend some money for an
+entertainment, but that was impossible.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Dick,&quot; however, was impressed into service to furnish some amusement.
+&quot;Dick,&quot; a forecastle man, is a born story-teller, and we knew if we
+could get him started, some fun would be assured.</p>
+
+<p>After some pressure he acquiesced, and began the following yarn:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;One day a certain Irishman, Mike Dooley by name, departed this life. He
+was much respected, and his death caused no little sorrow to his friends
+and neighbors. His wife and children were simply inconsolable. The widow
+wished to have a handsome funeral in his honor and spent her savings in
+furtherance of that plan. She had enough money for everything, except
+the silver inscription plate. But that difficulty was easily overcome,
+for 'What's the matter wid Pat Molloy painting it nately in white
+paint?' she said.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Pat, being approached on the subject, expressed his entire willingness,
+and soon after called for the casket and took it away. He was told to
+letter the following, in neat, white letters: 'Michael Dooley departed
+this life in his prime, at the age of twenty-eight.'</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Pat was a bricklayer by trade, and painting was only a 'side line' with
+him.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;He started to put the inscription on the casket, and got along bravely
+till he came to 'age of twenty-eight.' Then he realized that he could
+not make the figures. He puzzled over it a long while, for he did not
+like to ask and thus show up his ignorance.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Finally a bright idea struck him. Four sevens make twenty-eight&mdash;why
+not put down four sevens&mdash;that was easy!</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The job was finished just in time.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The relatives and friends were gathered round to pay their last
+respects. One friend was asked to get up and make a few remarks. He did
+so and began as follows:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;'I am glad to be able to say a few words on this sad occasion, a few
+words of praise for our beloved friend; for other words than praise
+could not be said of him. I am proud to have known him and to have been
+numbered among his friends. His virtues need hardly be repeated. You
+knew him well. His generosity, his friendliness, and all the rest he
+possessed. I knew him from his youth up, and I am well aware of his
+goodness, as are you. He was a good husband, a good father, and a good
+friend. It is hard to give him up, but it must be. He died at the age
+of&mdash;&mdash;'</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Here the speaker glanced at the casket beside which he stood, and read
+the following:</p>
+
+MICHAEL DOOLEY<br />
+<br />
+DEPARTED THIS LIFE IN HIS PRIME,<br />
+AT THE AGE OF<br />
+7777.<br />
+
+<p>&quot;'Yis, my bereaved friends,' he continued, 'he was a good father,
+husband, and friend, and none knows that better than I. He was cut off
+in the pride of manhood, you might say&mdash;in his prime, at the age of&mdash;&mdash;'</p>
+
+<p>&quot;He glanced at the inscription again, then, after a painful pause,
+blurted forth: 'Well, how the divil did he escape the flood?'&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The sound of &quot;tattoo&quot; interrupted our laughter at this point, and all
+Hands tumbled below.</p>
+
+<p>The following day we got rid of the last of the ammunition to the
+&quot;Massachusetts.&quot; A sigh of relief and thankfulness went up as the last
+charge of powder was taken over the side.</p>
+
+<p>The same day we saw some of our prize money vanish into thin air. The
+&quot;Burton&quot; was released, and steamed out of the harbor.</p>
+
+<p>It was about this time that a well-authenticated rumor went the rounds
+to the effect that we were to go with a formidable fleet to Spain,
+harass her coasts, and do up Camara's fleet. This rumor was so well
+founded that many of us believed it, and, consequently, much time was
+spent in writing farewell letters.</p>
+
+<p>The prospect of soon seeing the &quot;land of the free and the home of the
+brave&quot; was not very bright. The consensus of opinion at this time was
+that we would see our year out in Uncle Sam's service.</p>
+
+<p>There was considerable gloom. The start once made and the &quot;Yankee&quot;
+actually on her way to the land of the Dons, all would be well and all
+hands would be cheerful; but the contemplation of the long trip in the
+wrong direction was a very different matter.</p>
+
+<p>The air was full of rumors. All was uncertain. We continued to write
+farewell letters, while the invading fleet still lay quietly at anchor,
+but ready to sail to the ends of the earth at a few hours' notice.</p>
+
+<p>The night of August 10th was moonless and dark. There had been no music
+from the &quot;Oregon's&quot; band, and none of our men felt inclined to sing.</p>
+
+<p>The uncertainty had begun to tell, and all were a little depressed.</p>
+
+<p>I was &quot;it&quot; for anchor watch, and, as is often the case, the anchor watch
+manned the running small boat.</p>
+
+<p>We visited several vessels of the fleet, the crew staying in the boat
+while the officers went aboard. When we finally started to return to our
+own ship, we carried two of our officers, Mr. Duncan, Mr. Barnard, and
+an officer from the &quot;Indiana.&quot; As we cleared the wall-like sides of the
+&quot;St. Paul,&quot; we noted that the general signal call (four red lights) was
+up on the &quot;New York.&quot; Then, as we watched, the red and white bulbs began
+to spell out a message that made us all thrill with joy. The interest of
+the moment broke down all barriers of rank, and officers and men spelled
+out the exciting words aloud.</p>
+
+A-S-S-O-C-I-A-T-E-D  P-R-E-S-S  D-E-S-P-A-T-C-H<br />
+S-T-A-T-E-S  T-H-A-T  P-E-A-C-E  P-R-O-T-O-C-O-L<br />
+H-A-S  B-E-E-N  A-G-R-E-E-D  U-P-O-N.<br />
+
+<p>We Jackies would have liked to yell, but our lessons had been too well
+learned, and we restrained ourselves. We put the officer from the
+&quot;Indiana&quot; aboard his own ship and then returned to the &quot;Yankee.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>As soon as the boat was secured for the night, I went around waking some
+of my particular friends to tell them the great news, forgetting that
+they could see it quite as well as I. All were too good-natured,
+however, to object; on the contrary, they seemed glad to talk about it.
+There was some dispute as to the meaning of the word &quot;protocol&quot;; but all
+agreed that, whatever its meaning, it must be good, coupled as it was
+with &quot;peace.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>As we talked quietly, we heard faintly, softly, a verse of &quot;Morse's&quot;
+song:</p>
+
+<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;Our fighting cruise will soon be o'er,<br /></span>
+<span class='i15'>Hurrah! Hurrah!<br /></span>
+<span>We'll be happy the moment our feet touch shore,<br /></span>
+<span class='i15'>Hurrah! Hurrah!<br /></span>
+<span>And 'Cutlets' and 'Hubbub' and all the rest<br /></span>
+<span>May stick to the calling they're fitted for best,<br /></span>
+<span>But <i>we'll</i> all feel gay when<br /></span>
+<span class='i15'>The 'Yankee' goes sailing home.&quot;<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>In spite of the peace news we got orders to go out with the &quot;Dixie&quot; and
+blockade the Crooked Island Passage. So about four o'clock we hauled up
+the anchor and went to sea. All were gay, and many shook their hands in
+farewell to Guantanamo Bay.</p>
+
+<p>We were instructed to keep a sharp lookout for the steamer &quot;Monserrat,&quot;
+which had gained fame as a blockade runner. It was rumored that she
+carried Captain-General Blanco; that she was well armed, and had a
+captain noted for his unscrupulousness and for his fighting qualities.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;I'd like to meet that ship,&quot; said &quot;Hay,&quot; &quot;have a good 'scrap' with her,
+get a couple of shot holes in our upper works and battle flags, and then
+bring her triumphantly into Key West or, better still, New York.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Want to go out in a blaze of glory, do you?&quot; said Tommy, the long.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Sure. I'd like to burn some of that powder we took such trouble to
+load.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>This expressed the sentiments of the whole ship's company.</p>
+
+<p>To have one more good fight&mdash;in which we were to come out victorious, of
+course&mdash;get a few souvenir shot holes where no harm would be done, and
+then go home. This would just about have suited us.</p>
+
+<p>We floated around lazily all day Friday and Saturday with a chip on our
+shoulder, as it were, but no &quot;Monserrat&quot; came to knock it off.</p>
+
+<p>The lookouts at the masthead strained their eyes, and half the men not
+actually at work did likewise. All in vain; not an enemy did we see. A
+number of transports homeward bound, bearing worn but happy soldiers,
+were passed, and some came near enough to exchange cheers and good
+wishes.</p>
+
+<p>The screw revolved but slowly, and the ship moved just enough to give
+steerage way. Every passing wave did as it wished with the great hulk,
+and she rolled like a log in the long swell.</p>
+
+<p>Sunday night a change came over the almost quiet ship. The propeller
+turned with some energy; the steering engine whirred, and the &quot;Yankee&quot;
+changed her course. This time she headed straight for Guantanamo, and
+before many minutes we knew that we were returning to our old anchorage.
+The orders were to blockade the passage and keep a bright lookout for
+the &quot;Monserrat&quot;; if by Sunday at six o'clock she had not appeared, we
+were to return to the fleet.</p>
+
+<p>The men who were so sure that we should never see Guantanamo again wore
+a sheepish air, and those who were not so sure lorded over them and
+remarked cheerfully, &quot;I told you so.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Those of us who were sleeping at midnight were wakened and told to come
+to the port and look. Sleepily we obeyed, but the moment we reached the
+opening we were wide awake. There, not three miles off, rolling in the
+ground swell, lay a great fleet, the searchlights sweeping the heavens
+and sea; the signal lanterns twinkling.</p>
+
+<p>As we looked, we saw at the masthead of the foremost vessel the signal
+lights spell out A followed by D, the &quot;Yankee's&quot; private night signal.
+Then, and our eyes almost started from our heads as we gazed, the lights
+continued to spell:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Blockade raised; hostilities ceased.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hurrah!&quot; shouted some one behind me.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Wait a minute,&quot; said &quot;Hay,&quot; &quot;that's not all.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The lights went on spelling: &quot;We are on our way to New York. You are to
+proceed to Guantanamo.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The hurrah, as we spelled out the first sentences, was followed by a
+groan, as we read the last. We were glad, indeed, to know that peace had
+come, but it was hard to see that great fleet homeward bound, and know
+that we must go back to our old post, to stay indefinitely.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Hope deferred maketh the heart sick.&quot;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='CHAPTER_XX'></a><h2>CHAPTER XX.</h2>
+
+<h3>TAPS.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The days following our arrival at Guantanamo were days of keen
+expectation and equally keen disappointment. A rumor that we were to
+return home at once would start up from nowhere in particular, and
+circulate until it was believed. Then would come a denial and consequent
+discontent. The enforced idleness of riding at anchor day after day
+became so monotonous at last, that any little incident served to create
+excitement. Visiting parties between the ships were permitted
+occasionally, and the &quot;Yankee's&quot; crew grasped the opportunity to inspect
+some of the other auxiliary cruisers. One or two liberty parties were
+allowed ashore at Camp McCalla, from which the men returned, tired and
+warm, but full of enthusiasm and interest for the things they had seen.
+The amount of &quot;curios&quot; and souvenirs brought aboard would fill a museum.
+Pieces of projectiles and Mauser cartridge shells, fragments of an
+unusual red wood, and pieces of fossil rock, of which the cliff was
+composed, were stowed away in bags and ditty boxes.</p>
+
+<p>The bay now had a very deserted appearance. All the battleships and many
+of the cruisers had gone North. The auxiliary cruisers, &quot;New Orleans,&quot;
+&quot;Newark,&quot; &quot;Marblehead,&quot; and a number of converted yachts were all that
+remained, besides our own vessel. It was still a goodly fleet, but in
+comparison to the great squadron, seemed small.</p>
+
+<p>For the first time we were at a loss for something to do. Time hung
+heavy on our hands. The routine work, including morning &quot;quarters,&quot; was
+finished by half-past ten every morning, and the balance of the day was
+spent as pleased us best, within certain well-defined limits.</p>
+
+<p>Much time and thought were spent in chasing down rumors, and watching
+signals from the flagship.</p>
+
+<p>Troopships from Santiago, laden with homeward-bound troops, sailed by
+the mouth of the harbor, but we, the first volunteers to reach the seat
+of war and to see active service, still lingered. The &quot;Resolute&quot; and
+&quot;Badger&quot; left at last, and it was rumored that we would follow next day.
+But still we lingered.</p>
+
+<p>Occasionally we got mail that told of home doings, and almost every
+letter finished with, &quot;I suppose that you will soon be home, now that
+peace is declared.&quot; But still we lingered.</p>
+
+<p>We knew that we could hardly expect to be relieved at once; that there
+were many arrangements to be made in the Navy Department; many orders to
+be signed, and new plans to be formulated. But the thought carried
+little comfort with it. The pangs of homesickness were getting a strong
+hold on us.</p>
+
+<p>Dr. &quot;Gangway&quot; McGowan had the ship's carpenter nail a nice, smooth piece
+of board over a hole in the wire netting of his cabin door; some wag
+took advantage of the opportunity, and lettered plainly the following,
+on its white surface:</p>
+
+<center>
+<img src='images/page286.jpg' width='495' height='192' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+
+<p>He would have done a rushing business if he could have found a sure cure
+for homesick &quot;heroes.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>On Tuesday, August 23d, our depression reached its culminating point,
+for the word had been passed unofficially that we might lay here
+indefinitely&mdash;two weeks, a month, three months&mdash;there was no telling
+when we would get away from what had become a hateful spot to us. The
+men went about with a dejected air, and while all were good-natured
+enough, there was little inclination to talk.</p>
+
+<p>As night drew near, we saw several troopships pass the harbor homeward
+bound, and the sight did not lighten our gloom.</p>
+
+<p>When the sun finally sank, we were as melancholy a crowd as ever trod a
+deck.</p>
+
+<p>The men gathered in little groups, bewailing in monosyllables the
+decidedly gloomy future, when some one glanced up and saw that Commodore
+Watson's flagship, the &quot;Newark,&quot; was showing the general signal lights.
+Then, as the answering lights blazed on the other ships, the red and
+white lanterns began to spell out a message.</p>
+
+<p>The news spread at once that the flagship was signalling a general
+message or one of interest to the whole fleet.</p>
+
+<p>Soon the rail was lined with signal boys, and signal boys, <i>pro tem</i>.</p>
+
+<p>Those who could read them, spelled the messages aloud, letter by letter.</p>
+
+&quot;'Y-A-N-K-E-E'  A-N-D  'N-I-A-G-A-R-A'  W-I-L-L<br />
+S-A-I-L  F-O-R  T-O-M-P-K-I-N-S-V-I-L-L-E  T-O-M-O-R-R-O-W.<br />
+'D-I-X-I-E'  A-N-D  'F-E-R-N'<br />
+W-I-L-L  G-O  T-O  H-A-M-P-T-O-N  R-O-A-D-S.&quot;<br />
+
+<p>With a single bound all was changed from gloom to gladness.</p>
+
+<p>No man could say how glad he was, but every man felt his heart grow warm
+within him. There was a deep feeling of gratitude for the providential
+care we had received, and for the happy release that now had come.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Cupid,&quot; the ship's bugler, played &quot;Home, Sweet Home,&quot; and instead of
+mobbing him as we would have done had he played it three hours earlier,
+we applauded. He also played &quot;America,&quot; and then &quot;Dixie,&quot; in honor of
+our Maryland friends on our sister ship of that name. It pleased them
+mightily, as was evidenced by the cheer that came over the quiet water
+to us. Their bugler returned the compliment soon after by playing
+&quot;Yankee Doodle.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>There was much good feeling when the men went below, to turn in, but not
+to sleep; we were too happy for that.</p>
+
+<p>As the talk and laughter gradually died down (the order, &quot;Turn in your
+hammocks and keep silence,&quot; was not very strictly observed that night),
+a voice would be heard singing&mdash;not always the same voice:</p>
+
+<div class='poem'><div class='stanza'>
+<span>&quot;But we'll all feel gay when<br /></span>
+<span>The 'Yankee' goes sailing home.&quot;<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>The following morning Scully did not have to repeat &quot;up all hands,&quot; for
+he had hardly got the words out of his mouth before every man was
+scrambling into his clothes as fast as he could.</p>
+
+<p>Soon after breakfast the order was given to hoist up the catamaran, and
+then the rest of the boats were pulled up one by one. The boat's falls
+were run away with in a fashion that made the officers smile. The
+tackle-blocks fairly smoked.</p>
+
+<p>The only thing that marred our perfect joy was the departure of some of
+the marines to the &quot;New Orleans.&quot; We had grown to like them all very
+much, and especially a pleasant fellow we dubbed &quot;Happy,&quot; because of his
+unvarying cheerfulness. We had hoped to bring them all back with us, and
+were sorry to see them go.</p>
+
+<p>We listened with eager ears for the final order before sailing, &quot;All
+hands on the cat falls,&quot; and just before noon we heard it. In ready
+response the men came tumbling up, and in a jiffy the anchor was pulled
+up as if it weighed five hundred, instead of five thousand pounds.</p>
+
+<p>The leadsman stood on his little platform and sang out, as he heaved the
+lead, the number of fathoms. It was the last touch we had of Cuban soil.</p>
+
+<p>As the old ship gathered headway, cheer after cheer rang out from the
+ships that were left behind, and in answer to each, our crew, which had
+gathered on the forecastle, gave three rousing hurrahs and a tiger.</p>
+
+<p>So we sailed out of Guantanamo Bay for the last time.</p>
+
+<p>It was with a feeling of sadness mixed with joy that we watched the
+headland, that stands like a guard on one side of the bay, disappear in
+the haze. We were one of the first ships to enter its then hostile
+portals. We had gained renown there; we had seen the American flag
+raised on its beautiful shores, and but a few minutes ago we heard a
+ringing American cheer come over its clear waters, bidding us Godspeed
+and a joyful home coming.</p>
+
+<p>The voyage home was like a triumphal journey. All hands were in high
+spirits. The gloom of a few hours before was dispelled by the talismanic
+words, &quot;'Yankee' and 'Niagara' will sail for Tompkinsville.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Though we were exceedingly glad, there was a good deal of quiet thinking
+going on.</p>
+
+<p>One and all realized that we had been exposed to no ordinary dangers.
+Danger from the enemy's fire; danger from a deadly climate; danger from
+the effects of unaccustomed labor; danger from wind and raging sea. We
+had been brought through safe and sound by an all-wise God to lead
+peaceful, useful, and, it is hoped, helpful lives at home.</p>
+
+<p>This same thought had been in our minds many times before, and with the
+feeling of thankfulness would come a sense of surprise that we should
+pass through it all without harm.</p>
+
+<p>We sped on and on, the ship's prow ever pointed North. We watched the
+water to note the change in color; to see when the blue water of the
+Gulf Stream should be left behind and the green northern sea should be
+entered.</p>
+
+<p>As we neared New York our impatience grew with every added mile, and
+this eagerness was felt by officers as well as men.</p>
+
+<p>We sometimes forgot that our officers were capable of feeling
+disappointment, impatience, and joy; that they also had to stand watch
+and get along on short allowance of sleep; that they, too, were subject
+to annoyances as well as we. If we had not felt this before, we fully
+realized, now, how much <i>our</i> officers had done for us.</p>
+
+<p>Lieutenants Duncan, Greene, and Barnard, Dr. McGowan, Ensigns Dimock and
+Andrews, always treated us fairly and honestly.</p>
+
+<p>Every man has a deep-seated feeling of loyalty and affection for them
+that will last as long as life shall last.</p>
+
+<p>As the tropical latitudes were left astern the nights became cool, and
+the watch on deck had the novel experience of walking post in pea coats.
+Shortly after daybreak on the twenty-seventh of August the Atlantic
+Highlands were sighted, and, to quote one of the forecastle men, &quot;All
+hands shouted to see God's country once more!&quot;</p>
+
+<p>Though we had seen the Highlands, Sandy Hook, and all the familiar
+landmarks of the harbor many times, never had they seemed so attractive.</p>
+
+<p>The steam vessels we met tooted a welcome, as our identity became known,
+and the sailing craft dipped their colors in salute.</p>
+
+<p>Inside the Narrows, and ranged along the Staten Island shore, we found
+our companions of the Santiago blockade, and, as we passed through the
+fleet to our anchorage, the crew stood at &quot;quarters&quot; in their honor.</p>
+
+<p>We heard later of the great reception these tried and true fighting
+ships of Uncle Sam's had received, and we only regretted that we were
+not present to add our little mite to the applause.</p>
+
+<p>After two days' stay off Tompkinsville, during which time the ship was
+fairly overrun with visitors eager to see the &quot;Yankee&quot; and her crew of
+&quot;heroes,&quot; we steamed through the Narrows en route for League Island.
+Orders had arrived from Washington providing for the paying off and
+discharge of the New York Naval Reserves, and little time was lost in
+obeying.</p>
+
+<p>On reaching League Island, the naval station near Philadelphia, we found
+the old-time war monitors &quot;Nahant&quot; and &quot;Jason&quot; in port. The crew of the
+&quot;Nahant,&quot; made up of the New York Naval Reserves, were in readiness to
+accompany the &quot;Yankee's&quot; crew back to the metropolis.</p>
+
+<p>While waiting for the specified date&mdash;Friday, September 2d&mdash;bags were
+packed for the last time, and all preparations made for leaving the
+ship. Now that the hour for departure was rapidly approaching, many of
+the boys began to express regrets. Despite the hardships attending the
+cruise, it had brought many happy days&mdash;days made pleasurable by novel
+and strange surroundings&mdash;and it is not claiming too much to say that
+not one of the &quot;Yankee's&quot; crew would have surrendered his experience.</p>
+
+<p>Friendships had been formed, too&mdash;friendships cemented by good
+fellowship and mutual peril. Those who have spent many days at sea know
+that acquaintances made on shipboard in the midst of calms and storms
+and the dangers of the deep, are lasting. And that was now being
+impressed upon the boys of the &quot;Yankee.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>While the crews of the &quot;Nahant&quot; and &quot;Yankee&quot; were preparing for the
+railway trip to New York, arrangements were being made in that city for
+a rousing welcome to the returning Naval Reserve Battalion.</p>
+
+<p>Shortly after ten the boys were mustered aft to hear Captain Brownson's
+parting speech. In his usual brisk manner he said that we were now to go
+back to our peaceful avocations; to our homes; to join our relatives and
+friends, and to become again private citizens. He ended by wishing us
+the best of luck.</p>
+
+<p>The cheers that followed shook the old ship from keel to topmast, nor
+were the cheers for Lieutenant Hubbard any the less hearty.</p>
+
+<p>A very few minutes after, we piled into a tug and steamed away. Little
+was said, for there was a feeling of real regret: we were fond of the
+old boat, after all.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Patt,&quot; the gunner's mate; the marines, and the few men of the engineer
+force who stayed on board, waved good-by.</p>
+
+<p>We boarded a special train with the crew and officers of the &quot;Nahant,&quot;
+and were soon speeding over the level country towards New York.</p>
+
+<p>After a very fast trip we reached Jersey City, where we were fitted out
+with rifles and belts, and were met by the band that was to lead us
+through the city.</p>
+
+<a name='page294'></a>
+<center>
+<img src='images/page294.jpg' width='407' height='300' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>MARCHING THROUGH CITY HALL PARK, NEW YORK CITY (<i>page 295</i>).</h5>
+
+<p>The people of New York turned out to give us a rousing welcome.</p>
+
+<p>It was a welcome we shall never forget&mdash;a welcome that made us forget
+all hardships, all dangers. Whatever pride we may have had in our
+achievements was drowned in that thunderous greeting; we were humbled,
+for real heroes could hardly have deserved such a reception.</p>
+
+<p>The Mayor stood in front of the City Hall and reviewed us, and later we
+were reviewed by the President himself, at Madison Square.</p>
+
+<p>As the head of the column turned down Twenty-sixth Street, heading to
+our old receiving ship the &quot;New Hampshire,&quot; the band struck up &quot;Home,
+Sweet Home.&quot; The men still marched with heads erect and eyes to the
+front, but many of those eyes were dimmed with a moisture that almost
+prevented their owners from seeing the long, homeward-bound pennant that
+floated from the masthead of the old frigate.</p>
+
+<p>As for the greeting given by mothers and sisters and relatives of every
+degree and by friends assembled on the &quot;New Hampshire,&quot; that is one
+experience that cannot be described; it must be felt to be appreciated.
+Suffice it that every member of the New York Naval Battalion felt amply
+repaid for the hardships endured and the sacrifices made in the service
+of Old Glory. And if the occasion should again arise for the calling out
+of the Naval Reserves of the First New York Battalion, they, together
+with their comrades, the Naval Reserve Battalions of other cities, will
+cheerfully don their &quot;clean whites&quot; and respond to muster.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Pipe down!&quot;</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<a name='APPENDIX'></a><h2>APPENDIX.</h2>
+
+<h3>THE NAVAL MILITIA OF THE UNITED STATES.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The Naval Militia is a volunteer organization made up of certain
+patriotic citizens of the United States, who conceived the idea that the
+country could be served by its sons as well in the naval branch of the
+National Defence as in the military. The subject of a naval volunteer
+force had been agitated for several years, but it was not until the
+latter part of June, 1891, that the first enlistments were made.</p>
+
+<p>Since that time the success of the organization has been continuous and
+most gratifying, and it has required only the recent war with Spain to
+prove that its value to the country at large cannot be overestimated. At
+the outbreak of hostilities, the strength of the Naval Militia
+throughout the country was 4,445 officers and enlisted men, but the rush
+of recruits incidental to the opening of the war vastly increased that
+number.</p>
+
+<p>The scope of the organization is naturally limited to those States
+bordering on the seacoast and the Great Lakes, but the interest taken in
+it to-day by the people is widespread and emphatic. The existence of
+this interest was amply proved by the enthusiastic welcome tendered the
+returning crews of the &quot;Badger,&quot; &quot;Dixie,&quot; &quot;Prairie,&quot; &quot;Yosemite,&quot; and
+&quot;Yankee&quot; by the citizens of the cities more closely concerned, and by
+the country at large.</p>
+
+<p>In a report made to Secretary Long in 1897 by Theodore Roosevelt, then
+Assistant Secretary of the Navy, these prophetic words were used:</p>
+
+<p>&quot;The rapidity with which modern wars are decided renders it imperative
+to have men who can be ready for immediate use, and outside of the
+regular navy these men are only to be found in the Naval Militia of the
+various States. If a body of naval militia is able to get at its head
+some first-class man who is a graduate of Annapolis; if it puts under
+him as commissioned officers, warrant officers, and petty officers men
+who have worked their way up from grade to grade, year after year, and
+who have fitted themselves for the higher positions by the zeal and
+painstaking care with which they have performed their duties in the
+lower places; and if the landsmen, ordinary seamen, and seamen go in
+resolutely to do real work and learn their duties so that they can
+perform them as well as the regulars aboard our warships, taking pride
+in their performance accordingly as they are really difficult&mdash;such an
+organization will, in course of time, reach a point where it could be
+employed immediately in the event of war.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Most of the Naval Militia are now in condition to render immediate
+service of a very valuable kind in what may be called the second line of
+defence. They could operate signal stations, help handle torpedoes and
+mines, officer and man auxiliary cruisers, and assist in the defence of
+points which are not covered by the army. There are numbers of advanced
+bases which do not come under the present scheme of army coast defence,
+and which would have to be defended, at any rate during the first weeks
+of war, by bodies of Naval Militia; while the knowledge they get by
+their incessant practice in boats on the local waters would be
+invaluable.</p>
+
+<p>&quot;Furthermore, the highest and best trained bodies could be used
+immediately on board the regular ships of war; this applies to the
+militia of the lakes as well as to the militia of the seacoast&mdash;and
+certainly no greater tribute is necessary to pay to the lake militia.
+Many of these naval battalions are composed of men who would not enlist
+in time of peace, but who, under the spur of war, would serve in any
+position for the first few important months.&quot;</p>
+
+<p>The last sentence of the above extract is of peculiar interest, inasmuch
+as it proved true in every particular. The crews of the auxiliary ships
+manned by the Naval Militia during the Spanish-American war of 1898 were
+composed of men who, in civil life, were brokers, lawyers, physicians,
+clerks, bookkeepers, or men of independent means. They sacrificed their
+personal interests for the moment, and, in their patriotic zeal,
+accepted positions of the most menial capacity on board ship.</p>
+
+<p>Prior to the outbreak of war they had entered into training with the
+utmost enthusiasm. The Navy Department had assigned some of the older
+vessels to the various naval brigades, to be used as training ships, and
+with these as headquarters the brigades began drilling. In addition to
+the regular routine, summer cruising was taken up.</p>
+
+<p>The First Battalion, New York State Militia, for instance, went in a
+body to Fisher's Island, off the eastern end of Connecticut, and there
+engaged in landing parties, camping, and sham battles. On another
+occasion the battalion embarked on board the battleships &quot;Massachusetts&quot;
+and &quot;Texas,&quot; each militiaman having a regular bluejacket for a running
+mate, and doing just as he did. The two ships cruised in the vicinity of
+Fisher's Island, and a programme was carried out which included
+instruction in the different parts of the ship in great guns and
+ordnance, such drills as abandon ship, arm and away boats, clear ship
+for action, general quarters, signalling, and in the use of torpedoes.</p>
+
+<p>During one of the cruises of the Massachusetts Naval Brigade a
+detachment was engaged in locating signal stations on the coast from the
+New Hampshire State line to Cape Ann, and it was due to the efforts of
+this detachment that the signal stations established during the late war
+proved so efficient.</p>
+
+<p>The Naval Militia of Maryland, Louisiana, Illinois, and other States
+were given opportunities for instruction in the handling of guns, the
+care of wounded, in infantry drill, limited artillery practice with
+rapid-fire batteries, and all the details of naval life, and so well did
+they benefit by it that the authorities at Washington announced a
+willingness to trust any of the warships in their sole charge.</p>
+
+<p>It was to reach this pinnacle, as it may be termed, that the Naval
+Militia organizations of the United States had striven, and when they
+were finally called upon by the Government they proved their worth by
+boarding modern warships, doing the work of regular sailors, and
+fighting for their country with a degree of skill and zeal that has
+earned for them the commendation of their fellow-citizens.</p>
+<br />
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<h3>UNITED STATES NAVAL CODE FOR VISUAL SIGNALLING.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>To signal with flag or torch &quot;wigwag&quot;:</p>
+
+<p>There are but <i>one</i> position and <i>three</i> motions.</p>
+
+<p>The <i>position</i> is with the flag held vertically in front of the body;
+the signalman facing squarely the point to which the message is to be
+sent.</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<br />
+
+<p>The <i>first</i> or 1 is a motion to the right of the sender.</p>
+
+<p>The <i>second</i> or 2 is a motion to the left of the sender.</p>
+
+<p>The <i>third</i> or 3: the flag is dropped in front of the sender and
+instantly returned to <i>position</i>.</p>
+
+<p>The entire code is made up of these three motions&mdash;1, 2, and 3. Every
+letter begins and ends with <i>position</i>.</p>
+<br />
+
+<p>&quot;WIGWAG&quot; CODE. UNITED STATES NAVAL CODE FOR VISUAL AND TELEGRAPHIC
+SIGNALLING.</p>
+
+ALPHABET.<br />
+<br />
+A    22<br />
+B  2112<br />
+C   121<br />
+D   222<br />
+E    12<br />
+F  2221<br />
+G  2211<br />
+H   122<br />
+I     1<br />
+J  1122<br />
+K  2121<br />
+L   221<br />
+M  1221<br />
+N    11<br />
+O    21<br />
+P  1212<br />
+Q  1211<br />
+R   211<br />
+S   212<br />
+T     2<br />
+U   112<br />
+V  1222<br />
+W  1121<br />
+X  2122<br />
+Y   111<br />
+Z  2222<br />
+<br />
+NUMERALS.<br />
+1  1111<br />
+2  2222<br />
+3  1112<br />
+4  2221<br />
+5  1122<br />
+6  2211<br />
+7  1222<br />
+8  2111<br />
+9  1221<br />
+0  2112<br />
+<br />
+ABBREVIATIONS.<br />
+<br />
+a  after.<br />
+b  before.<br />
+c  can.<br />
+h  have.<br />
+n  not.<br />
+r  are.<br />
+t  the.<br />
+u  you.<br />
+ur your.<br />
+w  word.<br />
+wi with.<br />
+y  why.<br />
+<br />
+x x 3 = &quot;numerals follow&quot; or &quot;numerals end.&quot;<br />
+sig. 3 = signature.<br />
+3 = End of word.<br />
+33 = End of sentence.<br />
+333 = End of message.<br />
+22, 22, 3 = I understand.<br />
+
+<p>The complete number opposite each letter or numeral stands for that
+letter or numeral.</p>
+
+<p>Example: The signal sent by Commodore Schley's flagship &quot;Brooklyn&quot; that
+memorable 3d of July&mdash;</p>
+
+T  H    E    E   N   E   M     Y'   S     F     L    E   E   T<br />
+2, 122, 12 3 12, 11, 12, 1221, 111, 212 3 2221, 221, 12, 12, 2, 3<br />
+L, RLL, RL D RL, RR, RL, RLLR, RRR, LRL D LLLR, LLR, RL, RL, L, D<br />
+<br />
+I  S     C    O   M     I  N   G      O   U    T   O   F<br />
+1, 212 3 121, 21, 1221, 1, 11, 2211 3 21, 112, 2 3 21, 2221<br />
+R, LRL D RLR, LR, RLLR, R, RR, LLRR D LR, RRL, L D LR, LLLR<br />
+<br />
+H    A   R    B     O   R.<br />
+122, 22, 211, 2112, 21, 211, 333.<br />
+RLL, LL, LRR, LRRL, LR, LRR, DDD.<br />
+<br />
+R = Right = 1.          L = Left = 2.         D = Drop = 3.<br />
+<br />
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<h3>NIGHT SIGNALLING.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The lights in the Ardois system&mdash;named after its inventor&mdash;sometimes
+called &quot;shroud lights,&quot; are placed well up on the foremast. They are red
+and white electric bulbs. There are four of each placed in a line one
+above the other, in groups of two&mdash;- a red and white bulb together.
+Unlike the &quot;wigwag&quot; system, the whole letter is shown at once.</p>
+
+<p>The code is the same as the &quot;wigwag.&quot; One is indicated by a red light,
+two by white, and three by the combination, white, white, red and white.</p>
+
+<p>Both systems may be mastered very easily by a little painstaking
+practice, and much amusement may be had through the mystification of
+those who do not understand it. A &quot;wigwag&quot; flag may be easily made by
+sewing a white square of muslin in the centre of a red bandana
+handkerchief.</p>
+
+<p>The best method of learning this system is to send simple messages,
+looking up the letters that there is any doubt about, and correcting
+mistakes as you go along.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<h3>NAVY CODE FLAGS.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>Messages sent by the navy code flags cannot be read except by the aid of
+the code book. There are ten numeral flags&mdash;1 to 9, and one for 0. All
+messages are made up by means of these ten flags headed by the code flag
+(whether it be geographical, telegraph, or navy list).</p>
+
+<p>For instance, a line of bunting is sent up on the flagship's signal
+halliards. It is read from the top down. The geographical flag flies
+first; then follow 7, 6, 3, 8. It means that the message can be found in
+the geographical list, number 7638.</p>
+
+<p>The repeaters are used to avoid confusion. Instead of putting two number
+1 flags together, for instance, number 1 is flown with a repeater under
+it; second repeater repeats number 2, and so on.</p>
+<br />
+
+<p>PREPARATORY.&mdash;Over hoist. Prepare to execute subjoined order.</p>
+
+<p>INTERROGATION.&mdash;Alone. What is that signal? or &quot;I don't
+understand&mdash;repeat.&quot; Above hoist puts signal in interrogative sense.</p>
+
+<p>ANSWERING.&mdash;Flown by ship receiving message indicates that signal is
+understood.</p>
+
+<p>AFFIRMATIVE.&mdash;Alone. Yes. Above hoist puts message in affirmative or
+permissive sense.</p>
+
+<p>NEGATIVE.&mdash;Alone. No. Above hoist puts message in negative sense.</p>
+
+<p>MEAL or NUMERAL.&mdash;Alone. Crew at mess. Above or below hoist&mdash;the numeral
+flags are to be taken as numbers simply.</p>
+
+<p>CONVOY.&mdash;Alone at fore, means naval convoy. Above hoist means use navy
+list.</p>
+
+<p>POSITION.&mdash;In manoeuvres, hoisted by each ship as it gets into position
+ordered; lowered when next ship gets into place.</p>
+
+<p>GUARD or GUIDE.&mdash;As its name implies&mdash;flown by guard or guide ship.</p>
+
+<p>TELEGRAPH.&mdash;Use telegraph list.</p>
+
+<p>DESPATCH or GEOGRAPHICAL.&mdash;Alone at fore, indicates that the ship flying
+it is carrying despatches. Above hoist. Use geographical list.</p>
+
+<p>CORNET.&mdash;Alone. Ship about to sail. Over number. Official number of
+ship.</p>
+
+<p>GENERAL RECALL.&mdash;Recalls all small boats.</p>
+
+<p>POWDER.&mdash;Hoisted alone in port. Taking powder on board. Alone at sea.
+Distress.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<h3>RATING MARKS IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>THE INSIGNIA OF RANK OF COMMISSIONED, WARRANT, AND PETTY OFFICERS.</p>
+
+<p>There are four classes of officers in the United States navy, and each
+has its own distinguishing mark.</p>
+
+<p>The commissioned officers of the line.</p>
+
+<p>The commissioned corps.</p>
+
+<p>The warrant officers.</p>
+
+<p>The petty officers.</p>
+
+<p>The first two classes are graduates of Annapolis, or regularly
+commissioned by the Government. The last two are composed of enlisted
+men who have been promoted.</p>
+
+<p>The rank device of the commissioned officers is worn on the
+shoulder-knot of the full dress uniform and on the collar of the service
+coat.</p>
+
+<p>The marks are as follows:</p>
+
+<center>
+<table summary="ranks">
+<tr>
+  <td><img src='images/page305a.jpg' width='218' height='88' alt='' title=''></td>
+  <td><img src='images/page305b.jpg' width='218' height='88' alt='' title=''></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>REAR-ADMIRAL.<br />Foul anchor with silver stars at<br />ends; and one stripe of gold lace<br />two inches wide, and one of one-<br />half inch wide above it, on sleeves.</td>
+  <td>COMMODORE.<br />A star with a foul anchor at<br />either side of it; and one stripe<br />of gold lace two inches wide on<br />sleeves.</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td><img src='images/page305c.jpg' width='218' height='88' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+  <td><img src='images/page305d.jpg' width='218' height='88' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>CAPTAIN.<br />A spread eagle with foul anchor<br />at either side. Four one-half-inch<br />stripes of gold lace on sleeves.</td>
+  <td>COMMANDER.<br />Foul anchor with silver oak leaves<br />at ends. Three stripes of half-inch<br />gold lace on sleeves.</td>
+</tr>
+</table></center>
+<br />
+<center>LIEUTENANT-COMMANDER.&mdash;A silver foul anchor with<br />
+a silver oak leaf at either end. Two stripes of half-inch<br />
+gold lace with a quarter-inch stripe between.</center>
+<br />
+<center>
+<table summary="ranks2">
+<tr>
+  <td><img src='images/page305e.jpg' width='218' height='88' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+  <td><img src='images/page305f.jpg' width='218' height='88' alt='' title=''></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>LIEUTENANT.<br />Silver foul anchor with two silver<br />bars at either side. Two stripes<br />of gold lace one-half inch wide on<br />sleeves.</td>
+  <td>LIEUTENANT&mdash;JUNIOR GRADE.<br />Silver foul anchor with one silver<br />bar at either side. Two stripes<br />of gold lace, half and quarter-inch,<br />on sleeves.</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td><img src='images/page305g.jpg' width='218' height='88' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+  <td></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td>ENSIGN.<br />A gold foul anchor on collar or<br />shoulder-knot and one stripe of<br />gold lace on sleeves.</td>
+  <td></td>
+</tr>
+</table></center>
+
+
+
+<h3>THE COMMISSIONED CORPS.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The commissioned corps' devices are substituted for the anchor by staff
+officers, who wear the same rank devices as are prescribed for line
+officers with whom they have relative rank.</p>
+
+<p>THE PAY CORPS.&mdash;A silver oak sprig and a narrow band of white cloth
+above and below the gold lace on sleeves.</p>
+
+<p>THE MEDICAL CORPS.&mdash;A spread oak leaf of gold with an acorn of silver,
+and a band of dark maroon velvet above and below the gold lace on
+sleeves.</p>
+
+<p>THE ENGINEER CORPS.&mdash;Four silver oak leaves, and a band of red cloth
+above and below the gold lace on sleeves.</p>
+<br />
+
+<h3>PETTY OFFICERS' RATING MARKS.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>All petty officers wear a rating device on the sleeve of the outer
+garment above the elbow. If they belong to the starboard watch the mark
+will be sewed on the right sleeve; if the port, on the left.</p>
+
+<center>
+<img src='images/page306.jpg' width='300' height='464' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+<h5>QUARTERMASTER.</h5>
+
+<p>The petty officers' device always has a spread eagle above it. The
+specialty mark indicating to which department he belongs is just below
+in the angle formed by the chevrons. The chevrons indicate the class.
+Three chevrons, first class; two, second class, and so on. The chief
+petty officers have an arch of the same cloth connecting the two ends
+of the top chevron.</p>
+
+<p>The specialty marks are as follows:</p><br />
+
+<center>
+<table summary="specialty marks">
+<tr>
+  <td><img src='images/page307a.jpg' width='100' height='100' alt='' title=''></td>
+  <td><img src='images/page307b.jpg' width='100' height='100' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+  <td><img src='images/page307c.jpg' width='100' height='100' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+  <td><img src='images/page307d.jpg' width='100' height='100' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td><center>MASTER-AT-ARMS</center></td>
+  <td><center>GUNNER'S<br />MATES.</center></td>
+  <td><center>SEAMAN<br />GUNNER.</center></td>
+  <td><center>CHIEF<br />YEOMAN.</center></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td><img src='images/page307e.jpg' width='100' height='120' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+  <td><img src='images/page307f.jpg' width='100' height='100' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+  <td><img src='images/page307g.jpg' width='100' height='80' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+  <td><img src='images/page307h.jpg' width='80' height='100' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td><center>APOTHECARY.</center></td>
+  <td><center>YEOMAN&mdash;1ST<br />2D, AND 3D<br />CLASS.</center></td>
+  <td><center>SHIP'S PRINTER<br />OR<br />SCHOOL-MASTER.</center></td>
+  <td><center>BANDMASTER.</center></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td><img src='images/page307i.jpg' width='115' height='100' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+  <td><img src='images/page307j.jpg' width='100' height='90' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+  <td><img src='images/page307k.jpg' width='110' height='100' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+  <td><img src='images/page307l.jpg' width='110' height='100' align='left' alt='' title=''></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td><center>MACHINISTS,<br />BOILER-MAKERS,<br />WATER-TENDERS,<br />COPPERSMITHS,<br />AND OILERS.</center></td>
+  <td><center>CARPENTER'S<br />MATES,<br />PLUMBERS,<br />AND PAINTERS.</center></td>
+  <td><center>BLACKSMITH.</center></td>
+  <td><center>BOATSWAIN'S<br />MATES AND<br />COXSWAINS.</center></td>
+</tr></table></center>
+
+
+
+<br />
+<p>The seaman class is indicated by the rows of braid on the cuffs.</p>
+
+<p>Seamen, first class or able-bodied seamen, have three rows of braid.</p>
+
+<p>Seamen, second class or ordinary seamen, have two rows of braid.</p>
+
+<p>Seamen, third class or landsmen, have one row of braid.</p>
+
+<p>The watch mark for the enlisted men not petty officers consists of a
+stripe of braid on the sleeve close to the shoulder. For the seaman,
+white on blue clothes, blue on white clothes.</p>
+
+<p>For the engineer force, red on both white and blue clothes.</p>
+
+<p>The watch mark indicates the watch of which the wearer is a member. The
+starboard men wear it on the right arm, and the port men on the left.</p>
+<br />
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<h3>TAKING SOUNDINGS.</h3>
+
+<h4>HEAVING THE LEAD.</h4>
+<br />
+
+<p>The man using the &quot;lead line&quot; (as the sounding-line weighted with lead
+is called) stands on a grating that projects over the side. This is
+placed near enough so that the steersman can hear the man who &quot;heaves
+the lead&quot; when he calls out the number of fathoms of water. This he
+tells by the marks on the &quot;lead line&quot; as follows:</p>
+
+
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>2 fathoms, twelve feet, 2 strips of leather.</span><br />
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>3&nbsp; &nbsp;&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 3 strips of leather.</span><br />
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>5&nbsp; &nbsp;&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; white rag.</span><br />
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>7&nbsp; &nbsp;&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; red rag.</span><br />
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>10&nbsp;&nbsp;&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; leather with hole in it.</span><br />
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>13&nbsp;&nbsp;&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 3 strips of leather or blue rag.</span><br />
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>15&nbsp;&nbsp;&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; white rag.</span><br />
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>17&nbsp;&nbsp;&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; red rag.</span><br />
+
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>20&nbsp; &quot;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 2 knots.</span><br />
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>25&nbsp; &quot;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 1 knot.</span><br />
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>30&nbsp; &quot;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 3 knots.</span><br />
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>35&nbsp; &quot;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 1 knot.</span><br />
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>40&nbsp; &quot;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 4 knots.</span><br />
+
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>9 &nbsp;&nbsp; &quot; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;  are called mark.</span><br />
+<span style='margin-left: 18em;'>11&nbsp;&nbsp;&quot; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;  are called deeps.</span><br />
+
+
+
+<p>The leadsman stands on his little grating and swings the lead so it just
+clears the water. When it is swinging well he lets it fly in the
+direction in which the ship is moving and then notes the depth by the
+strips of leather or rags. The result is shouted out so the steersman
+can hear and keep the vessel in the channel.</p>
+<br />
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+<h3>THE BOATSWAIN'S CALLS.</h3>
+<br />
+
+<p>The boatswain's calls or &quot;pipes&quot; are very difficult to reduce to a
+musical scale, because the pitch of the instrument depends entirely on
+the amount of energy expended by the blower. The novice, after a few
+trials, would probably assert that the primitive little whistle had only
+one note&mdash;and not very much of that; but he would be surprised indeed at
+the volume of sound, the range, and the command over the instrument
+which a veteran boatswain would soon make everyday matter to him. Not
+only do these experts sound the regular calls with ear-piercing
+exactness, but actual tunes are often included in their repertoire.</p>
+
+<p>The pipe or whistle is held with the bulb in the centre of the palm, the
+hole being towards the wrist. The lobe to which the ring and lanyard are
+attached, serves simply as a handle.</p>
+
+<p>In the diagram given, the black line indicates the &quot;pipe&quot; or call; the
+four faint horizontal lines, the notes, and the vertical bars, the time.</p>
+
+<p>The roll indicated by the wavy line in the diagram is made by rapidly
+opening and closing the hand. The gradual rise and fall is effected in
+the same way, but slowly. The rattle is done by a quick movement of the
+tongue.</p>
+
+<p>This diagram is furnished by an old boatswain. As a rule, the calls are
+taught entirely by personal instruction, and it is believed that they
+have here been put into print for the first time. None of the ordinary
+manuals have ever given them, the young sailor having had to learn them
+by experience on shipboard.</p>
+
+<p>Their importance is evident from the fact that every order aboard ship
+is preceded by the pipe peculiar to the command; for though the words
+may not be heard, the whistle can always be distinguished. Even the most
+lubberly landsman, with such continuous practice, soon learns the
+meaning of the different calls, and jumps to obey them.</p>
+
+<center>
+<img src='images/page311.jpg' width='300' height='547' alt='' title=''>
+</center>
+
+<br />
+<h4>STATIONS OR QUARTERS FOR EXERCISE, OR PRECEDING ACTION,<br />OF FIVE-INCH BREECHLOADING RIFLES.</h4>
+<img src='images/page312.jpg' width='300' height='520' align='right' alt='' title=''>
+
+<p>
+1. First Captain, Second Boarder.<br />
+2. Second Captain, First Boarder.<br />
+3. First Loader, Second Boarder.<br />
+4. Second Loader, First Boarder.<br />
+5. First Shellman, Pumpman, Port guard.<br />
+6. Second Shellman, Fireman, Port guard.<br />
+7. First Shellman, Second Rifleman.<br />
+8. Second Shellman, First Rifleman.<br />
+</p>
+<br />
+
+<p>1. Stands at elevating gear wheel and sights and fires the gun.</p>
+
+<p>2. Stands at the right and beside the breech; opens same after firing so
+shell can be taken out.</p>
+
+<p>3. Stands at the left training wheel&mdash;i.e., the wheel that moves the gun
+laterally. He also loads the gun.</p>
+
+<p>4. Stands at the right training wheel. He takes out the empty shell
+after firing, and wears heavy gloves for that purpose.</p>
+
+<p>5 and 6. Stand just behind No. 2 to the right of the gun. They may be
+termed emergency men. They assist with the shells, carry the wounded, if
+any; will be called away in case of fire, and are qualified to sight and
+fire the gun in case the first and second captains are wounded or
+killed. They provide revolvers and belts for Nos. 1, 2, and 3, and belts
+for Nos. 5, 6, 7, and 8. They are also port guards, and defend the ports
+in case of close action.</p>
+
+<p>7 and 8. Carry shells from the ammunition hoist to a position amidships
+convenient for quick transport to the gun. They are also riflemen, and
+may be called to protect<br />any part of the ship from boarders or from fire
+on shore.</p>
+
+<br>
+<br>
+<hr class="full" noshade>
+<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A GUNNER ABOARD THE "YANKEE"***</p>
+<p>******* This file should be named 13826-h.txt or 13826-h.zip *******</p>
+<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br />
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+The Project Gutenberg eBook, A Gunner Aboard the "Yankee", by Russell
+Doubleday, et al, Edited by H. H. Lewis
+
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+
+
+
+Title: A Gunner Aboard the "Yankee"
+
+Author: Russell Doubleday
+
+Release Date: October 21, 2004  [eBook #13826]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)
+
+
+***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A GUNNER ABOARD THE "YANKEE"***
+
+
+E-text prepared by Curtis Weyant, Gregory Smith, and the Project Gutenberg
+Online Distributed Proofreading Team
+
+
+
+Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this
+      file which includes the original illustrations.
+      See 13826-h.htm or 13826-h.zip:
+      (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/3/8/2/13826/13826-h/13826-h.htm)
+      or
+      (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/3/8/2/13826/13826-h.zip)
+
+
+
+
+
+A GUNNER ABOARD THE "YANKEE"
+
+From the Diary of Number Five of the After Port Gun (Russell Doubleday)
+
+The Yarn of the Cruise and Fights of the Naval Reserves in the
+Spanish-American War
+
+Edited by H. H. LEWIS, Late a S.N.
+
+With Introduction by W. T. SAMPSON, Rear Admiral U.S.
+
+1896
+
+
+
+
+
+
+BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA
+
+Honorary President, THE HON. WOODROW WILSON
+Honorary Vice-President, HON. WILLIAM H. TAFT
+Honorary Vice-President, COLONEL THEODORE ROOSEVELT
+President, COLIN B. LIVINGSTONE, Washington, D.C.
+Vice-President, B.L. DULANEY, Bristol, Tenn.
+Vice-President, MILTON A. McRAE, Detroit, Mich.
+Vice-President, DAVID STARR JORDAN, Stanford University, Cal.
+Vice-President, F.L. SEELY, Asheville, N.C.
+Vice-President, A. STAMFORD WHITE, Chicago, Ill.
+Chief Scout, ERNEST THOMPSON SETON, Greenwich, Connecticut
+National Scout Commissioner, DANIEL CARTER BEARD, Fishing, N.Y.
+
+NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
+THE FIFTH AVENUE BUILDING, 200 FIFTH AVENUE
+TELEPHONE GRAMERCY 540
+NEW YORK CITY
+
+FINANCE COMMITTEE
+John Sherman Hoyt, Chairman
+George D. Pratt
+Mortimer L. Schiff
+H. Rogers Winthrop
+
+GEORGE D. PRATT Treasurer
+JAMES E. WEST Chief Scout Executive
+
+ADDITIONAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
+Ernest P. Bicknell
+Robert Garrett
+Lee F. Hanmer
+Jobe Sherman Hoyt
+Charles C. Jackson
+Prof. Jeremiah W. Jeeks
+William D. Murray
+Dr. Charles P. Nell
+Frank Presbrey
+Edgar M. Robinson
+Mortimer L. Schiff
+Lorillard Spencer
+Seth Spreguy Terry
+
+
+
+
+     July 31st, 1913.
+
+     TO THE PUBLIC:--
+
+     In the execution of its purpose to give educational value
+     and moral worth to the recreational activities of the
+     boyhood of America, the leaders of the Boy Scout Movement
+     quickly learned that to effectively carry out its program,
+     the boy must be influenced not only in his out-of-door life
+     but also in the diversions of his other leisure moments. It
+     is at such times that the boy is captured by the tales of
+     daring enterprises and adventurous good times. What now is
+     needful is not that his taste should be thwarted but
+     trained. There should constantly be presented to him the
+     books the boy likes best, yet always the books that will be
+     best for the boy. As a natter of fact, however, the boy's
+     taste is being constantly vitiated and exploited by the
+     great mass of cheap juvenile literature.
+
+     To help anxiously concerned parents and educators to meet
+     this grave peril, the Library Commission of the Boy Scouts
+     of America has been organized. EVERY BOY'S LIBRARY is the
+     result of their labors. All the books chosen have been
+     approved by them. The Commission is composed of the
+     following members: George F. Bowerman, Librarian, Public
+     Library of the District of Columbia, Washington, D.C.;
+     Harrison W. Graver, Librarian, Carnegie Library of
+     Pittsburgh, Pa.; Claude G. Leland, Superintendent, Bureau of
+     Libraries, Board of Education, New York City; Edward F.
+     Stevens, Librarian, Pratt Institute Free Library, Brooklyn,
+     New York; together with the Editorial Board of our Movement,
+     William D. Murray, George D. Pratt and Frank Presbrey, with
+     Franklin K. Mathiews. Chief Scout Librarian, as Secretary.
+
+     In selecting the books, the Commission has chosen only such
+     as are of interest to boys, the first twenty-five being
+     either works of fiction or stirring stories of adventurous
+     experiences. In later lists, books of a more serious sort
+     will be included. It is hoped that as many as twenty-five
+     may be added to the Library each year.
+
+     Thanks are due the several publishers who have helped to
+     inaugurate this new department of our work. Without their
+     co-operation in making available for popular priced editions
+     some of the best books ever published for boys, the
+     promotion of EVERY BOY'S LIBRARY would have been
+     impossible.
+
+     We wish, too, to express our heartiest gratitude to the
+     Library Commission, who, without compensation, have placed
+     their vast experience and immense resources at the service
+     of our Movement.
+
+     The Commission invites suggestions as to future books to be
+     included in the Library. Librarians, teachers, parents, and
+     all others interested in welfare work for boys, can render a
+     unique service by forwarding to National Headquarters lists
+     of such books as in their judgment would be suitable for
+     EVERY BOY'S LIBRARY.
+
+     Signed
+
+     Chief Scout Executive.
+
+
+
+ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
+
+
+Acknowledgements are due to J. Harper Skillen, Stewart Flagg, George
+Yardley, W.G. Wood, and E. Howe Stockwell for the use of photographs;
+and to C.B. Hayward and Allan H. Seaman for the use of notes and
+diaries.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE NAVAL RESERVES LEAVING NEW YORK--GOING OFF IN THE
+TUGBOAT TO MAN THE "YANKEE".]
+
+
+
+
+
+THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY
+
+RUSSELL DOUBLEDAY
+
+NUMBER FIVE OF THE AFTER PORT GUN OF THE YANKEE
+
+TO THE NAVAL RESERVE ORGANIZATIONS
+
+THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, WHO HAVE MADE SUCH
+
+AN ENVIABLE RECORD DURING THE SPANISH-AMERICAN
+
+WAR AND BEFORE WHOM SUCH A
+
+GLORIOUS FUTURE
+
+OPENS AUTHOR'S FOREWORD
+
+1898 April 1917
+
+The successors of the crew of the "Yankee" are now "somewhere in the
+service." The boys of the First Battalion New York Naval Militia were
+just as eager to get to sea in the service of Uncle Sam to do their part
+for the great cause, as we were in the Spring of '98.
+
+The old frigate "Granite State" (formerly the New Hampshire), living
+through three wars, has resounded to the tramp of hundreds of tars in
+the making. She is the school ship, the home ship of the First
+Battalion. Down her gangways went most of the "Yankee's" crew and
+between her massive decks they returned after their job was done.
+
+As I write it seems as if I can hear the shrill whistle of the bo'sn's
+pipe sounding in all parts of the old wooden ship, then the long drawn
+call "all hands on deck." The men come tumbling up from below, touching
+their caps in salute as their heads rise above the hatch coaming. Men
+standing in battalion formation, by divisions, at attention, each man
+answers "here" as his name is called. Some of the voices are a little
+husky as the speaker realizes that war is on and he is about to be
+called for real service.
+
+And so they are mustered in. The state's sailors become Uncle Sam's
+man-o'-war's-men. The old "Granite State" is once more emptied of its
+crew. The decks are silent and the long, low gangways beneath the
+ancient deck beams are checked with squares of undisturbed yellow-light,
+as the sun streams through the square gun ports.
+
+The readers of this book can imagine the men on our great gray ships of
+war going through much the same routine followed by the "Yankee's" crew,
+for there has been but little change in the work and play of the
+man-o'-war's-men.
+
+So let us take off our caps and give the men of 1917 three cheers and a
+tiger. May they shoot straight, and keep fit.
+
+Pipe down.
+
+RUSSELL DOUBLEDAY
+
+April, 1917
+Nineteen years ago this
+month the "Yankee's"
+crew went to sea.
+
+INTRODUCTION.
+
+As the Commander-in-Chief of the American Naval Squadron blockading
+Santiago and the Cuban coast, the auxiliary cruiser "Yankee," manned by
+the New York Naval Reserves, came immediately under my observation, and
+it is a pleasure for me to speak of the spirit and efficiency shown by
+the officers and crew during their stay under my command.
+
+The young men forming the ship's company of the "Yankee" were called
+into service several weeks prior to any other Naval Reserve battalion;
+they came from all walks of civil life, and their minds, devoted to
+peaceful pursuits, were suddenly diverted to the needs and requirements
+and the usages of naval routine. Notwithstanding this radical change,
+they have made the name of their ship a household word throughout the
+country, and have proved that the average American, whether he be clerk
+or physician, broker, lawyer, or merchant, can, on the spur of the
+moment, prove a capable fighter for his country even amid such strange
+and novel surroundings as obtain in the naval service. These young men
+have especially upheld the American supremacy in the art of gunnery, and
+have, on all occasions, proved brave and efficient.
+
+The conclusion of the Spanish-American War released them from their
+voluntarily assumed positions in the regular navy, but when they
+returned to civil life they carried with them the consciousness of duty
+well done at Santiago and Cienfuegos and whenever their guns were used
+in hostile action. In a word, the Naval Reserves manning the "Yankee,"
+in common with those on board other vessels in the service, have proved
+their aptitude for sea duty, and made apparent the wisdom of the
+Government in calling them into active service.
+
+W.T. SAMPSON,
+Rear-Admiral, U.S.N.
+
+U.S. FLAGSHIP "NEW YORK,"
+September 3, 1898.
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+       CHAPTER
+       AUTHOR'S FOREWORD
+       INTRODUCTION
+       PREFACE
+   I.  IN WHICH THE "YANKEE" GOES INTO COMMISSION
+  II.  IN WHICH WE GET UNDER WAY AT LAST
+ III.  IN WHICH THE "YANKEE" CRUISES FOR PRIZES
+  IV.  WE GET ORDERS TO GO SOUTH
+   V.  A WILD GOOSE CHASE
+  VI.  WE BECOME COAL HEATERS
+ VII.  WE ENTER THE "THEATRE OF WAR"
+VIII.  WE JOIN SAMPSON'S FLEET
+  IX.  CLEAR SHIP FOR ACTION
+   X.  WE BOMBARD SANTIAGO DE CUBA
+  XI.  A PERILOUS MOMENT
+ XII.  IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURE
+XIII.  A NARROW ESCAPE
+ XIV.  WE ENGAGE IN A SEA FIGHT
+  XV.  COALING IN THE TROPICS
+ XVI.  "REMEMBER THE FISH"
+XVII.  IN GOD'S COUNTRY
+XVIII. THE "YANKEE" ARRIVES OFF SANTIAGO
+  XIX. HOPE DEFERRED
+   XX. TAPS
+       APPENDIX
+
+
+
+LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
+
+
+THE NAVAL RESERVES LEAVING NEW YORK--GOING OFF IN THE TUGBOAT TO
+MAN THE "YANKEE"
+      Frontispiece
+
+"THAT FAT MAN IN THE CELLAR WANTS ME TO SLEEP IN A BAG--"
+
+"THE GIG WAS LOWERED"
+
+"THE MEN ON THE STAGES"
+
+"STAND BY, MEN. BE READY FOB INSTANT ACTION"
+
+"THE 'YANKEE' DROPPED HER ANCHOR OFF TOMPKINSVILLE"
+
+"WITH A FRIGHTFUL ROAR THE DEFECTIVE CARTRIDGE EXPLODED"
+
+"THE SIX-POUNDERS ON THE 'YANKEE'S' FORECASTLE JOINED IN THE CHORUS"
+
+"CLEAR SHIP FOR ACTION!"
+
+THE BOMBARDMENT OF MORRO CASTLE, SANTIAGO
+
+ON THE GUN DECK DURING THE BOMBARDMENT
+
+THE SEARCHLIGHT "SWEEPING BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE BLACK OF THE HORIZON"
+
+"THERE WAS TEMPORARY CONFUSION"
+
+"THE FUSILLADE WAS LIVELY"
+
+"THE SPAR DECK WAS COVERED WITH RED SHELLAC"
+
+"THE MARINES AIRED THEIR HAMMOCKS ON THE FORECASTLE DECK"
+
+"HE GOT HIS ORDERS FROM THE BRIDGE"
+
+"ALL YOU MEN WHO WANT TO GO IN SWIMMING MAY DO SO"
+
+MARCHING THROUGH CITY HALL PARK, NEW YORK CITY
+
+
+
+
+
+PREFACE.
+
+When the important events of the first part of April, 1898, were shaping
+themselves toward an inevitable conflict between Spain and the United
+States of America, the authorities at Washington began to perfect their
+plans for an immediate increase of the navy. The Naval Militia of the
+country, of whom Assistant Secretary Theodore Roosevelt had a very high
+opinion, came in for early attention, and word was sent to the different
+States to prepare for service. Several days previous to the actual
+outbreak of war, messages were forwarded from the Naval Reserve
+receiving ship "New Hampshire," lying at a dock in the East River, to a
+number of young men, members of the Naval Militia, residing in New York
+City. These summons contained simply a request to report at once on
+board the ship, but they resulted in a most curious and interesting
+transformation--in fact, they formed the foundation of a chain of events
+which was destined to amalgamate into a common grade--that of a naval
+bluejacket--several hundred young Americans, who, in their natural
+characters, were sons of rich men and of men of moderate means, of
+doctors and lawyers and brokers and clerks and bookkeepers, and of all
+sorts and conditions of respectable citizens. Patriotism was the
+incentive which called these youths of various stations together, and
+sheer love of country and the courage to fight her battles formed the
+cement which bound them cheerfully to their duty. To fight for pay and
+as a profession is one thing; to offer your freedom and your life, to
+endure discomforts and actual hardships, to risk health in a
+fever-stricken foreign country, and to sacrifice settled ambition for
+mere patriotism, is another. It is the latter which the Volunteer Naval
+Reserve of the United States has done, and every American citizen with a
+drop of honest blood in his veins will surely give the organization the
+praise it so richly deserves.
+
+On the third of May, while Cervera's whereabouts was still an absorbing
+mystery, the "Yankee" (an auxiliary cruiser, converted from the
+steamship "El Nort") went into commission at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. She
+was manned entirely, save for the captain, executive officer, navigator,
+paymaster, and the marine guard, by members of the New York State Naval
+Militia. For four months she remained in commission, weaving the threads
+of a glorious record which will ever redound to the credit and honor of
+the Volunteer Naval Reserve. Truth is ever stranger than fiction, and
+the simple story of the boys of the gallant "Yankee," as set forth in
+the diary of Number Five of the After Port Gun, should appeal to the
+heart of every reader in this great country of ours--a country made
+grander and better and more potent in the world's history by the
+achievements of such brave lads as those who formed the crew of the
+"Yankee." Number Five's diary was written simply for his family, but the
+fame gained by the "Yankee" leads the publishers to believe that it will
+prove interesting to Americans far and wide. It is set forth in
+narrative form, but the incidents and the straightforward, simple, and
+sailor-like words are those of the actual participant. This is his
+story.
+
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+IN WHICH THE "YANKEE" GOES INTO COMMISSION.
+
+U.S.S. "NEW HAMPSHIRE,"
+April 26, 1898.
+Report at "New Hampshire" immediately, ready to go on board auxiliary
+cruiser "Yankee."
+
+(Signed)
+JOHN H. BARNARD,
+Lieut, commanding 3d Division,
+N.Y. State Naval Militia.
+
+It was this telegram, brief but extremely comprehensive, received early
+on the morning of the twenty-sixth of April, which sent me post-haste to
+the old receiving-ship "New Hampshire," moored at the end of an East
+River dock. The telegram had been anxiously expected for several days by
+the members of the First Battalion, and when I reached the ship I found
+the decks thronged with excited groups.
+
+"War was a certainty, and the very air was filled with rumors. The
+prevailing topic was discussed from every point of view, and within
+sixty seconds as many destinations had been picked out for the
+'Yankee.' It was variously reported that she was to go to Havana, to
+Manila, to Porto Rico, and even to Spain. This last rumor brought shouts
+of laughter, and 'Stump,' as we termed him, a well-known young insurance
+broker of New York, remarked, in his characteristic way:
+
+"It probably won't be this particular 'Yankee,' boys, that will go
+there, but there'll be others."
+
+There was much cleaning of kits and furbishing of cutlasses. We knew
+that we would not take the latter with us, but then it was practice, and
+we felt anxious to do something martial as a relief to our excitement.
+There was a diversion shortly before noon, when the "old man" (the
+captain) appeared with a number of official-looking papers in his hands.
+
+"He's got the orders," whispered little Potter, our latest recruit.
+"Whoop! we'll get away this morning, sure."
+
+The whistle of the bosun's mate on watch echoed shrilly about the decks
+a few moments later.
+
+"Now, d'ye hear there," he shouted, hoarsely, "you will break out mess
+gear and get yourselves ready for messing aboard ship."
+
+That did not sound as if we were destined to see our new vessel put into
+commission very soon, and there was some grumbling, but the boys fell to
+work with good grace, and we were soon preparing for our stay aboard the
+old frigate. The officer of the deck was lenient, however, and the
+majority of the crew secured permission to sleep at home that night.
+
+The following Monday, on reporting on board the "New Hampshire," we
+learned that the entire detail selected to man the "Yankee" would
+proceed to that ship shortly after eight bells. Word was passed that our
+enlistment papers--for we were to regularly enter Uncle Sam's naval
+service--would be made out, and that our freedom and liberty, as some of
+the boys put it, would cease from that hour. The latter statement made
+little impression. We had entered the Naval Reserves for business, if
+business was required, and we expected hardships as well as fun.
+
+A navy-yard tug, sent by the Commandant, steamed alongside at two
+o'clock, and the company was marched on board without delay. The boys
+were eager to enter on this, their first real detail, and, in the rush
+to gain the deck of the tug, young Potter slipped from the rail and fell
+with a mighty splash into the water. "Man overboard!" bawled his
+nearest mate, and "Man overboard!" echoed one hundred and fifty voices.
+There was a scramble for the side, and the tug's deck hand, assisted by
+several of our fellows, fished Potter from the river with a boat hook.
+
+"Hereafter, please ask permission before you leave the ship,"
+facetiously remarked the officer in charge.
+
+"Humph! as if I meant to do it," grunted Potter, wringing the East River
+from his duck shirt.
+
+We caught our first view of the "Yankee" as we steamed past the cob dock
+at the yard. We were favorably impressed at once. She is a fine-looking
+ship, large, roomy, and comfortable, with lines which show that she is
+built for speed. As her record is twenty knots an hour, the latter
+promise is carried out. The "Yankee" was formerly the "El Norte," one of
+the Morgan Line's crack ships, and, when it was found necessary to
+increase the navy, she was purchased, together with other vessels of the
+same company, and ordered converted into an auxiliary cruiser. Gun
+mounts were placed in the cargo ports, beams strengthened, magazines
+inserted, and interior arrangements made to accommodate a large crew.
+The "Yankee's" tonnage is 4,695 tons; length, 408 feet; beam, 48 feet.
+The battery carried consists of ten five-inch quick-firing
+breechloaders, six six-pounders, and two Colt automatic guns. After
+events proved conclusively the efficiency of the "Yankee's" armament.
+
+The detail was taken alongside the "Yankee" by the tug. We had our first
+meeting with our new captain, Commander W.H. Brownson, of the regular
+navy. His appearance and his kindly greeting bore out the reputation he
+holds in the service as a gentleman and a capable officer. It is well to
+say right here that Commander Brownson, although a strict
+disciplinarian, was ever fair and just in his treatment of the crew. Our
+pedigrees were taken for the enlistment papers, and the questions asked
+us in regard to our ages, occupations, etc., proved that the Government
+requires the family history of its fighters. The following day each man
+was subjected to a rigid physical examination. The latter ceremony is so
+thorough that a man needs to be perfect to have the honor of wearing the
+blue shirt. Personally, when I finally emerged from the examining room,
+I felt that my teeth were all wrong, my eyes crossed, my heart a wreck,
+and that I was not only a physical ruin, but a gibbering idiot as well.
+That I really passed the examination successfully was no fault of the
+naval surgeon and his assistants.
+
+After the medical department had finished with us, the enlistment papers
+were completed, and we became full-fledged "Jackies," as "Stump" termed
+it. The members of the battalion were rated as landsmen, ordinary
+seamen, and able-bodied seamen, according to their skill, and a number
+of men, hastily enlisted for the purpose, were made machinists, firemen,
+coal-passers, painters, and carpenters. Some of these had seen service
+in the regular navy, and they were visibly horny-handed sons of toil.
+One Irishman, whose brogue was painful, looked with something very like
+contempt on the Naval Reserve sailors.
+
+"Uncle Sam is a queer bird," several of us overheard him remark to a
+mate. "He do be making a picnic av this war wid his pleasure boats an'
+his crew av pretty b'yes. If we iver tackle the Spaniards, there'll be
+many a mama's baby on board this hooker cryin' for home, swate home."
+
+"Hod," a six-footer, who played quarter-back on a famous team not long
+ago, took out his notebook and made an entry.
+
+"I'll spot that fellow and make him eat his words before we get into
+deep water," he said, quietly. He was not the only one to make that
+vow, and it was plain that Burke, the Irishman, had trouble in store for
+him.
+
+On our return to the "New Hampshire," the battalion was placed under the
+regular ship's routine. All the men were divided into two watches,
+starboard and port. The port watch, for instance, goes on duty at eight
+bells in the morning, stands four hours, and is then relieved by the
+starboard watch; this routine continues day and night, except from four
+until eight in the afternoon, when occur the dog watches, two of them,
+two hours long each, stood by the port and starboard men respectively.
+The dog watches are necessary to secure a change in the hours of duty
+for each watch.
+
+From now on we were given a taste of the actual work of the service.
+Details were made up each morning and sent to the "Yankee" to assist in
+getting her in readiness for service. One of the first duties was to
+carry on board and stow away in the hold one hundred kegs of mess pork.
+As each keg contained one hundred pounds, the task was not easy for men
+unaccustomed to manual labor. Still there was no complaint. In fact, the
+only growling heard so far had come from some of the men who had seen
+service in the regular navy. Burke, the fireman, declaimed loudly
+against the "shoe leather an' de terrer-cotter hard-tack which they do
+be tryin' to feed to honest workers. As for the slops they call coffee,
+Oi wouldn't give it to an Orangeman's pig!"
+
+The food served out on board the "New Hampshire"--being the usual
+Government ration of salt-horse, coffee, and hard-tack--was vastly
+different from that to which the majority of the boys were accustomed,
+but it was accepted with the good grace displayed by the members of the
+Reserve on every occasion. All these little discomforts are, as the
+Navigator (a commissioned officer of the regular navy) remarked, "merely
+incidental to the service."
+
+As the time approached when we were to board the "Yankee" for good, the
+ordinary watches were abandoned, and only anchor watches kept. An anchor
+watch is a detail of five or six men, selected from the different parts
+of the ship, who do duty, really, as watchmen, during the night. Two
+days before the order arrived to leave the "New Hampshire," it was found
+necessary to station several men, armed with guns and fixed bayonets, on
+the dock near the ship, to stop men from taking the "hawser route"
+ashore. The firemen and coal-passers had been refused shore leave, or
+liberty, as it is called, because of their habit of getting
+intoxicated, pawning their uniforms, and loitering ashore. Truth to
+tell, the guns and bayonets had little effect, as the offenders were old
+in the business.
+
+The second night after the order was put in force it happened that
+"Hod," who was rated as an able seaman, was on duty with gun and bayonet
+on that end of the dock opposite the forecastle. He had just relieved
+the man whose watch ended at midnight, and he stood thoughtfully
+watching the twinkling lights on the opposite side of the mighty East
+River. There was so much to occupy his mind in a situation which was
+both charming and fascinating that he remained motionless for several
+minutes. Presently there came a slight, scraping sound, and the end of a
+rope struck the dock almost at his feet.
+
+Glancing up, "Hod" saw a man's figure, dimly outlined in the gloom, slip
+from the topgallant forecastle and quickly descend the rope. It was
+evidently one of the men taking "French" leave, and it was the sentry's
+duty to give the alarm at once. But "Hod" had other views in this
+particular case. Hastily stepping back into the shadows, he laid his gun
+upon the floor of the dock, and rolled up his sleeves with an air that
+meant business. The next moment the absconder dropped from the rope.
+
+As he prepared to slip past the ship a sinewy hand was placed upon his
+shoulder, and another equally sinewy caught him by the collar.
+
+"Burke, suppose you return aboard ship," said "Hod," quietly. "You are
+not going to hit the Bowery this time."
+
+The Irish fireman attempted to wrench himself free, then he struck out
+at "Hod" with all the force of his right arm. The quarter-back's
+practice on the field came into play, and the college graduate tackled
+his opponent in the latest approved style. The struggle was short and
+decisive, and it resulted in Burke declaring his willingness to return
+to the ship.
+
+"The next time you try to size up a new shipmate be sure you are on to
+his curves," remarked "Hod," as he escorted his prisoner over the
+gangway. "You will find some of 'mama's pretty boys' rather tough nuts
+to crack."
+
+The day following this little episode found the members of the State
+Naval Militia detailed to form the crew of the "Yankee" in full
+possession of the cruiser which they were to sail to glory or defeat in
+defense of their country. The ship's company, two hundred and
+twenty-five in all, boarded the auxiliary warship without ceremony, and
+were speedily set to work hoisting in provisions, removing to the yard
+all unnecessary stuff with which the ship was littered, and getting her
+generally in condition for sailing. The work was extremely hard, but it
+was done without demur.
+
+A naval officer attached to the yard stood near me at one time during
+the afternoon, and I heard him remark to a visitor who had accompanied
+him on board: "You will find an object lesson in this scene. These young
+men working here at the hardest kind of manual labor, buckling down
+cheerfully to dirty jobs, were, a few days ago, living in luxury in the
+best homes in New York City. The older men were clerks, or lawyers, or
+physicians, and not one of them had ever stained his hands with toil.
+Look at them now."
+
+Unconsciously I glanced across the deck to where three men were hauling
+upon a whip, or block-and-tackle, which was being used to hoist huge
+boxes and casks of provisions on board. The three men were working
+sturdily, and it would have been difficult to recognize in them, with
+their grimy faces and soiled duck uniforms, a doctor, a bank cashier,
+and a man-about-town well known in New York City. Near the forward
+hatch, industriously swabbing the deck, was a black-haired youth whose
+father helps to control some of the largest moves on 'Change. Scattered
+about the gangway were others, some painting, some rolling barrels, and
+a number engaged in whipping in heavy boxes of ammunition. They were all
+cheerful, and the decks resounded with merry chatter and whistling and
+song.
+
+I turned to myself. My hands were brown and smeared and bruised. My
+uniform, once white, was streaked and stained with tar. I wore shoes
+innocent of blacking and made after a pattern much admired among
+navvies. I had an individual ache in every bone of my body, and I was
+hungry and was compelled to look forward to a dinner of odorous
+salt-horse, hard bread, and "ennuied" coffee, but I was happy--I had to
+admit that. Perhaps it was the novelty of the situation, perhaps it was
+something else, but the fact remained that I would not have left the
+ship or given up the idea of going on the cruise for a good deal.
+
+We worked hard all day, and, when mess gear was piped for supper, we
+could hardly repress a sigh of heartfelt relief. The food, bad as it
+was, was welcome, and when I reluctantly swung away from the mess table
+I felt much better. At six bells, shortly before hammocks were piped
+down, the "striker," or helper, for our mess cook, said mysteriously:
+
+"Don't turn in early, Russ, there's going to be a little fun. 'Bill' and
+'Stump' have young Potter on a string. It will be great."
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+IN WHICH WE GET UNDER WAY AT LAST.
+
+The hint of possible fun that night was sufficient to keep me alert.
+"All work and no play, etc.," was part of our code aboard the "Yankee,"
+and goodness knows we had worked hard enough getting the ship ready for
+sailing to be permitted a little sport. Then, again, any badgering of
+young Potter would be innocent amusement, so I laid by and waited,
+keeping my eye on "Bill."
+
+"Bill," by the way, was the captain of our mess, a jolly good fellow,
+popular, and always in evidence when there was any skylarking on foot.
+
+Hammocks were piped down at seven bells (7:30 p.m.), and, as it was our
+first experience on board the "Yankee," there was some confusion. A
+number of new recruits had joined that afternoon, and their efforts to
+master the mysteries of the sailor's sleeping outfit were amusing. A
+naval hammock differs largely from those used ashore. A hammock aboard
+ship is of canvas, seven feet long, with holes a few inches apart at
+each end, through which are reeved pieces of strong cord. The latter are
+called clews, and they meet at an iron ring, which is attached to the
+hooks in the carline beams when the hammock is in position for use. When
+a hammock is properly slung it hangs almost straight, with very little
+sagging. To get in properly, one grasps two hoops near the head, and,
+with an agile spring, throws body and feet into the canvas bed. This
+requires a knack, and is learned only after a more or less painful
+experience. A three-inch mattress and two blankets go with each outfit.
+For sheets a bag-like mattress cover is used, and, in lieu of the downy
+pillows of home, the sailor must be content with his shoes rolled up
+inside his trousers or flannel shirt. With it all, however, the naval
+hammock is very comfortable. There is the advantage of being able to not
+only wash your blankets and sheets, but your bed as well. Once each
+month clean hammocks are issued and the old ones scrubbed.
+
+While I was below, rigging up my clews, I saw a commotion on the other
+side of the deck. The master-at-arms was expostulating with one of the
+new recruits who had reported that afternoon. Suddenly the latter called
+out, angrily, "I'll see if I have to, durn you!" and bolted for the
+upper deck. The master-at-arms followed him at once, and several of us
+followed the master-at-arms to see the excitement. We reached the
+quarter-deck just as the recruit came to a stop in front of the officer
+on watch.
+
+[Illustration: "THAT FAT MAN IN THE CELLAR WANTS ME TO SLEEP IN A
+BAG----".]
+
+"What's the matter with you?" demanded the latter, curtly. "What's up?"
+
+"Th-th-that m-m-man down in the--the cellar wants me to sleep in a bag,
+durn him," gasped the recruit, waving his lanky arms, "and I won't do it
+for him or no one else."
+
+"Cellar?" Then the officer shouted with laughter.
+
+The recruit was sent back to the "New Hampshire" next day, but it was
+long before the master-at-arms was known by any other name or title than
+"the man in the cellar."
+
+A few minutes before tattoo, "Bill" and "Stump" came up and intimated by
+signs that I was to accompany them to the forward part of the berth
+deck. On reaching the extreme end, which was occupied by an immense
+hawser reel, "Bill" indicated a hammock which was swinging with the
+forward clews directly above the great spool, or reel.
+
+"If young Potter doesn't think this old hooker is haunted I'll never
+play another joke," he chuckled. "Get in and show him, 'Stump.'"
+
+The latter grasped two hooks, gave himself a swing, landed in the
+hammock, and in an instant struck the deck with a thump, the hammock
+under him. As he rolled out I rubbed my eyes. The hammock had swiftly
+returned to its former position!
+
+"It isn't hoodooed," grinned "Bill." "Just look here."
+
+He hauled up on the head clews and presently a five-inch shell appeared
+above the top of the reel. The shell was fastened to the end of the
+hammock lashing, at the other end of which was attached the ring. The
+lashing led over the hook, and the weight of the shell was just
+sufficient to keep the hammock in its place. As I finished inspecting
+the clever contrivance, the boatswain's mate piped tattoo.
+
+We hurried away to watch from a distance. Laughing and singing, the
+fellows trooped down to prepare for turning in; the hard labor of the
+day had not dampened their spirits. The deck soon presented an animated
+scene. A number of us had slept long enough on board the "New Hampshire"
+to become accustomed to man-o'-war style, but the new recruits were like
+so many cats in a strange garret. They stood about, glancing doubtfully
+at their hammocks and then at their clothes. They did not know just what
+to do with either.
+
+"How do you get into the thing, I wonder?" asked the fellow from Harlem,
+eyeing his suspended bed.
+
+"Borrow the navigator's step-ladder," suggested the coxs'n of the gig.
+"He keeps it in the chart room."
+
+The greatest difficulty was the disposal of our clothes. There were no
+wardrobes nor closets nor convenient hooks, and it was strictly against
+the rule to leave anything lying around decks. The question was solved
+presently by an old naval sailor, who calmly made a neat roll of his
+duck jumper and trousers and another of his shoes and shirt. The latter
+he tucked into his clews at the foot, and the other he used as a pillow.
+We thanked our lucky stars we did not have creased trousers, smooth
+coats, vests, white shirts, collars, and neckties to dispose of.
+
+In due time young Potter, who had stayed on deck viewing the scenery
+until chased by the corporal of the guard, came down and made for his
+hammock. Four dozen pairs of eyes watched him with delightful
+anticipation. Unconscious of the attention he was attracting, he doffed
+his clothes and brought out something from his black bag which proved
+to be a night-shirt! If there was any compunction in regard to the trick
+intended for him, it instantly vanished. A sailor with a night-shirt was
+legitimate prey.
+
+Whistling softly, the victim prepared himself for the swing, grasped the
+hooks, and then, with good momentum, landed in the hammock. There was a
+swish, a distinct thud, and young Potter rolled out upon the deck with a
+gasp of amazement. Turning as quickly as he could, he looked up and saw
+the hammock swinging in its proper place. It was physical labor for us
+to keep from howling with glee at the expression on his face. He glanced
+sheepishly about to see if his catastrophe had been observed; then he
+made another attempt. This time a heave of the ship sent him even more
+quickly to the deck, and he landed with a bump that could have been
+heard in the cabin. He was fighting mad when he again scrambled to his
+feet.
+
+"I can lick the lubber who threw me out," he shouted.
+
+"Stop that talking," came from the master-at-arms' corner. "Turn in and
+keep quiet about the decks."
+
+Potter grumbled something under his breath, then he made a careful
+search in the vicinity of his hammock. It was worth a dollar admission
+to see him poke about with, the end of a broom. He found nothing
+suspicious, and proceeded to try again. Very gingerly he grasped the
+hooks, and he experimented with one foot before trusting his whole
+weight to the hammock. The second he released his hold of the hooks he
+fell, and the fall was even greater than before.
+
+"The blamed thing is spooky!" he howled, as he gathered himself
+together. He made a quick run for the ladder leading on deck, but was
+stopped by the master-at-arms, who demanded an explanation. While they
+were arguing, "Bill" and I quickly fixed the hammock, casting off the
+shell and concealing it behind a black bag. We had barely finished when
+the chief petty officer came up and examined the clews. He tested them
+by applying his own weight, then gave the crestfallen and astounded
+Potter a few terse words of advice about eating too much supper. Five
+minutes later the deck was quiet.
+
+The hard labor of the previous day--such labor as hauling and pulling,
+handling heavy boxes and casks, and bales and barrels of provisions and
+ammunition--had made me dead tired, and I slept like a log until
+reveille. This unpleasant function occurred at three bells (half-past
+five o'clock), and it consisted of an infernal hubbub of drums and
+bugles and boatswains' pipes, loud and discordant enough to awaken the
+seven sleepers. We roused in a hurry, and, with eyes scarcely open,
+began to lash up our hammocks.
+
+"Seven turns, no more, no less," bawled the master-at-arms. "Get just
+seven turns of the lashing around your hammocks, and get 'em quick. If
+you can't pass your hammock through a foot ring, you'll go on the
+report. Shake a leg there!"
+
+The rumor had gone about that it was the custom to "swat" the last man
+with a club, and there was a great scramble. We found the hammock
+stowers in the nettings, which were large boxes on the gun deck, and our
+queer canvas beds were soon stowed away for the day. As the reveille
+hour is too early for breakfast, coffee and hard-tack is served out by
+each mess cook. The coffee is minus milk, but it is hot and palatable,
+and really acts as a tonic.
+
+The first order of the day is to scrub down decks and clean ship
+generally, but, as the "Yankee" was still in the throes of preparation,
+we were spared that disagreeable work and permitted to arrange our
+belongings for the long voyage before us. In the service each man is
+allowed a black bag about three feet six inches high, and twelve inches
+in diameter, and a small wooden box, eighteen inches square, known as a
+"ditty box," to keep his wardrobe in. All clothing is rolled, and
+careful sailors generally wrap each garment in a piece of muslin before
+consigning it to the black bag. In the ditty box are kept such articles
+as toothbrush, brush and comb, small hand glass, writing material, and
+odds and ends. Each bag and box is numbered, and must be kept in a
+certain place. At first we thought it wouldn't be possible to keep our
+clothing in such a small space, but experience taught us that we would
+have ample room.
+
+The following days until the eighth of May were days of manual labor,
+which hardened our muscles and placed a fine edge on our appetites. To
+see the men who had been accustomed to a life of luxury toiling away
+with rope and scrubbing brush and paint pot, working like day laborers,
+and happy at that, was really a remarkable spectacle. For my part, I
+noticed with surprise that scratched and bruised hands--scratched so
+that the salt water caused positive pain--did not appeal to me. I tore
+off a corner of my right thumb trying to squeeze a large box through the
+forward hatch, and the only treatment I gave it was a fragment of rather
+soiled rag and a little vaseline borrowed from a mate. To quit work and
+apply for the first aid to injured never struck me. Ashore I would
+probably have called a doctor.
+
+The day before we left the yard one of my mates sprained his back
+lifting a box of canned meat. In civil life he had been a lawyer with a
+promising practice, his office being with one of the best known men of
+the bar. He gave it up and joined the Naval Reserves because, as he
+expressed it, "To fight for one's country is a patriot's first duty."
+When the accident happened, he refused to go below to the sick bay until
+the doctor stated that rest for a few days at least was absolutely
+necessary.
+
+"It isn't that I mind the hurt, boys," he said, with a smile, as he was
+assisted to the hatch, "but I hate to be knocked out in my first
+engagement, and that with a box of canned corned beef."
+
+The monotony of work was broken on the ninth of May, when preparations
+were made to leave the yard. The destination was only Tompkinsville, but
+there was not a man on board but felt that, as the last hawser was cast
+off, we were fairly started on our cruise in search of action. As the
+"Yankee" was assisted away from the wharf by a Government tug, a number
+of friends gathered ashore cheered lustily and waved their hats and
+handkerchiefs. The scene had been repeated time without end, no doubt,
+but it went to our hearts all the same, and there was many a husky note
+in the cheers we gave in return.
+
+There was also encouragement in the whistles we received as we dropped
+down the East River, and we felt as if our small share in the war would
+be appreciated by those compelled to stay at home. We steamed directly
+to the vicinity of Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island, anchored off
+Tompkinsville, and then picked up a berth there for the night. Half way
+down the bay we met a tug carrying a committee from the "Sons of the
+Revolution" of New York State. The committee had been selected by the
+society to present us with a set of colors. The tug accompanied us to
+our anchorage, then the committee came on board. The ceremony of
+presentation was rather picturesque.
+
+The visitors gathered on the bridge, the ship's bugler sounded the
+assembly, and in obedience to the call we lined up on the forward deck.
+We wore the white duck service uniform, including trousers, jumper, and
+cap. Some of the uniforms had suffered in contact with pitch, but the
+general effect was good. When everything was in readiness, the chairman
+of the committee presented the set of colors and said:
+
+"Captain Brownson, officers and men of the 'Yankee,' I have the honor,
+on behalf of the Society of the Sons of the Revolution in the State of
+New York, to present these colors to the members of the Naval Reserve of
+the State of New York, who have enlisted for service under your
+command."
+
+He continued by hoping that the colors would ever float victorious, and
+said that he did not doubt it, and then our skipper made a little speech
+in reply. The affair wound up with a round of cheers and general
+congratulations. The flags were handsome, and, as it came to pass, they
+flaunted amid battle smoke before many weeks.
+
+Our stay off Tompkinsville was to be short, but we had time to become
+acquainted with a characteristic naval oddity known as the bumboat.
+Diligent inquiries among the old sailors on board the "Yankee" failed to
+enlighten me as to the derivation of the name, but the consensus of
+opinion was that these floating peddlers sold articles which, to use a
+slang phrase, were pretty "bum." Experience has given the opinion some
+color of truth. Our bumboat boarded us early and stayed with us until
+the corporal of the guard called "time."
+
+She came laden with pies and doughnuts, pins and needles, tape and
+buttons and whisk brooms and shoe blacking, handkerchiefs, ties,
+scissors, soap, writing paper, envelopes, ink, pens, cakes, bread,
+jelly, pocket knives, and a schedule of prices that would have brought a
+blush of envy to the face of a Swiss inn-keeper. As the boys had not yet
+grown entirely accustomed to what is called "Government straight," i.e.,
+salt meat and hard-tack, the bumboat did a thriving business. Young
+Potter's bill was tremendous, and Mrs. Bumboat bade him a regretful
+farewell when she visited us for the last time.
+
+At three in the afternoon of the tenth we hoisted anchor on our way to
+sea. Our good friends had not deserted us, and a number of them, aboard
+several tugs, accompanied us as far as the Narrows. The "God-speed"
+given us as we steamed away would have been a fine object lesson to our
+future antagonists.
+
+Up to the present we had been concerned simply with the preparations for
+war, but it was destined that before another twenty-four hours had
+passed we would have a taste of the actual realities.
+
+The "Yankee" was to see service.
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+IN WHICH THE "YANKEE" CRUISES FOR PRIZES.
+
+It was evening, the evening of the day on which the "Yankee" sailed from
+Tompkinsville bound out on her maiden cruise as an auxiliary ship of
+war. The afternoon had passed without event, save that which attacks the
+amateur sailor when he first feels the heaving swell of old ocean. The
+crew had shaken into its place, and the men of the watch on deck were
+commencing to appreciate their responsibilities.
+
+The ship was quiet, save for the faint chug-chug of the propeller under
+the stern and the occasional clang of a shovel in the fire room deep
+down in the innermost reaches of the ship. The sun had vanished in a
+hazy cloud which portended a stiff breeze, but the wind was still
+gentle, and, as it swept across the decks from off the port quarter, it
+seemed grateful indeed to those who came from below for a breath of air.
+
+Orders had been issued to darken the decks. The running lights of red
+and green were still in the lamp room, and, except for a soft, rosy
+glow from the binnacle-bowl, there was a blackness of night throughout
+the upper part of the ship. Cigars and pipes and cigarettes had been
+tabooed, and doors were opened in the deck houses only after the inside
+lights had been lowered to a flickering pin point.
+
+Up on the forward bridge Captain Brownson stood talking in a low voice
+to the executive officer, Lieutenant Hubbard. The lurching swing of the
+ship caused them to sway back and forth against the rail and a metallic
+sound came from a sword scabbard suspended from the captain's belt. The
+presence of this sword, betrayed by the clatter it made, told a secret
+to several sailors gathered under the lee of the pilot house, and one
+said, in an excited whisper:
+
+"There's something up, Chips. The old man is fixed for trouble. I'm
+going aft and stand by."
+
+The speaker started off, but before he had taken ten steps the shrill
+blast of a bugle suddenly broke the stillness of the night. The
+discordant notes rang and echoed through the ship, and, while the sound
+was still trembling in the air, two score of shadowy figures sprang up
+from different parts of the deck and scurried toward the ladders leading
+below.
+
+The transformation was instant and complete.
+
+From a ship stealthily pursuing its way through the darkness--a part of
+the mist--the "Yankee" became the theatre of a scene of the most intense
+activity.
+
+There was no shouting, no great clamor of sound; nothing but the
+peculiar shuffling of shoes against iron, the hard panting of hurrying
+men, the grating of breech-blocks, low muttered orders from officer to
+man, and a multitude of minor noises that seemed strange and weird and
+uncanny in this blackness.
+
+A belated wardroom boy, still carrying a towel across his arm, slips
+from the cabin and hastens forward to his station in the powder
+division. The navigator, an officer of the regular navy, whose ideas of
+discipline are based on cast iron rules, espies the laggard and
+administers a sharp rebuke. A squad of marines dash from the "barracks"
+below and line up at the secondary battery guns on the forecastle. Some
+of the marines are hatless and coatless, and one wiry little private
+shambles along on one foot. He stumbles against a hatch-coaming and
+kicks his shoe across the deck.
+
+Suddenly an order comes out of the gloom near the main hatch and is
+carried from gun to gun.
+
+"Cast loose and provide!"
+
+The hitherto motionless figures waiting at the battery spring into
+activity. Hands move nimbly at the training and elevating gear.
+Breech-blocks are thrown open, sights adjusted, the first and second
+captains take their places, the former with the firing lanyard in
+readiness for use at his gun; then there is silence again as the officer
+in charge of the division holds up one hand as a signal that all is
+prepared. Then comes the word to load.
+
+In a twinkling the ammunition hoists are creaking with their burdens and
+boxes of shell appear on deck. These are quickly lifted to the guns and
+taken in hand by the loaders. The latter do their part of the general
+work thoroughly and with despatch, and presently the breech-blocks are
+swung to and the battery is ready for action.
+
+In the meantime there has been systematic preparation in other parts of
+the auxiliary cruiser. Down in the sick bay aft, the surgeon and his
+assistants have made ready for their grewsome task. Cases of glittering
+instruments have been opened, lint and bandages and splints are in their
+proper places, and the apothecary and bayman are getting the cots in
+trim for instant use.
+
+In the fire room the firemen and coal-passers are heaping up the
+furnaces, a couple of men hurry away to attend to the fire mains, and,
+standing by in readiness for duty, are the engineers and crew of the off
+watch. The carpenters are ready below with shot-hole plugs, and
+everywhere throughout the ship can be found officers and sailors and
+marines and men of the "black gang," each at his proper station in
+readiness for the word to begin action.
+
+But that word does not come. Instead a stentorian command is heard from
+the bridge:
+
+"Secure!"
+
+Laughing and joking, the crew of the "Yankee" hasten to restore the ship
+to its former state. All this has been a drill, the drill known as
+general quarters. It is the first time it has been held under service
+conditions, and when the captain steps down from the bridge and says in
+his brisk, authoritative way, "Very well done, very well done indeed,"
+the boys of the cruiser are satisfied and happy.
+
+Twice during the night the drill is repeated. There is no grumbling
+because of disturbed sleep, for a rumor has gone about the ship that
+Spanish vessels have been seen off the coast, and even the cranks on
+board admit that drills and exercises are necessary.
+
+Sea watches have been set, and the rules followed when under way are now
+operative. A brief explanation of the routine attending the first hours
+of a naval day may help to make succeeding descriptions more plain. The
+ship's daily life commences with the calling of the ship's cook at
+3:30 a.m. The ordinary mess cooks are awakened at four o'clock, so that
+coffee can be prepared for the watch. Coffee is always served with
+hard-tack to the watch coming on deck at four. It is all the men get
+until breakfast at 7:30, and a great deal of work must be accomplished
+before that time.
+
+After the hard-tack and coffee had been consumed--and it went to that
+spot always reserved for good things--the lookouts of the other watch on
+the port and starboard bridge and the patent life buoys port and
+starboard quarter were relieved. As soon as the first streaks of dawn
+Were to be seen a long-drawn boatswain's pipe, like the wail of a lost
+soul, came from forward, and the order "scrub and wash clothes" given.
+
+A day or two before the "Yankee" left the navy yard, one of the pretty
+girls who had come over to visit her asked: "Where do you have your
+washing done? It must require a great many washerwomen to keep the
+clothes of this dirty [glancing rather disdainfully at her somewhat
+grimy friend] crew clean." Though we knew that the luxury of a laundry
+would not fall to our lot, we were at a loss as to the method pursued to
+clean clothes.
+
+We soon learned.
+
+We who had been anticipating an order of this sort came running forward
+with bundles of clothes that would discourage a steam laundry. This was
+the first opportunity we had had to clean up. The forecastlemen led out
+the hose, which was connected to the ship's pump, and, after wetting
+down the forecastle deck (where all clothes must be scrubbed), we were
+told we might turn to.
+
+The "Kid," who was the youngest member of the crew aboard, very popular
+with officers and men, and who afterward became the ship's mascot, said,
+"How do you work this, anyway?" I confessed that I was in the dark
+myself, but proposed that we watch "Patt," the gunner's mate, who had
+served in the navy before. Presently we saw him lay his jumper flat on
+the deck, wet it thoroughly with water from the hose, then rub it with
+salt-water soap. Then he fished out a stiff scrubbing brush and began to
+scrub the jumper as if it was a floor. We then understood the
+significance of the order _scrub_ and wash clothes. In salt water the
+clothes have not only to be washed, but scrubbed as well.
+
+The "Kid" remarked, "Well, I'll be switched," and forthwith fell on his
+knees and proceeded to follow "Patt's" example.
+
+Though we scrubbed manfully, "putting our backs into it" and "using
+plenty of elbow grease," as instructed, still the result was hardly up
+to our expectations. The navigator remarked, as we were "stopping" the
+clothes on the line, "You heroes might scrub those clothes a little bit;
+it does not take a college education to learn how to wash clothes."
+
+I agreed with the "Kid" that, though cleanliness was next to Godliness,
+cleanliness, like Godliness, was often a difficult virtue to acquire. We
+found it almost impossible to be cleanly without the aid of fresh water,
+so the schemes devised to avoid the executive's order and get it were
+many and ingenious.
+
+One man would go to the ship's galley, where the fresh water hand-pump
+was, and, without further ado, begin to fill his bucket, remarking, if
+the cook attempted to interfere, that he had to scrub paint work or he
+had orders from the doctor to bathe in fresh water. These excuses would
+be successful till too many men came in with buckets and plausible
+excuses, when the cook would shut down on the scheme for the time. The
+man with fresh water was the envy of his fellows, and must needs be
+vigilant, or bucket and water would disappear mysteriously.
+
+The "Kid" happened to be next me when "stopping" his clothes on the
+line, and remarked, as he tied the last knot on his last jumper, "I like
+to be clean as the next chap, but this scrubbing clothes on your knees
+is no snap."
+
+He stopped to feel them.
+
+"Why, I can feel the corns growing on them already. How often do we have
+to do this scrubbing job, anyhow?" he asked.
+
+"You _can_ do it every morning, if you really feel inclined," I replied,
+smiling at his rueful countenance; "clothes can only be washed during
+the morning watch (four to eight), I understand, and, as the starboard
+men are on duty one day during that time and the port watch the next,
+each is supposed to 'scrub and wash clothes' in his own watch. See?"
+
+The "Kid" looked up at the dripping line of rather dingy clothes, then
+down at his red and soapy knees, and said, as he turned to go aft,
+"Well, when we get back to New York, I am going to have a suit of whites
+made of celluloid that can be washed with a sponge."
+
+At 6:30 the order "knock off scrubbing clothes" was given, and then all
+hands of the watch "turned to" and scrubbed decks, scoured the gratings
+and companion-way ladders with sand and canvas, brass work was polished,
+paint work wiped down, and everything on board made as spick and span as
+a new dollar.
+
+A vast quantity of water is brought from over the side through the
+ship's pump, and the men work in their bare feet. In fact, the usual
+costume during this period of the day consists of a pair of duck
+trousers and a thin shirt. On special occasions even the shirt is
+dispensed with. During warm weather it is delightful to splash around a
+water-soaked deck, but there are mornings when a biting wind comes from
+the north, and the keenness of winter is in the air, and then Jackie,
+compelled to labor up to his knees in water, casts longing glances
+toward the glow of the galley fire, and makes his semi-yearly vow that
+he will leave the "blooming" service for good and go on a farm.
+
+This scrubbing of decks and scouring of ladders put an extra edge on our
+appetites, so we agreed with "Stump" when he said, "I feel as if I could
+put a whole bumboat load of stuff out of commission all by my lonely."
+"Stump's" appetite was out of proportion to his size.
+
+When the boatswain's mate gave his peculiar long, quavering pipe and the
+order "spread mess gear for the watch below," at 7:20, we of the watch
+on deck realized that there was still forty minutes to wait. Every man's
+hunger seemed to increase tenfold, so that even the odor of boiling
+"salt-horse" from the galley did not trouble us.
+
+Finally the order came, "on deck all the starboard watch"; followed by
+the boatswain's mess call for the watch on deck. The scramble to get
+below and to work with knife, fork, and spoon resembled a fire panic at
+a theatre. It is first come first served aboard ship, and the man who
+lingers often gets left.
+
+The gun deck of the "Yankee," like the gun deck of most war vessels, is
+Jack's living room. Here he sleeps, in what he facetiously calls his
+folding-bed, which is swung from the deck beams above; here he enjoys
+the various amusements that an ordinary citizen would call work; here he
+goes through his drills; here he fights, not his shipmates, but his
+country's enemies, and here he eats.
+
+The remark, "he spread his legs luxuriously under the mahogany," would
+hardly apply to Jack's mode of dining. His table is a swinging affair
+that is hung on the hammock hooks--a mere board a couple of feet wide
+and twelve or fourteen feet long, having a ridge around the edge to keep
+the plates from sliding off in a seaway. Jack's dining chairs are called
+"mess benches," and consist of a long folding bench that with the table
+can be stowed away in racks overhead when not in use. A mess chest for
+each mess, an enamelled iron plate and cup, and a knife, fork, and spoon
+for each man complete the "mess gear" outfit.
+
+The ship's company is divided into messes, each man being assigned to a
+certain mess at the same time his billet number or ship's number is
+given to him. There are from fifteen to thirty men in a mess. Each has
+its own "berth-deck cook," who prepares the food for the galley; each,
+too, has a mess caterer, or striker, whose business it is to help the
+mess cook and see that all goes well. The caterer is a volunteer from
+the mess, and generally serves for a week, when another volunteer takes
+his place. If the quantity or quality of the food is not up to
+expectations, it would be better for the caterer that he be put down in
+the "brig" out of harm's way, for Jack is apt to speak his mind in
+vigorous English, and his mind and stomach have generally formed a close
+alliance.
+
+The twenty minutes allowed for meals are well spent, and the clatter of
+knives and forks attests the zest with which Uncle Sam's
+man-o'-war's-man tackles his not always too nice or delicate fare. The
+nine dollars a month allowed by the navy for rations is expended by the
+paymaster of the vessel, not by the men, so, if the paymaster concludes
+that the men shall have "salt-horse," rice, and hard-tack, Jack gets
+"salt-horse," rice, and hard-tack, and that is all he does get unless
+his mess cook and caterer are unusually prudent and save something from
+the previous day's rations, or the mess has put up some extra money and
+has "private stores."
+
+As the man with the biggest appetite or the fellow who eats slowly are
+putting away the last morsel of cracker hash or the last swallow of
+coffee, "Jimmy Legs" (the master-at-arms) comes around, shouting as he
+goes, "Shake a leg there, we want to get this deck cleared for
+quarters." He is often followed by the boatswain's mate of the watch,
+who echoes his call, and between them they clear the deck. Then begins
+the real work of the day.
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+WE GET ORDERS TO GO SOUTH.
+
+Shortly after breakfast the "Yankee" came to anchor outside of
+Provincetown, Mass. An hour later a large man-of-war was discovered
+steaming toward us. Rumors were rife at once, and the excitement
+increased when the vessel, which proved to be the gallant cruiser
+"Columbia," passed close alongside, and the captain was observed to lean
+over the bridge railing with a megaphone in his hands.
+
+"'Yankee' ahoy!" came across the water.
+
+"Hello, 'Columbia!'" replied Captain Brownson.
+
+"I have orders for you."
+
+"Whoop! we are going to Cuba," cried young Potter. "It's dead sure this
+time. They can't do without us down--"
+
+"Silence!" called out the executive officer, sternly. "Corporal of the
+guard, see to that man."
+
+Poor Potter is sent below in disgrace amid the chuckles and jeers of
+his unsympathetic shipmates. The little episode nearly earned him many
+hours of extra duty.
+
+In the meantime the "Columbia's" captain had communicated the welcome
+intelligence that we were to cruise to the southward at once to look for
+several suspicious vessels that had been sighted in the vicinity of
+Barnegat. This promised action so strongly that a cheer went up from the
+crew. This time even the officers joined in.
+
+Very shortly after came the order "All hands on the cat falls," at which
+every man Jack came running forward. The blue-clothed figures poured up
+the companion-ways like rats out of a sinking ship, for "all hands on
+the cat falls" means up anchor, and up anchor meant new experiences,
+perhaps a brush with a Spanish man-of-war or the capture of a Spanish
+prize. The anchor was yanked up and guided into place on its chocks in a
+hurry, and soon the "Yankee" was under way and headed southward. As we
+passed the "Columbia," the men of both ships stood at attention, feet
+together, hands at the side, heads up, silent. So a ship is saluted in
+the United States Navy, a ceremony dignified and impressive, though not
+as soul-stirring as the American cheer.
+
+The "Scuttle Butt Navigators," or, as the "Yankee" boys called them,
+the Rumor Committee, were very busy that bright day in May. According to
+them we were to sail seaward and discover Cervera's fleet, the
+whereabouts of which was then unknown. We were to sail south and bombard
+Havana. The older, wiser heads laughed at such rumors, and said it was
+foolishness, but all were ready and anxious to listen to the wildest
+tales.
+
+All the time the ship was getting under way the routine work was going
+on. The sweepers had obeyed the order given by the boatswain's mate,
+accompanied by the pipe peculiar to that order, "Gun-deck sweepers,
+clean sweep fore and aft; sweepers, clean your spit kits."
+
+At twenty minutes past nine the bugle sounded the first or officers'
+call to quarters, a call that sounded like "Get your sword on, get your
+sword on, get your sword on, get your sword on, get your sword on right
+away!" Ten minutes later came "assembly," and the men rushed to their
+places at the guns and their stations in the powder divisions.
+
+After our division had been mustered, "Long Tommy," the boatswain's mate
+and captain of our gun, said to "Hay," "I think we'll have some shooting
+to-day. I saw the gunners' mates rigging a target."
+
+"Good!" said "Hay," "what does it look like?"
+
+"Why," explained Tommy, "it's a triangular sail, having a black spot
+painted in the middle, supported by a raft, also triangular, which is
+floated by three barrels, one at each corner."
+
+"Can't be very big," said "Stump."
+
+"About ten feet at the base, tapering to a point. The red flag that
+flies from the top is perhaps fourteen feet from the water, I should
+say."
+
+"And they expect us to hit that?" broke in "Lucky bag Kennedy."
+
+"Of course," said Tommy the confident, "and we shall."
+
+As soon as the officers of the different divisions had returned from the
+bridge, where they had been to report, the quick, sharp bugle call which
+summons the crew to general quarters was sounded.
+
+As the first notes were heard, the men scattered as if a bomb with a
+visible burning fuse had fallen in their midst. Some hurried to lead out
+the hose, some to get the gun sights and firing lanyards, some to get
+belts and revolvers for the guns' crews, some down into the hot, dark
+magazines, and some to open up the magazine hoists. All was apparent
+confusion, but was in reality perfect discipline. Soon boxes of shell
+were ready by the guns, but the order "load" had not yet been given.
+
+The triangular target was then lowered over the side and cast loose. In
+a few minutes the six-pounders on the spar deck began to bark. "Getting
+the range, I guess," said "Hod," who had sneaked over from the powder
+division to get a look at the target.
+
+"Pretty near it," replied "Stump," as a shot splashed close to the
+triangular piece of canvas.
+
+"Here comes Scully," some one whispered; "now we'll have a chance."
+
+"The captain says fire when ready, at 1,500 yards," said Scully,
+saluting Mr. Greene, the officer of the division. "Captain says, sir,
+instruct your men to shoot at the top of the roll, and a little over,
+rather than under the target," continued he, saluting again.
+
+"Port battery take stations for exercise, load, set your sights at 1,500
+yards, and when ready, fire." Mr. Greene's orders came sharp and clear;
+there was never any misunderstanding of them.
+
+Most of us of Number Eight's gun crew had never stood near a big gun
+when it spoke, and most of us dreaded it and felt inclined to run away
+out of ear-shot. It was our business to stand by, however, so we stood
+by while Tommy, firing lanyard in hand, sighted the machine.
+
+"Right!" he sung out to "Stump" and "Flagg," who were at the training
+wheels. "Right handsomely," added Tommy, working the elevating gear, as
+the gun moved slowly round. The gun roared and jumped back on its mount
+six or eight inches, but promptly slid back again--forced back by
+powerful springs. The shell sped on its way, humming as it went, and
+struck a little short of the target, sending up a great fountain as it
+was exploded by the impact with the water.
+
+"Hay" pulled the breech lever and the breech plug came out, allowing
+"Stump," who wore heavy gloves for the purpose, to extract the empty
+shell. This he dropped in the concrete waterway, then ran to his place
+at the training wheel; a fresh shell had been put in the gun, meanwhile,
+and it was ready for business again. A number of good shots were made by
+different gunners. Enough to show that, amateur tars that we were, there
+was the making of good gunners in us. As the "Kid," in his overweening
+confidence, said, "Ain't we peaches? When we get down south we will have
+a little target practise, and the 'dagos' will be so scared that they
+will haul down their colors tight away."
+
+During the day we steamed slowly along, a bright lookout being kept by
+the men at the foremast-head for suspicious steamers. After dinner at
+eight bells (12 o'clock), the smoking lamp, which hangs near the scuttle
+butt aft, was kept lighted about fifteen minutes. Smoking is allowed
+aboard only when the smoking lamp is lighted, and as "Hay" was wont to
+say, it was lighted "when you did not want to smoke." At ten minutes
+past one "turn to" was piped by the boatswain's mates, followed by the
+call for sweepers. Then came the order, "Stand by your scrub and wash
+clothes." So the "Kid" and I hastened forward, both anxious to see if
+our initial clothes-washing venture was a success. We had depended on
+the sun to bleach our much be-scrubbed clothes, but--well--I would have
+left them where they were if I could. As for the "Kid's"--after holding
+them off at arm's length for a while, he remarked, "Why, I would not use
+such rags to clean my bicycle at home," and threw them overboard. He was
+always a reckless chap.
+
+The infantry drill we had at afternoon quarters at 1:30, served to keep
+us busy. The same thing had been gone through on the "New Hampshire"
+many a time and oft. We found it rather difficult to march straight and
+keep a good line on a swaying deck. So we were kept at it until we had
+got the hang of it. We were still parading to and fro on the spar deck,
+when some one sighted land off the starboard bow. The dismissal call was
+given none too soon, for the curiosity as to what we were heading for
+made discipline lax and attention far from close.
+
+We soon learned that this was Block Island.
+
+The gig was lowered, and the captain and mail orderly went ashore.
+
+"Now we'll get our real orders," said Potter. "Ho! for the Spanish
+main," he shouted, forgetting his narrow escape of the day before.
+
+"It will be Ho! for the ship's brig, and Ho! for five days on bread and
+water, if you don't look out," said "Stump," dryly.
+
+About dark, the gig came back again, bringing the captain in it and the
+mail orderly--but no mail, and how we did long for a word from home. A
+scrap of newspaper, even, would be a blessing.
+
+We had just sat down to evening mess when the order, "All hands on the
+gig falls!" was given, and the master-at-arms chased us off the gun
+deck. Soon the measured tread of many feet could be heard, and then the
+order was given by the officer of the deck to the coxswain of the
+gig, "Secure your boat for sea."
+
+[Illustration: "THE GIG WAS LOWERED"]
+
+[Illustration: "THE MEN ON THE STAGES"]
+
+So we were to go off again. Where?
+
+Within a short time we were under way again. The usual watches were set,
+but very few of the boys went below. The mere rumor that the enemy was
+prowling along the coast was enough to prevent sleep. My watch went on
+duty at four o'clock. We were not called in the usual way, by the
+boatswain's whistle, but each man was roused separately. This in itself
+was sufficient to lend an air of intense interest to the scene.
+
+On reaching the deck I found that the night had grown stormy. A chill
+wind was blowing off the coast, rendering pea coats and watch caps
+extremely comfortable. A fine rain began to fall shortly after four, and
+by the time I had taken my post forward as a lookout it had increased to
+a regular squall.
+
+The "Yankee" was a splendid sea boat, but in the course of an hour the
+choppy waves kicked up by the storm set her to bobbing about like the
+proverbial cork. The gloom of the night had changed to a blackness that
+made it impossible to see an arm's length away. Standing on the
+starboard bridge, I could scarcely distinguish the faint white foam
+gathered under the forefoot. Aft there was nothing visible save a
+length of stay which seemingly began at nothing and ended in darkness.
+
+The howling of the wind through the taut cordage of the foremast, the
+sullen plunging of the ship's hull in the trough of the sea, the rise to
+a wave crest and the poising there before falling once more, the smell
+of the dank salt air, and the occasional spurt of spray over the leaning
+bow, all made a scene so novel to me that I forgot Spanish ships and my
+duty and stood almost entranced.
+
+It was a dereliction for which I was to suffer. In the midst of my
+reverie a hand was suddenly placed upon my shoulder and I heard a
+familial voice exclaim sternly:
+
+"Lookout, what do you mean by sleeping on post? Why did you not report
+that light?"
+
+It was Captain Brownson!
+
+Asleep on post! The accusation was grave enough to startle me, and I
+lost no time in stammering a denial. Luckily, the discovery of the
+strange light, which was just faintly visible dead ahead, occupied the
+commander's attention for the moment and I escaped further rebuke.
+
+Captain Brownson hurried to the bridge and presently word was passed to
+go to quarters at once. The ports were opened, ammunition made ready
+for both the main and secondary batteries, and the crew stood at their
+guns in readiness for action. It was a very impressive sight, the grim
+weapons just showing in the dim lantern light, the great cartridges
+standing close to the breeches, the men quiet and steady, their faces
+showing anxiety but perfect self-control.
+
+I was proud to belong to such a crew, for the majority thought that an
+action was imminent, and perhaps a superior foe to be fought, yet there
+was no sign of that fear which is supposed to attack the novice in
+battle. It was a convincing proof of American bravery and self-reliance.
+
+In the meantime the engines had been called on for full speed, and the
+ship throbbed and swayed with the increased power. Extra men were
+presently sent below to the fire room, and it soon became evident that
+we were in actual chase of the suspicious vessel. From my station at the
+after port gun I was enabled to catch an occasional glimpse of the sea
+through the open port.
+
+The squall had passed in part and the night was growing lighter. The
+rain still fell, though fitfully, and at times a dash of water entered
+the port, besprinkling gun and crew and fighting tackle, leaving great
+drops that glistened like dew in the waning light of the lanterns.
+Alongside, white-capped waves raced with the ship.
+
+As the gloom lightened, the horizon spread, and presently, away in the
+distance, a dark spot, like a smudge upon a gray background, became
+visible. "Long Tommy," attached to my gun, leaned far out of the port
+with an exclamation of excitement.
+
+"By George! it's another ship," he added.
+
+"We are in a nest of the Dagoes," cried young Potter, rather wildly. "We
+have run into an ambuscade."
+
+"You've got a great chance to become a dead hero," remarked the first
+gun captain dryly.
+
+Word was passed from above to break out more shell, and presently the
+navigator slipped down the ladder and made a close inspection of the
+different five-inch guns. As he went from crew to crew he gave whispered
+instructions to the officers in charge.
+
+"The old man expects trouble this trip," whispered Tommy. He coolly
+stripped off his shirt and stood, half-naked, the muscles of his
+athletic chest and arms gleaming like white marble in the uncertain
+light. Most of us followed his example, and the spectacle of the swaying
+groups of men, bared for action, added a dramatic tinge to the scene.
+
+Below, the powerful engines throbbed with a pulsation that set every
+bolt and joint creaking, the strident echoes of the firemen's shovels
+could he heard scraping against the iron floor, and little whistlings of
+steam came like higher notes in the general tune. Even the noises of the
+ship were strange and weird and impressive.
+
+The crews had been standing in readiness at their stations for almost an
+hour when it suddenly became noticeable that the darkness of night was
+giving way before a gradual dawn. The glimmering flame in the lanterns
+faded and waned, objects buried in gloom began to assume shape, and the
+edges of the open ports grew sharp and more defined. Constant waiting
+brought a relaxation of discipline, and the members of the different
+crews grouped about the ports and eagerly searched for the chase.
+
+The smudge on the horizon had long since disappeared, but directly ahead
+could be seen the faint outlines of a steamer. A dense cloud of smoke
+was pouring from her funnel, and it was plainly apparent that she was
+making every effort to escape. This in itself was enough to stamp her
+identity, and we shook our clenched fists exultantly after her.
+
+The night broke rapidly. In the east a rosy tinge proclaimed the coming
+sun. Just as the first glitter of the fiery rim appeared above the
+horizon, a gray, damp mist swept across the water, coming like an
+impenetrable wall between the "Yankee" and the chase.
+
+[Illustration: "STAND BY, MEN. BE READY FOR INSTANT ACTION".]
+
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+A WILD GOOSE CHASE.
+
+A howl of disappointment went up from the crew.
+
+"Oh, if she was only within range," cried "Hay," smiting the breech of
+the five-inch rifle with his hand. "Just one shot, just one shot."
+
+"Guns' crews will remain at stations," ordered the first lieutenant from
+near the ladder. "Stand by, men. Be ready for instant action."
+
+"Hurray! the old man won't give it up," cheered "Stump," under his
+voice. "That's the stuff. Now, if only that measly fog lifts and we get
+a trifle nearer, we'll do something for the old flag."
+
+The minutes passed slowly. It was heartbreaking work, this waiting and
+watching, and there was not one of the "Yankee's" crew but would have
+given a year's pay to have seen the mist lift long enough to bring us
+within range.
+
+Suddenly, just as the fervent wish was trembling on our lips, "Hod
+Marsh," who was near the port, cried out joyfully:
+
+"She's fading, fellows, she's fading!"
+
+Like a theatre curtain being slowly raised, the mist lifted from the
+surface of the water. Little by little the expanse of ocean became
+visible, and at last we, who were watching eagerly, saw the hull of a
+steamer appear, followed by masts and stack and upper rigging. An
+exclamation of bitter disappointment came from Tommy. "Durned if it
+ain't an old tramp!" he groaned. "Fellows, we are sold."
+
+And so it proved.
+
+The fog lifted completely in the course of an hour and we secured a good
+view of our "will o' the wisp" of the night's chase. It was a great
+lumbering tramp, as high out of the water as a barn, and as
+weather-stained as a homeward-bound whaler. She slouched along like a
+crab, each roll of the hull showing streaks of marine grass and
+barnacles. There was little of man-o'-war "smartness" in her make-up, of
+a verity.
+
+For several days the "Yankee" cruised up and down the coast between
+Delaware Breakwater and Block Island. Many vessels were sighted, and on
+two occasions it was considered expedient to sound "general quarters,"
+but nothing came of it. We finally concluded that the enemy were
+fighting shy of the vicinity of New York, and all began to long for
+orders to the southward.
+
+Drill followed drill during these waiting days. Target practice was held
+whenever practicable, and the different guns' crews began to feel
+familiar with the rapid-fire rifles.
+
+The men, accustomed to a life of ease and plenty, found this first
+month's work an experience of unparalleled hardship.
+
+Their hands, better fitted for the grasp of pen and pencil, were made
+sore and stiff by the handling of hawsers, chains, and heavy cases.
+Bandages on hands, feet, and, in some cases, heads, were the popular
+form of adornment, and the man who did not have some part of his anatomy
+decorated in this way was looked upon as a "sloper," or one who ran away
+from work. For how could any one do his share without getting a finger
+jammed or a toe crushed?
+
+The work that was done, too, during this month of cruising along the
+coasts of Long Island and New Jersey was hard and incessant. Drills of
+all kinds were frequent, and sleep at a premium.
+
+The "Yankee" at this time was attached to the Northern Patrol Fleet, of
+which Commodore Howell was the commander. It was her business to cruise
+along the coast from Block Island south to Delaware Breakwater, and
+watch for suspicious vessels. This duty made constant movement
+necessary, and unwearying vigilance on the part of the lookouts
+imperative.
+
+Rainy, foggy weather was the rule, and "oilers" and rubber boots the
+prevailing fashion in overclothing. Sea watches were kept night and day;
+half of the crew being on duty all the time, and one watch relieving the
+other every four hours.
+
+The watch "on deck" or on duty on a stormy night found it very tedious
+waiting for the "watch below" to come and relieve them. The man who
+could tell a story or sing a song was in great demand, and the man who
+could get up a "Yankee" song was a popular hero. The night after our
+wild goose chase, described in the last chapter, the port watch had the
+"long watch"; that is, the watch from 8 p.m. to midnight, and from four
+to eight the next morning--which allowed but four hour's sleep.
+
+It was raining and the decks were wet and slippery. The water dripped
+off the rims of our sou'westers in dismal fashion, and the fog hung like
+a blanket around the ship, while the sea lapped her sides unseen. Our
+fog-horn tooted at intervals, and everything was as damp, dark, and
+forlorn as could be.
+
+A knot of men were gathered under the lee of the after deckhouse,
+huddled together for warmth and companionship. There was "Stump,"
+"Bill," Potter, and a number of others.
+
+"Say! can't any one sing, or tell a yarn, or whistle a tune, or dance a
+jig?" said "Bill" in a muffled tone. "If some one does not start some
+kind of excitement I will go to sleep in my tracks, and Doctor 'Gangway'
+says I mustn't sleep out of doors." His speech ended in a fit of
+coughing and a succession of sneezes.
+
+"Here, 'Morse,' give us that new song of yours," said "Steve," as
+another oilskinned figure joined the group. "Morse" and "Steve" were our
+chief song writers. Each sat on a quarter six-pounder, one on the
+starboard, the other on the port. "I will, if you chaps will join in the
+chorus," answered "Morse." "No, thank you," he added, as some one handed
+him an imaginary glass. "_Nature_ has wet my whistle pretty thoroughly
+to-night." "Stump," in his most impressive manner, stepped forward, and
+in true master-of-ceremonies style introduced our entertainer. He was
+enlarging on the undoubted merits of the composer and singer, and had
+waxed really eloquent, when a strong gust of wind blew the water that
+lodged in the awning squarely down his neck. This dampened his ardor but
+not our spirits.
+
+"Morse," like the good fellow he was, got up and sang this song to the
+tune of "Billy Magee Magaw":
+
+    When the "Yankee" goes sailing home again,
+                    Hurrah! Hurrah!
+    We'll forget that we're "Heroes" and just be men,
+                    Hurrah! Hurrah!
+    The girls will giggle, the boys will shout,
+    We'll all get a bath and be washed out,
+    And we'll all feel gay when
+    The "Yankee" goes sailing home.
+
+    The city bells will peal for joy,
+                    Hurrah! Hurrah!
+    To welcome home each wandering boy,
+                    Hurrah! Hurrah!
+    And all our sisters and cousins and girls
+    Will say "Ain't they darlings?" and "_See_ the pearls!"
+    So we'll all feel gay when
+    The "Yankee" goes sailing home.
+
+    Our patrolling cruise will soon be o'er,
+                    Hurrah! Hurrah!
+    We'll be happy the moment our feet touch shore,
+                    Hurrah! Hurrah!
+    And "Cutlets" and "Hubbub" and all the rest
+    May stick to the calling they're fitted for best,
+    But _we'll_ all feel gay when
+    The "Yankee" goes sailing home.
+
+Even "Bill" was able to find voice enough to shout "Good!" and give
+"Morse" a resounding slap on his wet oilskinned shoulder. The song
+voiced our sentiments exactly, and cheered us a lot. None of us believed
+that "Our patrolling cruise would soon be o'er," however, and hardly a
+man would have taken his discharge had it been offered to him that
+moment. We had put our names to the enlistment papers and had promised
+to serve Uncle Sam on his ship the "Yankee" faithfully. We had gone into
+this thing together, and we would see it through together. Still we
+would "All feel gay when the 'Yankee' goes sailing home."
+
+"That reminds me of a story," began Potter, when "Long Tommy," the
+boatswain's mate of the watch, interrupted with, "Potter, take the
+starboard bridge. I will send a man to relieve you at the end of an
+hour." So Potter went forward to relieve his mate, who had stood an hour
+of lookout duty on the starboard end of the bridge.
+
+He went forward, swaying with the motion of the ship, his oilskin
+trousers making a queer, grating noise as one leg rubbed against the
+other, and "Stump" said, "I'll bet he won't stay with us long; he talks
+too much." A prophetic remark, as future events proved.
+
+The group broke up after this. Some who were not actually on lookout
+duty went into the hot fire room, and after taking off their outer
+clothing, tried to snatch a few winks of sleep. The "watch on deck" was
+not allowed to go below at night, so the only shelter allowed us was the
+fire room and the main companion-way. The latter could hold but a few
+men, and the only alternative was the fire or "drum" room, into which
+the heat and gas from the furnaces ascended from the bowels of the ship,
+making it impossible for a man to breathe the atmosphere there for more
+than half an hour at a time. The after wheel-house was sometimes taken
+advantage of by the more venturesome of the boys, but the risk was
+great, for "Cutlets" was continually prowling around, and the man found
+taking shelter there would receive tongue lashings hard to bear, with
+abuse entirely out of proportion to the offence.
+
+A little before twelve o'clock we heard the boatswain's pipe, and the
+long drawn shout, "On deck all the starboard watch," and "All the
+starboard watch to muster." So we knew that we would soon be relieved,
+and would be able to take the much-needed four hours' sleep in our
+"sleeping bags," as "Hay" called them. The starboard men came slowly up,
+rubbing their eyes, buttoning their oilskins, and tying their
+sou'westers on by a string under their chins as they walked.
+
+"Hurry up there, will you?" calls out a port watch man, as the men of
+the other watch sleepily climb the ladder. "Get a move on and give us a
+chance to get out of this beastly wet." A sharp retort is given, and the
+men move on in the same leisurely way. The men of both watches are
+hardly in the best of humors. It is not pleasant to be waked up at
+midnight to stand a four hours' watch in the rain and fog, nor is it the
+most enjoyable thing in life to be delayed, after standing a four hours'
+watch in the rain, realizing all the time that each minute of waiting
+takes that precious time from the scant four hours' sleep.
+
+But finally "all the watch" is piped, and we go below and flop into our
+hammocks, to sleep as soundly and dreamlessly as babies. A sailor will
+sleep like a dead man through all kinds of noises and calls, but the
+minute his own watch is called he is wide awake in an instant, from
+sheer force of habit.
+
+So when the boatswain's mate went around with his pipe, singing out as
+he dodged in and out among the swinging hammocks, "On deck all the port
+watch," each of us jumped out of his swaying bed and began to climb
+into his damp clothes and stiff "oilers." We then made our way through
+the darkness, often bumping our heads on the bottom of hammocks, and
+earning sleepy but strongly worded rebukes from the occupants; colliding
+with stanchions, and stubbing our toes on ring bolts and hatch covers.
+All arrived at length, formed an unsteady line on the forecastle deck,
+and answered to our names as they were called by the boatswain's mate.
+So began another day's work on one of Uncle Sam's ships.
+
+It was Sunday, and after a while the fog lifted and the sun came out
+strong and clear. All the men who were off duty came on deck to bask in
+the sun, and to get dried and thawed out.
+
+"Steve" poked his uncombed, sleepy head through the "booby" hatch cover.
+"Well, this is something like! If the 'old man' will let us take it easy
+after inspection, I won't think life in the navy is so bad after all."
+
+"Well, inspection and general muster and the reading of the ship's bible
+will take up most of the morning," said gunner's mate "Patt," as he
+emerged from the hatch after "Steve," wiping his grimy hands on a wad of
+waste, for he had been giving the guns a rub. "And if we don't have to
+go chasing an imaginary Spaniard or lug coal from the after hold
+forward, we'll be in luck," he continued.
+
+"What about the 'ship's bible'? What is 'general muster'?" queried half
+a dozen of us.
+
+"Why," said "Patt," "the ship's bible is the book of rules and
+regulations of the United States Navy. It is read once a month to the
+officers and crew of every ship in the navy. The officers and crew will
+be mustered aft--you'll see--the deck force and engineer force on the
+port side, the petty officers on the starboard side forward, the
+commissioned officers on the starboard side aft, and the marines
+athwartships aft. This forms three sides to a square. See?"
+
+"I don't see the use of all this," broke in the irreverent "Kid." "Do we
+have to stand there and have war articles fired at us?"
+
+"That's what, 'Kid,'" replied "Patt," good-naturedly.
+
+"After all hands have taken their places," continued our informant, "the
+'old man' will walk down the galley ladder in that dignified way of his,
+followed by the executive officer. 'Mother Hubbub' will then open the
+blue-covered book that he carries, and read you things that will make
+your hair stand on end and cause you to consider the best wording for
+your last will and testament." "Patt" was very impressive, and we stood
+with open mouths and staring eyes.
+
+"When old 'Hubbub' opens the book, all hands, even the captain, will
+take off their hats and stand at attention. Then the war articles will
+be read to you. You will learn that there are twenty-seven or more
+offences for which you are liable to be shot--such as sleeping on post,
+desertion, disobedience, wilful waste of Government property, and so
+forth; you will be told that divine service is recommended whenever
+possible--in short, you are told that you must be good, and that if you
+are not there will be the deuce to pay. Then the captain will turn to
+'Scully' and say, 'Pipe down,' whereupon 'Scully' and the other bosun's
+mates will blow a trill on their pipes, and all hands will go about
+their business."
+
+So concluded our oracle.
+
+"Gee whiz!" said the "Kid." "I nearly got into trouble the other night,
+for I almost dozed when I was on the buoy. I'm not used to getting along
+on eleven hours' sleep in forty-eight yet," he added, apologetically.
+
+We all looked forward to "general muster" with a good deal of interest,
+and when it occurred, and the captain had inspected our persons,
+clothes, the ship, and mess gear, we decided that "Patt's" description
+fitted exactly, and were duly impressed with its solemnity.
+
+We found to our sorrow that we of Number Eight's crew were not to enjoy
+sunshine undisturbed, but were soon put to work carrying coal in baskets
+from the after hold forward, and dumping it in the bunker chutes.
+
+This work had been going on almost every day, and all day, since we left
+Tompkinsville. The coal was in the after hold and was needed in the
+bunkers forward, so every piece had to be shovelled into bushel baskets,
+hoisted to the gun deck, and carried by hand to the chute leading to the
+port and starboard bunkers. A dirty job it was, that not only blackened
+the men, but covered the deck, the mess gear, the paint work, and even
+the food, with coal dust.
+
+Number Eight's crew had been at this pleasant occupation for about an
+hour, with the cheerful prospect of another hour of the same diversion.
+"Hay" was running the steam winch, "Stump" was pulling the baskets over
+the hatch coaming as they were hauled up by the winch, and the other
+five were carrying.
+
+"Say, this is deadly slow, tiresome work," said "Flagg," who was
+carrying with me. "I'd give almost anything for a little excitement."
+
+The last word had scarcely been uttered when there came the sounds of
+'commotion on deck. A voice cried out in sharp command, the rudder
+chains creaked loudly, the ship heeled over to starboard, and then we
+who were at the open port saw a long, snaky object shoot out from the
+edge of the haze and bear down upon us.
+
+"My heaven!" shouted "Stump," "it's a torpedo boat!"
+
+The commotion on deck had given us some warning, but the sudden dash of
+the long, snaky torpedo boat from out the haze came as a decided shock.
+For one brief moment we of the after port stood as if turned to stone,
+then every man ran to his quarters and stood ready to do his duty. With
+a cry, our second captain sprang to the firing lanyard. Before he could
+grasp it, however, the officer of the division was at his side.
+
+"Stop!" he exclaimed authoritatively.
+
+The interruption was fortunate, for, just then, a swerve of the oncoming
+torpedo boat revealed a small flag flying from the taffrail staff. It
+was the American ensign.
+
+The reaction was great. Forgetting discipline, we crowded about the port
+and laughed and cheered like a lot of schoolboys. Potter, in his joy and
+evident relief, sent his canvas cap sailing through the air. A rebuke,
+not very stern, however, came from the lieutenant in charge of the
+division, and we shuffled back to our stations.
+
+"Cricky! what a sell," exclaimed the second rifleman, grinning. "I was
+sure we had a big job on our hands this time. I'm rather glad it is one
+of our fellows after all."
+
+"I'm not," spoke up young Potter, blusteringly. "What did we come out
+here for, hey? I say it's a confounded shame. We might have had a chance
+to send one of the Spaniards to the bottom."
+
+"It may be a Dago after all," suggested "Bill," glancing from the port.
+"The flag doesn't mean anything. They might be flying Old Glory as a
+_ruse de guerre_. By George! That craft looks just like the 'Pluton.'"
+
+We, who were watching, saw Potter's face lengthen. He peered nervously
+at the rapidly approaching torpedo boat, and then tried to laugh
+unconcernedly.
+
+"You can't 'string' me," he retorted. "That's one of your Uncle Samuel's
+boats all right. See! they are going to hail us."
+
+A bell clanged in the engine room, then the throbbing of the machinery
+slackened to a slow pulsation. The rudder chains rattled in their
+fair-leaders, and presently we were steaming along, with the torpedo
+craft a score of yards off our midships.
+
+On the forward deck of the latter stood two officers clad in the uniform
+of the commissioned service. One placed a speaking trumpet to his lips
+and called out:
+
+"Cruiser ahoy! Is that the 'Yankee'?"
+
+"You have made a good guess," shouted Captain Brownson. "What boat is
+that?"
+
+"'Talbot' from Newport. Any news? Sighted you and thought we would speak
+you."
+
+Our commander assured them that we were in search of news ourselves. The
+"Talbot's" officers saluted and then waved a farewell.
+
+The narrow, low-lying craft spun about in almost her own length, a
+series of quick puffs of dense black smoke came from the funnels, and
+then the haze swallowed up the whole fabric.
+
+We were left to take our discomfiture with what philosophy we could
+muster. When "secure" was sounded we left our guns with a sense of great
+danger averted and a feeling of relief.
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+WE BECOME COAL HEAVERS.
+
+The little strip of North American coast between Delaware Breakwater and
+Block Island is very interesting, and, in places, beautiful. The long
+beaches and bare sand dunes have a solemn beauty all their own.
+
+Though the boys on the "Yankee" took in and appreciated the loveliness
+of this bit of coast, they were getting rather familiar with it and
+somewhat bored. They longed for "pastures new."
+
+Summer had almost begun, but still the fog and rain held sway. The ship
+crept through the night like a big gray ghost--dark, swift, and, except
+in the densest fogs, silent. Pea-coats were an absolute necessity, and
+woolen gloves would have been a great comfort. All this in the blooming,
+beautiful month of May!
+
+One bleak morning the starboard watch was on duty. We of the port watch
+had turned in at four (or, according to ship's time, eight bells). We
+were glad to be between decks, and got under way for the land of Nod
+without delay. It seemed as if we had been asleep but a few minutes,
+when "Scully," chief boatswain's mate, came down the gun deck gangway,
+shouting loud enough to be heard a mile away: "All hands, up all
+hammocks;" then, as the disposition to get up was not very evident,
+"Show a leg there; ham and eggs for breakfast." This last was a little
+pleasantry that never materialized into the much-coveted and long
+abstained from delicacy.
+
+The hammocks were lashed up and stowed away in the "nettings," as the
+lattice-like receptacles are called, leaving the deck clear for the work
+of the day.
+
+Mess gear for the "watch below" had just been piped, and we were glad;
+even the thought of burnt oatmeal and coffee without milk was pleasant
+to us.
+
+The ports were closed and the gun deck was dark and dismal. The fog
+oozed in through every crack and cranny, and all was very unpleasant.
+
+Of a sudden there was a sharp reverberation that sounded so much like
+the report of a big gun that all hands jumped.
+
+The course of the ship was changed, and the jingle bell sounded. The
+"Yankee" forged on at full speed in the direction from which the sound
+had come.
+
+We all stood in expectant attitudes, listening for another report. We
+had about made up our minds that our ears had deceived us, when another
+explosion, louder and nearer than the first, reached us.
+
+On we rushed--toward what we knew not--through a fog so thick that the
+water could be seen but dimly from the spar deck.
+
+The suspense was hard to bear, and the desire to do something almost
+irresistible. The men unconsciously took their regular stations for
+action, the guns' crews gathered round their guns, the powder divisions
+in the neighborhood of the ammunition hoists.
+
+"I wish Potter was here," said "Stump." "I rather think he would be
+white around the gills. This sort of business would give him a bad case
+of 'cold feet.'"
+
+"Oh, he had 'cold feet' a few days after we left New York, and wrote to
+his friends to get his discharge," said "Bill." "Got it and quit two
+weeks after we left New York, the duffer," added "Hay."
+
+The "Yankee" still steamed on into the bank of fog.
+
+"Cupid," the ship's bugler, began to play the call for general
+quarters, but was stopped by a sharp command from the bridge.
+
+What was it all about? Was it to be tragedy or farce?
+
+Then Scully came down the starboard gangway, a broad smile on his ruddy
+face.
+
+A clamoring group gathered round him instantly. "What is it?" "Is the
+'old man' playing a joke on us?" "Do you suppose Cervera has got over to
+this side?" "Scully," overwhelmed with questions, put up his hands
+protestingly.
+
+"No, no; none of those things," said he. "What do you suppose we have
+been doing for the last twenty minutes?"
+
+We confessed we did not know.
+
+"Chasing thunder claps--nothing more nor less than thunder claps! And
+we'll see nothing worse on this coast," he added sententiously, as soon
+as he could get his breath.
+
+The wind rose, and while it blew away the fog in part, it kicked up a
+nasty sea, in which the "Yankee" wallowed for hours, waiting for the fog
+to clear enough to make the channel and enter New York harbor. It seemed
+we had been heading for New York, and we did not know it. It was not the
+custom aboard that hooker to give the men any information.
+
+[Illustration: "THE 'YANKEE' DROPPED HER ANCHOR OFF TOMPKINSVILLE"]
+
+When we learned for sure that we were bound for New York, our joy was
+beyond measure.
+
+Shore leave was the chief topic of conversation. And every man not on
+duty went down into his black bag, fished out his clean blues, and set
+to work sewing on watch marks and cap ribbons. For Jack must be neat and
+clean when he goes ashore.
+
+The mud-hook was dropped in the bay off Tompkinsville, Thursday, May
+26th, seventeen days after we left the navy yard. It seemed seventeen
+months.
+
+An "anchor watch" of sixteen men was set for the night, and most of us
+turned in early to enjoy the first good sleep for many weary days.
+
+All hands were turned out at five o'clock. We woke to find a big coal
+barge on either side of the ship.
+
+After breakfast the order "turn to" was given. "All hands coal ship,
+starboard watch on the starboard lighter, port watch on the port
+lighter." From seven o'clock in the morning till twelve o'clock that
+night, the crew of the "Yankee"--aforetime lawyers, physicians, literary
+men, brokers, merchants, students, and clerks--men who had never done
+any harder work than play football, or row in a shell--coaled ship
+without any rest, other than the three half hours at meal times. About
+the hardest, dirtiest work a man could do.
+
+The navy style of coaling is different from that customary in the
+merchant service. In the latter, the dirty work is done in the quickest,
+easiest way possible. The ship is taken to a coal wharf and the coal is
+slid down in chutes, or barges are run alongside and great buckets,
+hoisted by steam, swing the black lumps into the hold or bunker.
+
+The navy style, as practised on the "Yankee," was quite different. The
+barges were brought alongside, the men divided into gangs--some to go in
+the hold of the barge, some to go on the platforms, some to carry on the
+ship herself. The barge gang shovelled the coal into bushel baskets;
+these were carried to the men on the stages; and the latter passed them
+from one to the other, to the gun deck; finally, the gang on the vessel
+carried the baskets to the bunker holes, and dumped them. The ship was
+well provided with hoisting machines, but, for some reason, this help
+was not permitted us.
+
+It was a long, inexpressibly dreary day's work, and though undertaken
+cheerfully and with less complaining than would have been believed
+possible, the drudgery of it was a thing not easily forgotten. Before
+the day had ended, all hope of getting ashore was lost, for we were
+told that no liberty would be given.
+
+The following day and half of our stay in New York harbor was spent in
+the same way--shovelling, lifting, and carrying coal. The eyes of many
+of us were gladdened by the sight of friends and relatives, who were
+allowed aboard when mess gear was piped, and put off when "turn to"
+sounded. We were pleased to see our friends, but our friends, on the
+contrary, seemed shocked to see us. One dainty girl came aboard, and, as
+she came up the gangway, asked for a forecastle man. The word was passed
+for him. He had just finished his stint of coaling, and was as black as
+a negro. In his haste to see his sister, he neglected to clean up, and
+appeared before her in his coal heaver's make-up.
+
+"You, Will? I won't believe it! I won't, I won't, I won't!" And for a
+second she covered her face with her hands. Then she picked out the
+cleanest spot on his grimy countenance and kissed him there, while we
+looked on in envy.
+
+The "Yankee" at last receiving orders to sail for the front, left
+Tompkinsville May 29th. We passed out of the Narrows with a feeling of
+relief. The work we had just finished was the hardest we had ever
+experienced. It was particularly tantalizing because we were almost in
+sight of our homes, but could not visit them. A starving man suffers
+more from hunger if pleasant food is placed within sight, but beyond his
+reach.
+
+However, we were to go to the front at last, and we rejoiced at the
+prospect of being really useful to our country.
+
+The following day, Decoration Day, dawned pleasantly, both wind and
+weather being all that could be desired.
+
+Directly after dinner we were sent to quarters for target practice. The
+target was dropped astern, and the ship steamed ahead to the required
+distance. Word was given to the marines manning the six-pounders to
+prove their skill.
+
+The port forecastle six-pounder, using a shell containing cordite, a
+powerful English explosive, was in charge of a marine corporal named
+J.J. Murray, who acted as captain of the gun. After firing several
+rounds with marked success, Murray saw that the gun was loaded for
+another trial.
+
+Standing at the breech, he steadied the gun with his left arm and
+shoulder, seized the pistol-grip, placed his finger on the trigger, and
+then slowly and carefully brought the target within the sighting line in
+readiness to fire.
+
+The other members of the gun's crew were at their proper stations.
+Numbers 2 and 3, respectively second captain and first loader and
+shellman, were directly behind the corporal. They saw him steady the
+piece again, take another careful aim, then noted that his finger gave a
+quick tug at the trigger.
+
+The result was a dull click but no explosion.
+
+The corporal stepped back from his place in vexation. He had succeeded
+in getting a fine "bead" just as the cartridge failed.
+
+"Blast the English ammunition!" he exclaimed. "It's no good."
+
+The other men at the gun nodded approval. Their experience bore out the
+corporal's assertion. They also knew that the cordite cartridges were
+not adapted to American guns, and should not have been used. But they
+were marines and they were accustomed to obey orders without comment.
+
+Captain Brownson had noticed the incident and he sent word to delay
+opening the breechblock until all danger of explosion had passed. After
+waiting some time, Corporal Murray proceeded to extract the shell. He
+took his place at the breech, while No. 2 unlocked the plug and swung it
+open.
+
+"Now we'll see what is the matter," he began. "I guess it is another
+case of--"
+
+He never finished the sentence. With a frightful roar the defective
+cartridge exploded, sending fragments of shell and parts of the
+breech-block into the corporal's face and chest. He was hurled with
+terrific force to the deck, where he lay motionless, mortally wounded.
+
+Numbers 2 and 3 of the unfortunate gun's crew did not escape, the former
+being struck down with the hand lever, which penetrated his arm. The
+injured men received prompt attention from the surgeon and his
+assistants, but Corporal Murray was beyond mortal aid. He died ten
+minutes after the accident.
+
+He was a good soldier, jolly and light-hearted, and a great favorite
+with the crew. The peculiar feeling of antagonism which is supposed to
+exist between the sailors and marines did not obtain in his case.
+
+In the navy the hammock which serves the living as a bed by night is
+also their coffin and their shroud. It so served Corporal Murray.
+
+[Illustration: "WITH A FRIGHTFUL ROAR THE DEFECTIVE CARTRIDGE EXPLODED"]
+
+Shortly after four bells (six o'clock) on the evening of the day on
+which the accident occurred, the boatswain's mate sent the shrill piping
+of his whistle echoing through the ship, following it with the words,
+doleful and long drawn out:
+
+"All hands shift-ft-ft into clean-n-n blue and stand by to bury the
+dead-d-d!"
+
+When the crew assembled on the gun deck in obedience to the call, the
+sun was just disappearing beyond the edge of the distant horizon. Its
+last rays entered the open port, showing to us the dead man's figure
+outlined under an American flag. The body had been placed upon a grating
+in front of an open port, and several men were stationed close by in
+readiness to launch it into the sea.
+
+The ceaseless swaying of the ship in the trough of the sea, the engines
+having been stopped, set the lines of blue uniformed men swinging and
+nodding, and, as the surgeon, Dr. McGowan, read the Episcopal service,
+it seemed in the half light as if every man were keeping time with the
+cadence.
+
+The words of the service, beautiful and impressive under such novel
+circumstances, echoed and whispered along the deck, and at the sentence,
+"We commit this body to the deep," the grating was raised gently and,
+with a peculiar _swish_, the body, heavily weighted, slid down to the
+water's edge and plunged sullenly into the sea. A moment more and the
+service was finished, the bugler sounding "pipe down." A salute, three
+times repeated, was fired by sixteen men of the marine guard.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The voyage down the coast was utilized in making good men-o'-war's men
+of the "Yankee's" crew. Captain Brownson believes thoroughly in the
+efficacy of drill, and he lost no time in living up to his belief. When
+all the circumstances are taken into consideration, the task allotted to
+the captain of the "Yankee" by the fortunes of war, was both peculiar
+and difficult.
+
+On his return from Europe, where he had been sent to select vessels for
+the improvised navy, he was ordered by the Navy Department at Washington
+to take command of the auxiliary cruiser "Yankee." This meant that he
+was to assume charge of a ship hastily converted from an ordinary
+merchant steamer, and to fight the battles of his country with a crew
+composed of youths and men whose whole life and training had hitherto
+followed totally different lines.
+
+It was a "licking of raw material into shape" with a vengeance.
+
+When the "Chesapeake" sailed forth to fight her disastrous battle with
+the British ship "Shannon," her crew was made up of men untrained in
+the art of war. The result was the most humiliating naval defeat in the
+history of the United States. The same fate threatened Captain Brownson.
+There was this difference in the cases, however. The "Chesapeake" had
+little time for drilling, while the "Yankee" was fully six weeks in
+commission before her first shot was fired in action. Every minute of
+those six weeks was utilized.
+
+During the trip down the coast from New York general quarters were held
+each day, and target practice whenever the weather permitted. In
+addition to these drills the crew was exercised in man and arm boats,
+abandon ship, fire drill, infantry drill, and the many exercises
+provided by the naval regulations. Before the "Yankee" had been in the
+Gulf Stream two days, the various guns' crews were almost letter-perfect
+at battery work. As it happened, the value of good drilling was soon to
+be demonstrated.
+
+As we neared Cuba, the theatre of our hopes and expectations, we were
+scarcely able to control ourselves. The bare possibility of seeing real
+war within a few days made every man the victim of a consuming
+impatience. Rumors of every description were rife, and the many weird
+and impossible tales invented by the ship's cook and the captain's
+steward--the men-o'-war oracles--would have put even Baron Munchausen to
+the blush.
+
+The Rumor Committee, otherwise known as the "Scuttle-butt Navigators,"
+to which every man on board was elected a life member the moment he
+promulgated a rumor, was soon actively engaged, and it was definitely
+settled that the "Yankee" was to become the flagship of the whole fleet,
+our captain made Lord High Admiral, and the whole Spanish nation swept
+off the face of the globe, in about thirteen and a half seconds by the
+chronometer.
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+WE ENTER THE "THEATRE OF WAR."
+
+The shrill pipe of the bosun's whistle, followed by the order "All hands
+to muster," reached our ears a day or two out from New York. We were
+enjoying an hour of well-earned leisure, so it was with reluctance that
+we obeyed and went aft on the gun deck. All hands are seldom called to
+muster, so we knew that something of importance was in the wind.
+
+After the three-sided hollow square had been formed, the captain
+appeared. The small men stood on tip-toe, and the tall men craned their
+necks.
+
+"We are about to enter the theatre of war," said the captain, in his
+sharp, decisive way, "and I expect every man to do his duty, to redouble
+his efforts to preserve discipline, to perfect drills. Drills will, of a
+necessity, be frequent and hard. I would have you understand that our
+best protection is the fire from our own guns. The more rapid and
+accurate our fire, the safer we shall be. Pipe down."
+
+After we had been dismissed, the men formed little groups and discussed
+the captain's speech.
+
+"I like the 'old man's' talk," said the "Kid," condescendingly; "it's to
+the point and short. But how in the name of common sense are we going to
+find time to drill with more frequency? Three times a day and once or
+more at night, allows us just about time enough to eat and do the
+necessary routine work, to say nothing about sleeping. Clear ship,
+general quarters, and fire drill during the day, and general quarters
+after ten last night. That's already somewhat frequent, methinks," he
+concluded, suppressing a yawn.
+
+"Well, if we are to have any scraps," said "Bill," "we certainly must
+know how to work the ship and the guns. For, as the skipper said, 'our
+own fire is our best protection.'"
+
+We bowled along at a good fifteen-knot gait, day after day and night
+after night. The weather was magnificent and the climate delightful. It
+was full moon, and such a moon as few of us had seen before--so bright
+that letters could be and were written by her silvery light.
+
+Though drills of all sorts were of constant occurrence, there were times
+after mess when we could "caulk off" and enjoy the glorious weather.
+Our experience of bad weather along the coast of New Jersey and Long
+Island had given us keen zest for the good conditions we were now
+enjoying. We were sailing along in the warm waters of the Gulf
+Stream--the Gulf weed peculiar to that current slipping by as we forged
+through it. "Stump," "Dye," of Number Eight's gun crew, a witty chap and
+a good singer, "Hay," and I were leaning over the taffrail, looking into
+the swirling water made by the propeller's thrust, when "Dye" remarked:
+"This is the queerest water I ever saw in all my days; it looks like the
+bluing water our laundress used to make, with the suds mixed in."
+
+The smooth sea was dark and clear as could be, but where churned by the
+propeller it turned to the color of turquoise.
+
+"I really believe," said "Bill," as he joined the group, "that we could
+use it to turn our whites blue."
+
+It was a delight and marvel to us all; we would have liked nothing
+better than to have spent hours gazing at these wonderful colors.
+
+As we stood absorbed in the sight before us, we were interrupted by the
+short, sharp ringing of the ship's bell--a dozen or more strokes given
+in quick succession followed, after a short pause, by two more strokes.
+
+Some one shouted "Fire, boys!" and all hands rushed for their
+stations--some to the hose-reel, some below to the gun deck to close the
+ports, and some to the berth deck to receive the hose when it came down.
+We did not know whether it was drill or actual fire, but the skipper's
+talk of the night before gave us unusual energy, and the preparations
+were made in record time. The canvas hose was pulled along the deck with
+a swish, the nozzle grasped by the waiting hands below and carried with
+a run away aft on the berth deck. The fire was supposed to be raging at
+this point, as was indicated by the two last strokes of the alarm
+signal.
+
+While the hose was being led out, sturdy arms tugged at the port
+lanyards and pulled them to. Others battened down the hatches, to keep
+the draught from adding fury to the flames.
+
+All this was done in less time than it takes to tell it, and the men
+stood at their posts, perspiring and panting from the quick work.
+
+We had hardly time to catch our breath when the order "Abandon ship" was
+heard. Immediately there was a scurry of feet, and a rush for the upper
+deck; but some stayed below to carry ship's bread and canned meats to
+the boats--two cases of bread and two cases of meat for the large boats,
+and one case of each for the smaller. The crews and passengers of each
+boat gathered near it. Every man had been assigned to a boat either as
+crew or passenger, and when the order "abandon ship" was given, every
+one knew instantly where to go for refuge.
+
+Though we had already gone through this "fire drill" and "abandon ship"
+(one always followed the other), it had then been done in peaceful
+waters and in a perfunctory way. Now that we were entering "the theatre
+of war," we felt the seriousness of it all, and realized that what was
+now a mere drill might become a stern reality.
+
+The order "Secure" was given; the hose was reeled up, the ports opened,
+and the provisions returned to their places in hold and store room. The
+men went to their quarters, and so stood till the bugler blew "retreat."
+
+The time not devoted to drills was taken up in getting the ship ready
+for the serious work she was to undertake.
+
+All woodwork on the gun deck not in actual use was carried below or
+thrown overboard, and the great cargo booms were either taken down and
+stowed safely away, where the splinters would not be dangerous, or were
+covered with, canvas.
+
+These preparations had a sinister look that made us realize, if we had
+not done so before, that this was real war that we were about to engage
+in--no sham battle or manoeuvres.
+
+The men went about their work more quietly and thoughtfully, for one and
+all now understood their responsibilities. If the ship made a record for
+herself, the crew would get a large share of the credit; and if she
+failed to do the work cut out for her, on the crew would be laid the
+blame. If the men behind the guns and the men running the engines did
+not do their work rapidly and well, disaster and disgrace would follow.
+
+As we neared the scene of conflict, the discipline grew more and more
+strict. Before a man realized that he had done anything wrong, his name
+would be called by the master-at-arms and he would be hauled "up to the
+mast" for trial.
+
+"You ought to see the gang up at the mast," said "Stump," one bright
+afternoon. "'Mac' and 'Hod Marsh' have gathered enough extra duty men to
+do all the dirty work for a month."
+
+"What were you doing up there?" asked a bystander.
+
+"Why, I thought I heard my name called, and as discretion is the better
+part of valor, I lined up with the rest, and I was glad I did, too, for
+it was good sport."
+
+"Maybe you thought it was sport, but how about the chaps that were
+'pinched'? Who was up before the skipper, anyhow?"
+
+"Oh, there was a big gang up there--I can't remember them all; 'Lucky
+Bag Kennedy' was there, for being late at general quarters the other
+day. When the captain looked at him in that fierce way of his and asked
+what he had to say for himself, 'Lucky Bag' said he didn't realize the
+time. The skipper could hardly keep his face straight. 'Four hours,' he
+said, and that was all there was to it."
+
+"Poor 'Lucky Bag,'" came from all sides as "Stump" paused to take
+breath.
+
+"Then there was 'Big Bill,' the water tender," continued "Stump." "He
+was hauled up for appearing on the spar deck without a uniform. When the
+skipper asked him what he had to say for himself, 'Big Bill' cleared his
+throat with a _woof_--you know how it sounds: the ship shakes and
+trembles when he does it--and the 'old man' fairly tottered under the
+blast. 'Big Bill' explained that he could not get a uniform big enough
+for him, because the paymaster could not fit him out. The captain
+almost grinned when he heard the excuse, and 'Big Bill'--well, he
+enjoyed the situation, I'll bet a month's pay."
+
+There was a little pause here, and we heard a great voice rumbling from
+below. Then we knew that "Big Bill" was telling his intimates all about
+it, embellishing the story as only he could do.
+
+We laughed sympathetically as the shouts of glee rose to our ears. We
+had all enjoyed his good-humored Irish wit.
+
+"Well, who else was in trouble this afternoon, 'Stump'?" said "Mourner,"
+the inquisitive.
+
+"Oh, a lot of unfortunate duffers. Several who were put on the report
+for being slow in lashing up their hammocks got a couple of hours extra
+duty each. One or two were there because they had clothes in the 'lucky
+bag'--they had left them round the decks somewhere, and the
+master-at-arms had grabbed them. The owners had to go on the report to
+get the clothes out. It cost them a couple of hours each."
+
+"Well, how did you get out of it?" said I, when "Stump" paused to
+breathe.
+
+"I was nearly scared to death," he continued, after a minute or two. "My
+name was not called, and the rank thinned out till there were only a
+few of us left. I began to think that some special punishment was being
+reserved for me, and that the captain was waiting so he could think it
+over. What my offence was I could not imagine; my conscience was clear,
+I vow. As I stood there in the sun I thought over the last few days, and
+made a confession to myself, but couldn't think of anything very wicked.
+Had I unintentionally blocked a marine sentry's way and thus interfered
+with him in the performance of his duty? I had visions at this point of
+myself in the 'brig,' existing on bread and water. Had I inadvertently
+gone into 'Cutlet's' pet after wheel-house? I was in a brown study,
+conjuring up imaginary misdeeds, when a voice sounded in my ear: 'Here,
+my man; what do you want?' I looked around, dazed, at the captain, who
+stood by, the closed report book in his hand. Then I realized that my
+being there was a mistake, so I saluted and said, 'Nothing, sir.'"
+
+"That's a very nice tale," said "Dye." "We'll have to get 'Mac' to
+verify it."
+
+"It's straight," protested "Stump." "Ask the skipper himself if you want
+to."
+
+The old boat ploughed her way through the blue waters of the Gulf Stream
+at the rate of from fourteen to fifteen knots an hour. The skies were
+clear and the sun warm and bright--cool breeze tempered its heat and
+made life bearable. The ship rolled lazily in the long swell and the
+turquoise wake boiled astern. We steamed for days without sighting a
+sail or a light; we were "alone on a wide, wide sea." At times schools
+of dolphins would race and shoot up out of the water alongside, much to
+our glee. All the beauties of these tropical waters were new to us.
+Every school of flying fish and flock of Mother Carey's chickens brought
+crowds to the rail. The sunsets were glorious, though all too short, and
+the sunrises, if less appreciated, just as fine.
+
+At night the guns' crews of the "watch on deck" slept round their loaded
+guns, one man of each crew always standing guard. The men of the powder
+divisions manned the lookout posts.
+
+All hands were in good spirits, calmed somewhat, however, by the thought
+that soon we might be in the thick of battle, the outcome of which no
+man could tell.
+
+It was during this voyage that friendships, begun on the Block
+Island-Barnegat cruise, were cemented. The life aboard ship tended to
+"show up" a man as he really was. His good and bad qualities appeared so
+that all might see. Was he good-natured, even-tempered, thoughtful, his
+mates knew it at once and liked him. Was he quick-tempered, selfish,
+uncompanionable, it was quite as evident, and he had few friends.
+Sterling and unsuspected qualities were brought out in many of the men.
+
+Every man felt that we must and would stand together, and with a will do
+our work, be it peaceful or warlike.
+
+Where were we bound? Were we to join the Havana blockading fleet? Were
+we destined for despatch and scout duty? Or were we to take part in
+actual conflict?
+
+It was while we were settling these questions to our own satisfaction on
+the morning of June 2d, that a hail came from the lookout at the
+masthead forward.
+
+"Land O!" he shouted, waving his cap. "Hurray! it's Cuba!"
+
+The navigator, whose rightful surname had been converted by the
+facetious Naval Reserves into "Cutlets," for reasons of their own, lost
+no time in rebuking the too enthusiastic lookout.
+
+"Aloft, there, you measly lubber! What in thunder do you mean? Have you
+sighted land?"
+
+"Ye-es, sir-r," quavered the lookout.
+
+"Then why don't you say so without adding any conjectures of your own?"
+commented the irascible Lieutenant "Cutlets," severely.
+
+The rest of the crew were too deeply interested in the vague streak of
+color on the horizon to pay any attention to the "wigging" of the man at
+the masthead. We knew that the dun-hued streak rising from the blue
+shadows of the ocean was Cuba, and we could think or talk of nothing
+else.
+
+Somewhere beyond that towering mountain was Santiago, the port in which
+the flea-like squadron of Admiral Cervera was bottled up, and there was
+a deadly fear in our hearts that the wily Spaniard would sally forth to
+battle before we could join our fleet.
+
+We pictured to ourselves the gray mountain massed high about the narrow
+entrance of Santiago Bay, the picturesque Morro Castle, squatting like a
+grim giant above the strait, and outside, tossing and bobbing upon the
+swell of a restless sea, the mighty semicircle of drab ships waiting,
+yearning for the outcoming of the Dons. We of the "Yankee," I repeat,
+were in an agony of dread that we would arrive too late.
+
+Cape Maysi, the scene of many an adventurous filibustering expedition,
+was passed at high noon, and at eight bells in the evening the anchor
+was dropped off Mole St. Nicholas, a convenient port in the island of
+Hayti. As we steamed into the harbor we passed close to the auxiliary
+cruiser "St. Louis."
+
+The anchor was scarcely on the bottom when the gig was called away. We
+awaited the return of Captain Brownson with impatience. The news he
+brought was reassuring, however. Nothing of moment had occurred since
+our departure from New York. Within an hour we were again out at sea,
+this time en route to Santiago.
+
+There was little sleep on board that night, and when morning dawned,
+every man who could escape from below was on deck watching, waiting for
+the first glimpse of Admiral Sampson's fleet. Shortly after daylight,
+the squadron was sighted. The scene was picturesque in the extreme.
+
+The gray of early dawn was just giving way before the first rays of a
+tropical sun. Almost hidden in the mist hovering about the coast were a
+number of vague spots seemingly arranged in a semicircle, the base of
+which was the green-covered tableland fronting Santiago. The spots were
+tossing idly upon a restless sea, and, as the sun rose higher, each
+gradually assumed the shape of a marine engine of war. Beyond them was
+a stretch of sandy, surf-beaten coast, and directly fronting the centre
+ship could be seen a narrow cleft in the hill--the gateway leading to
+the ancient city of Santiago de Cuba.
+
+As we steamed in closer to the fleet we saw indications that something
+of importance had occurred or was about to occur. Steam launches and
+torpedo boats were dashing about between the ships, strings of
+parti-colored bunting flaunted from the signal halliards of the flagship
+"New York," and nearer shore could be seen one of the smaller cruisers
+evidently making a reconnaissance.
+
+"We are just in time, Russ," exclaimed "Stump," jubilantly. "The fleet
+is getting ready for a scrap. And we'll be right in it."
+
+I edged toward the bridge. The first news would come from that quarter.
+Several minutes later, Captain Brownson, who had been watching the
+signals with a powerful glass, closed the instrument with a snap, and
+cried out to the executive officer:
+
+"Hubbard, you will never believe it."
+
+"What's happened?"
+
+The reply was given so low that I could catch only a few words, but it
+was enough to send me scurrying aft at the top of my speed. The news was
+startling indeed.
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+WE JOIN SAMPSON'S FLEET.
+
+As the "Yankee" steamed in toward the blockading fleet off the entrance
+to Santiago harbor, the scurrying torpedo boats and the many little
+launches darting here and there like so many beetles on a pond, became
+more apparent, and it was plainly evident to all that something of great
+importance had recently happened.
+
+The scattered remarks made by Captain Brownson on the bridge formed,
+when pieced together, such a wonderful bit of news that I could scarcely
+contain myself as I hurried aft. I wanted to stop and fling my cap into
+the air. I felt like dancing a jig and hurrahing and offering praise for
+the fact that I was an American.
+
+As it happened, I was not the only member of the "Yankee's" crew that
+had overheard the "old man's" words. The second captain of the after
+port five-inch gun, a jolly good fellow, known familiarly as "Hay" by
+the boys, chanced to be under the bridge. As I raced aft on the port
+side he started in the same direction on the starboard side of the spar
+deck. His legs fairly twinkled, and he beat me to the gangway by a neck.
+
+"What do you think?" I heard him gasp as I came up. "Talk of your
+heroes! Whoop! Say, I'm glad I am a son of that old flag aft there. It's
+the greatest thing that ever happened."
+
+"What?" chorused a dozen voices.
+
+"Last night--"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"Last night a volunteer crew--"
+
+"Hurry up, will you?"
+
+"Last night, or rather early this morning, a volunteer crew, under the
+command of a naval constructor named Hobson, took the collier 'Merrimac'
+into the mouth of the harbor and--"
+
+"That old tub?" interrupted a marine who had served in the regular navy,
+incredulously. "Why, she's nothing but a hulk. She hasn't a gun or--"
+
+"She didn't go in to fight," said "Hay." "They were to block up the
+channel with her."
+
+"To block up the channel?"
+
+"Yes. Cervera and his fleet are in the harbor, you know, and the scheme
+was to keep them from coming out."
+
+"Did they succeed?" chorused the whole group of eager listeners.
+
+"Yes, but----"
+
+The conclusion of "Hay's" sentence was drowned in a wild whoop of joy, a
+whoop that brought a number of other "Yankees" to the spot, and also a
+gesture of remonstrance from the executive officer on the bridge.
+
+"Wait, boys," I said, gently; "you haven't heard all."
+
+There was quiet at once.
+
+"Hobson and his brave men succeeded in accomplishing their object, but
+they have paid the penalty for it."
+
+"Not dead?" asked one in almost a whisper.
+
+"So the captain read the signals. The 'Merrimac' went in about three
+o'clock this morning. It seems she reached the channel all right, but
+she was discovered and sent to the bottom with all on board."
+
+"Hay" took off his cap reverently, and the others instantly followed his
+example. Nothing more was said. The glory of the deed was overshadowed
+by the supposed fate of the gallant volunteer crew.
+
+The "Yankee" steamed in to a position designated by the flagship, and
+the captain went aboard to pay his respects to Admiral Sampson. A
+Spanish tug, flying a flag of truce, which had emerged from the harbor
+at noon, met one of our tugs, also flying a flag of truce, and almost
+immediately a string of signals went up to the signal yard of the "New
+York."
+
+Then came such a burst of cheers and whistling and tossing of hats from
+every ship in the fleet that it seemed as if every officer and sailor in
+Sampson's squadron had suddenly gone daft. Like wildfire, the glorious
+news spread--
+
+Hobson and his men were safe!
+
+The tug from the harbor had brought an officer sent by Admiral Cervera
+himself with a message stating that the brave naval constructor and all
+his crew had been captured alive and were now prisoners in Morro Castle.
+Later, a press boat came alongside and confirmed the news through a
+megaphone.
+
+The excitement on board the "Yankee," like that throughout the fleet,
+was tremendous. Those in the North who had received both the news of the
+feat and the rescue at the same time, can hardly understand the
+revulsion of feeling which swept through the American ships gathered
+off Santiago. It was like hearing from a supposed dead friend.
+
+These heroes were comrades--nay, brothers. They wore the blue and they
+were fighting for Old Glory. Their praise was ours and their deed
+redounded to the eternal credit and fame of the American navy. Small
+wonder that we welcomed the news of their safety, and cheered until our
+throats were husky and our eyes wet with something more than mere
+exertion.
+
+All hail to Richmond Pearson Hobson and his men!
+
+Heroes all!
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+During the afternoon of our arrival, when we finally secured time to
+look about us, we were struck with the appearance of the really
+formidable fleet of warships collected under Admiral Sampson's flag. For
+size of individual ships and weight of armor and armament, there had
+never been anything in the history of the United States to equal it.
+
+The fleet consisted of the powerful battleships "Iowa," "Indiana,"
+"Massachusetts," and "Texas," the two splendid armored cruisers "New
+York" and "Brooklyn," cruisers "New Orleans" and "Marblehead," converted
+yachts "Mayflower," "Josephine," and "Vixen," torpedo boat "Porter,"
+cable boat "Adria," gunboat "Dolphin," and the auxiliary cruisers "St.
+Louis" and "Yankee."
+
+The vessels formed a semicircular line, completely enclosing the
+entrance to Santiago harbor. From where the "Yankee" rested, on the
+right wing, a fine view of the coast could be obtained. Two insurgent
+camps were plainly visible--one on the beach and another in the hills,
+which at that point rose to the height of fully four thousand feet.
+Morro Castle, a grim, sullen, gray embattled fort, directly overlooking
+the channel, was in plain sight, and here and there could be seen little
+green or sand-colored mounds, marking the site of earthworks.
+
+The stretch of blue sea, edged by the tumbling surf-beaten beach, and
+the uprising of foliage-covered hills, all brought out clearly by a
+tropical sun, formed a picture as far removed from the usual setting of
+war as could be. But war was there, and the scenery appealed to few.
+There was more interest in the drab hulls of the fleet and the outward
+reaching of the mighty guns.
+
+That evening--the evening of June 3d--the "Yankee's" decks presented an
+animated spectacle. The novel surroundings and the prospect of action
+kept the boys interested. The "Rumor Committee" was in active session,
+and one of its principal members, the captain's orderly, brought the
+news forward that the auxiliary cruiser would surely lead a procession
+of battleships into Santiago harbor the following day.
+
+This was a little too strong for even the marines to swallow. We lay
+down by our loaded guns that night, feeling that it was well to be
+within easy reach of our defenders.
+
+Hammocks were laid on the deck close to each five-inch breechloader, and
+the regular watch was doubled. Lack of experience made all these warlike
+preparations very impressive, and it was some time before the boys fell
+asleep. For my part, such a restlessness possessed me that, after trying
+to woo slumber for a half hour, I left my place and crawled over nearer
+the open port.
+
+"Hello, Russ," whispered a voice, apparently from the outside. "Just
+lean out here if you want to cool off. Isn't the night air fine?"
+
+A small figure wriggled in from where it had been hanging over the port
+sill, and in the faint light I recognized "Kid," as we called him, the
+smallest boy on board, and so pleasant and popular that we had
+unanimously elected him the mascot of the ship.
+
+I was glad to see that it was "Kid." His fund of ready wit and his
+never-failing good-nature made him a welcome companion at all times. He
+did not belong to my gun, being a "powder monkey" on No. 16, a
+six-pounder on the spar deck, but "Kid" was privileged, and he could
+have penetrated to the captain's cabin with impunity.
+
+"Thought I'd drop down here for a rest," he began, stretching himself
+and yawning. "Too much tramping about on deck to sleep. Say, looks as if
+we were going to have a little rain, doesn't it?"
+
+The moon had just passed behind a scurrying cloud, causing the silvery
+sparkle of its reflection to suddenly fade from the surface of the
+water. The lights and shadows on the nearby beach changed to a streaky
+dark smudge. There was a damp touch to the air.
+
+"This would be a proper night for one of those sneaking torpedo boats to
+give us a scare," resumed "Kid," thoughtfully. "Funny ways of fighting
+those Dagoes have, eh? It's like prisoner's base that I played when I
+was a boy."
+
+"Kid's" eighteen years were a mature age in his opinion.
+
+"The two torpedo craft in Santiago harbor could do a great deal of
+damage if they were properly handled," I ventured. "They are
+magnificent vessels of their class. Look what Cushing did with a slow
+steam launch and a powder can on the end of a stick."
+
+"The case was different."
+
+"Yes, but----"
+
+"Cushing was an American," interrupted the boy convincingly.
+
+There was silence for awhile and we lolled in the port, gazing idly at
+the black spots in the gloom representing the blockading fleet. Between
+us and the shore was the "New Orleans," the faint tracery of her masts
+just showing above the distant background of the hills. The dampness in
+the air had increased, and a dash of rain came in the open port.
+
+"What were you doing at the mast this morning, 'Kid'?" I asked by way of
+variety.
+
+"Had a mustering shirt in the lucky bag."
+
+I heard the boy chuckle. There was an escapade behind the remark.
+
+"You know that wardroom Jap with the bad eye?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"It was his shirt."
+
+"But how----"
+
+"It was this way. You know how hard it has been to put up with
+'government straight' as a steady diet, don't you?"
+
+I nodded. As "government straight" meant the extremely simple bill of
+fare provided by Uncle Sam, consisting of salt beef, pork, hardtack,
+beans, and canned butter, with an occasional taste of dried fruit, I was
+compelled to admit my acquaintance with it.
+
+"Well, the other night I got to dreaming that I was back in New York,"
+resumed "Kid." "I dreamt I dropped into a bang-up restaurant and ordered
+beefsteak, fried potatoes, pie, and----"
+
+A groan came from one of the gun's crew, who was within hearing, and
+"Kid" lowered his voice.
+
+"Hit him where he lived, I guess," he chuckled. "Well, I woke up so
+hungry that I couldn't stand it any longer. I looked up the Jap and
+struck him for a hand-out. He wanted a shirt, and I wanted something to
+eat, and we made a bargain. I brought him my extra mustering shirt--it
+was too large for me, anyway--and he gave me some bread and butter, cold
+potted tongue, three bananas, and----"
+
+"For mercy's sake, stow that," muttered a voice from back of the
+gun-mount. "Don't we suffer enough?"
+
+"That's 'Hand-Out' Hood," grinned "Kid." "He's kicking because he didn't
+get it. Well, I gave the shirt to the Jap, and what did he do but lose
+it. My name was on the collar, and 'Jimmy Legs' put me on the report.
+The 'old man' was easy, though. Gave me four hours extra duty. I asked
+him if I couldn't work it out in the wardroom pantry."
+
+"Kid's" chuckle came to a sudden stop, and he leaned out through the
+port.
+
+"What's the matter?" I asked.
+
+"Thought I saw something moving over there near the beach."
+
+"Must have been a shadow."
+
+"Guess so. Still, it looked like some kind of a--"
+
+Bang!
+
+The sharp report of a rapid-fire gun cut short his words. Another
+followed almost instantly, then came a regular volley. The effect on the
+crew of the "Yankee" was instantaneous. The men sleeping at the guns
+scrambled to their feet, hammocks were kicked out of the way, and before
+the word to go to general quarters was passed, every member of the crew
+was at his station.
+
+"I thought I saw something moving inshore," cried "Kid," as he scurried
+away.
+
+"It's a Spanish torpedo boat," muttered "Stump." "Great Scott! just
+listen to the 'New Orleans.' She's firing like a house afire."
+
+Suddenly there came a deep, thunderous roar. It was the voice of a
+thirteen-inch gun on the "Massachusetts." Sixty seconds later the
+six-pounders on the "Yankee's" forecastle joined in the chorus, and the
+action became general.
+
+"Do not fire without orders, men," cautioned Lieutenant Greene, the
+officer in charge of our division. "Just take it easy and bide your
+time."
+
+It was our first experience in actual fighting, and our anxiety to "let
+loose" was almost overwhelming. We were held to our stations so rigidly
+that but few glimpses could be caught of the outside. The "New Orleans,"
+on our starboard, was still rattling away.
+
+Notwithstanding our own inaction (the gun deck battery was not used),
+there was a certain exhilaration in even listening to the sounds of
+conflict, and the eager, tense faces surrounding the guns reflected in
+the dim light of the deck lanterns such a fierce desire to fight that
+they were absolutely transfigured.
+
+"Can't stand this much longer," muttered "Hay," the second captain, as a
+peculiarly vicious report came from the direction of the
+"Massachusetts." "Why don't they give a fellow a chance?"
+
+[Illustration: "THE SIX-POUNDERS ON THE 'YANKEE'S' FORECASTLE JOINED IN
+THE CHORUS"]
+
+"Steady, men," admonished Lieutenant Greene. "Don't be impatient. Our
+turn will come soon. Steady!"
+
+A turn of the hull--we were under way at half speed--brought the land on
+the port bow just then. The moon suddenly emerged from behind the
+clouds, and we who were nearest the port, distinctly saw a long, black
+object fade into the obscurity of the coast almost directly under Morro
+Castle.
+
+"She's escaped!" groaned "Stump." "It's the torpedo boat, and she is
+safe again."
+
+As if to prove the truth of his words the guns on the "New Orleans" and
+"Massachusetts" became silent; then word was sent below to "secure." Our
+first action was disappointing, but there was little grumbling. We knew
+full well that momentous events were bound to occur before long.
+
+The following morning, shortly after daybreak, the torpedo boat "Porter"
+steamed alongside. Her coming created some excitement, and the
+"Yankee's" crew promptly lined the railing.
+
+"What's that object on the deck?" asked "Stump," pointing to a long
+brass cylinder lying abaft the after conning tower.
+
+"It's a torpedo, but not like those used in our navy," replied "Hay."
+
+Captain Brownson leaned over the end of the bridge and waved his hand to
+Lieutenant Fremont, the "Porter's" commander. The latter was smiling,
+and as we watched, he made a gesture toward the mysterious brass
+cylinder.
+
+"See that thing, Brownson?" he called out.
+
+The captain nodded.
+
+"It almost paid you a visit last night."
+
+"What----"
+
+"We picked it up near shore this morning and sunk another. That Spanish
+torpedo boat made a great attempt to sink one of our ships, and, if I am
+not mistaken, the 'Yankee' was her intended prey. Congratulations."
+
+As the "Porter" steamed away we felt very much like congratulating
+ourselves. This was grim war of a certainty. Like the boy who was blown
+a mile in a cyclone without injury, we experienced a certain pride that
+we really had been in danger.
+
+About the middle of the afternoon a signal was seen on the flagship. It
+was read at once, and immediately the boatswain's mate passed a call
+that sent a thrill of anticipation through us. It was:
+
+"All hands clear ship for action!"
+
+[Illustration: "CLEAR SHIP FOR ACTION!"]
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+CLEAR SHIP FOR ACTION.
+
+The boatswain's mate's shrill piping and the long drawn out cry, "All
+hands clear ship for action!" was not entirely unexpected. An unusual
+activity on the part of the signal men on the flagship "New York" had
+not escaped our notice, and when the summons to prepare for battle
+echoed through the "Yankee's" decks it found us in readiness for prompt
+obedience.
+
+At the time the call sounded a number of us were standing in the port
+waist idly watching the fleet and the shore. "Bill," a member of the
+powder division, whose father is a prominent real estate broker of New
+York, and whose great talent is for practical joking and general fun
+making, was telling a story. As we scattered at the summons, he started
+below with me. Even the circumstances could not prevent him following
+his hobby, and he whispered as we hurried along:
+
+"Say, Russ, this reminds me of a good story I once heard. There was a
+man who was too lazy to live and the neighbors finally decided to bury
+him. So they took him out to the village graveyard one morning before
+day and----"
+
+"Here, you men, pass this mess chest below," interrupted an officer,
+beckoning to us. "Bill" grasped one end of the object indicated and
+lugged it to the hatch.
+
+"They took the lazy man to the village graveyard, as I was saying,"
+resumed "Bill," "and they buried him up to his neck in the earth. Then
+they hid back of tombstones and----"
+
+"Less talking there, men," exclaimed the navigator, hurrying past us.
+"You 'heroes' do too much yarning to suit me. Get those things below at
+once. Shake it up."
+
+"They are in an almighty hurry," grumbled "Bill." "The forts won't move.
+They'll be there to-morrow, I guess. Well, as I was saying, the
+villagers concealed themselves behind convenient tombstones and waited
+to see what the lazy man would do when he woke up. By and by day broke,
+and just as the sun gilded the windows of the old church the fellow who
+was buried up to his neck----"
+
+"Chase those mess chests below, bullies," called out the boatswain's
+mate, dropping down the ladder a few feet away. "Lively there; the 'old
+man' wants to break a record. When you have finished, hustle to the oil
+and paint lockers and help carry all inflammable material to the spar
+deck."
+
+For several minutes "Bill" worked away in silence. Between us we managed
+to lower a number of chests into the hold where they would be out of the
+way; then we disposed of more objects liable to produce unwelcome
+splinters, and finally we started toward the paint locker.
+
+The gun deck presented a scene of the most intense activity. The process
+of clearing ship for action requires the united efforts of the entire
+crew. On vessels of the regular service, such as the "New York" or
+"Indiana," where everything has been constructed with a view to the
+needs of battle, the work is thoroughly systematized and comparatively
+easy. The "Yankee," being a merchant steamer hastily converted into a
+vessel of war, presented greater difficulties.
+
+However, the crew was fairly familiar with its duties and the work
+progressed at a rapid rate. When "Bill" and I reached the paint locker
+we found several others preparing to convey the oil to the deck. It was
+a momentary respite, and "Bill" took advantage of it.
+
+"When the sun rose the fellows hiding behind the tombstones saw the lazy
+man open his eyes," he resumed hurriedly. "He looked around and took in
+all the details of the scene, the old church with the windows glowing
+redly, the weeping willows shaking and trembling in the crisp morning
+breeze, the rows of sod-covered mounds, the crumbling tombstones, and on
+one side the old rickety fence marking the passing of the road. All this
+he saw and then--"
+
+"Hear the news, fellows?" interrupted the "Kid," suddenly approaching.
+"We are going to--what's the matter, 'Bill'?"
+
+For "Bill" had caught him by the slack of the shirt and one arm and was
+hustling him along the deck. The "Kid," looking aggrieved, went his way,
+and "Bill" returned.
+
+"As I was saying," he continued calmly; "the lazy fellow saw all those
+things, then he threw back his head and laughed and laughed until the
+tears rolled down his cheeks. 'Whoop!' he cried, 'this is the best piece
+of luck I've struck yet. Hurray! blamed if it ain't the resurrection day
+and I'm the first feller above ground. Whoop!'"
+
+After I had finished laughing I picked up a can of oil and asked:
+
+"Where's the similarity, 'Bill'? It's a good story, but you said this
+reminded you of it."
+
+"Humph! aren't we going to see the resurrection of some of these old
+Spanish fossils around here to-day?" "Bill" demanded. "And aren't we the
+first volunteer force on the spot? I guess that makes the story
+apropos."
+
+As the "Yankee" was the first vessel manned by Naval Reserves to reach
+the scene of hostilities, I could not deny "Bill's" claim. Seeing the
+success of one story, he was on the point of telling another, when word
+came to hasten the clearing of the ship for action, and we were
+compelled to devote our energies to the work in hand.
+
+The decks were sanded--a precaution that made more than one wonder if
+the spilling of blood was really anticipated; all boats and spare booms
+were covered with canvas to prevent the scattering of splinters, the
+steel hatch covers were closed down, hammocks were broken out of the
+racks and made to serve as an added protection to the forward
+wheel-house, and everything possible done to make the ship fit for
+action.
+
+The time taken to gain this end did not exceed ten minutes, which was
+almost a record. Signals were displayed stating that we were in
+readiness, then all hands were called to general quarters. As we hurried
+to our stations I saw the entire blockading fleet moving slowly
+shoreward.
+
+"We are going to bombard the Dagoes this trip for sure," observed the
+first captain of Number Eight as we lined up. "I see their finish."
+
+"Don't be too sure," said "Stump." "There's many a slip between the
+muzzle and the target. Maybe we won't do much after all. Just to make it
+interesting I'll bet you a dinner at Del's that we will only chuck a
+bluff. What d'ye say?"
+
+"Done, if you make it for the whole ship's company," chuckled the first
+captain.
+
+"Stump" shook his head.
+
+"A dinner at Del's for over two hundred hungry Reserves, and on a salary
+of $35 per month. Nope. Not on your life."
+
+"Cast loose and provide," came the order.
+
+There were a few moments of rapid work, then the battery was reported in
+readiness for firing. Through the open port we could catch a glimpse of
+the other vessels of the fleet, and the spectacle formed by the
+low-lying battleships, the massive cruisers, and the smaller, but
+equally defiant gunboats, was one long to be remembered.
+
+Every ship was cleared for business. On the vessels of the "Oregon"
+class nothing could be seen but the gray steel of turrets and
+superstructure. The "New York" and the "Brooklyn" were similarly
+cleared. On the bridges could be seen groups of officers, but the decks
+were empty. Every man was at his gun.
+
+The ships steamed in to within a short distance of the beach and then
+formed a semicircle, the heavier vessels taking the centre where they
+could directly face the forts. The little "Dolphin" was on the extreme
+right of the line, with the "Yankee" next.
+
+When within easy range of the guns ashore there ensued a wait. No signal
+to fire came from the flagship, and there did not seem to be any move
+toward opening the battle by the forts. We stood at our guns in silence,
+awaiting the word, until finally patience ceased to be a virtue.
+
+"Seems to me they ought to do something," murmured "Stump," glancing
+shoreward rather discontentedly. "Ain't we fair targets?"
+
+"Why don't the admiral tell us to sail in?" queried the first captain in
+the same tone. "The day is fine and the range is good. There's the
+beggars plain enough with their measly old forts. What more is wanted?"
+
+"Wish they would pipe down and light the smoking lamp," said the second
+loader. "It would be a great deal more fun than standing here like a
+dummy."
+
+The sun had passed beyond the top of the hills, but the light was
+sufficiently strong to bring out in plain relief the batteries guarding
+the entrance to Santiago. Grim Morro Castle appeared almost deserted.
+The red and yellow banner of Spain flaunted lazily from the ramparts,
+but only here and there could be distinguished the little black dots
+representing the soldiers on guard. The earthworks and smaller forts
+were equally idle.
+
+"We won't get anything out of them to-day," remarked "Stump" decisively.
+"It must be one of their eternal feast days when they won't even fight."
+
+"There goes a signal on the flagship," exclaimed the first loader,
+pointing out the port. "I'll bet a dollar it's--"
+
+"The signal to pull out again," groaned "Stump." "Didn't I say so?"
+
+"The admiral intends to postpone the bombardment for some reason," I
+ventured. "Perhaps it's too late in the day."
+
+Whatever the cause, it was now plain that we would not engage the forts.
+In obedience to the signals on the "New York," which were repeated by
+the "Brooklyn," the whole fleet returned to the former station several
+miles from shore. The word to "secure" was passed and presently the
+"Yankee" had resumed its former condition of armed watchfulness.
+
+That evening after supper there was a gathering of the choice spirits of
+the crew in the vicinity of the after wheel-house. "Dye," the chief
+member of the "Yankee's" choir, started one of "Steve's" little songs,
+which, although rendered very quietly in deference to the rules observed
+on blockade, was greatly enjoyed. The air was "Tommy Atkins," and the
+words ran as follows:
+
+    "They made us sign our papers for a year,
+        And dressed us in a natty sailor's suit;
+    They taught us how to heave the lead and steer,
+        And how to handle guns and how to shoot.
+    We fancied we'd be leaving right away
+        To capture prizes on the Spanish Main,
+      And be raising merry hades
+      With the dusky Spanish laddies,
+    And within a month come steaming home again.
+
+    CHORUS.
+
+    "But instead we ran a ferry
+      All along the Jersey shore,
+    And our turns were empty very,
+      And our hands were awful sore.
+    We would give our bottom dollar
+      Just to see a cable car,
+    Just to hear a newsboy holler,
+      Just to smoke a good cigar.
+
+    "In times of peace we do not have to sweep
+        Or carry coal or stand on watch all night;
+      We do not have to scrub down decks or keep
+        Our toothbrush chained, or brasswork shining bright.
+      We never washed our faces in a pail,
+        We never heard the fog-horn's awful shriek,
+          We never ate salt horse,
+          We combed our hair, of course,
+        And we never wore our stockings for a week."
+
+    CHORUS.
+
+"Suppose you 'heroes' pipe down there," came from the darkness just
+then. "What do you think this is, a concert hall?"
+
+"It's 'Cutlets,'" muttered "Stump." "He would like to make the ship a
+funeral barge."
+
+We sat in silence for a while, watching the retreating form of the
+navigator passing forward; then Tom Le Valley, a zealous member of
+Number Nine gun's crew, spoke up.
+
+"Do you see those two lights twinkling over there about where the
+'Dolphin' should be, fellows?" he asked.
+
+Some one yawned and nodded.
+
+"Reminds you of a story, eh?" asked "Bill," who was leaning against the
+rail. "Well, come to think of it I remember a--"
+
+"Several years ago I happened to be a patient in a hospital over in
+Brooklyn," continued Tom. "I was almost well and about to leave the
+place when a man in the upper ward--"
+
+"I had a cousin once who used to travel a great deal," interrupted
+"Bill," taking a seat on the deck with his back against a bitt. "One
+time he happened to be in a small town just outside of Dublin, Ireland.
+The inn was crowded and he had to take up his quarters with a family who
+occasionally rented out rooms. A circus and menagerie was giving
+exhibitions in the city, and one night the biggest monkey escaped from
+its cage and skipped out. They instituted a search at once, but the
+animal could not be found. Well, it happened that the family with whom
+my cousin was stopping consisted of father and mother and one son about
+ten years old. The boy, whose name was Mike, was a regular limb. Always
+in mischief and----"
+
+"As I was saying," broke in Tom at this juncture, "when I was about to
+leave the hospital, a man in the upper ward concluded to depart this
+world for a better one. It happened about eight o'clock in the evening,
+and, as was usual in such cases, the nurse on watch was supposed to get
+several convalescent patients and a stretcher and carry the body down to
+a little wooden house a hundred yards from the main building. The nurse,
+with whom I was on friendly terms, had an important case to attend to
+just then and he asked me if I wouldn't take charge of the stretcher
+party. Well, we started down the yard, I leading the way with a lantern,
+and we finally reached the little house. We entered and----"
+
+"Some people think they are the only story tellers in the group,"
+remarked "Bill" with mild sarcasm at that interesting point. "To tell a
+good story with a point to it is an art. Now, as I was saying, this boy
+Mike would rather get into mischief than eat a--what's the Irish for
+potato?"
+
+"Spud," suggested "Hod."
+
+"Murphy," said "Stump."
+
+"Well, it's immaterial. Anyway the boy was full of mischief. The night
+the monk got away he had been sent to bed early because of some trick he
+had played. He slept in a little room at the head of the stairs leading
+to the second story. His window opened on a lean-to shed, and, as it was
+a warm evening, the sash was raised. Shortly after the youngster got to
+bed, something slipped over the back fence, and after prowling about the
+yard for a moment, climbed upon the shed and through the window into the
+room where Mike was just in the act of falling asleep. The thing, which
+was about the youngster's size, crept over the floor toward the bed,
+and then with a spring, landed squarely upon----"
+
+"Some people use more wind in telling a story than would fill a
+maintop-sail," drawled Tom. "There's nothing like getting at your
+subject. Now, when we reached the little wooden house we entered, and
+after accomplishing our errand, started back to the main building. While
+on the way it suddenly occurred to me that I had forgotten to close the
+door between the two rooms of which the house was composed. There was an
+open window in the front room, and there was no telling what might get
+in. I told the fellows to go on and I tasked back to the little house. I
+still carried the lantern, but just as I reached the door, it went out.
+I tell you, I felt like letting the whole thing go, but I didn't want to
+get the nurse into trouble. So I unlocked the front door, opened it,
+and, Great Scott! I saw----"
+
+"There's everything in choosing a subject when you want to tell a good
+story," calmly interrupted Bill. "This story I am trying to tell has a
+laugh in it. You don't have to keep your hair down with both hands and
+feel the cold chills playing tag up and down your spinal column, like
+you have to do when some people are trying to yarn. Well, when the thing
+that had crept through the window landed on the bed, Mike let out a
+yell that could have been heard in Dublin. 'Ow-w-w!' he whooped,
+scrambling to the floor. He caught one sight of the visitor, and then
+made a dash for the window and slid clear to the ground, leaving pieces
+of shirt and his epidermis on every nail on the shed roof. The noise he
+made roused the father and mother below, and the latter started for the
+stairs. 'That b'ye 'll be the death av me yet,' she complained. 'I'll go
+up and give him a slap.' She lost no time in reaching the little room,
+and when she entered she saw the bed with what she thought was Mike
+under the clothes. 'Mike, ye rascal,' she exclaimed, 'turn down the
+sheet this minute. It's mesilf as'll tache ye to raise a noise at this
+time o' night. For shame, ye spalpane! What, ye won't obey your own
+mother? I'll show ye. Take that!' She brought her hand down upon the
+figure outlined under the sheet with a resounding whack. The next second
+the thing leaped from the bed squarely into her arms. 'Wow! Murther!
+Mike, what have ye been doing?' she howled, adding at the top of her
+voice, 'Patrick, Patrick, come quick! The b'ye has got hold of your hair
+restorer. He's all covered with hair and he's gone daft. Murther!' With
+that the father made for the stairs as fast as his legs could carry
+him. Just as he got to the top--"
+
+"The sight I saw when I opened the outer door of the little house almost
+knocked me silly," broke in Tom, rather excitedly. "There in the other
+room gleamed--"
+
+"When Patrick reached the second floor," interrupted Bill, raising his
+voice, "he felt something strike him full in the chest; then two hairy
+arms clasped him about the throat and--"
+
+"In the other room gleamed two--"
+
+"Oh, give a fellow a chance, will you?" cried Bill. "You want the whole
+floor. What do you think--"
+
+"Sh-h-h! here comes the executive officer," hastily whispered "Stump."
+"We've made too much racket. Let's go into the after wheel-house."
+
+"We must be quiet about it," spoke up the "Kid," warningly. "'Cutlets'
+is chasing around to-night, and if he catches us in there he'll raise
+Cain."
+
+"All right," replied Bill. "And I'll finish that story if I have to stay
+up all night."
+
+"Same here," retorted Tom, with evident determination. "Come on."
+
+And we all followed the twain.
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+WE BOMBARD SANTIAGO DE CUBA.
+
+The after wheel-house on board the "Yankee" was a round structure of
+steel built on the spar deck directly over the counter. It contained a
+steering wheel to be used in case the wheel in the pilot-house should be
+disabled. When the chill winds of May and early June were blowing off
+the northern coast during the "Yankee's" period of cruising in that
+vicinity, the after wheel-house formed a snug and comfortable retreat
+for the men of the watch.
+
+It was freely used for that purpose until the navigator chanced to
+discover the fact. He forthwith issued orders forbidding any person to
+enter the house, except on duty. His order, like many others, received
+respectful consideration--when he happened to be looking. In the present
+case we were so eager to hear the conclusion of the stories being
+related by the rival yarn-spinners, that we were fain to brave
+"Cutlets'" displeasure. Led by Bill and Tom, we piled inside.
+
+"What I was trying to say," spoke up the former, getting the first
+opening, "was that when Patrick reached the top of the stairs, something
+struck him full in the chest, and two hairy arms were thrown about his
+neck. The sudden shock sent him tumbling backward, and he fell kerflop!
+down the steps. Up above, his wife was howling to beat the band, 'Mike,
+Mike, ye spalpane! You do be killing your poor father. Och! why did I
+live to see this day?' In the meantime the real Mike--for the one inside
+was the escaped monk from the menagerie--had scooted for the police.
+They came, a half dozen of them, and as they entered the front door--"
+
+"Time!" chuckled "Stump." "Give Tom a chance."
+
+"As I opened the front door of the little wooden house where we had
+placed the body," said Tom, prompt to take advantage of the opportunity,
+"I saw two gleaming eyes glaring at me from the inner room. I tell you,
+my heart fell clean down into my boots."
+
+"Should think it would," muttered the "Kid," peering about the
+wheel-house with a shiver. "Ugh!"
+
+"I dropped the lantern," resumed Tom, "and staggered back. Just then
+a----"
+
+"Half dozen policemen entered the front door just as Patrick and the
+supposed Mike reached the bottom of the stairs," broke in Bill, taking
+up the thread of his story. "Well, when the Irish coppers saw Pat with
+the monk hanging around his neck they thought the old Nick had him. They
+started to run, but the old woman reached the lower floor in time to see
+both Mike and the monkey. She grabbed a broom, but the monk slipped
+through the front door, and----"
+
+"That's the end of your story. And a good job it is too," remarked Tom.
+
+"It is better than having no end," retorted Bill. "You spin out a yarn
+to beat the band."
+
+"It's getting late," spoke up "Hod," yawning. "If you fellows are going
+to chew the rag all night I----"
+
+"Only a word more," interrupted Tom. "As I staggered back I fell into
+the arms of the nurse, who had come down to see what kept me. I
+explained in a hurry, and he lit a match. We both went in and
+discovered----"
+
+"Sh-h-h! Get out of here, you fellows," suddenly spoke up a voice at the
+door on the starboard side. "Here comes 'Cutlets'!"
+
+There was a scramble for the opposite door, and in much less time than
+is taken in the telling, the wheel-house was empty. We huddled in the
+shadows for a moment; then dodged forward. As we reached the hatch I
+heard the "Kid" ask Tom:
+
+"Say, what was it you saw? Tell a fellow, won't you?"
+
+"Two brass knobs on an old chest," was the calm reply.
+
+"Huh!"
+
+The following day being Sunday, was given over to rest and recreation
+and the writing of letters, until late in the afternoon. The day dawned
+clear but very warm. There was very little breeze stirring, and the spar
+and gun decks, where we spent the most of our time, were almost
+stifling. "Corking mats," as they are termed in naval parlance, were
+very much in evidence. The sailor's "corking mat" is a strip of canvas
+which he spreads upon the deck to protect his clothing from the tarry
+seams, when he feels the necessity for a siesta or nap, which is quite
+often.
+
+Toward evening we were put to work at a task which gave welcome promise
+of coming action. Under the direction of the executive officer we broke
+out a number of bags of coal from the orlop deck and piled them five
+deep, and about the same number in height, around the steam steering
+engine under the forward wheel-house. This was to give added protection
+to a vital part of the ship.
+
+The work was hard and unpleasant, especially to men who had not spent
+the major portion of their lives at manual labor, but it was one of
+those disagreeable fortunes of war to which we were growing accustomed,
+and we toiled without comment. That night when we turned in, that is,
+those who were fortunate enough to have the "off watch," it was
+generally rumored about the decks that the fleet would surely bombard
+early the following morning.
+
+About two bells (five o'clock) the different guns' crews, who were
+sleeping at the batteries, were called by the boatswain's mates, and
+told to go to breakfast at once.
+
+"It's coming," exclaimed "Hay," joyfully. "The old 'Yankee' will see her
+real baptism of fire to-day. 'Kid,' you young rat, you'll have a chance
+to dodge shells before you are many hours older."
+
+"You may get a chance to stop one," retorted the boy.
+
+After a hurried meal, word to clear ship for action was passed, and the
+"Yankee's" boys set to work with a vim. The task was done more
+thoroughly than usual. The boats and wooden hatches were covered with
+canvas, everything portable that would splinter was sent below, the
+decks were sanded, and all the inflammable oils were placed in a boat
+and set adrift for the "Justin," one of the colliers, to pick up.
+
+The day seemed fitted for the work we had in hand. The sky was overcast,
+and occasionally a rain squall would sweep from the direction of the
+land, and envelop the fleet. It was not a cold, raw rain, like that
+encountered in more northern latitudes in early summer, but a dripping
+of moisture peculiarly grateful after the heat of the previous day.
+
+Shortly before seven o'clock, the members of the crew were in readiness
+for business. The majority had removed their superfluous clothing, and
+it was a stirring sight to watch the different guns' crews, stripped to
+the waist and barefooted, standing at their stations. There was
+something in the cool, practical manner in which each man prepared for
+work that promised well, and it should be said to the everlasting credit
+of the Naval Reserves that they invariably fought with the calmness and
+precision of veterans whenever they were called upon.
+
+In the present case, there would have been some excuse for
+faint-heartedness. The crew of the "Yankee," made up of men whose
+previous lives had been those of absolute peace, who had never heard a
+shot fired in anger before their arrival at Santiago, who had left home
+and business in defence of the flag--these men went about their
+preparations for attacking the fortifications with as little apparent
+concern as if it were simply a yachting trip.
+
+There was no holding back, no hesitancy, no looks of concern or anxiety,
+but when the signal to advance inshore appeared on the "New York," at
+six bells (seven o'clock), there was a feeling of relief that the time
+of waiting was over.
+
+We were to be in it at last.
+
+The flagship's signal to advance in formation was obeyed at once. Moving
+in double column, the fleet stood in toward the batteries. The first
+line, as we saw from the after port, was composed of the "Brooklyn,"
+"Texas," "Massachusetts," and "Marblehead." The line to which the
+"Yankee" was attached, included, besides that vessel, the "New York,"
+"Oregon," "Iowa," and "New Orleans." When within three thousand yards
+from shore, the first line turned toward the west, leaving us to steam
+in the opposite direction.
+
+The batteries ashore could now be plainly distinguished. Morro Castle,
+grim and defiant, seemed to ignore our coming, if the absence of life
+was any proof. Lower down on the other side of the entrance where the
+Estrella and Catalena batteries were located, there seemed to be more
+activity. Men could also be seen running about in some new batteries a
+little to the eastward of Morro Castle. It was evident to us at once
+that the enemy had not anticipated an attack on such a rainy, windy day.
+
+On swept the two lines of ships without firing a shot until they formed
+a semicircle, with the heavier vessels directly facing the forts; then
+the "New York" opened fire with one of her heavy guns, the "Iowa"
+following immediately. At this moment, 7:45 a.m., the ships were
+arranged as follows, counting from the right: "New York," "Yankee," "New
+Orleans," "Massachusetts," "Oregon," "Iowa," "Indiana," "Texas,"
+"Marblehead," and "Brooklyn." Guarding the extreme left were the "Vixen"
+and "Suwanee," and doing similar duty on the other flank were the
+"Dolphin" and "Porter."
+
+The shot from the flagship was the signal for a general bombardment.
+There was no settled order of firing, but each ship just "pitched in,"
+to use a common expression, and banged away at the forts with every
+available gun.
+
+The scene on the gun deck of the "Yankee" was one never to be forgotten.
+When the word to commence firing reached us, we sprang to the work at
+once. Each crew paid strict attention to its own station, and the
+routine of loading and firing went on with the regularity of clockwork.
+A number of boxes of the fixed ammunition had been "whipped" up from
+below while we were steaming into position, and there was no lack of
+death-dealing food for the hungry maws of the battery.
+
+Not much could be seen of the outside at first, as the task in hand
+claimed our strict attention, but after a while an occasional glimpse
+was obtained of the other ships and the forts. The heavy battleships,
+the "Indiana," "Oregon," "Massachusetts," "Iowa," and "Texas," were lost
+in the dense smoke of their guns. It was thrilling to see them, like
+moving clouds, emitting streams of fire which shot through the walls of
+vapor like flashes of lightning athwart a gloomy sky.
+
+[Illustration: THE BOMBARDMENT OF MORRO CASTLE, SANTIAGO]
+
+The noise was terrific. It seemed to gather at times in such an
+overwhelming, soul-stunning clamor of sound, that the very air was rent
+and split and shattered, and the senses refused further burden. There
+was no possibility of hearing the human voice, save at odd intervals
+when a brief cessation occurred in the firing. Orders were transmitted
+by gestures.
+
+The smoke was thick and stifling, the saltpetre fumes filling the throat
+and lungs, until breathing was difficult. The dense bank of vapor
+enveloping the ship also rendered it almost impossible to aim with any
+accuracy. We of Number Eight gun were early impressed with this fact,
+and "Hay," the second captain, exclaimed during a lull:
+
+"It's that fellow in charge of Number Six. He won't give us any show.
+Just look how he's working his crew. Did you ever see the beat of it?"
+
+The captain of Number Six, a broker of considerable note in New York, a
+member of the Calumet Club, and the son of a distinguished captain in
+the Confederate navy, was fighting his gun with savage energy. Under his
+direction, and inspired by a running fire of comments from him, the
+different members of Number Six crew were literally pouring a hail of
+steel upon the batteries. The firing was so rapid, in fact, that it kept
+our port completely filled with smoke, much to our sorrow.
+
+Notwithstanding that fact, "Hay," the second captain of Number Eight,
+did such marvellous shooting, that word presently came from Captain
+Brownson on the bridge, publicly commending him. We were correspondingly
+elated, and worked all the harder.
+
+It was not until we had been firing some time that we began to take
+particular note of our surroundings. At first the novelty of the
+situation and a state of excitement, natural under the circumstances,
+kept us absorbed in our duties, but when it became apparent that the
+engagement was to be a matter of hours--and also that the Spaniards did
+not aim very well--we commenced to look about.
+
+One of the first things to strike me personally, and it was rather
+humorous, was the appearance of "Stump," the second loader. Orders had
+early been given to avoid exposing ourselves to the enemy's fire as much
+as possible. "Stump," than whom no more daring and aggressive man could
+be found on board, thought it wise to obey, so he crouched behind the
+gun-mount and compressed himself so as to be out of range. From this
+position he had only to reach out one hand to train the gun, which was
+his special duty. Meanwhile, he continually urged "Hay" to keep on
+firing.
+
+"Doesn't make any difference whether you can see or not," he exclaimed.
+"Shoot anyway. Give it to the beggars! That's the ticket, old chap. Now
+another. Whoop! did you see that land? Ah-h-h! we are the people."
+
+As the novelty of the scene gradually wore off we began to enjoy it
+hugely. We pumped away at the guns, commenting freely on the enemy's
+marksmanship. We felt more like a party watching a fireworks display
+than the crew of a warship engaged in bombarding a number of forts.
+
+The two lines were steaming back and forth in front of the batteries,
+firing as the guns would bear. At first, Morro Castle and the smaller
+forts maintained a spirited fire, but finally their response to our
+fusillade slackened considerably, and it became evident that they had
+been driven from their guns.
+
+The difference in aim between the Spanish gunners and ours was very
+perceptible. Their shells invariably passed over the ships or landed
+short, and at no time during the engagement were any of the American
+vessels in imminent danger. This was not due to length of range either,
+as the lines were maintained at from two to four thousand yards. As Bill
+put it, "Any Dago that can't hit a flock of barn doors like this fleet,
+had better go back home and hoe onions."
+
+The ships of our fleet also made better targets than did the batteries
+ashore. It was certainly easy to distinguish the position of each
+vessel, but as the Spanish batteries were nearly all situated a short
+distance back from the crest of the ridge with a background little
+different in color from that of the battery, we found it difficult to
+locate them at times. Our elevation had to be perfect, as with an inch
+or two below or above, the projectile would either vanish in the
+distance or take effect on the cliffs below the batteries.
+
+We of Number Eight gun, when the "Yankee" was steaming with the
+starboard broadside bearing, managed to slip across the deck and watch
+the firing from the ports and deadlights. It was really beautiful to see
+the landing of the great shells upon the forts and surrounding earth.
+Some battered into the soft spots on the cliffs, sending huge masses of
+dirt and debris high into the air; then when the explosion came, there
+would follow a great cloud of dust resembling the wavering smoke over a
+city fire.
+
+Others struck the harder portions of the cliff, bursting into a shower
+of fragments, each kicking up its own pother of dirt and shattered rock.
+At times a shell would land in a crack in the face of the hill, and
+immediately following would come an upheaval of stones. These boulders,
+many of them of immense size, would roll down the slope and splash in
+the water at the base, creating a series of fountain-like cascades.
+
+Accompanying the display was a continuous roar of explosion and
+detonation that echoed and reechoed across the water like the pealing of
+tropical thunder. In fact, it was these noises, mingled with the fierce
+reports of our guns, which impressed us the most. Taking it all in all,
+the scene was spectacular in the extreme.
+
+"Boys," remarked No. 7 of our crew--"Morrie," we called him--"this sight
+is worth all the coaling and standing watches and poor food we have had
+to put up with. I would experience it all over again just to see this
+bombardment."
+
+And we heartily agreed with him.
+
+After a time it seemed as if the admiral was determined to plump shells
+into the vicinity of Santiago until there was nothing left to fire at.
+There had been a continuous outpouring of projectiles from the guns of
+the fleet for over an hour, yet that grim line of gray steel fortresses
+still passed and repassed in front of the forts.
+
+It was really growing monotonous, when something occurred at the gun to
+which I was attached that served to give us an exciting minute or two.
+"Hay" had just fired a shot which caught one of the new batteries
+directly in the centre. The shell was extracted, and another inserted,
+but when the second captain pressed the electric firing lanyard, there
+was no report. The shell had missed fire.
+
+"Long Tommy" reached forward to open the breech, but was stopped by a
+sharp order from the divisional officer.
+
+"Don't open that breech till I give the word," he said.
+
+The electrical connections were examined and the contacts scraped
+bright.
+
+"Stand by," said "Hay" finally; "let's try her again."
+
+The great gun moved slowly on its pivot while "Hay" worked the elevating
+gear. The orders came sharp and clear through the roar of the cannon and
+the shriek of the shells.
+
+As we watched our young gun captain, we saw his set face grow even more
+determined, and we knew that he had got his sight to suit him and that
+he was about to fire the gun.
+
+With a gesture of disgust he threw down the firing lanyard.
+
+"It's no go," he said, "that cartridge will have to come out."
+
+We looked at one another; it was a serious moment. The bombardment was
+now at its height, and the thunderous roaring of the guns was increasing
+with every passing second. Above and around us the vicious reports of
+the "Yankee's" five-inch rapid-firers seemed like one continuous volley.
+A hoarse cheer came from a nearby ship, proclaiming the landing of some
+favored shot.
+
+"Hurry, fellows," shouted "Hay" in an ecstasy of impatience. "Lively
+there; we're missing all the sport."
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+A PERILOUS MOMENT.
+
+The scene on the gun deck of the "Yankee" at that moment would have made
+an eloquent subject for the brush of a Meissonier. It was the deck of a
+warship in battle, and the spectacle enacted was accompanied, by an
+orchestra of the mighty guns of a fleet in action.
+
+Imagine a compartment of steel, a compartment filled with smoke that
+surged and eddied as the ship lunged forward or rolled upon a heavy
+swell.
+
+Imagine scattered about in this pungent vapor many groups of men, men
+half-naked, perspiring; their glistening bodies smeared and stained with
+the grime of conflict.
+
+Imagine in the centre of one of these groups a wicked, menacing gun--a
+five-inch breechloader, its long, lean barrel raised shoulder-high upon
+the apex of a conical gun-mount, near the base of which are significant
+wooden cases, some empty and others filled with elongated, formidable
+cartridges; and pails of black, dirty water ascum with powder; and other
+objects each significant of war.
+
+Imagine these things, and then understand that this gun, made to be
+turned against an enemy, has now turned against its workers. In the
+bore, pent in by the polished breechblock, is a cartridge which has
+failed in its duty. It is apparently defective.
+
+The tide of battle is surging on; other ships of the bombarding fleet
+are still pouring their shot and shell upon the grim array of forts
+ashore; other guns of this ship are pursuing their duty with savage
+energy. But this gun is silent.
+
+The men wax impatient. It is the height of the conflict. Many shots have
+been fired, and many more will yet be required to subdue the enemy. To
+be "out of action" will mean passiveness in the face of the enemy.
+Anything but that.
+
+There is a rivalry between the guns' crews. It is a rivalry as to which
+shall make the best shots and create the most damage. The members of
+Number Eight--the after gun on the port side--are proud of their record.
+Their second captain--he whom they call "Hay"--has received the public
+commendation of the captain himself, sent down from the bridge in the
+midst of the battle. It is a mark of distinction not given freely, and
+Number Eight is eager for more honors.
+
+But the men have not forgotten a similar case, occurring on the voyage
+down the coast, when another cartridge failed, and on being extracted
+from the breech chamber, exploded, killing a marine corporal and
+wounding others.
+
+The men of Number Eight have not forgotten that tragedy, and that is why
+their gun is now to them a menacing creature of steel, whose breath may
+be the breath of death. They stand in groups, they eye it, they
+speculate, and they feel that a desperate and perilous duty is before
+them.
+
+The risk must be taken. The cartridge must be extracted. It is a fortune
+of war which all who enlist must expect. But it is one thing to fall
+before an enemy's blow, and another to lose your life at the stroke of
+your own weapon.
+
+The officer of the division steps forward.
+
+"We will see if we can't take it out without much danger," he says,
+briefly. "Bring a rope."
+
+One is hastily procured, and the first captain--a great, brawny,
+good-natured fellow, who has spent years at sea--deftly fastens the
+bight of the rope to the handle of the breechblock. He then retreats a
+short distance and signifies his readiness.
+
+"When I give the word," calls out the officer, "pull handsomely.
+Ready--pull away!"
+
+From out the smoke-filled compartment men lean forward,
+eagerly--anxiously. They instinctively shrink back as the breech plug
+slowly moves. Then, when it finally opens, revealing the brass head of
+the cartridge inside the firing chamber, a sigh of relief comes from
+all.
+
+But the danger is not yet over.
+
+The defective projectile must be taken out and tossed into the sea. The
+second loader steps forward at a signal from the gun captain. This
+second loader is "Stump." He shows no fear, but draws out the heavy
+cartridge, handling it as he would a harmless dummy, and passes it to
+another man and myself. Carrying it between us--and carrying it
+gingerly--we hasten to the side, and with a powerful swing, launch the
+hundred-pound projectile through the open port.
+
+It barely clears the port sill, coming so close to it, in fact, that for
+one breathless second we think that it will strike. As the shell passes
+from view, another sigh of relief comes from the spectators. "Hay"
+passes a grimy towel over his perspiring face.
+
+"Whew! that was a ticklish moment," he said, solemnly. "I'd just as soon
+not handle any more defective shells."
+
+Which exactly represented our sentiments.
+
+Three minutes later Number Eight was barking away at the forts ashore,
+and the episode of the cartridge that missed fire was a thing of the
+past.
+
+The bombardment of Santiago had now lasted over an hour. As yet not one
+of the American vessels had been reached by a shell, nor had the forts
+suffered any perceptible damage. The fleet, roaring and thundering, was
+swinging back and forth through the great semicircle, the smoke from the
+guns was banking along the beach, and from Morro Castle and its
+attending batteries came sharp, defiant answers to the interminable
+volleys fired by our squadron.
+
+"It's a good thing Uncle Sam's shot locker is pretty capacious,"
+remarked Flagg, as we shoved another cartridge into the yawning breech
+of our five-inch gun. "If we haven't fired over three hundred rounds
+since seven o'clock I can't count."
+
+"It'll be double that before we get through," grunted "Long Tommy," as
+we stepped back from the loaded gun. "Steady, there. Stand by!"
+
+A motion to "Hay," who held the firing lanyard, and almost instantly
+came the sharp, vicious report of the breechloader. Each man sprang back
+to his station, and the process of reloading went on without delay. The
+battle smoke from Number Six, which had filled our port for some time,
+cleared away just then, enabling us to see "Hay's" last shot strike
+squarely upon the outer line of earthworks of the Punta Gorda battery.
+
+"Splendid shot, 'Hay'!" exclaimed our division officer, briefly.
+
+"Bully, that's what it is--bully!" cried "Stump," patting the second
+captain upon the back.
+
+"Hurray! it's knocked out a gun," reported "Dye," from nearer the port.
+"I saw the piece keel over backward."
+
+There was no time for further comment. When a gun's crew is firing at
+will, and the excitement of combat has taken possession of the
+individual members, the task in hand requires all one's attention. We of
+Number Eight had suffered one delay, and we really felt that the lost
+time must be made up.
+
+Personal impressions in battle have been described in prose and poem
+until the subject is hackneyed, but it may be of interest to note that
+the impressions experienced by the novices in naval warfare manning the
+"Yankee," during the bombardment of Santiago, consisted mainly of one
+feeling. It was well-voiced by "Hod," who said many days later:
+
+"I felt just as I did one time when I attended Barnum's circus in
+Madison Square Garden. They had three rings, two platforms, a lot of
+tight-ropes and trapezes and other things all going at the same time.
+Before I had been in the place three minutes I was wishing for a hundred
+eyes. And that is the way I felt at Santiago."
+
+What we saw of the bombardment was limited to the range of our gun port,
+but that little was worth all the hardships and toil and discomforts of
+the whole cruise. The spectacle of the fleet itself was almost enough.
+To see the great ships ploughing through the water, each enveloped in a
+shroud of smoke, shot here and there with tinges of ruddy flame; to see
+that mighty line swinging and swaying in front of the enemy; to see the
+shells land and explode in fort and battery; to see the great gaps torn
+in cliff and earthworks; to see the geyser-like fountains of water spout
+up here and there as the Spanish shells struck the surface of the
+bay--to see all this, and to hear the accompanying thunder and
+booming of the guns, was payment in full for coal handling and
+standing watch and "Government straight." Not one of the "Yankee" boys
+would have missed the spectacle for anything earth could offer.
+
+[Illustration: ON THE GUN DECK DURING THE BOMBARDMENT]
+
+During the second hour of the attack we were enabled to observe the work
+being done by other vessels of the fleet. Near us was the gallant "New
+Orleans," the ship purchased from Brazil. Her foreign build made it easy
+to distinguish her, and, as she was the only craft using smokeless
+powder, she presented a prominent mark. The guns on board the "New
+Orleans" were being served rapidly and with precision, and we saw a
+number of shots strike well within the limits of the batteries.
+
+At our end of the line the flagship "New York," the "Iowa," and the
+"Oregon" were pouring an appalling fire into some new earthworks near
+Morro Castle. It was seen that but very few shots were sent in the
+direction of the latter, and it transpired that Admiral Sampson had
+issued strict orders to the fleet to avoid endangering Lieutenant Hobson
+and his brave companions, who were supposed to be imprisoned in old
+Morro. Before the end of the second hour the "New York" and the "New
+Orleans" had succeeded in completely silencing Cayo Battery,
+dismantling the guns and wrecking the outer fortifications.
+
+At the other end of the line Admiral Schley's division was doing
+splendid work. We could see the "Massachusetts," "Brooklyn," and "Texas"
+move in toward shore and open fire at close range. It was a stirring
+sight, this mighty duel between warships and forts. As compared with the
+cliffs and hills of the land, the ships seemed veritable pigmies, but in
+this strife the pigmies were all powerful.
+
+The guns of the fleet were working havoc in the forts ashore, and we
+could see the Spanish artillerymen abandon battery after battery. Cayo,
+Punta Gorda, Estrella, and Catalena were rapidly being vacated. The
+former was entirely out of the fight, and the others were replying only
+at intervals. Presently the "Massachusetts" and "Marblehead" advanced
+within two thousand yards of the Estrella fortification and began such a
+terrific firing that within a few minutes a great cloud of smoke
+appeared above the works. The Spanish guns became quiet at once, and a
+rousing cheer went up from the fleet.
+
+"Hay," in his exuberance, wanted to send a five-inch shell from our gun
+at the burning fort, but the distance was too great and he was
+compelled to be content with a couple of well-aimed shots at the
+nearest battery.
+
+"I wish we had thirteen-inch guns and the range was about ten feet,"
+grumbled "Stump." "I'd like to smash the whole outfit in a pair of
+minutes. By Cricky! we have poured enough good old American steel into
+those forts to build a bridge across the Atlantic, but the dagoes are
+still giving us guff."
+
+"It won't last much longer," said Tommy reassuringly. "From the looks of
+those batteries they haven't much fight left. I'll bet a hardtack
+against a prune we haul off at four bells."
+
+"Licked?" queried Flagg.
+
+"Nope."
+
+"Will the Spaniards give up?" asked "Dye."
+
+Tommy hesitated before replying. It was a brief lull and we were resting
+at the gun. The crew, grimy, dirty, battle-stained and tired, was glad
+to lean against the side of the deck or a convenient stanchion. Tommy's
+long service in the regular navy as apprentice and seaman made his
+opinions official, and we were always glad to listen to his
+explanations.
+
+"Will the Spaniards give up?" repeated "Dye."
+
+"Yes, and no," replied the first captain thoughtfully. "You see, it's
+this way. Those dagoes are not fools by any means. They have selected
+good places for their batteries, and they know earthworks are hard to
+destroy. They aren't like the old-style stone forts that could be
+knocked to pieces in no time. When a shell, even a thirteen-incher, hits
+a mound of earth it tears up the dirt and spoils the look of the
+parapet, but it really doesn't do much harm. To completely ruin an
+earthwork battery, you must dismantle every gun in it. And that's pretty
+hard to do. Mark my words, those fellows will give us a shot of defiance
+after we quit."
+
+"What's the idea of all this bombarding then?" asked "Stump." "We'd be
+much better 'caulking off,' seems to me."
+
+"And think what it costs the Government," I suggested. "The cost of the
+projectiles and the wear and tear to guns and ships must be something
+enormous."
+
+Tommy's answer was drowned in the thundering roar of the "New York's"
+battery, which opened fire just then a short distance away, but it was
+evident he agreed with me. A moment later Number Eight went into action
+once more, and we worked the breechloader without cessation until the
+conclusion of the bombardment, which came a half hour later.
+
+The fortifications ashore had entirely ceased firing, and at ten
+o'clock a signal to stop bombarding appeared on the flagship. It was
+obeyed with reluctance, and it was evident the crews of the various
+ships were anxious and eager to continue. As the fleet drew off there
+was a puff of smoke in one corner of Punta Gorda battery and a shell
+whizzed over the "Massachusetts." A second shot came from one of the
+earthworks, and still another from Punta Gorda; then the firing ceased
+again.
+
+"Didn't I tell you so?" quietly remarked Tommy. "The beggars ain't
+licked yet."
+
+"But they got a taste of Uncle Sam's strength," said Flagg.
+
+"And I'll bet anything they haven't enough whole guns left to equip one
+small fort," added "Stump."
+
+"I heard the skipper say the destruction of life must be enormous,"
+spoke up the "Kid," stopping on his way aft to deliver a message. "He
+watched the whole thing with his glass. He told 'Mother Hubbub' the
+moral effect was worth all the trouble."
+
+"That's an expert opinion," observed "Hay," wiping off the breech of the
+gun. "Now you've had your little say, youngster, so just trot along."
+
+The fleet presently reached its former station several miles off shore,
+and the bombardment of Santiago was at an end.
+
+No attempt was made to clean ship until late in the afternoon. The men
+were permitted to lie around decks and rest, smoke, and discuss the
+fight, which they did with exceeding interest. When dinner was piped at
+noon, the shrill call of the boatswain's whistle was welcome music. A
+sea battle is a good appetizer.
+
+About four o'clock in the afternoon the fleet was treated to a spectacle
+both novel and humorous. The little "Dolphin," a gunboat of not fifteen
+hundred tons displacement, which was keeping guard close in shore, began
+to use her guns. A battery near the channel returned the fire, but the
+plucky little craft maintained her position, and from the series of
+rapid reports coming from her four-inch breechloaders and six-pounders,
+it was evident she had something important on hand.
+
+The "Yankee" was signalled to run in to her assistance, but before we
+could reach a position, the "Dolphin" had accomplished her task. It was
+not until then that we discovered what she had been doing.
+
+"May I never see home again if the gunboat hasn't corralled a railway
+train in a cut!" exclaimed "Patt." "Just look there, fellows. See that
+ridge of earth on the other side of the channel? Just under it is a
+track running into a cut and--"
+
+"The 'Dolphin' has closed up both ends," interrupted "Stump," with a
+laugh. "She's knocked down a pile of earth and debris on the track and
+the, train can't get out. What a bully trick."
+
+Flagg produced a glass, and after a careful scrutiny reported that he
+could see part of the train lying on its side at the eastern end of the
+cut. He could also distinguish a number of bodies, and it was plain that
+the Spanish loss had been heavy. It was not until later that we learned
+the details, which were as follows:
+
+After the bombardment the "Dolphin" remained at her station, firing
+occasionally at the batteries ashore. She was directly opposite a cut in
+the cliff, through which runs a little railway connecting the iron mines
+with the dock in Santiago harbor. During the bombardment, a train loaded
+with Spanish troops remained in the cut, and at its conclusion attempted
+to leave. It was espied by the "Dolphin" and driven back. It tried the
+other end with like results, and for an hour this game of hide-and-seek
+was kept up, to the discomfiture of the train. While waiting for the
+train to appear at either end, the gallant little gunboat shelled a
+small blockhouse, and in time disabled it. Then she steamed back to the
+fleet and reported that she had "wrecked a trainload of troops and
+dismantled a blockhouse." When she left for her station again she was
+applauded by the whole squadron. We learned later that one hundred and
+fifty men were killed on the train.
+
+Shortly after supper the "Yankee's" whaleboat was called away and sent
+to the flagship, returning an hour later with sealed orders from the
+admiral.
+
+At midnight we quietly steamed from our station and passed out to sea,
+our destination being unknown to all save the commanding officer.
+
+
+CHAPTER XII.
+
+IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURE.
+
+When a man-of-war sails from port under what are called "sealed orders,"
+which means that the orders given to the captain by the admiral are not
+to be opened for a certain number of hours, or until the ship reaches a
+certain degree of latitude, there is a mystery about the affair which
+appeals strongly to the crew.
+
+We of the "Yankee" felt very curious as to our destination when we left
+Santiago that night, and the interest was greatly stimulated by the
+discovery, before we had gone very far, that the "St. Louis" and
+"Marblehead" were following us.
+
+The "Rumor Committee" went into active session without delay.
+
+"Bet I can guess it," said "Stump," as a half dozen of us met in the
+gangway. "We are bound for a cable station somewhere."
+
+"To cable the news of the fight?" said Flagg.
+
+"No. That was done by one of the other ships."
+
+"What then?"
+
+"To get permission from Washington to go ashore and reclaim all that
+steel we wasted in the bombardment."
+
+There was a laugh at this sally.
+
+"I have been figuring on the cost of the fight," remarked "Hay," after a
+pause. "A five-inch shell is worth $60, and as we fired about two
+hundred and fifty, it means just $15,000 worth of five-inchers alone."
+
+"Then there are the six-pounders."
+
+"They cost $20 a shot," resumed "Hay," reflectively. "I guess we must
+have fired about a million of them."
+
+"Hardly that," smiled Tommy, "but we expended enough to bring the total
+up to $18,000 at the very least. War is a costly thing, boys."
+
+When the quartermaster on duty came off watch he joined us in the
+gangway, and reported that we were steering a straight course to the
+southward.
+
+"If we keep it up we'll land somewhere near the Antarctic Ocean,"
+remarked Kennedy, doubtfully. "I wonder--"
+
+"I know, I know," broke in the "Kid," eagerly. "We're going for ice."
+
+The burning question was solved at daybreak. The morning sun brought
+into view a stretch of highland which proved to be Cuba. We had steamed
+out to sea on scouting duty, and had doubled on our tracks, as it were.
+The port we found to be Guantanamo, a small place some forty miles to
+the eastward of Santiago.
+
+The town itself lies on a bay connected with the sea by a tortuous and
+winding channel. The entrance is protected by a fort and several
+blockhouses, and when we steamed inshore we espied the "St. Louis" and
+"Marblehead" laying to, waiting for us outside.
+
+The "Marblehead" preceding us, we entered the harbor, and the two ships
+began a lively bombardment, while the "St. Louis" lay outside. Shortly
+after the firing began, a Spanish gunboat was seen steaming out past the
+fort. A few shots in her direction sent her scurrying back again, and
+that was the last seen of her during the fight. After the battle of the
+previous day, this affair seemed insignificant, and aroused little
+interest.
+
+The blockhouses were destroyed and the fort silenced after a short
+period of firing, and the "St. Louis" proceeded with the duty which
+evidently had caused our visit. It was the cutting of a cable
+connecting Guantanamo with the outer world.
+
+Our little fleet steamed to sea in the afternoon, returning just before
+dark. The fort, showing signs of reanimation, was treated to another
+bombardment, which effectually settled it. A small fishing hamlet
+composed of a dozen flimsy huts of bamboo was set on fire and burned to
+the ground. When we left Guantanamo shortly after dark, bound back for
+Santiago, we had the satisfaction of knowing that one more blow had been
+struck against Spanish rule in the fair isle of Cuba.
+
+At dawn the following day, Santiago was sighted. The fleet was still
+lying off the entrance like a group of huge gray cats watching a mouse
+hole. As we passed in, the flagship began signalling, and it soon became
+noised about the ship that we had received orders to leave for Mole St.
+Nicholas after dark.
+
+"It looks as if the 'Yankee' will come in handy as a messenger boy,"
+said "Stump." "When the admiral wants 'any old thing' he tells his flag
+officer to send the Naval Reserve ship."
+
+"It's a good thing to be appreciated," grinned "Dye." "To tell the
+truth, though, I'd rather be on the move than lying here watching the
+land."
+
+"We don't want to be away when Cervera comes out," remarked Flagg.
+
+"When he comes out," retorted "Stump," emphasizing the first word
+meaningly. "The old gentleman knows when he is well off and he'll stay
+inside."
+
+"Which, as the Texan said when he was accused of stealing a horse," put
+in Tommy, "remains to be proved. Just you keep your eye on the gun and
+wait."
+
+"There goes another string of signals on the 'New York,'" exclaimed
+"Dye," pointing toward the flagship. "Whiz! I'd hate to be a signalman
+aboard of her. They are always at it."
+
+The flagship of a fleet like that assembled in front of Santiago during
+the blockade, is certainly kept very busy. In the naval service,
+everything in the way of routine emanates from the flagship. Every ship
+in the squadron, for instance, takes the uniform of the day from her.
+The number of sick each morning must be reported by signal; all orders
+(and they are legion) are transmitted by wigwag or bunting; scores of
+questions are asked daily by each ship, and it is indeed seldom that the
+signal yards of a flagship are bare of colored flags.
+
+In the American navy the present methods of communication are by the
+use of flags representing numerals, by the Meyer code of wigwag signals,
+and by a system of colored electric bulbs suspended in the rigging. The
+latter system is called after its inventor, Ardois.
+
+In the daytime, when ships are within easy distance, wigwagging is
+commonly used. A small flag attached to a staff is held by the signalman
+in such a position that it can be seen by the ship addressed. A code
+similar to the Morse telegraph alphabet is employed. By this system the
+flag, when waved to the right, represents 1, or a dot; and 2, or a dash,
+when inclined to the left. Each word is concluded by bringing the flag
+directly to the front, which motion is called 3. Naval signalmen,
+generally apprentices, become very expert, and the rapidity with which
+they can wigwag sentences is really remarkable.
+
+The Ardois system of night signalling consists of electric lights
+attached to the rigging. There are four groups of double lamps, the two
+lamps in each group showing red and white respectively. By the
+combination of these lights letters can be formed, and so, letter by
+letter, a word, and thence an order, can be spelled out for the guidance
+of the ships of a squadron. The lamps are worked by a keyboard generally
+placed on the upper bridge.
+
+The "flag hoist" system, as it is termed, consists of the displaying of
+different flags at some conspicuous place like the masthead. There are a
+great many flags and pennants, differing in color, shape, and design,
+each having its own particular meaning, and when three or four are shown
+aloft together, a number is formed, the significance of which can only
+be determined by referring to a code book. Each navy has a private code,
+which is guarded with great care. So particular are Governments in this
+respect, that the commanding officer of every ship has instructions to
+go to any length to destroy the code book, if capture is imminent.
+During the late war with Spain it was reported at one time that the
+Spanish code had been secured. This means that the Dons will be
+compelled to adopt an entirely new code of signals.
+
+Besides the above systems, signalling in the navy includes various other
+devices. For instance, the fog whistle can be utilized in connection
+with the Meyer system of numerals. One toot represents 1, two short
+toots 2, and a long blast the end of a word. In a fog, this is the only
+means practicable. Similar sounds can be made by horn or gunfire. At
+night searchlights are often used by waving the beam from the right to
+the left, thus forming an electric wigwag, or by flash like the
+heliograph. On small ships not fitted up with the Ardois system, the
+Very night signal is used. This consists of a pistol made for the
+purpose, which discharges lights similar to those found in the ordinary
+Roman candles. The colors are red and green, and they are fired in
+combinations expressing the numbers from 1 to 9 and 0, so that the
+numbers to four digits contained in the signal book may be displayed.
+
+The "Yankee" was rigged with the Ardois lamps, and she also carried all
+the necessary signal flags and other paraphernalia required to
+communicate with other vessels of the fleet. The signalmen on board had
+been drilled in their work as members of the Naval Reserve prior to the
+beginning of the war, and they were experts to a man.
+
+On the evening of June 8th, while we were idling about decks awaiting
+the order to get under way, a small boat came alongside, having as a
+passenger a captain of the army. He proved to be a special agent who had
+succeeded in visiting the vicinity of Santiago, and was on his way to
+Mole St. Nicholas for the purpose of cabling to Washington. The
+mysterious manner in which he boarded the ship, and the quickness with
+which we steamed from port, created some excitement, and we felt the
+importance of our mission.
+
+The night was dark and muggy--an ideal time for torpedo-boat work, and
+extra lookouts were posted by order of the captain. Nothing of interest
+occurred, however, until early next morning. The ship was ploughing
+along at a steady gait, and those of the watch who were not on actual
+duty were snatching what sleep they could in out-of-the-way corners,
+when suddenly the call to "general quarters" was sounded. Long practice
+caused prompt obedience, and the various guns' crews were soon ready for
+action.
+
+Very few of us knew just what was on foot until the "Kid," in passing,
+contrived to convey the interesting information that a big Spanish fleet
+had been sighted dead ahead.
+
+"That's funny," remarked "Stump," trying to peer from the port. "We are
+not changing our course any. Surely the 'old man' doesn't intend to
+tackle them alone."
+
+"I guess the 'Kid' is 'stringing' us," observed Tommy, sagely. "He's up
+to that trick every time. We're not chasing Spanish fleets alone. The
+captain knows his business all right, all right."
+
+Word was brought from the upper deck presently, that we were in pursuit
+of a strange steamer which had been discovered lurking on the horizon.
+She failed to respond to our signals, and chase was made forthwith. The
+"Yankee's" speed soon proved superior to that of the stranger, and
+within an hour we had her close aboard.
+
+"It's an English tramp from the looks of her," reported "Hay," who had a
+choice position near the gun port. "She's got a dozen people on the
+bridge and they are badly scared."
+
+A blank six-pounder was fired, but she did not heed it, so a shot was
+fired across the stranger's bows, and she hove-to in short order.
+
+"Steamer ahoy!" came faintly to our ears from on deck. "What steamer is
+that?"
+
+The answer reached us in disjointed sentences, but we heard enough to
+set us laughing. Tommy smacked his hand upon the breech of the gun and
+chuckled: "It's one of those everlasting press boats. The sea is full of
+'em."
+
+"What in the deuce did they run for, I wonder?" exclaimed Kennedy.
+
+"Afraid of us, I suppose. It's ticklish times around here, and I don't
+blame them. Press boats are not made to fight, you know."
+
+"That idea doesn't carry out their motto," drawled "Dye."
+
+"How's that?" asked Flagg, innocently.
+
+"Why, they claim that the pen is mightier than the sword, don't they?"
+
+After the laugh had subsided, "Morrie," one of the Rochester detail, who
+acted as a shellman in the crew of Number Eight, said seriously:
+
+"I am a great admirer of the press representatives down here, fellows.
+They are capable, good writers, and there is not a branch of the whole
+outfit that has been more faithful to duty. They were sent here to get
+the news, and they get it every time. There has never been a war more
+ably reported than this, and, although the correspondents have to hustle
+day and night, they still find time to keep us informed, and to give us
+an occasional paper from home. They are good fellows all."
+
+"Amen!" said "Hay."
+
+After a time, the press boat sheered off, and we continued on our
+course. Later in the morning another steamer was sighted. The "Yankee"
+was sent after her at full speed. The chase crowded on all steam, but
+she was soon overhauled, and found to be a Norwegian trader. After a
+satisfactory explanation she was permitted to go. Three hours later the
+"Yankee" dropped anchor off Mole St. Nicholas, a Haytian seaport
+brought into some prominence through the location of a cable station.
+
+Mole St. Nicholas is a little collection of tropical-looking houses set
+among palm trees at the foot of a large hill, which in places aspires to
+the dignity of a mountain. The town itself is rather picturesquely
+situated, the foliage-covered background and beautiful inlet of pure
+clear water giving it a natural setting very attractive to our eyes.
+
+After we had been anchored an hour or so, a bumboat came out, manned by
+a crew of two coal-black negroes who spoke a French patois, intermingled
+with comical English. The boat itself was a queer, stubby craft
+propelled by home-made oars. Before the morning was well advanced the
+ship was surrounded by boats carrying shells, limes, prickly pears,
+green cocoanuts, bananas, fish, and "water monkeys." The latter were
+jugs made of a porous clay, and they were eagerly purchased. The "water
+monkey" is a natural cooler, and when placed in a draught of air will
+keep water at a temperature delightful in a warm latitude.
+
+We parted with our mysterious passenger, the army officer, and weighed
+anchor just as the sun was setting. Lookouts were posted early, and
+special instruction given by the captain to maintain a vigilant watch.
+The fact that we were in the very theatre of war, and that several
+Spanish cruisers, including the Spanish torpedo boat "Terror," were
+reported as being in the vicinity, kept a number of us on deck.
+
+"It is one thing lying off a port with a lot of other ships and
+bombarding a few measly earthworks, and another to be sneaking about in
+the darkness like this, not knowing when you will run your nose against
+an enemy twice as large," said Flagg, as several of Number Eight's crew
+met on the forecastle. "I tell you, it feels like war."
+
+"Reminds me of a story I heard once," put in "Stump," lazily. He was
+lounging over the rail with his back to us and his words came faintly.
+The deck was shrouded in gloom, and the vague outlines of the
+pilot-house, only a dozen feet away, was the length of our vision aft. A
+soft, purling sound came from over the side where the waves lapped
+against the steel hull. A shovel grated stridently now and then in the
+fire room, and occasionally a block rattled or a halliard flapped
+against the foremast overhead. The surroundings and the strange, weird
+"feel" of the darkness were peculiarly impressive.
+
+"I don't know whether we care to hear any story," observed "Hay."
+"Better keep it until later, 'Stump.' The night's too wonderful to do
+anything except lounge around and think. Whew! isn't it dark?"
+
+"This story I was going to tell you requires a setting like this,"
+replied "Stump." "It is about a ship that started from England years and
+years ago. She had as passengers a lot of lunatics who were to be
+experimented upon by a doctor about as crazy as they. He bought the
+ship, fitted it up with a number of little iron cages, and set forth
+with his queer cargo. Ten days out, the lunatics broke from their
+quarters and captured the vessel. One of them, who had been a sea
+captain in his time, took charge, and proceeded to carry out a little
+idea of his own, which was to make sane people crazy."
+
+"That was turning the tables with a vengeance," drawled "Dye," from his
+perch on an upturned pail. "I wonder if he was any relation to
+'Cutlets'?"
+
+"A lineal ancestor, I'll bet a biscuit," chimed in "Hay." "Don't you
+remember the quotation, 'By these acts you will know their forefathers,'
+or something like that?"
+
+"Well," resumed "Stump," "the crazy captain put the doctor and the crew
+in the cages and began to feed them hardtack and berth-deck scouse and
+salt-horse and--"
+
+[Illustration: THE SEARCHLIGHT "SWEEPING BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE
+BLACK OF THE HORIZON"]
+
+"Must have been a Government naval contractor in his time," murmured
+"Morrie."
+
+"I bet I know the rest," exclaimed the "Kid," coming up in time to grasp
+the situation. "The captain set his prisoners to carrying coal from the
+after hold forward and then back again, didn't he?"
+
+"If you fellows think you can tell the story better than I can, go
+ahead," retorted "Stump," in disgust. "You are like a lot of old maids
+at a sewing circle. I give--"
+
+"What was that?" suddenly cried "Hay," springing to his feet. "If it
+wasn't a flash of light I'll eat my--"
+
+A figure hastily emerged from the gloom aft.
+
+"Go to your stations at once, you men," called out a voice. "General
+quarters!"
+
+As we scurried toward the hatch a great shaft of light appeared off the
+port beam, and began sweeping back and forth across the black of the
+horizon.
+
+"Good heavens!" exclaimed "Hay," "it's a searchlight on some man-of-war.
+We're in for it now!"
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII.
+
+A NARROW ESCAPE.
+
+The finger of light sweeping the heavens above the distant horizon meant
+to us the presence either of friend or foe, and the question was one we
+had little desire to solve at that moment. Rumors of Spanish warships
+lurking in the waters adjacent to Cuba were rife, and it had even been
+stated that another squadron inferior only to Cervera's fleet was
+somewhere in the neighborhood.
+
+We of the "Yankee" were willing, and I may say, without undue boasting,
+eager to meet any vessel of equal size or even larger, but to give
+battle to a whole fleet was a little too much. Nevertheless, when the
+word was passed to go to "general quarters," there was no sulking nor
+hesitancy.
+
+The battery was ready in record time.
+
+Our gun was placed in trim, ammunition hatches opened, cartridges
+whipped on deck, and the piece prepared for instant use so rapidly that
+the officer of the division, Lieutenant Greene, gave us warm praise.
+
+Then we waited.
+
+It is difficult for a layman--a citizen who has not experienced the test
+of action and danger in battle--to understand or appreciate our feelings
+that night. It is hard to describe them, to paint with mere words the
+intense seriousness and gravity of the situation. You can imagine a dark
+night at sea--a night so black that the senses feel oppressed. You can
+add to these a thrill of impending danger and a vision of capture by a
+cruel enemy and the thought that the very next second will sound the
+signal for an uproar and outbreak of combat, but your impressions will
+fall far short of the reality--that must be experienced to be
+appreciated.
+
+As we stood at our stations surrounding Number Eight gun, I tried to
+read the faces of my companions, to see if I could find in them traces
+of worry or anxiety, or of fear. The situation warranted even the latter
+emotion. The dim light cast by the nickering battle lanterns sent
+fantastic shadows dancing over deck and bulkhead, and caused the men at
+the guns to resemble, in their stained white working clothes, so many
+gaunt spectres.
+
+But they were spectres with a grim purpose in view, and as the officer
+of the division strode back and forth, alert and watchful, they followed
+his movements with their eyes, eager for the word that would set them in
+action. They were not veterans, and their experience in war could have
+been measured by days, but they were honestly ready to fight and to shed
+the last drop of their blood for the flag waving over the taffrail.
+
+It was a ticklish situation. Even the "Kid," with his careless,
+happy-go-lucky mind, would have admitted that; but as time passed
+without bringing a break in the monotony of waiting, we began to feel
+restless. The tension was still great, but the first sense of
+apprehension was gone.
+
+"I do wish something would happen," muttered "Hay," after a while. "Can
+you see anything from that port, 'Morrie'?"
+
+"A wall of blackness, that's all," replied the Rochester man.
+
+"We've changed our course several times," spoke up Flagg. "I think the
+'old man' is scooting for cover."
+
+"Fool if he didn't," growled Tommy. "They have a pretty habit of
+court-martialling naval officers when they risk their ship
+unnecessarily. If Captain Brownson should fail to do all in his power
+to escape from what his judgment tells him is overwhelming odds, he'd
+find himself in trouble. Discretion is the better part of valor, even in
+the navy."
+
+Suddenly we began to notice a peculiar glow tinging the darkness, and
+reflecting from the polished parts of the gun. It came suddenly and with
+a spurt of ruddy light unmistakable.
+
+"It's a fire somewhere," exclaimed Flagg. "Look! it's getting brighter."
+
+"It comes from this ship," cried "Stump," edging toward the port. "Is it
+possible the old hooker is on fire?"
+
+We waited for the ringing of the alarm bell, or the call to "fire
+quarters," but the minutes slipped by without the summons. Outside, the
+ruddy glare tinged the surface of the sea, sparkling from foam-crested
+waves, and forming a circle of dancing light through which the "Yankee"
+speeded on in her flight for safety.
+
+Our curiosity increased apace, and we watched eagerly for passing
+messengers or for some stray word that would explain the peculiar
+phenomenon. It was Kennedy who finally solved the mystery--Kennedy the
+luckless, he whom we dubbed "Lucky Bag," because of his propensity to
+allow his wearing apparel to find its way into the clutches of "Jimmy
+Legs." Kennedy had slipped near the port and was trying to perform the
+difficult feat of scanning the upper deck from the opening.
+
+"Come back here and stop that 'rubber-necking,' No. 7," called out
+Tommy. "Do you want to get on the report?"
+
+"For the hundred and 'steenth time," added "Stump," with a grin.
+
+"Perhaps he's seasick," suggested "Dye." "It's about due. He hasn't
+heaved up his boots since noon."
+
+"Did you hear what 'Cutlets' said to him yesterday?" spoke up "Hay." "He
+was 'wigging' Kennedy, and he remarked in his tender way, 'Look here,
+you hero, why don't you brace up and be a man? You are continually sick
+or on the report, and you aren't worth your salt. Get down below now,
+and fill your billet.' Poor devil! he tries to do his best, I guess."
+
+Just then Kennedy faced around toward us and we saw that he was
+laughing.
+
+"What do you think?" he said. "It's a fire after all."
+
+"A fire? Where?" we gasped simultaneously.
+
+"In the furnaces. I saw a big flame leaping from the funnel. Gee! they
+must be whooping her up below to beat the band. Coal piled up to the
+top of the flues."
+
+"It's oil," exclaimed Tommy, gravely. "They are feeding the fires with
+crude oil. That means the last resort, fellows. The 'old man' is trying
+to get every ounce of steam possible."
+
+Our curiosity satisfied, we felt more at ease, and we lounged at our
+stations and listened to the banging of furnace doors and grating of
+shovels in the fire room below. Occasionally one of us would venture an
+opinion or try to exchange views, and "Stump" even started a story, but
+in the main we were quiet and watchful.
+
+From the swaying and trembling of the hull it was evident the "Yankee"
+was being pushed at her utmost speed. Mess gear rattled in the chests,
+the deck quivered, and from down in the lower depths came the quick
+throb-throb of the overworked engines. Presently the red glare caused by
+the upleaping flames from the funnel died away, and darkness settled
+down again.
+
+"I guess we are making it," observed Tommy. "We have been a good two
+hours racing at this gait, which means a matter of almost forty miles."
+
+"They might let us take a run on deck," grumbled Flagg. "What's the use
+of holding up this gun all night? It's getting monotonous."
+
+"Here comes the 'Kid,'" exclaimed "Dye." "He may have some news."
+
+The youngster brought a message to Lieutenant Greene. As he started off,
+he whispered:
+
+"We are going to 'secure' in a few moments. It has been a great scoot. I
+heard the captain say to 'Mother Hubbub' that it would go down in
+history as a masterly retreat."
+
+"Was it a Spanish fleet?" queried "Hay."
+
+"They are not certain. The skipper now thinks that it was a convoy of
+transports bringing the army of occupation. He didn't stop to find out,
+though. Say, you fellows look tired. Why don't you 'pipe down'?"
+
+He scurried off with a laugh, and we were just settling back for another
+siege of it when the welcome order came to "secure." The order was
+executed in a jiffy, and then those who had the off watch piled into
+their hammocks with a celerity seldom equalled. Santiago was reached
+early the following morning, and before the day was over we heard that
+our neighbors of the night before were, as the captain had suspected, a
+fleet of transports bringing troops from the United States.
+
+"Which doesn't alter the fact that we displayed wisdom in taking a
+'sneak,'" commented Tommy, grimly. "It's a clever chief who knows when
+to retreat."
+
+The great gray ships still tossed idly on the rolling blue sea when we
+took our station at the right of the line.
+
+It seemed more like a panorama, arranged for the amusement of an
+admiring crowd, than a fleet of floating forts ready at a moment's
+notice to pour out death and destruction.
+
+The flagship "New York," gay with signal bunting, was the centre of a
+fleet of launches and small boats. The boats' crews, in white duck,
+lounged in their places, while the captains were aboard conferring with
+the admiral.
+
+The torpedo boat "Porter" flashed in and out between the grim
+battleships in an almost playful way.
+
+A signal boy on the "Brooklyn" held a long wigwag conversation with the
+flagship, the bit of bright color showing sharply against the
+lead-colored turret.
+
+It was hard to realize that only a few days ago these same ships, that
+now rested so calmly and majestically, were enveloped in clouds of
+smoke, their great guns spitting forth fire and a fearful hail of steel.
+
+We looked at picturesque old Morro on the bluff, and there, close to
+the lighthouse, still floated the Spanish colors. It was aggravating,
+and we would like to have shot the hateful bunting away.
+
+We had no sooner reached our station than the boatswain's call echoed
+from one end of the ship to the other, "Away gig." Whereupon the gig's
+crew rushed below and "broke out" clean whites. No matter what happens,
+the gig's crew must always be clean, both in person and apparel.
+
+Our gig soon joined the fleet of waiting boats at the flagship's
+gangway, and lay there while the captain went aboard.
+
+The skipper returned about noon and went forward. Immediately, we heard
+the cry "All hands on the gig falls." Then, before the boat was fairly
+out of water, we heard the engine bell jingle.
+
+We were off again.
+
+Some active member of the "Rumor Committee" said we were bound for
+Jamaica. And after consultation with a signal boy, who came aft to read
+the patent log, we found that we were heading for that island.
+
+The wind was dead ahead and blowing fresh and cool, but the sun was hot,
+and the boatswain's mates were instructed to keep the men in the shade
+as much as possible.
+
+The stress and strain of the night before made the few hours of
+"caulking off," that we now enjoyed, particularly grateful.
+
+We lay so thick on the windward side of the spar deck under the awning,
+that it would have been difficult to find foot room.
+
+Every hour a signal boy came running aft to read the log, which was
+attached to the taffrail on the starboard quarter. The log worked on the
+same principal as a bicycle cyclometer. It had two dials that indicated
+the miles and fractions of miles as they were reeled off. A long,
+braided line, having what we called a "twister" attached, trailed behind
+in the water and made the wheels go round, a certain number of
+revolutions to the mile.
+
+Hour after hour the ship rushed through the water. The engines throbbed
+in a regular, settled sort of way, that reminded one of a man snoring.
+The wind blew softly and caressingly. The ship rolled easily in the long
+swell. It was soothing and restful, and we felt quite reconciled to life
+in the navy. We almost forgot that we were on an engine of war; that
+there was enough ammunition below to blow up several "Maine's," and that
+we were cruising in the enemy's country.
+
+The men talked cheerfully of home, pursuits, and pleasures, for it was
+too fine, too bright, to be depressed.
+
+Finally the sun went down in a blaze of glory, dropping suddenly into
+the sea as it is wont to do in the tropics.
+
+In a few minutes it was dark. In these latitudes there is practically no
+twilight; the sun jumps into his full strength in the morning, and
+quenches his glory in the sea before one realizes the day is gone.
+
+Soon after dark the lookouts began to report lights, and before long we
+found ourselves steaming into a fine harbor, which we learned was Port
+Antonio.
+
+A delightful feeling of security stole over us. We were at anchor in a
+friendly port, the inhabitants of which spoke the same tongue as we did
+and sympathized with us. We turned in at the earliest possible moment,
+and as we lay in our "elevated folding beds," as "Hay" called them, we
+could hear unmistakable shore sounds--the barking of dogs, the crowing
+of cocks, and according to some active imaginations, even the bell of a
+trolley car.
+
+At one o'clock we were wakened by the call, "All hands on the cat
+falls." We slipped out of our "dream bags" with the best grace we could
+muster, and went forward to pull up the anchor to its place on the
+forecastle deck.
+
+So we gave up the pleasant idea that we were to spend the night
+undisturbed, and the guns' crews of the watch on deck made themselves as
+comfortable as possible under the circumstances, on their wooden couch
+around the guns; viz., the deck.
+
+When the sun rose next morning, we found that land was plainly visible
+from the port side, and we soon learned that we were still in Jamaican
+waters and would arrive at Montego Bay about ten o'clock.
+
+The programme was carried out to the dot.
+
+The "Yankee" steamed into the beautiful bay, the crew "at quarters," in
+honor of the English man-of-war "Indefatigable," which lay at anchor
+there, and we had hardly let down our anchor when a fleet of "bumboats"
+came chasing out to us.
+
+Though an American warship had never visited this port before, we seemed
+to be recognized by these enterprising marine storekeepers as easy prey.
+
+The native "bumboat" is a dugout affair very narrow for its length, and
+seemingly so cranky that we marvelled at the size of the sail carried.
+They brought fruits of all kinds, and tobacco, so we didn't stop to
+criticise their rig, but showed plainly that we were right glad to see
+them.
+
+The boatmen and women were all colored people and, like the race the
+world over, were most fantastically and gaily clothed. The women wore
+bright-hued calico dresses, and brighter bandana handkerchiefs on their
+heads. The men wore flaming neckties, gay shirts, and, in some cases,
+tall white or gray beaver hats.
+
+The boats were filled with yellow, green, and red fruits and
+brightly-colored packages of tobacco, the whole making a most vivid and
+brilliant display of color.
+
+The crew bought eagerly, regardless of price. Limes, oranges, mangoes,
+bananas, and pineapples came over the side in a steady stream, while an
+equally steady, though smaller, stream of silver went back to the boats.
+
+It was a harvest day for the Montego Bay "bumboatmen."
+
+Though we bought the fruits without hesitation, we bit into them
+gingerly, for, to most of us, many of them were strange.
+
+Tom LeValley brought me a mango and said that I could have it if I would
+sample it and tell what it was like. I accepted, for I had not been
+lucky enough to get near a boat to buy for myself.
+
+He handed me something that looked like a pear but was of the color of
+an orange. I was just about to bite into it when I chanced to look up. I
+saw that I was the target of all eyes. Putting on a bold front, I sunk
+my teeth in the yellow rind. I found it was pleasant to the taste, but
+unlike anything that I had ever put in my mouth before. Still the
+fellows gazed at me. Was it a trick mango I had tackled so recklessly? I
+determined not to be stumped, and took a good big bite. In a moment, I
+discovered why I was the "observed of all observers." The last bite
+loosened a good deal of the peel, and the thing began to ooze. It oozed
+through my fingers and began to run down my sleeve; it dripped on my
+trousers and made an ineradicable stain; my face was smeared with it, my
+hands were sticky with it, my mouth was full of it, and still the blamed
+thing oozed.
+
+Then the unfeeling crowd laughed. Some one shouted "get under the hose."
+Another yelled "Swab ho," whereupon a none too clean deck swab was
+brought and applied to my face and hands, protests being unavailing.
+
+I afterwards remarked to Tom that he had better try experiments on
+himself, or present me with a bathtub along with the next mango, and I
+have since learned that a Distinguished Person came to the same
+conclusion when first introduced to this deceitful fruit.
+
+We enjoyed our stay in this beautiful island port very much, and it was
+with great reluctance that we obeyed the order to "haul on the cat
+falls." As we were walking away with that heavy line, we saw a liberty
+party from the English warship start for shore in the ship's cutters,
+and we envied them with all our hearts.
+
+The town looked very attractive, set as it was on the side and at the
+base of a high hill, the red-tiled roofs of its houses showing against
+the graceful, green palm trees. On our left, a grove of cocoanut palms
+flourished, and beneath grazed a herd of cattle.
+
+Soon the ship began to back out, and then, as the bay grew wider, she
+turned slowly and headed for the open.
+
+"Lash your mess chests," said messenger "Kid" to the berth deck cooks.
+"Orders from the officer of the deck," he added.
+
+He turned to us, who were standing by the open port. "I guess we'll have
+a lively time of it, for I heard 'Cutlets' say the barometer is dropping
+at a terrible rate."
+
+The "Kid" scurried further aft to give the order to the boatswain's
+mates and master-at-arms.
+
+We looked out to seaward and noted the black sky and the rising wind.
+
+"I guess you 'heroes' will have a chance to show what right you have to
+be called seamen," said "Stump," mimicking "Cutlets."
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV.
+
+WE ENGAGE IN A SEA FIGHT.
+
+"Watch on deck, put on your oilers," shouted the boatswain's mates.
+
+The order came none too soon, for as the last man ran up the
+companion-way ladder, the rain began to drop in sheets.
+
+The rising wind drove the rain in our faces with stinging force, and we
+were soon wet as drowned rats.
+
+The white-capped seas raced alongside, and the "Yankee" heaved and
+tossed like a bucking bronco. The lookouts at the masthead swayed
+forward and back, to and fro, dizzily, and the officer of the deck on
+the bridge had difficulty in keeping his feet. The pots and pans in the
+galley banged noisily, and ever and anon the screw was lifted out of the
+water, and for a few turns shook the ship from stern to stem with its
+accelerated speed.
+
+A number of men who had partaken too freely of tropical fruits manned
+the rail and seemed too much interested in the seething water below to
+notice the rain that was dripping down their necks.
+
+For a time, things were very lively aboard the old hooker, and, though
+in the main unpleasant, the grandeur of the sea in the tempest made up
+for all discomforts. The flash of the lightning, the roar of the
+thunder, the hum and whistle of the wind through the rigging, and the
+swish of the seas as they dashed themselves to spray against the sides
+of the ship--all this made an impressive chorus, more stirring even than
+the roar of cannon and the shriek of shell.
+
+When "hammocks" was blown by the ship's bugler at a quarter to seven, we
+found it difficult to make our way forward to the nettings. One moment
+we were toiling up the deck's steep incline; the next, the ship would
+bury her prow, and we were rushing forward pell mell. The boat seemed to
+be endowed with diabolical intelligence that night. A man might,
+perchance, stoop to tie his shoe or examine a freshly stubbed toe, when
+the ship would seem to divine that she had him at a disadvantage, and
+would leap forward so that he would immediately stand on his head, or
+affectionately and firmly embrace a convenient stanchion. "Pride cometh
+before a fall," and the man who thought he had caught the swing and
+could walk a chalk line on the deck, soon found that the old boat knew a
+new trick or two, and in a twinkling of an eye he was sawing the air
+frantically with his arms, in his efforts to keep his balance.
+
+Though the force of the tropical storm was soon spent, the sea continued
+high, and locomotion was difficult.
+
+The hammocks were given out by the "hammock stowers" of the watch on
+duty. They called out the numbers stenciled on our "dream bags," and the
+owners stepped forward and claimed them. As soon as a man secured his
+hammock he immediately slung it in place, unlashed it, and arranged the
+blankets to his liking.
+
+A group gathered around the capstan aft, after the hammock ceremony had
+been completed.
+
+Some one said, "I'm glad I can sleep in a hammock a night like this; the
+heave of the ship will be hardly felt."
+
+"Yes," responded the "Kid," "I wouldn't swap my 'sleeping bag' for the
+captain's bed, to-night."
+
+"That reminds me," said "Stump." "Speaking of beds--when we were in New
+York a friend of mine came aboard to see me. He had a sister, but left
+her at home."
+
+"You can thank your lucky stars he did. If she'd seen your weary,
+coal-covered visage, you could not even have been a brother to her,"
+interrupted "Hay."
+
+"I guess you're right," responded "Stump," with an appreciative grin.
+"Anyhow, she did not come. So when her brother got home she plied him
+with questions--this he wrote me afterwards--wanted to know how I
+looked, asked what the ship was like, inquired about our food, and then
+she questioned him about my stateroom. Was it prettily decorated? Whose
+photograph occupied the place of honor on my dressing table?
+
+"Billy, my friend," explained "Stump," "is a facetious sort of chap, so
+he told her that of course such a large crew could not _all_ have
+staterooms, but _I_ had a very nice one, that could be folded when not
+in use, and put to one side out of the way. It was made of canvas, he
+said, so constructed that it would always swing with the ship, and so
+keep upright in a rolling sea.
+
+"She listened intently, and finally broke out enthusiastically: 'How
+nice!'
+
+"Billy almost had a fit at that, and I nearly had, when I read his
+letter."
+
+We all laughed heartily and trooped below to enjoy a few hours' sleep
+in our "folding staterooms."
+
+The next day dawned bright and clear, and warm; with nothing to remind
+us of the storm of the night before except the seedy look on the faces
+of some of the "heroes" who were prone to seasickness.
+
+The sun had not been up many hours when the masthead lookout shouted,
+"Sail ho!" To which the officer of the deck replied, "Where away?"
+
+"Dead ahead, sir. Looks like one of the vessels of the fleet, sir."
+
+And so we joined the squadron again, after an absence of twenty-four
+hours.
+
+Nothing had occurred while we were away. Cervera's fleet was still
+"bottled up" in Santiago harbor, and the American fleet held the cork so
+effectively that even a torpedo boat could not get out.
+
+After preparing the ship for the usual Sunday inspection, and arraying
+ourselves in clean whites, polished shoes, and stockings, we thought we
+had done all the work that would be required of us for the day. But when
+the gig returned, bringing the skipper from the flagship, we learned
+that we were to get under way right after dinner, and steam to the
+westward.
+
+After "turn to" was sounded at 1:15 o'clock, we noted a long string of
+signal flags flying from the signal yard, which we found requested
+permission from the flagship to proceed at once. As the affirmative
+pennant on the "New York" slowly rose to its place on the foremast, the
+"Yankee's" jingle bell sounded, and the ship began to gather headway.
+
+At "afternoon quarters"--1:30--a drill, new to us, was taught; called by
+the officers "physical drill," and by the men "rubber-necking." We
+hardly felt the need of exercise. The swinging of a swab and use of sand
+and canvas, to say nothing of "scrub and wash clothes" before breakfast,
+seemed to us sufficient work to keep our muscles in good condition; but
+it is one of the axioms in the navy that "Satan finds some mischief
+still for idle hands to do," so the men were soon lined up--sufficient
+space being given each man to allow him to swing his arms, windmill
+fashion, without interfering with his neighbor.
+
+A regular calisthenic exercise was gone through, such as may be seen in
+gymnasiums all over the country; but instead of a steady, even floor,
+upon which it would be quite easy to stand tiptoe, on one foot, or
+crouched with bended knees, it was quite a different matter to do these
+"stunts" on the constantly rolling deck.
+
+At the order, "Knee stoop, one," we bent our knees till we sat on our
+heels. "Heads up, hands on the hips, there!" said Mr. Greene of our
+division, as some one obeyed an almost irresistible impulse to keep his
+balance by putting out his hand. The man obeyed, but at that instant the
+ship gave a lurch, and the poor chap fell over on his head and almost
+rolled down the berth-deck hatch.
+
+The laugh that followed was promptly suppressed, and though the exercise
+was not carried out with a great deal of grace or ease, Mr. Greene
+seemed to be satisfied with the first attempt.
+
+We steamed along all the afternoon past the coast of Cuba and within
+plain sight of the beautiful, surf-rimmed beach. We looked for signs of
+the enemy, but not a living thing could be seen. Not a sign of human
+habitation; not an indication that any human being had ever set foot on
+this desolate land. So beautiful, so grand, so lonely was it that we
+longed to go ashore and shout, just to set a few echoes reverberating in
+the hills.
+
+Toward night, we turned seaward, and the land was lost to view; at the
+same time the "Yosemite," manned by the Michigan Naval Reserves, who
+had accompanied us thus far, dropped out of sight in the haze. She was
+bound for Jamaica.
+
+A ship painted the "war color" now in vogue in the United States navy,
+will disappear as if by magic when dusk comes on. The lead color makes
+any object covered with it invisible in half light or a haze.
+
+There had been much speculation during the day and evening as to our
+probable destination, but we remained in ignorance until the next
+morning, when it became known that our orders were to call at the port
+of Cienfuegos, a prominent city of southern Cuba, some three hundred and
+thirty miles from Santiago.
+
+It was reported that the object of our visit was to intercept and
+capture a blockade runner said to be aiming for that port. The news
+received an enthusiastic welcome fore and aft. The billet of "fleet
+messenger" was becoming tiresome.
+
+The land had been sighted at two bells (nine o'clock), and all hands
+were looking for Cienfuegos, but it was past one before the mouth of the
+harbor was gained. The "Yankee's" crew were at regular quarters at the
+time, but a hurried order to dismiss and clear ship for action sent the
+different guns' crews scurrying to their stations.
+
+To add to the interest, word came from the bridge to train the guns aft
+and to do everything possible to disguise the cruiser.
+
+"We are to masquerade as a blooming merchantman," chuckled "Dye." "This
+reminds me of my boyhood days when I read pirate stories. Do you
+remember that yarn about Kydd, where he rigged painted canvas about his
+ship and hid all the ports, 'Stump'? It was great. The whole piratical
+crew, with the exception of a dozen men, kept below, and when a poor
+unfortunate ship came along, the bloodthirsty villains captured her."
+
+"I wish they had caught you at the same time," retorted "Stump." "Then
+we wouldn't be bothered with your infernal cackle. Here, give me a hand
+with this mess chest."
+
+By this time the task of preparing for action was an old story, and we
+made short work of it. The call to "general quarters" followed without
+delay, and, as we prepared the battery for action, word came from above
+that a large gunboat, showing Spanish colors, was leaving the harbor in
+our direction.
+
+"Which means a scrap of the liveliest description," muttered Tommy.
+"They evidently take us for a trader without guns, and they'll attack
+us sure."
+
+Boom!
+
+A six-pounder gave voice from the spar deck, instantly followed by a
+five-inch breechloader in the waist. Number Eight was loaded, and "Hay,"
+who held the firing lanyard, snatched another sight, then stood erect
+with left hand in the air.
+
+"Ready, sir," he called out to the officer of the division.
+
+"Fire!" came the reply promptly.
+
+With the word a vicious report shook the deck, and the gun muzzle
+vanished in a cloud of smoke. Eager hands opened the breech, others
+inserted another cartridge, there was a shifting of the training lever,
+a turn of the elevating wheel, then "Hay" stood back once more, and
+coolly made the electrical connection.
+
+Following the second report came a dull, booming sound, apparently from
+a distance. We eyed one another significantly.
+
+"It's a fort," quoth "Dye." "We've got to tackle both sea and land
+forces."
+
+Presently, while we were hard at work sending shots at the Spanish
+gunboat, which was in lively action a short distance away, we became
+aware of a peculiar whirring noise--a sound like the angry humming of a
+swarm of hornets. It would rise and fall in volume, then break off short
+with a sharp crash. Suddenly, while glancing through the port, I saw
+something strike the surface, sending up a great spurt of water. It was
+followed by a dull, muffled report which seemed to shake the ship.
+
+It was a shell!
+
+"Whiz! they are coming pretty fast," remarked Flagg. "That last one
+didn't miss us by a dozen yards."
+
+"This isn't Santiago shooting," put in Tommy. "These beggars know how to
+aim."
+
+During the next ten minutes the fighting was fast and furious. It was
+load and fire and load again without cessation. There was the old
+trouble in regard to the smoke, and half the time we had to aim blindly.
+Notwithstanding that fact, "Hay" did so well that word came from Captain
+Brownson complimenting him warmly.
+
+The "Yankee" seemed to be the centre of a series of eruptions. The
+Spanish shells kept the water continually boiling, and with the
+splashing of each projectile there would arise a geyser-like fountain
+accompanied by a muffled explosion which could be plainly felt on board
+the ship.
+
+[Illustration: "THERE WAS TEMPORARY CONFUSION"]
+
+It was the first real naval battle experienced by us--the bombardment of
+Santiago being of an entirely different calibre--and it needed only the
+grewsome setting of surgeons and wounded and blood to make it complete.
+That soon came.
+
+We of Number Eight gun were working at our stations, so intent on our
+duties that the uproar of shot and shell outside claimed little
+attention, when suddenly there came a louder explosion than usual
+directly in front of the open port.
+
+There was a blinding flash, a puff of stifling smoke, and then Kennedy,
+who was just approaching the gun with a shell, staggered back, and
+almost fell to the deck. Tommy, the first captain, made a gesture as if
+brushing something from his breast, and then leaped to the injured man's
+assistance.
+
+"It was a piece of shell," cried "Stump." "It came through the port."
+
+There was temporary confusion. The surgeon and his assistants came on a
+run, but before they could reach the spot, Kennedy recovered and
+advanced to meet them. He presented a horrible spectacle, with his face
+and neck and body spattered with blood, and we who were nearest saw that
+he had been frightfully wounded in the left shoulder.
+
+Notwithstanding that fact, he remained cool and steady, and never made
+the slightest indication that he was suffering. When he finally
+disappeared down the berth-deck ladder we exchanged glances of surprise
+and sympathy.
+
+"That isn't Kennedy," murmured "Stump," softly.
+
+"We didn't know him after all," said "Hay." "Poor devil! I hope he isn't
+badly injured."
+
+"He has been in the hardest kind of luck since we left New York," spoke
+up Tommy. "Seasick half the time, always in trouble, and bucking against
+homesickness and everything else. And now he has to be wounded. It's a
+shame."
+
+Our thoughts were with our comrade as we served the gun, and when word
+came a few moments later that he was doing fairly well, we could hardly
+repress a cheer.
+
+There was little time, however, for displaying emotion. We were right in
+the thick of the fight, and the "Yankee's" battery was being worked to
+the limit. It seemed as if the air fairly reeled with the noise and
+clamor of combat. Shells buzzed and shrieked about us, and smoke
+gathered in thick, stifling clouds all about the ship.
+
+While we were laboring, stripped to the waist, and trying our utmost to
+disable or sink the Spanish gunboat, an incident was occurring on deck
+which seemed more fitted for the pages of a novel than those of a story
+of facts.
+
+It was a display of daredevil courage seldom equalled in warfare.
+
+The lad whom we familiarly termed the "Kid" was the central figure and
+the hero. The diary of No. 5 of the after port gun, from which this
+narrative is taken, says of him: "'Kid' Thompson is the ship's human
+mascot and all-round favorite with officers and men. His bump of respect
+is a depression, but his fund of ready wit and his unvarying good nature
+are irresistible. He is eighteen years of age, and is a 'powder monkey'
+on Number Sixteen, a six-pounder on the spar deck. This gun and Number
+Fifteen were the last to obey the order to cease firing during the
+bombardment of Santiago."
+
+During the fight with the Spanish gunboat it chanced that the port
+battery was not engaged for a brief period, so the "Kid," with the rest
+of Number Sixteen crew, were at rest. To better see the shooting the
+"Kid" climbed upon the after wheel-house roof. The shells from the
+gunboat and the forts were dropping all around, fore and aft, port and
+starboard; they whistled through the rigging, and exploded in every
+direction, sending their fragments in a veritable hail of metal on all
+sides.
+
+The fact that the "Yankee" had so far escaped injury aroused in the
+"Kid's" breast a feeling of the utmost contempt for the Spanish gunners.
+Coolly standing upon his feet, he assumed the pose of a baseball player,
+and holding a capstan bar in his hands, called out tauntingly:
+
+"Here, you dagoes, give me a low ball, will you? Put 'em over the
+plate!"
+
+As a shell would fly past with a shriek, he would strike at it, shouting
+at the same time:
+
+"Put 'em over the plate, I say. Do you expect me to walk up to the
+fo'c's'le to get a rap at 'em? Hi, there! wake up!"
+
+Then as a shot fell short, he laughed: "Look at that drop, will you? Do
+you think I'm going to dive for it?"
+
+A moment later a shell flew past so close that the windage almost
+staggered him, but the daring lad only cried banteringly: "That's more
+like it. One more a little closer and I'll show you a home run worth
+seeing."
+
+And so it went until he was espied from the bridge and peremptorily
+ordered down.
+
+In the meantime, while this little episode was in progress, we on the
+gun deck were laboring without cessation. A dozen shots had been fired
+from Number Eight alone, when suddenly another fort secured the range,
+and began a deadly fusillade.
+
+The situation was becoming extremely serious!
+
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+
+COALING IN THE TROPICS.
+
+The well-directed fire of the forts at the entrance to Cienfuegos was
+rapidly making the "Yankee's" position untenable, and it soon became
+apparent that we would have to give way before overwhelming odds.
+Fifteen minutes after the battle began between the Spanish gunboat and
+the "Yankee," the former beat a hasty retreat, steaming back into the
+harbor.
+
+It was plainly evident, however, that she had been badly hulled, as she
+yawed wildly while passing from sight behind the headlands. This of
+itself was victory enough for the present, and at the end of twenty
+minutes' firing, we withdrew out of range.
+
+Our object in the first place was, as we ascertained from forward during
+the day, to intercept a Spanish blockade runner, the "Purissima
+Concepcion"; so we laid off the harbor and waited for the coming of the
+ship, which was supposed to have left Jamaica for Cienfuegos. The day
+was spent in cleaning up after our brief but lively battle, and when
+night came, we were again shipshape.
+
+Shortly after daybreak the following morning, the lookout aloft reported
+that a steamer, evidently a man-of-war, was emerging from the harbor.
+The crew were called to "general quarters" at once, and every
+preparation made to give the stranger a lively reception. She proved,
+however, to be the German warship "Geier" bound for Santiago.
+
+"In time of peace prepare for war" is a good adage, but the reverse is
+also true. Peaceful pursuits are of a necessity carried out even in the
+face of the enemy.
+
+At "evening quarters" new hammocks were doled out, and all hands were
+instructed to scrub the old ones next morning and turn them in.
+
+By this time we had become quite expert laundrymen, but we had never
+tackled a stiff canvas hammock, and the prospect was far from pleasant;
+the following morning, however, we learned how to perform this final
+feat of cleansing; after which we felt qualified to wash anything--from
+a handkerchief to a circus tent.
+
+As "Hay" said, "I feel equal to applying for the position of general
+housework man, if I lose my job. I can sew--you ought to see the
+elegant patch I put on the seat of my old blues--I can 'scrub and wash'
+clothes, I can sweep beautifully, I can make a bed with neatness and
+despatch. And I have been known to get on my knees and scrub the deck."
+
+"You're not the only one," growled Bill. "Why, even 'Dirty Greene'
+escapes the aforetime customary 'calling down.'"
+
+Greene was a clever fellow, a student at Harvard, the owner of a yacht,
+and a good sailor, but his college education did not help him to get his
+clothes clean. That was a study that had been left out of his university
+curriculum. The consequence was that he, with a good many others, was
+"called down" at every inspection.
+
+"Greene is getting it in the neck now," said his friend "Steve"; "but I
+think he will get even some day with his cousin, the lieutenant of his
+division."
+
+"How's that?" we chorused.
+
+"Why, you see he owns a schooner yacht. And his cousin, the lieutenant,
+is very fond of sailing and never fails to accept an invitation to go
+cruising on her. Some day when the lieutenant is aboard, Greene will
+look him over and discover that his shoes are not polished, that his
+hair has not been combed properly, or his white duck trousers are not
+immaculate. He will then be sent below in disgrace to repair these
+faults, and our friend Greene will have the merry Ha! Ha! on him. 'He
+who laughs last, laughs best.'"
+
+We one and all wished we owned yachts and could invite some of the other
+officers--"Cutlets" in particular.
+
+Blockading duty is monotonous work, though the strain on the lookouts is
+intense. During the day, a bright lookout must be kept for the lightest
+tinge of smoke on the horizon, and at night for the faintest glimmer of
+light, or a deeper shadow on the rim of the ocean that would betray a
+ship.
+
+It was Tuesday night, and time hung heavy on our hands. Eight bells had
+not sounded, and, though hammocks had been given out, neither watch
+could turn in. It was with particular glee, therefore, that we welcomed
+the news that "Steve" had composed an up-to-date verse to his "Tommy
+Atkins" song. After some persuasion--for he is a modest chap--he
+consented to sing it for us.
+
+    "The first two verses of this song were writ
+      Before we sailed away for Cuba's Isle;
+    And since that time the Spaniards we have fit,
+      And chased their gunboats many a weary mile.
+    We've heard the bullets whistling overhead.
+      We've heard the shells fly by and called it sport,
+        And down at Cienfuegos
+        We proved ourselves courageous
+      By tackling both a gunboat and a fort.
+
+    CHORUS.
+
+      "Now we'd _like_ to run a ferry,
+        All along the Jersey shore;
+      Fighting Spaniards, it is very
+        Nice, but we don't want--no more.
+      We would give our bottom dollar,
+        And of that you need not fear,
+      Just to hear the masthead holler
+        Brooklyn navy yard is here."
+
+"That's very good, 'Steve,'" said Greene, "but I can't quite agree to
+that line: 'Fighting Spaniards it is very nice, but we don't want--no
+more.' I'd like to have a few more raps at 'em."
+
+"You are such a bloodthirsty chap," said Flagg, "you slam the charges
+into your old Number Seven as if you would like to wipe out the whole
+enemy with one fell swoop."
+
+"Well," replied Greene, thoughtfully, "a man does get awfully excited
+when the guns begin to bark."
+
+And every one of us knew exactly how he felt.
+
+We maintained a close vigil until the sixteenth of June--two days
+later--then sailed for Santiago. Shortly after entering port we were
+informed that the Spanish gunboat with which we had been engaged off
+Cienfuegos had sunk, sent to the bottom by our fire; a bit of news
+highly appreciated.
+
+Our stay in Santiago was short, the "Yankee" leaving for Guantanamo the
+next day at eleven o'clock. On reaching the latter port we found
+evidences of a considerable change in the condition of affairs. On our
+former visit, as the reader will remember, we had engaged in an
+interesting argument with a gunboat, a blockhouse, and a fort, driving
+the boat back into the harbor and silencing the fort. The good work done
+that day had borne fruit.
+
+On entering the bay we found several of our vessels quietly riding at
+anchor--the "Oregon," "Marblehead," "Dolphin" (of railway-train fame),
+the ambulance ship "Solace," the "Panther," "Suwanee," and three or four
+colliers and despatch boats.
+
+But that which attracted our instant attention and brought an
+involuntary cheer from us, was the sight of Old Glory, flaunting proudly
+from a tall flagstaff erected on the site of the former Spanish
+blockhouse.
+
+"Hurray!" shouted "Stump," "it's the first American flag to fly over
+Cuba. And we dug the hole to plant it."
+
+"That's right," assented "Dye." "We are the people."
+
+"What's that camp on top of the hill?" queried Flagg, indicating a
+number of tents gleaming in dots of white against the background of
+green foliage.
+
+"It is the marine camp," explained "Hay." "Didn't you hear about it in
+Santiago? Why, man, it's the talk of the fleet. The marine corps has
+been adding to its laurels again. The other day eight hundred of them
+landed from the 'Panther' and fairly swept the place of Spaniards,
+fighting against three times their number. It was great."
+
+"The marines have a fine record," put in Tommy. "I've been shipmates
+with them for years, and I am free to confess that they always do their
+duty."
+
+"And are always faithful," remarked "Dye."
+
+"That's their motto, 'Semper fidelis.' They have lived up to it in every
+war. They antedate the navy, you know."
+
+"How's that?" asked the "Kid," who was willing to absorb knowledge at
+times.
+
+Tommy produced an ancient book from his ditty box, and proceeded to
+read an extract in a loud, sonorous voice. It was as follows:
+
+"Resolved, That two battalions of marines be raised, consisting of one
+colonel, two lieutenant-colonels, two majors, and other officers, as
+usual in other regiments; that they consist of an equal number of
+privates with other battalions; that particular care be taken that no
+persons be appointed to offices or enlisted into said battalions but
+such as are good seamen, or so acquainted with maritime affairs as to be
+able to serve to advantage on sea when required, that they be enlisted
+and commissioned to serve for and during the present war with Great
+Britain and the colonies, unless dismissed by order of Congress, that
+they be distinguished by the names of the First and Second Battalions of
+Marines."
+
+"The date of that resolution," added Tommy, with the air of a
+schoolmaster impressing a particular point, "is November 10, 1775, which
+was before any naval vessel had been sent to sea by the Continental
+Congress. So you see the marines can claim priority in point of
+service."
+
+"And priority in point of landing in Cuba," added "Hod." "Here's to
+them."
+
+Our discussion on the subject of marines was cut short by a summons to
+coal ship, a task which had come to form the greatest thorn in the flesh
+of all on board the "Yankee." The ship was run alongside the collier
+"Sterling," and the port watch was set to work at once.
+
+From four to six and from eight to twelve p.m., and from four to eight
+the next morning the port watch shovelled, hoisted, and carried coal.
+
+Coaling in the tropics is a very different thing from similar work in
+northern latitudes. The exertion of shovelling, or lifting the heavy
+baskets, added to the intense heat of the weather, makes of it a task
+extremely trying even to those of the strongest physique. During the
+time thus spent in Guantanamo two of the "Yankee's" crew were overcome
+by heat and exhaustion, and compelled to ask for medical attendance.
+
+Our appearance beggared description. The exertion brought out a profuse
+perspiration on our half-naked bodies, to which the coal-dust stuck,
+thick and black. The black rubbed off in spots, showing the white skin
+beneath, the result being a most ludicrous mottled effect. A dime museum
+manager would make a fortune if he could have exhibited some of us as
+the piebald wild men from Guantanamo. It was not till afterward,
+however, that we could appreciate the humor of our looks. During the
+thick of the work we were too busy to note the funny side of things; in
+fact, we felt quite sure that there was nothing funny about it. It is
+impossible to awaken the sense of humor in a man who is plying a heavy
+shovel in the hold of a collier, or lugging a weighty basket, while the
+temperature is soaring to unknown altitudes.
+
+The ship had to be supplied with fuel, however, and as the crew had
+neglected to ingratiate themselves with a good-natured fairy to wish it
+aboard for them, they had to do the work with the best grace possible.
+
+During a "spell" of resting, "Hay," who was a bit of a philosopher in
+his way, glanced about decks at the groups of panting, perspiring men,
+and remarked:
+
+"It would be an object lesson to some of our friends in New York if they
+were to see us now. Just look at those fellows. Not one had ever before
+been compelled by ill-fortune to soil his hands with toil, yet when war
+threatened, and it was necessary to man ships in their country's
+service, they cheerfully took upon themselves the labor's of a common
+sailor, and not only fought for the flag, but worked hard for it in
+menial tasks."
+
+"Menial tasks is good," said "Dye," ruefully eyeing the baskets piled
+high with coal.
+
+"Self-laudation is bad form," spoke up Flagg, "but I think the Naval
+Reserves who are manning the different auxiliary cruisers--the
+'Yosemite,' 'Prairie,' 'Dixie,' 'Badger,' 'Yankee,' and the monitors--as
+well as those serving on board the regular ships, should be given credit
+for their patriotism."
+
+"The boys will get it when the time comes," remarked "Stump,"
+confidently. "And while we are waiting we'll just carry a little more
+coal. Get in line there."
+
+Kennedy, all this time, was bearing up under his trouble splendidly, and
+when the launch of the hospital ship "Solace" came alongside to take him
+away, we could hardly repress a cheer. He was lowered over the side in a
+chair. As the launch steamed away, carrying Kennedy and two other
+shipmates who had been overcome by heat, there was a lump in many a
+throat.
+
+It was not until almost dark the next day that the bunkers were filled.
+At three bells (half-past five o'clock) we dropped the collier and
+steamed to sea en route down the coast. Shortly after ten the "Yankee"
+passed the fleet off Santiago. The electric searchlights in use on the
+ships nearer shore made a particularly brilliant display. The rays were
+turned directly upon the entrance to the harbor, and it was plainly
+evident that not even a small boat could emerge without being
+discovered.
+
+All day Sunday we steamed out of sight of land, our course being to the
+westward and our speed a good fourteen knots.
+
+For four hours in the morning we scrubbed the gun deck, washed the white
+paint work with fresh water and soap, scrubbed the deck with stiff
+"kiyi" brushes, and polished off the bright work. By noon the deck had
+its pristine immaculate look. We were in the midst of the sloppy job
+when "forecastle Murray" (one of the Murray twins--they looked so much
+alike that the invariable greeting in the morning was "How are you,
+Murray--or are you your brother?") came aft for a bucket of fresh water.
+
+"What do you think of this?" he inquired pugnaciously. "Here we are
+scrubbing this blooming gun deck to beat the band, cleaning up the dirt
+of a two day's coaling, and now, forsooth, we are ploughing through the
+water at a fourteen or fifteen knot gait and burning up that coal almost
+as fast as we put it in."
+
+He disappeared up the galley ladder, grumbling as he went.
+
+"Another county heard from," said "Stump." "It does seem rather tough,
+but here goes"--he gave a vicious jerk to the hose he was handling and
+the stream caught "Hay" full in the neck, whereupon "Hay" saw to it that
+"Stump" had a salt-water bath.
+
+By the time "mess gear" was piped, the ship was very clean, so during
+the afternoon we were left largely to our own devices. Some wrote
+letters, though the possibility of sending them or of receiving answers
+was very remote. Others gathered in little knots and read or sewed, and
+still others took advantage of the time to "caulk off" and make up some
+lost sleep.
+
+And so passed another Sunday. Though we might not have a religious
+service we were certainly cleanly, and, therefore, at the worst, not far
+from godly.
+
+Nothing of interest occurred until early Monday morning. Several minutes
+before "mess gear" was due, a lookout at the masthead reported smoke in
+sight off the starboard bow. The engine room was signalled for full
+steam, and the "Yankee" sped away in chase.
+
+"It's our day for scrapping," said "Stump." "We've had more fighting on
+Monday than on any other day of the week. I wonder if it's a Spanish
+cruiser?"
+
+"It is heading for Trinidad, whatever it is," remarked "Hay." "Do you
+see that sloping hill just ahead? It marks the entrance to the little
+port of Trinidad. If I am not mistaken we'll find a gunboat or two in
+the harbor."
+
+[Illustration: "THE FUSILLADE WAS LIVELY"]
+
+"Hay" proved to be a prophet.
+
+An hour later, on rounding a point of land, we came upon a small, armed
+launch steaming about near an old-time roofed-in gunboat which was
+riding at anchor in the harbor. As soon as we hove in sight the gunboat
+and launch opened fire. It was at long range, however, and the
+projectiles merely stirred up the water a mile away.
+
+As the "Yankee's" guns replied, a two-masted steamer made her appearance
+from within the harbor and vanished behind the keys. The fusillade was
+lively, we firing fully one hundred rounds, but there was little damage
+done. After a time, the launch retreated, and we went outside for the
+night.
+
+"It's the last of that scrap," remarked Tommy, the boatswain's mate, as
+he piped down. "We haven't any time to devote to such small fry."
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+
+"REMEMBER THE FISH."
+
+The following morning, after "all hands," the "Yankee" started westward
+along the coast. Cienfuegos was passed, and presently the cruiser was
+taken nearer shore. The lookouts were told to keep watch for horsemen
+riding near the beach. This order aroused our flagging interest, and the
+majority of men on board maintained a careful scrutiny of the white
+strip of land just beyond the breakers.
+
+It was not until noon, however, that our search was rewarded. It was
+just after passing a deep inlet that one of the lookouts espied a group
+of men gathered near the water's edge. There seemed to be a number of
+them, and not far away could be seen a blue and white flag flying from a
+small staff.
+
+The engines were stopped, and a boat officered by Lieutenant Duncan, and
+carrying "Hay" as interpreter, went ashore. "Hay" had spent several
+years in the West Indies and was thoroughly familiar with the Spanish
+language. As he was unique in that respect on board the ship, he often
+did duty as interpreter.
+
+The boat landed in a little cove. After parleying for a while, one of
+the landing party was seen to wigwag. A few moments later the boat
+returned, bringing three Cubans, one of whom was the Cuban governor of
+Matanzas. The others were a captain and commander respectively. "Hay"
+was immediately surrounded and asked to describe what he saw ashore.
+
+"I have had the honor of photographing a detachment of the Cuban Army of
+Liberation," he replied, quizzically. "To tell the truth, it looked like
+a part of Coxey's army. There were about thirty of them, and the
+clothing of the whole outfit wouldn't supply a New England farmer with a
+season's scarecrow. They carried guns of all descriptions, some of them
+with the barrels sawed off short like cavalry carbines; and not one of
+the men looked as if he knew the meaning of a square meal."
+
+"Like Washington's army at Valley Forge, eh?" observed LeValley, joining
+the group.
+
+"Yes, and they are fighting for their liberty, too."
+
+"How did they like being photographed?" asked Tommy.
+
+"Tickled to death. When I asked them to line up they almost fell over
+each other. Next to eating, I think the poor devils love to have their
+pictures taken. They were just like children, and when I pressed the
+button they stood round waiting for the photograph to drop from the
+kodak."
+
+"Reminds me of the Cubans of Puerto Principe when the railway was built
+to that place," put in "Zere," the chief quartermaster. "A temporary
+roundhouse had been constructed, and when the first locomotive reached
+the city and was placed in it to be cleaned, all the natives from miles
+around gathered there. They crowded the windows and doors and were
+evidently waiting for something. Finally the engineer asked one of them
+what he wanted to see. 'We watch for mule to come out,' was the
+startling reply."
+
+"Mule?" echoed Flagg.
+
+"Yes, that was the only motive power known to them," grinned "Zere."
+"They thought even a Yankee engine must have a mule somewhere inside."
+
+"That's like the natives of Guatemala," spoke up "Hop," the messenger.
+"When the street cars were introduced it was the usual thing for a
+native wishing to ride, to mount the platform and knock politely on the
+door. Some one inside would rise and open it, and then the native would
+enter and shake hands all round."
+
+"Fancy doing that on a Broadway cable car," laughed "Stump."
+
+Our imagination was not strong enough for that.
+
+The Cuban guests remained with us for several hours, then went ashore,
+together with a boat-load of provisions contributed by the ship.
+
+The whaleboat returned to the ship when the watch on deck had just been
+piped to supper. The other watch, therefore, had the job of pulling her
+up. The steady tramp, tramp, began and the boat slowly rose up foot by
+foot, till it was level with the rail, then there was a sudden jar and a
+crash. In an instant six men of the crew were in the water, while the
+boat floated away by itself.
+
+There was a rush of feet on deck, loud shouts and cries of "Throw them a
+rope," "Set adrift the life buoy," "Where's that life belt?" and the
+like.
+
+The men at mess jumped up, overturning cups and plates and dishes of
+food. One forecastle man pulled off his jumper and dove in to help.
+
+The sea ladder was put over the side and "Long Tommy" went down it,
+taking with him a piece of line; this he slipped under the arms of
+Rowland, the forecastle man, who had struck an oar on the way down, and
+was hurt. The man was soon hauled up on deck. The other four were also
+rescued. One went floating calmly off on the life buoy and was picked up
+by the gig, and the rest caught rope-ends and were safely hauled aboard,
+none the worse for their involuntary bath.
+
+Lines were coiled down again, the sea ladder unshipped and put in its
+place, and soon all was quiet and shipshape again--but we discovered
+that two spit kits and a monkey-wrench had been thrown overboard to aid
+the sinking sailors.
+
+"It's an ill wind that blows nobody good," quoted the "Kid," who
+happened to be sweeper that week. "I won't have to polish the brass on
+_those_ kits again."
+
+Shortly after the return of the last boat, smoke was sighted to seaward.
+The crew was called to general quarters without delay, and our ship
+steamed out to investigate. After a brief but exciting chase, we
+discovered that the supposed enemy was the auxiliary cruiser "Dixie," a
+sister ship of the "Yankee." She was manned by the Maryland Naval
+Reserves, and her armament was composed of six-inch breechloading
+rifles, not of the rapid-fire class.
+
+It soon became evident that her commanding officer, Commander Davis, was
+superior in rank to Commander Brownson, and he took charge of affairs at
+once. Captain Brownson was rowed over to the "Dixie" to pay his
+respects, and on his return a rumor that we were to be relieved of coast
+patrol duty by the "Dixie" and to proceed to Key West, went through the
+ship like wildfire.
+
+Tom LeValley brought the news to a group of us gathered on the after gun
+deck. We were just discussing the peculiar, and apparently ridiculous,
+degrees of etiquette found among naval officers in general, as
+exemplified by the ranking of Commander Davis over Commander Brownson.
+
+"They are both commanders," Tommy was explaining, "but Commander Davis
+happens to rank Commander Brownson by sixteen numbers in the official
+list. Both entered the service November 29, 1861, and--"
+
+"Whoop!"
+
+Down the ladder charged LeValley, wildly flourishing his cap. He stopped
+in front of us and gasped: "Hurrah! we're going--going to the United
+States, fellows."
+
+"What's up?" demanded "Stump."
+
+"The 'Dixie'--"
+
+"Yes?"
+
+"She's to relieve us, and we are ordered to Key West and then to New
+York. We're going--"
+
+"Rats!" broke in "Hay," in disgust. "You can't give us any game like
+that. It's a rumor, my boy. We're never going home. The 'Yankee' is the
+modern 'Flying Dutchman,' and--"
+
+At that moment the "Kid" appeared in sight, and his beaming face
+convinced us. It was glorious news, but not one of us felt like
+cheering. Our emotions were too deep for that. The mere prospect of
+seeing home again was enough pleasure for the moment, and we were
+content to talk quietly over the welcome possibility of soon meeting
+relatives and friends.
+
+The "Yankee" was destined, however, to experience a little more service
+before dropping anchor in home waters.
+
+For several days we cruised along the coast between Casilda and
+Cienfuegos. We came to know it very well; every ravine in the mountains
+was familiar, every inlet in the coral-bound shore known to us. It began
+to grow monotonous.
+
+Time lay rather heavy on our hands, but not too heavy, for we were put
+to work, two guns' crews at a time, coaling in a new and torrid fashion:
+the coal in the after hold had not all been taken out during the
+northern cruise, so it was decided to pack it in bags, two hundred
+pounds to a bag, carry it forward and stack it in an unused ballast
+tank.
+
+Number Six and Number Eight guns' crews were among the first to engage
+in this pleasant occupation.
+
+We found heat enough below to supply a good-sized house all winter, so
+clothing seemed unnecessary. We stripped to the waist, "Cumming," a
+member of Number Six gun's crew, remarking that he thought a cool glance
+and a frozen smile would be sufficient in such a warm climate.
+
+The work was hard and dirty and the heat terrific. We saw no necessity
+for the transfer. Jack never can see the need of work unless it happens
+that some other crew is doing it.
+
+We cheered ourselves, however, by singing "There's a hot time in the old
+ship to-day."
+
+While we lay close inshore, the "Dixie" cruised outside, and toward
+evening the two vessels met, and together we went to Casilda, a port
+near Trinidad. We stood by while the "Dixie" threw a few shells into
+the fort. Two days later the "Yankee" parted from her consort and
+proceeded to the Isle of Pines.
+
+It was here one of the most laughable incidents of the cruise occurred.
+While steaming past one of the outlying islands, a small fleet of
+fishing sloops was discovered at anchor inshore. Under ordinary
+circumstances such unimportant craft would not have been molested, but
+in the present case it was suspected that they formed part of the fleet
+supplying fish to the Havana market. To destroy them was our bounden
+duty.
+
+"Man the starboard fo'c'sle six-pounder and fire a shell in their
+direction," ordered the captain from the bridge.
+
+The gun was loaded in short order, and presently a projectile went
+screeching across the water, dropping with a splash near the largest
+sloop. Several small rowboats were seen to pull away from the smacks,
+and it was evident the crews had fled in terror. Directly after dinner,
+the "Yankee's" first cutter and the second whaleboat were ordered away,
+manned and armed. A Colt machine gun was placed in the bow of the
+former, and each carried an extra squad of armed marines.
+
+When the expedition returned it had in tow five decked sloops, one of
+which contained a quantity of fresh fish. Orders were given to attach
+the latter to our stern, and to fire the others and set them adrift.
+Before this was done, however, enough fish to supply the wardroom and
+cabin messes were taken out.
+
+"The crew can have its share to-morrow," quoth the captain.
+
+The "crew" waited impatiently, but when the morrow came it was found
+that, through some one's blunder, the sloop containing the fish had been
+burned, and an empty one towed to sea with us. The joke, if it might be
+so termed, was on the crew.
+
+The watchword heretofore on the "Yankee," as on every one of Uncle Sam's
+ships, had been "Remember the Maine." Hereafter it was "Remember the
+fish." This was done so persistently that the officer who was
+responsible for the blunder was dubbed "Fish," and whenever he went near
+any member of the crew he was likely to hear, in a low tone, "Remember
+the fish."
+
+After leaving the Isle of Pines the eastern shore of Cuba was rounded
+and a straight run made for Key West. At noon on the 27th of June, just
+twenty-nine days after the "Yankee" sailed from New York, we again
+entered a home port. The time was brief as time goes, but our varied
+experiences in foreign waters made the sight of the stars and stripes
+flaunting over American soil particularly pleasing.
+
+As we neared our anchorage the most entrancing rumors were rife. We were
+to get shore liberty without doubt, and the ship was to be coaled by
+outside labor. We took no stock in the latter rumor till an officer
+voiced it--then we believed. Our clean blues were furbished up, lanyards
+scrubbed, and money counted. We understood that there was little to see
+at Key West; that it was a dull and uninteresting place. Still it was
+land, and we had not set foot ashore for almost three months.
+
+If we had not been so anxious to get ashore we might have been able to
+appreciate the marine picture.
+
+The harbor, if it could be called a harbor, was full of war vessels,
+prizes, and colliers. Three grim monitors tugged at their anchor chains,
+apparently impatient at the restraint, while a few graceful, clean-cut,
+converted yachts swung with the tide.
+
+The gunboat "Wilmington," and the cruisers "Newark" and "Montgomery,"
+floated with a bored air. In ship's language they said, Why are we
+loafing here? Why not be up and doing?
+
+The "Lancaster," a fine old frigate, the flagship of the commodore, had
+a fatherly air and seemed to say: "Be good and you will all have a
+chance."
+
+Once more we got our shore-going clothes ready, only to be disappointed,
+and again the promises made to us proved elusive. The day following our
+arrival, we were told that no shore liberty would be given at Key West,
+and while the reasons were all sufficient, a man who has set his mind on
+an outing ashore after a hundred days at sea, finds it somewhat hard to
+reconcile himself to the inevitable.
+
+One of the hardest, if not the hardest, thing we had to bear was the
+lack of letters and news from home. When one has been deprived of all
+tidings from his own people for so long the longing for word of them
+becomes almost unbearable.
+
+In the midst of our toughest work we felt that a letter from home would
+act like a strong tonic and brace us for the effort, and it would have
+done so. But no such balm came, though we eagerly scanned every incoming
+vessel for the signal "We have mail for you." Now at last, though there
+might be tons on tons of coal to be put in at Key West, though the ship
+might have to be scrubbed and painted from truck to water line, we felt
+certain we would get letters from home. Letters that we ached for. And
+so when we sighted the fleet and old fort, and realized that we had
+reached Key West and mail at last, our joy was too great for utterance.
+
+The whaleboat went ashore and brought back two bags of precious
+missives, with the sad news that eight bags had been sent on a despatch
+boat to the "Yankee" at Santiago.
+
+We were glad enough to get two bags, yet we almost gnashed our teeth
+when we thought of the eight fat pouches that were chasing us around the
+island of Cuba.
+
+The mail was brought to the wardroom and dumped out on the table for the
+commissioned officers to sort and pick out their own letters. A
+news-hungry group stood the while at the doors, watching and mentally
+grumbling that such an awfully long time was being taken to accomplish
+so simple a thing.
+
+Finally the master-at-arms was sent for and the worth-its-weight-in-gold
+mail turned over to him to distribute. To the gun deck poured the eager
+throng. The master-at-arms backed up against the scuttle-butt for
+protection, then shouted out: "Let one man from each mess get the mail;
+the rest of you stand off, or you won't get any till to-morrow." The
+rest of us stood to one side then, realizing that time would be thus
+saved.
+
+"Jimmy Legs" called out the names, and the representatives of the
+different messes took them. We heard Kennedy's name called, and a murmur
+of sympathy spread around. "Poor chap," said one, "he would give the use
+of his wounded arm for that letter."
+
+"Yes," said another; "he has to suffer homesickness as well as pain, and
+a letter from home would brace him up as nothing else could."
+
+Every man took his treasures to a quiet place, a place apart, if such
+could be found, to enjoy them alone. The few who got none--well! may I
+never see such disappointed, sorrowful faces again.
+
+The letters read and pondered over awhile, tongues began to be loosened,
+and soon all over the ship was heard the buzz of conversation. Chums
+told each other the little items of news that to them seemed the most
+important things in the world. And after all had been told and retold,
+the men gathered in groups and discussed their past months' experiences.
+
+"Do you know," said Craven (a descendant of that famous line of naval
+heroes, a seaman and member of Number Thirteen six-pounder gun's crew),
+"I think we are wonderfully fortunate to come through this experience
+as well as we have. Just think! We have been under fire five times, and
+only one man has been injured. Why," he continued, and his hearers
+nodded assent, "I used to have the most awful visions--thought I saw the
+men lying round our gun in heaps, while fresh ones jumped to take the
+places of the fallen."
+
+"And they would," said messenger "Hop," who happened to be passing on
+his way aft to deliver an order.
+
+The "Yankee" had seen some spirited fighting, though most of her crew
+had anticipated nothing more exciting than patrol duty.
+
+Moreover, it was almost certain that we had not seen the end of active
+service. At present, however, the crew settled down once more to the
+monotony of ship life in port--which is about equivalent to garrison
+duty for a soldier.
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+
+IN GOD'S COUNTRY.
+
+The "Yankee's" stay in Key West was marked by one of the most melancholy
+incidents of the cruise. Thomas Clinton LeValley, one of the first of
+the New York Naval Reserves to respond to the call for volunteers, died
+from appendicitis in the hospital ashore, to which he had been removed
+for treatment. "Tom," as he was familiarly called by his shipmates, was
+on board the "Yankee" during the five engagements of that vessel, and
+proved himself loyal and steadfast on every occasion. He was well liked
+by the officers and men of the crew, and his death was deeply regretted
+by all. It was his fate to be the one member of the New York Naval
+Reserves to lose his life in the service of his country.
+
+When a big barge heaped high with coal came alongside and was made fast,
+we began to doubt the assurances given us, that the coal would be put in
+by outside labor. A tug hove in sight shortly afterward that caused our
+gloomy faces to light up with gladness, for it carried a gang of
+negroes. The tug made fast to the barge, and its living cargo was soon
+hard at work filling the ship's bunkers.
+
+All that afternoon we "lingered in the lap of luxury," as "Bill" put it.
+At six o'clock our dusky (doubly dusky) coal heavers went ashore, their
+labor over for the day. Though the workmen had left, the work was still
+to continue. The crew coaled till twelve o'clock, working in quarter
+watches. The following day another barge came alongside and part of the
+crew had to turn to and help the hired shovellers.
+
+"So much," said "Stump," snapping his fingers, "for the officers'
+assurances."
+
+Up to this time we did not _know_ where we were going. Of course the
+"Rumor Committee" were ready with news of destinations galore. We were
+to return to our patrol duty, to join the Flying Squadron and threaten
+the coast towns of Spain, to join the blockading squadron off Havana. We
+were to do a dozen or more things just as probable or just as
+improbable.
+
+A coal barge still lay alongside the starboard side of the ship, when a
+lighter appeared and made fast to the port side, loaded with express
+packages, parts of machinery, pipes, and bags of mail for every ship on
+the Santiago blockade.
+
+"Now we will get those eight bags of mail," said a forecastle man,
+exultantly. And from that moment we knew we were going back to Cuba.
+
+But like a good many people who think they know it all--we didn't.
+
+Bunkers, holds--almost every available space, in fact, was filled with
+coal.
+
+Then began the much dreaded job of painting. Stages were hung over the
+side, each manned by two men, and with much reluctance we began to daub
+the old "Yankee" with gray paint.
+
+The men were unaccustomed to such work, though some could handle the
+brushes sold in "artist's materials" shops well enough, and they
+spattered gray paint all over themselves. It was thought easier to wash
+skins than jumpers, so many were decorated in wonderful fashion.
+
+"You would make a 'professor of tattooing' wild with envy," said Greene
+to "Steve," as the latter appeared over the rail.
+
+"Well, I don't know," retorted "Steve," "I am thinking of reporting you
+for misappropriating government property. You've got more paint on
+yourself than you put on the ship."
+
+After a day and a half of dreary work we had the satisfaction of seeing
+the vessel's sides one uniform color from stem to stern. It was a big
+job for such a short time and our arms ached at the very thought of it.
+
+The sides painted, our attention was given to the decks. They were
+swabbed thoroughly, first with a damp swab, and after they were entirely
+dry the spar deck was covered with red shellac, this being applied with
+a wide varnish brush. The gun deck was then taken in hand and treated in
+the same way.
+
+By Saturday night the ship was as fine as a "brand new jumping-jack
+before the baby sucked the paint off."
+
+Some of the men still suffered from black-and-blue spots, which,
+however, a little turpentine liniment would have banished.
+
+Rumors were rife that we would be bound for New York shortly, but few
+believed them; the circulators themselves certainly did not, of that we
+felt sure.
+
+"The idea!" said "Mourner," who, though ready to swallow most rumoristic
+pills, could not manage this one. "Go to New York with eighty bags of
+mail for the Santiago fleet! I can see us doing it."
+
+[Illustration: "THE SPAR DECK WAS COVERED WITH RED SHELLAC"]
+
+[Illustration: "THE MARINES AIRED THEIR HAMMOCKS ON THE FORECASTLE
+DECK"]
+
+"Taps" sounded at nine o'clock, and we were glad enough to turn in.
+
+When all hands were called, I rubbed my eyes in astonishment, for as I
+glanced out of the deadlight near which my hammock swung, I saw that we
+were under way and well out to sea. I put on my togs in a hurry, and
+after lashing and stowing my "dream bag," rushed on deck.
+
+Yes, sure enough, we were at sea.
+
+"Stump" came and grabbed me round the waist--he could hardly reach
+higher. "We're bound for New York," said he. "We met the 'St. Paul'
+going in and the signal boys say we signalled, 'We have urgent orders to
+proceed to New York.' What do you think of that?" he added,
+breathlessly.
+
+"With eighty bags of mail for the Santiago fleet," said I, thinking of
+the poor fellows who were longing with all their hearts for those same
+bags.
+
+"Regular navy style," added "Stump."
+
+Though it was hard on our friends off Santiago we could not be cast
+down, and the near prospect of liberty--of an opportunity to see home
+and friends, of again setting foot on shore--transformed the entire
+crew.
+
+Everywhere could be seen smiling faces. Laughter and merry chatter
+filled the air, and the rollicking songs written by "Steve" and others
+were more in evidence than ever. The daily routine of work seemed
+lighter. There was no grumbling, no fault finding; even the interminable
+task of shifting coal was carried on with actual cheerfulness. Grimy
+hands and blackened faces and tired bodies were forgotten.
+
+"There's a mighty good dinner waiting for me in the dear old house,"
+exclaimed "Stump," unctuously. "I can sniff it afar. And say, fellows,
+won't we forget--for a few hours at least--that such things as reveille
+and scrub and wash clothes and coal humping and salt-horse exist on
+earth?"
+
+"Oh, good Mr. Captain, how long will it be before we hear the welcome
+call, 'Shift into clean blue, the liberty party!' and find ourselves
+piling over the side," groaned "Hay."
+
+"You will be glad enough to come back to your Uncle Samuel," grinned
+"Steve." "When your time is up you will be waiting for the boat."
+
+"No doubt," replied Flagg. "We will be ready to complete our time of
+service, but there are some, if rumor speaks the truth--"
+
+He finished with a significant wink.
+
+He referred to the many threats of "French leave" made by certain
+members of the crew--threats which did not materialize except in a very
+few cases. The disgruntled members of the "Yankee's" crew were composed
+mainly of the "outside" men--men not of the Naval Reserves. Among the
+latter, despite the unaccustomed hardships to which they were subjected,
+a firm determination existed to remain until lawfully mustered out.
+
+The trip from Key West to New York was marked by only one important
+incident--the celebration of the Fourth of July. It was unlike that
+familiar to the majority of the crew. There were no fireworks, no
+parades, nor bands playing the national anthem. The day opened squally,
+and sharp gusts of rain swept the decks. The usual routine of work was
+proceeded with, and it was not until eight bells (noon) that we fully
+realized the date. At exactly midday a salute of twenty-one guns was
+fired, and those of us who were super-patriotic, took off our caps in
+honor of the flag. That ended the ceremony.
+
+"Never mind," said Tommy, when one of the boys bewailed the meagre
+celebration, "never mind, shipmate. There's a good time coming when we
+can whoop 'er up for Old Glory as much as we please. Then we'll make up
+for to-day. We can't expect to do much under these conditions, you
+know."
+
+The day following (a fine, _cool_, bright one, and how we did appreciate
+it!) was spent by all hands in getting the ship spick and span for the
+inspection of visitors, who were sure to be on hand to welcome us.
+
+The semi-weekly ceremony of airing hammocks and bedding was indulged in.
+The bugler blew "hammocks," whereupon all hands lined up to receive them
+from the stowers. They were then unlashed on the gun deck, and inspected
+by the officers of the different divisions, who ordered that they should
+be taken up to the spar deck. The blankets and mattresses were spread
+wherever sun and breeze could get at them. The rail, as well as the
+boats, was covered with them. Red blankets flaunted in the breeze from
+the rigging till we resembled an anarchist emigrant ship.
+
+The marines aired their hammocks on the forecastle deck in the
+neighborhood of their guns.
+
+After an hour or two, the word was passed to "stow hammocks," and soon
+all was shipshape again.
+
+This duty was performed once or twice a week, the frequency depending
+on weather and circumstances.
+
+Wednesday, July 6th, we passed Sandy Hook and entered New York harbor,
+just thirty-six days since we left it.
+
+As we made our way up the channel, a pilot boat hailed us and told us of
+Sampson and Schley's glorious victory over Cervera.
+
+Though our joy was great and our enthusiasm intense, we were greatly
+disappointed that we were not in at the death. We felt sure that if we
+had been there our skipper would have worked the old craft in near
+enough to have given us a shot.
+
+We steamed on up the bay and through the Narrows, the happiest lot of
+Jackies afloat. The captain of every vessel we met pulled his whistle
+cord until the steam gave out, and the passengers cheered and waved
+their handkerchiefs, or whatever came handy.
+
+The health officer passed us in a jiffy, and before eight bells struck
+we were safely at anchor off Tompkinsville.
+
+It transpired that we had been sent North on account of a yellow fever
+scare. The health officer proved that the fear was groundless. Again we
+set to work cleaning, scrubbing, polishing, and painting, so by the time
+our friends came crowding aboard, the ship was as neat as a new pin.
+
+The visitors--how glad we were to see them! Only one who has looked
+danger in the face and realized that there might never be a home-coming
+in this world, could understand our feelings as our relatives and
+friends--bless them--came aboard.
+
+Fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and other fellows' sisters crowded
+up the gangway to greet us.
+
+And all were welcome.
+
+The second day after we anchored, the port watch was given shore leave
+of twenty-four hours. So we donned our clean blues, and for the first
+time since May 9th, set foot on solid ground.
+
+As the port watch came over the side the following day, after its
+liberty ashore, they were met with the order "Shift into working clothes
+at once and get those shells below." The red ammunition flag was flying
+at the foremast head, and all thoughts must be given up of the good
+times ashore.
+
+The starboard watch then went on liberty ashore and the port watch
+tackled the ammunition.
+
+From noon till after ten, we were kept busy storing thirteen-inch
+shells for the biggest guns in the navy. They weigh 1,100 pounds apiece
+and are dangerous things to handle, not only on account of their weight,
+but because of the charge of powder each carries. We also loaded eight,
+six, and five-inch shells into the after hold. We turned in at eleven
+o'clock, and were roused at 3:30 next morning to begin the same heavy
+work. When the starboard watch returned the following noon, we were
+still at it, and they, too, had to pitch in and help as soon as they
+could get into working clothes.
+
+Saturday, Sunday, and Monday were spent in the same way--stowing food
+for Uncle Sam's mighty guns.
+
+The thirteen-inch shells were crated in heavy planks, bound with iron;
+slings of rope were placed around them and they were lowered slowly into
+the hold. The eight, six, and five-inch shells had a lashing of tarred
+rope and a loop by which they might be lifted and handled.
+
+Charges of smokeless powder for thirteen, eight, and six-inch guns, in
+copper canisters, were also taken aboard.
+
+When all was stowed, we carried enough explosives to blow the water out
+of the bay. At half-past two on July 12th, the anchor was raised, the
+cat falls manned, and we bade New York good-by once more. A brisk
+northeast breeze was blowing, kicking up an uncomfortable sea, and when
+Sandy Hook was passed it became necessary to close all ports and batten
+down hatches.
+
+The rolling and pitching of the ship soon began to make things
+interesting on the gun deck. Immense green seas, shipped at intervals on
+the upper deck, sent little streams of water trickling down through
+openings as yet unprotected.
+
+At evening quarters it was all we could do to stand upright. A number of
+men left their stations suddenly without permission, and seemed to take
+great interest in the sea just over the rail.
+
+As the sun sank, the wind rose, and with it came rain--rain in
+sheets--the "wettest" kind of rain.
+
+When the port watch was relieved at eight o'clock, even the veriest
+landsman among us could tell that the situation was becoming serious. We
+turned in at once, determining to get all the sleep possible in that
+pandemonium of sound.
+
+The value of hammocks in a heavy sea was proved beyond all peradventure,
+for once we got into them and closed our eyes, we hardly realized that
+the ship was almost on her beam ends much of the time.
+
+From time to time we were wakened by the crash of a mess chest, as it
+broke from its lashings and careened around the deck. The mess pans and
+pots banged and thumped. At intervals the lurching of the vessel caused
+a mess table with the accompanying benches to slide to the deck with a
+crash.
+
+At twelve, we of the port watch were wakened from our much-interrupted
+rest and ordered on deck for muster.
+
+As we slid from our hammocks we realized for the first time the fury of
+the storm. It was impossible to stand upright.
+
+The old hooker rolled so, that it was impossible to keep from sliding
+even when one lay prone on the deck. The men on lookout had all they
+could do to hang on. One moment the end of the bridge would rise high in
+air and the next almost bury itself in the seething waters.
+
+The wind roared, the lightning flashed, and the thunder rolled.
+
+The dense fog hung like a curtain round the ship, so the whistle was
+blown incessantly.
+
+The boatswain's mate ordered me to go forward and stand an hour's watch
+on the bridge. I obeyed, creeping on all fours most of the time, till I
+reached the opening between the deck houses. I escaped, by a hair's
+breadth, a sea which came over the side like a solid green wall.
+
+The man on the port end of the bridge whom I relieved, shouted in my
+ear--he could not be heard otherwise--"You want to get a good hold or
+you'll be fired overboard in a jiffy." Then he left me.
+
+It was the kind of a night one felt the need of companionship. I spent a
+lonely hour on the bridge, eyes and ears strained for signs of other
+vessels, face and hands stung by the pelting rain. Underlying all other
+thoughts was the consciousness that we carried several hundred tons of
+deadly explosive that might shift any moment or be ignited by a spark
+from a lamp and explode.
+
+The sandbags stored about the steering gear broke loose and were heaped
+in picturesque confusion. The scene aft was indescribable. A quantity of
+debris of varying nature slid across the smooth surface of the gun deck
+with a rush at every roll, making navigation a difficult, if not
+perilous, task. Later, to add to the tumult, one man's hammock was cut
+down by a falling mess table, but he escaped serious injury.
+
+It was not until the following morning that the seas subsided, but the
+day proved pleasant, and the mishaps of the preceding afternoon were
+forgotten in the excitement of reaching Norfolk, which port was reached
+by the "Yankee" shortly before dark. Later in the evening the ship was
+taken to the navy yard.
+
+"Which means that we are going to hustle more ammunition," observed
+Tommy, as we made fast to a dock.
+
+"And more stores," added "Dye."
+
+"And coal," chimed in "Stump," with a grimace. "I am glad of it, too."
+
+"Glad of it?" echoed "Dye," in surprise. "That's queer."
+
+"Not at all, dear boy," was the second loader's calm reply. "D'ye see, I
+am in training for the billet of chief deck hand on a tramp canal boat,
+and this experience is just in my line."
+
+Four days later the mooring hawsers were cast off and the "Yankee"
+steamed out between the capes en route to Santiago. From the hour we
+left Norfolk until the sighting of the Cuban coast, our time was taken
+up with drills of every description. The following extract from the log
+for July 18th, will suffice for an example:
+
+"Cleared ship for action at three bells along with general quarters.
+General quarters again half an hour after turn to at noon. Fire drill
+and abandon ship at three bells in the afternoon. General quarters
+again at two bells (9 p.m.)."
+
+Under date of July 19th, one of the crew states in his private diary:
+"Clear ship for action again. This is a very pretty drill, and is much
+liked by the boys, as it includes sending all the mess gear and
+provisions below, where most of them are usually 'pinched.' Clear ship
+for action always means an exchange of undesirable mess gear, such as
+broken benches, tables, etc. General quarters at 1:30; fired two shots
+at an invisible target with smokeless powder. Great success, this new
+powder. If we had only been provided with it before, every living
+Spaniard would have trembled at the word 'Yankee'!"
+
+"What are we doing all this clear ship, general quarters, fire drill,
+and such business for?" said a forecastle man to Craven, who, besides
+being on a deck gun, from which all that was occurring on the bridge
+could be seen, was a messenger.
+
+"Why, don't you know?" said the latter. "We have a war artist aboard,
+and all this extra drilling is being done for his special benefit, so he
+can work it up for his paper, I suppose."
+
+"Well, if we ever get that artist aboard the old 'New Hampshire' we will
+teach him a few things, so he can describe them from actual
+experience," said "Hod" the husky. "He'll be able to describe scrub and
+wash clothes, sweeping decks, washing dishes, and all the rest, most
+vividly," he continued, vindictively. "We'll show him how we get under
+the hose in the morning. Oh, we'll have a bully time with him, and I'll
+wager that when we're through the honors of naval battles will seem too
+trivial for him to draw!"
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII.
+
+THE "YANKEE" ARRIVES OFF SANTIAGO
+
+On the twenty-first of July the "Yankee" arrived off Santiago. The
+"Brooklyn" was the only warship on guard, and the absence of that grim
+line of drab-colored ships changed the whole appearance of the coast.
+The "Brooklyn" seemed lonely, though she rode the seas proudly. "See,"
+she seemed to say, "I am monarch of all I survey"; and she looked every
+inch a queen, as she swayed slowly in the long ground swell, her ensign
+snapping in the brisk breeze and Admiral Schley's flag standing out like
+a board. From our proximity to the shore we were enabled to obtain a
+better view than before. Old Morro Castle, perched above the mouth of
+the channel, seemed battered and forlorn. The Stars and Stripes floated
+on high exultingly from the very staff that formerly bore the Spanish
+colors, and we thrilled when we saw it. The wreck of the "Reina
+Mercedes" could be plainly made out, and beyond her could also be seen
+the masts and stack of the "Merrimac"--a monument to American heroism.
+
+With the U.S.S. "Yankton" (which had run out of coal) in tow, we
+proceeded to Guantanamo. While entering the bay, the first fleet of
+transports bearing troops for the invasion of Porto Rico was
+encountered. Inside the harbor a vast squadron of American ships lay at
+anchor--some forty vessels in all. The spectacle of such a mighty fleet
+bearing our beloved colors was indeed inspiring.
+
+We found the "Iowa," "Massachusetts," "Indiana," "Oregon," "Texas," "New
+York," "Marblehead," "Detroit," "Newark," "Porter," "Terror,"
+"Gloucester," the repair ship "Vulcan," several despatch boats and
+colliers in the bay. Two gunboats and several steamers captured at
+Santiago also bore the American colors.
+
+Such a fleet many an important port has never seen, and in New York
+harbor would draw immense crowds. Here the spectacle was wasted on
+unappreciative Cubans.
+
+The bay presented a lively appearance with the innumerable little
+launches and despatch boats darting about from ship to ship. Vessels
+went alongside sailing colliers to have their bunkers replenished; other
+ships entered or left at all hours; signals were continually flying
+from the flagship; occasionally a Spanish launch bearing a flag of truce
+would come down from the town, and in the midst of it all the crews of
+the different men-of-war worked on in the accustomed routine, as if
+peace and war, drills and fighting, were all a part of man's ordinary
+existence.
+
+Over a month ago we had sailed into this harbor with the "Marblehead";
+the ship cleared for action, the crews at their loaded guns, and the
+battle ensigns flying from fore and mainmast, as well as from taffrail.
+This time we entered the bay with a feeling that we were to take part in
+a great naval spectacle.
+
+As soon as we joined the fleet we became amenable to fleet discipline.
+All orders for routine work came from the flagship. "Quarters" were held
+but twice a day instead of three times, and then they were short and,
+therefore, sweet.
+
+Each morning at eight o'clock, when a war vessel is in port, the bugler
+plays "colors," while the drummer beats three rolls; those of the crew
+who are under the open sky stand at attention, silent, facing aft, where
+the flag is being hauled slowly to its place. At the completion of the
+call all hands salute; then the work is carried on. It is a beautiful
+ceremony.
+
+Saluting the "colors" morning and evening is not merely a mark of
+respect for the Government of the nation, but is an act of worship to
+the God of nations--a silent prayer for guidance and care and an
+expression of thankfulness.
+
+Shortly after "colors" the morning following our arrival at Guantanamo,
+orders were given to "turn to" on the ammunition. Launches and barges
+from other warships came alongside, and the charges of powder and the
+shells were transferred to them.
+
+When this cargo of deadly explosive began to come aboard a "magazine
+watch" was set. The ammunition was stowed in all parts of the
+ship--forward, main, and after holds were filled. A watch was set on
+each of the holds. It was their duty to watch the temperature day and
+night and to report the same to the officer of the deck every half hour.
+Extreme care was taken to guard against fire. In case fire was
+discovered, it was the duty of the man on watch to run and turn on the
+water--the key for the valve which regulated this being always carried
+on his wrist. Then he must notify the officer of the deck, shouting
+"fire" as he went, after which he must go back and with the hose
+endeavor to put out the blaze.
+
+Constant, wide-awake, alert watchfulness was necessary. It was hot and
+close below, and at night it was almost impossible to keep awake. It is
+difficult enough to keep wide awake for an hour's lookout on deck, when
+there is much to see and the air is brisk and invigorating, but it is
+quite a different matter to be roused in the middle of the night to
+stand two hours' watch in a close, hot hold, where nothing more
+interesting than cases of powder and the bare, blank sides of the ship
+are to be seen.
+
+At first, the knowledge that the lives of all on board and the safety of
+the ship herself depended on the alertness of the watch, kept us wide
+awake and anxious, but as time went on, it grew harder and harder to
+resist nature's demand for sleep; therefore, when the order was given to
+unload the ammunition, none were gladder than the men of the "magazine
+watches."
+
+After evening mess the boatswain's mate--he got his orders from the
+bridge--came aft, shouting as he walked, "All you men who want to go in
+swimming may do so right away."
+
+[Illustration: "HE GOT HIS ORDERS FROM THE BRIDGE"]
+
+[Illustration: "ALL YOU MEN WHO WANT TO GO IN SWIMMING MAY DO SO"]
+
+There was no doubt as to the popularity of that order. "All we men"
+wanted to go in swimming, and that right away. In a jiffy, white figures
+began to drop over the side with a splash, and soon shouts of glee
+filled the air. The water was warm and clear as crystal, and so dense
+with salt that a man diving, came up like a cork. In fifteen minutes the
+order "Knock off swimming" was passed, and though we left the water with
+reluctance, obedience was prompt, lest the privilege might not again be
+accorded us.
+
+After hammocks had been given out, boats hoisted--all the work of the
+day finished, in fact--most of the men gathered aft to hear the band of
+the "Oregon" play. It was a volunteer band; that is, the musicians were
+enlisted men, not assigned for the band. They played with vim and
+precision.
+
+It was almost dark; only the ships' outlines could be made out. The red
+and white signal lights twinkled at intervals at the mastheads of
+different vessels, while beams of light showed on the still, dark water
+from open ports. The whole fleet lay quiet while the men listened to the
+strains of music from the "Oregon." It was more like the rendezvous of a
+cruising yacht club than a fleet of warships gathered in the enemy's
+country.
+
+The music from the battleship ceased, and for a moment all was still
+save for the lapping of the water against the ships' sides and the
+splash of a fish as it leaped out of water.
+
+Suddenly and together, a shrill piping on all the ships broke the
+silence, followed by the hoarse cry, "All the anchor watch to muster."
+
+On all men-of-war at eight o'clock, the anchor watch is mustered. It
+consists of sixteen men--eight on duty from nine till one o'clock, the
+other eight from one till "all hands" at 5:30. The first part always
+calls its relief at one o'clock.
+
+The mustering over, all flocked aft to hear the band again, but were
+disappointed, for the concert was over.
+
+However, the men had come aft for music and music they must have in some
+shape.
+
+So "Steve" the modest was dragged out, and after some persuasion sang
+the following to the tune of "Lou, Lou, How I Love Ma Lou." "Baron," the
+gunner's mate, accompanied him on the mandolin, and Eickmann, the marine
+corporal, helped out with his guitar.
+
+    "'Way down at the Brooklyn navy yard,
+       Where ships are rigged for sea,
+     Three hundred little 'heroes'
+       Went aboard the old 'Yankee.'
+     Oh! we were young and foolish,
+       We longed for Spanish gore,
+     And so they set us working
+       As we never worked before.
+
+    CHORUS:
+        "Hard-tack and salt-horse every day,
+         Work, slave, for mighty little pay;
+         And just before we get to sleep
+         We hear the bosun pipe like this
+                   (Whistle),
+         'Up all hammocks, all hands.'
+
+    "They turn us out each morning,
+       To scrub our working clothes;
+     To polish guns and bright work,
+       To 'light' along the hose.
+     To wash down decks and ladders,
+       To coil down miles of rope,
+     To carry coal in baskets,
+       To live on air and hope.
+
+    CHORUS:
+        "Hard-tack and salt-horse every day,
+         Work, slave, for mighty little pay;
+         And when we think our work is done
+         We hear the bosun pipe like this
+                   (Whistle),
+         'Turn to.'
+
+    "Way down at Santiago,
+       We fit the forts one day.
+     The shells were bursting o'er us,
+       There was the deuce to pay.
+     We hid our inclination
+       To run and hide below,
+     Because we're little 'heroes,'
+       They've often told us so.
+
+    CHORUS:
+
+    "Hard-tack and salt-horse every day,
+    Work, slave, for mighty little pay;
+    And just as all the fight was over
+    We heard the bosun pipe like this
+              (Whistle),
+    'Gun-deck sweepers, clean sweep fore and aft.
+    Sweepers, clean your spit kits.'
+
+    "One Saturday we anchored
+      Just off the Isle of Pines,
+    To load up with pineapples,
+      And look for Spanish signs.
+    We called away the cutters,
+      With seamen filled them up,
+    And captured five small sailboats,
+      Two Spaniards and a pup.
+
+    CHORUS:
+
+    "Hard-tack and salt-horse every day,
+    Work, slave, for mighty little pay;
+    And when we'd like to talk it over
+    We heard the bosun pipe this
+        (Whistle),
+    'Pipe down.'"
+
+"That's great!" said one and all.
+
+"There is just time for the 'Intermezzo' before tattoo, 'Baron,'" said
+"Pair o' Pants," the signal boy. "Give it to us, will you?"
+
+"Baron" obligingly complied.
+
+The boys lay around in comfortable, though ungraceful, attitudes, a
+small but appreciative audience.
+
+As the last high note died away the ship's bugler began that lovely
+call, "tattoo." We listened in silence, for though we had heard it many
+times, it was always a delight to us. Then, too, it meant rest (not a
+drug in the market by any means). Every ship's crew in the harbor, at
+the same moment was listening to the call blown by their own bugler.
+
+The men tumbled below and began to prepare for the voyage to dreamland.
+
+Five minutes later, when the sleepy "taps" sounded, the decks were
+almost deserted save for the hammocks, which looked like huge cocoons
+swung horizontally.
+
+The following days till Sunday were spent in unloading powder and shell.
+The six and eight-inch charges of powder and the shell were lifted by
+hand and slid down chutes to the barges alongside. To handle the powder
+and shell for the thirteen-inch guns, steam was called into service; the
+thirteen-inch charges being lowered into the waiting boat, by the aid of
+the cargo boom and steam winch.
+
+This work was hard and the heat trying, but it was accomplished with
+good grace, for we were glad to get rid of the dangerous stuff.
+
+Sunday, after the usual inspection, several visiting lists were
+arranged, the most popular being that for the "Oregon." We all wanted to
+inspect that wonderful ship. Visiting is generally conducted on Sunday
+or after dark. The word is passed for those who wish to visit a certain
+ship to "lay aft and report to the officer of the deck." The party, all
+in clean clothes, are taken to the vessel designated and lined up. After
+being counted they are allowed to go forward, where they yarn to their
+heart's content until the word is given by the boatswain's mate for them
+to muster aft again.
+
+The "visiting party" to Uncle Sam's bulldog was cordially received and
+shown all over. The great battleship was as clean and neat as a new pin.
+She looked as if she had just come out of her builders' hands. Paint
+work spotless, brass work shining, engines fairly dazzling in their
+brightness. The crew contented and full of enthusiasm for their ship and
+commander--gallant Captain Clark!
+
+We saw the guns that helped to lay low Cervera's splendid fleet and we
+saw "the men behind the guns."
+
+Our attention was called to a Jacky sewing on a blue shirt.
+
+"Do you see that man over there?" said our guide.
+
+We answered "Yes."
+
+"Well, that's the chap that blew up one of the torpedo boats."
+
+"Is that so? Tell us about it." We gazed open-mouthed at the gunner as
+he sat cross-legged on the deck, sewing with all his might.
+
+"Yes, that's the chap. You see, the Spaniard was coming in our
+direction, and coming like greased lightning. The six-pounders on the
+superstructure had not been able to stop her, and things began to be
+interesting--"
+
+"Yes," we gasped, breathlessly, as he stopped to light his pipe.
+
+"Well, as I was saying, the blooming torpedo boat came nearer and
+nearer, and did not seem to mind the hail of six-pounders any more than
+a duck does the rain. I dunno why, for she had no protection that a
+sixer would not penetrate.
+
+"It got to be blamed exciting, when the officer of the division said to
+that feller over there, who was a captain of an eight-inch rifle, 'Try
+your hand at it.'
+
+"Bill said, 'Aye, aye, sir, give me time and I'll plunk her sure.' All
+this time the sneaking craft was coming nearer and nearer. Bill
+adjusted his sight and looked and looked, but still did not fire.
+
+"'For heaven's sake, hurry up!' said the division officer, getting
+nervous.
+
+"'In a minute, sir,' said Bill. 'As soon as I get a good bead.'
+
+"He was as cool as an ice machine, and as deliberate as an old hen, but
+he could shoot, so we held ourselves in as best we could and watched.
+After waiting for what seemed an hour, Bill pulled the lanyard and the
+old gun roared. As soon as the smoke cleared away, we looked to see the
+result of the shot. There was some wreckage floating where the torpedo
+boat had been--that was all. Bill's shot went home, and exploded in the
+boiler room, and the whole craft went up in an instant."
+
+We looked again admiringly at the man sitting there so unconcernedly,
+and then in obedience to the boatswain's call, went aft and aboard our
+cutter.
+
+All the ammunition for the fleet was unloaded by Tuesday. We still
+carried a small quantity of both powder and shell for the
+"Massachusetts."
+
+Tuesday afternoon we anchored alongside the sailing collier "Frank A.
+Palmer," and began to coal. The "Yankee's" sister ship "Prairie,"
+manned by the Massachusetts Naval Reserves, lay on the other side; we
+exchanged visits and found them good fellows, and we yarned away to our
+heart's content.
+
+We had now become, in a degree, used to coaling; our muscles were
+hardened and some long-needed labor-saving devices had been introduced,
+so the work was a little easier.
+
+Coaling continued till Friday night. During the morning of that day we
+were told that if two hundred tons were put aboard, a chance would be
+given us on the morrow to see the wrecks of Cervera's once fine vessels.
+It was all the incentive we needed, and the coal came aboard in a steady
+stream. A little after seven the required amount was in the bunkers, and
+by eight o'clock the stages and other coaling paraphernalia were stowed
+away and the "Yankee" had cast loose and was anchored by herself.
+
+The following morning dawned bright and clear. Admiral Sampson came
+aboard at 8:30. We manned the "cat falls" and got under way at once.
+
+On the way down to the wrecks, the ship was cleaned, so by the time we
+reached the ruins of the Spanish vessels, the "Yankee" was spick and
+span.
+
+We passed the wrecks of the two torpedo boats, passed the mouth of
+Santiago harbor, till finally we came to the "Almirante Oquendo" and the
+"Maria Teresa," fifteen miles west of old Morro.
+
+The two wrecks lay close together. They were a melancholy sight; the
+"Almirante Oquendo," badly listed to port, a great rent in her side,
+rusted, almost completely demolished. The "Maria Teresa" seemed in
+better shape, but many shot holes were visible in her side.
+
+It was a dreary though gratifying sight. The great green-clothed
+mountains looked down serenely on these two examples of man's handiwork
+and man's destructiveness; the blue sea dashed itself to foam against
+the coral-bound coast; and the bright sun shone over all.
+
+The admiral went over in our gig, together with the captain and
+executive officer. Several other boats went along, carrying, beside the
+regular crews, commissioned and chief petty officers.
+
+As we watched the boats bobbing in the short billows on their way, we,
+who were left behind, could not help comparing these battered hulks
+before us with our magnificent ships in Guantanamo Bay.
+
+All hail to the American seamen, "the men behind the guns"!
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX.
+
+HOPE DEFERRED.
+
+For a few days there was little to do beyond the never-ending routine
+work: scrubbing decks, cleaning paint, and polishing bright work on guns
+and equipments.
+
+We were beginning to wonder if we were to lie at anchor indefinitely,
+and if our last chance of seeing any active service had gone by.
+
+On the morning of Monday, August 1st, we had orders to get under way and
+go to sea. Tongues began to wag at once, and before we had fairly
+cleared the harbor a dozen different destinations had been picked out.
+
+It would seem as if there could be no great danger in letting the men
+have some knowledge of where they are bound when fairly at sea, with no
+beings to whom the secret might be told, save sharks and dolphins, but
+
+    "Theirs not to make reply,
+     Theirs not to reason why."
+
+The navy has little use for Jacky's brains; only his trained muscles and
+sinews. There is no life that can be depended upon to take the pride of
+intellect out of a man like that of a sailor, as Rudyard Kipling has
+shown in the case of Harvey Cheyne. We of the crew could think of many a
+cad on whom we would like to try the discipline.
+
+The most popular rumor ran to this effect: we are bound for Porto Rico
+to take part with the "Massachusetts," "New Orleans," "Dixie," and other
+ships of the fleet in a bombardment of San Juan.
+
+By the time land had faded from view, we knew that we really were bound
+for Porto Rico, but for what purpose we knew not. The rumor was correct
+in part, at least.
+
+We were glad to get to sea again. There is an undefinable feeling of
+relief, almost of joy, when the regular throbbing of the engines begins
+and the ship rolls and heaves to the swell.
+
+The spirits of the men rise; smiles lighten up their faces, and snatches
+of song can be heard as they work coiling down lines, lashing movables,
+and preparing the vessel for the rough-and-tumble conflict with the sea.
+
+As the sun sank, the waves rose. By the time the first night watch went
+on duty, the old steamer was tossing like a chip.
+
+The guns' crews of the watch on deck were ordered to sleep by their
+posts, and all was in readiness for instant action.
+
+At eleven o'clock we were roused by the call for "general quarters," and
+in a minute, all hands were in their places. We looked vainly, at first,
+for the cause of this commotion, but finally made out off our port bow
+the dim outlines of a steamer.
+
+It was only when our ship was on the top of the roll that we could make
+out our chase at all--nothing but a wall of water could be seen when we
+lay in the trough.
+
+"That boat is certainly doing her best to get away," said "Bill." "And,
+holy smoke! see how she rolls."
+
+"She can't trot in our heat," said "Dye." "We're gaining on her every
+minute."
+
+"She's not a warship," said "Long Tommy," who was lucky enough to
+possess a pair of glasses. "I wonder if we're going to get a prize at
+last?"
+
+"You forget the fishing sloops. 'Remember the fish,'" laughed "Hay."
+
+The two vessels came nearer and nearer, till finally they were within
+hailing distance.
+
+"What ship is that?" called out Captain Brownson, through the
+megaphone. "And where are you bound?"
+
+The answer came faintly over the tossing waves: "The 'Burton,' with coal
+for Santiago from Guadeloupe."
+
+"Ah, ha!" said Tommy, "we get a prize at last."
+
+"Wait a minute," said "Stump," "he is saying something else."
+
+A gust of wind came at that moment and carried most of the sound away,
+but we gathered that our hoped-for prize had papers from our consul
+allowing her free passage.
+
+There was a universal groan of disappointment, and when the order was
+given to "secure," the hose was pulled up with unnecessary violence,
+hatches were lowered, and gun closets closed with no gentle hands. Such
+keen disappointment must somehow find a vent.
+
+There was great excitement the following afternoon when the word was
+passed for all hands to get out their leggings and to wear shoes to
+midday quarters. And when we were arranged into companies, and had
+haversacks, canteens, and knapsacks doled out to us, we concluded that a
+landing party would be made up for Porto Rico.
+
+"The 'old man' is going to show the 'Spinache' that the 'Yankee' boys
+can fight on land as well as on sea," said Tommy, as he yanked at an
+obstinate haversack strap.
+
+We marched round and round the spar deck to the music of bugle and drum
+till we got well into the swing of it, and felt very martial and
+formidable indeed.
+
+The "Dixie" hove in sight at this juncture, and after a long megaphone
+conversation, we learned that the "Massachusetts," for which we had some
+ammunition, was on her way to Guantanamo, so we reluctantly turned
+around and retraced our way, the "Dixie" leading. Porto Rico was not for
+us. Alas!
+
+We felt like
+
+    "The King of France and his hundred thousand men
+     Drew their swords and put them up again."
+
+The next morning we hove-to a Norwegian steamer, the "Marie," and before
+we realized what was being done, we found that we had a prize at last. A
+snug little steamer she was, well loaded down with coal for Cervera's
+fleet.
+
+"Cutlets" went over in a whaleboat, with a prize crew of six men.
+
+"Well, well! this is almost too good to be true," said an after guard.
+"This _is_ great luck. We capture a prize and get rid of 'Cutlets' at
+the same time."
+
+To which we all said, Amen.
+
+We separated from the "Marie," and, as the "Yankee" was much the faster,
+she was soon lost to sight.
+
+The anchor had no sooner been dropped in Guantanamo Bay than our captain
+went over to the "New York," and then signals began to be displayed, and
+soon after all hands were hauling on the "cat falls."
+
+The skipper returned; the gig was pulled up to its place, and very soon
+we were ploughing the water in the open. As we went out, our prize came
+in.
+
+It seems the encounter with the "Burton" was told to the admiral, and he
+at once ordered us to go out and get her.
+
+We headed straight out. The black smoke poured out of the funnels; the
+ship shook with the pounding of the strained engines. The land faded
+from view.
+
+About two o'clock we sighted the object of our chase, and it only
+required a blank shot from the forward six-pounder to bring her to.
+
+The prize crew, consisting of six seamen, some firemen and engineers,
+and officered by Lieutenant Duncan, went over and took possession of
+our second prize in one day.
+
+Captor and captive then turned and headed for Guantanamo.
+
+The men were in high spirits. Speculation was rife as to the amount of
+prize money each would secure, and some even went so far as to plan the
+spending of it.
+
+Every one felt very gay, and as if something should be done to celebrate
+our good fortune. We would have liked to spend some money for an
+entertainment, but that was impossible.
+
+"Dick," however, was impressed into service to furnish some amusement.
+"Dick," a forecastle man, is a born story-teller, and we knew if we
+could get him started, some fun would be assured.
+
+After some pressure he acquiesced, and began the following yarn:
+
+"One day a certain Irishman, Mike Dooley by name, departed this life. He
+was much respected, and his death caused no little sorrow to his friends
+and neighbors. His wife and children were simply inconsolable. The widow
+wished to have a handsome funeral in his honor and spent her savings in
+furtherance of that plan. She had enough money for everything, except
+the silver inscription plate. But that difficulty was easily overcome,
+for 'What's the matter wid Pat Molloy painting it nately in white
+paint?' she said.
+
+"Pat, being approached on the subject, expressed his entire willingness,
+and soon after called for the casket and took it away. He was told to
+letter the following, in neat, white letters: 'Michael Dooley departed
+this life in his prime, at the age of twenty-eight.'
+
+"Pat was a bricklayer by trade, and painting was only a 'side line' with
+him.
+
+"He started to put the inscription on the casket, and got along bravely
+till he came to 'age of twenty-eight.' Then he realized that he could
+not make the figures. He puzzled over it a long while, for he did not
+like to ask and thus show up his ignorance.
+
+"Finally a bright idea struck him. Four sevens make twenty-eight--why
+not put down four sevens--that was easy!
+
+"The job was finished just in time.
+
+"The relatives and friends were gathered round to pay their last
+respects. One friend was asked to get up and make a few remarks. He did
+so and began as follows:
+
+"'I am glad to be able to say a few words on this sad occasion, a few
+words of praise for our beloved friend; for other words than praise
+could not be said of him. I am proud to have known him and to have been
+numbered among his friends. His virtues need hardly be repeated. You
+knew him well. His generosity, his friendliness, and all the rest he
+possessed. I knew him from his youth up, and I am well aware of his
+goodness, as are you. He was a good husband, a good father, and a good
+friend. It is hard to give him up, but it must be. He died at the age
+of----'
+
+"Here the speaker glanced at the casket beside which he stood, and read
+the following:
+
+MICHAEL DOOLEY
+
+DEPARTED THIS LIFE IN HIS PRIME,
+AT THE AGE OF
+7777.
+
+"'Yis, my bereaved friends,' he continued, 'he was a good father,
+husband, and friend, and none knows that better than I. He was cut off
+in the pride of manhood, you might say--in his prime, at the age of----'
+
+"He glanced at the inscription again, then, after a painful pause,
+blurted forth: 'Well, how the divil did he escape the flood?'"
+
+The sound of "tattoo" interrupted our laughter at this point, and all
+Hands tumbled below.
+
+The following day we got rid of the last of the ammunition to the
+"Massachusetts." A sigh of relief and thankfulness went up as the last
+charge of powder was taken over the side.
+
+The same day we saw some of our prize money vanish into thin air. The
+"Burton" was released, and steamed out of the harbor.
+
+It was about this time that a well-authenticated rumor went the rounds
+to the effect that we were to go with a formidable fleet to Spain,
+harass her coasts, and do up Camara's fleet. This rumor was so well
+founded that many of us believed it, and, consequently, much time was
+spent in writing farewell letters.
+
+The prospect of soon seeing the "land of the free and the home of the
+brave" was not very bright. The consensus of opinion at this time was
+that we would see our year out in Uncle Sam's service.
+
+There was considerable gloom. The start once made and the "Yankee"
+actually on her way to the land of the Dons, all would be well and all
+hands would be cheerful; but the contemplation of the long trip in the
+wrong direction was a very different matter.
+
+The air was full of rumors. All was uncertain. We continued to write
+farewell letters, while the invading fleet still lay quietly at anchor,
+but ready to sail to the ends of the earth at a few hours' notice.
+
+The night of August 10th was moonless and dark. There had been no music
+from the "Oregon's" band, and none of our men felt inclined to sing.
+
+The uncertainty had begun to tell, and all were a little depressed.
+
+I was "it" for anchor watch, and, as is often the case, the anchor watch
+manned the running small boat.
+
+We visited several vessels of the fleet, the crew staying in the boat
+while the officers went aboard. When we finally started to return to our
+own ship, we carried two of our officers, Mr. Duncan, Mr. Barnard, and
+an officer from the "Indiana." As we cleared the wall-like sides of the
+"St. Paul," we noted that the general signal call (four red lights) was
+up on the "New York." Then, as we watched, the red and white bulbs began
+to spell out a message that made us all thrill with joy. The interest of
+the moment broke down all barriers of rank, and officers and men spelled
+out the exciting words aloud.
+
+A-S-S-O-C-I-A-T-E-D  P-R-E-S-S  D-E-S-P-A-T-C-H
+S-T-A-T-E-S  T-H-A-T  P-E-A-C-E  P-R-O-T-O-C-O-L
+H-A-S  B-E-E-N  A-G-R-E-E-D  U-P-O-N.
+
+We Jackies would have liked to yell, but our lessons had been too well
+learned, and we restrained ourselves. We put the officer from the
+"Indiana" aboard his own ship and then returned to the "Yankee."
+
+As soon as the boat was secured for the night, I went around waking some
+of my particular friends to tell them the great news, forgetting that
+they could see it quite as well as I. All were too good-natured,
+however, to object; on the contrary, they seemed glad to talk about it.
+There was some dispute as to the meaning of the word "protocol"; but all
+agreed that, whatever its meaning, it must be good, coupled as it was
+with "peace."
+
+As we talked quietly, we heard faintly, softly, a verse of "Morse's"
+song:
+
+    "Our fighting cruise will soon be o'er,
+                   Hurrah! Hurrah!
+    We'll be happy the moment our feet touch shore,
+                   Hurrah! Hurrah!
+    And 'Cutlets' and 'Hubbub' and all the rest
+    May stick to the calling they're fitted for best,
+    But _we'll_ all feel gay when
+                   The 'Yankee' goes sailing home."
+
+In spite of the peace news we got orders to go out with the "Dixie" and
+blockade the Crooked Island Passage. So about four o'clock we hauled up
+the anchor and went to sea. All were gay, and many shook their hands in
+farewell to Guantanamo Bay.
+
+We were instructed to keep a sharp lookout for the steamer "Monserrat,"
+which had gained fame as a blockade runner. It was rumored that she
+carried Captain-General Blanco; that she was well armed, and had a
+captain noted for his unscrupulousness and for his fighting qualities.
+
+"I'd like to meet that ship," said "Hay," "have a good 'scrap' with her,
+get a couple of shot holes in our upper works and battle flags, and then
+bring her triumphantly into Key West or, better still, New York."
+
+"Want to go out in a blaze of glory, do you?" said Tommy, the long.
+
+"Sure. I'd like to burn some of that powder we took such trouble to
+load."
+
+This expressed the sentiments of the whole ship's company.
+
+To have one more good fight--in which we were to come out victorious, of
+course--get a few souvenir shot holes where no harm would be done, and
+then go home. This would just about have suited us.
+
+We floated around lazily all day Friday and Saturday with a chip on our
+shoulder, as it were, but no "Monserrat" came to knock it off.
+
+The lookouts at the masthead strained their eyes, and half the men not
+actually at work did likewise. All in vain; not an enemy did we see. A
+number of transports homeward bound, bearing worn but happy soldiers,
+were passed, and some came near enough to exchange cheers and good
+wishes.
+
+The screw revolved but slowly, and the ship moved just enough to give
+steerage way. Every passing wave did as it wished with the great hulk,
+and she rolled like a log in the long swell.
+
+Sunday night a change came over the almost quiet ship. The propeller
+turned with some energy; the steering engine whirred, and the "Yankee"
+changed her course. This time she headed straight for Guantanamo, and
+before many minutes we knew that we were returning to our old anchorage.
+The orders were to blockade the passage and keep a bright lookout for
+the "Monserrat"; if by Sunday at six o'clock she had not appeared, we
+were to return to the fleet.
+
+The men who were so sure that we should never see Guantanamo again wore
+a sheepish air, and those who were not so sure lorded over them and
+remarked cheerfully, "I told you so."
+
+Those of us who were sleeping at midnight were wakened and told to come
+to the port and look. Sleepily we obeyed, but the moment we reached the
+opening we were wide awake. There, not three miles off, rolling in the
+ground swell, lay a great fleet, the searchlights sweeping the heavens
+and sea; the signal lanterns twinkling.
+
+As we looked, we saw at the masthead of the foremost vessel the signal
+lights spell out A followed by D, the "Yankee's" private night signal.
+Then, and our eyes almost started from our heads as we gazed, the lights
+continued to spell:
+
+"Blockade raised; hostilities ceased."
+
+"Hurrah!" shouted some one behind me.
+
+"Wait a minute," said "Hay," "that's not all."
+
+The lights went on spelling: "We are on our way to New York. You are to
+proceed to Guantanamo."
+
+The hurrah, as we spelled out the first sentences, was followed by a
+groan, as we read the last. We were glad, indeed, to know that peace had
+come, but it was hard to see that great fleet homeward bound, and know
+that we must go back to our old post, to stay indefinitely.
+
+"Hope deferred maketh the heart sick."
+
+
+CHAPTER XX.
+
+TAPS.
+
+The days following our arrival at Guantanamo were days of keen
+expectation and equally keen disappointment. A rumor that we were to
+return home at once would start up from nowhere in particular, and
+circulate until it was believed. Then would come a denial and consequent
+discontent. The enforced idleness of riding at anchor day after day
+became so monotonous at last, that any little incident served to create
+excitement. Visiting parties between the ships were permitted
+occasionally, and the "Yankee's" crew grasped the opportunity to inspect
+some of the other auxiliary cruisers. One or two liberty parties were
+allowed ashore at Camp McCalla, from which the men returned, tired and
+warm, but full of enthusiasm and interest for the things they had seen.
+The amount of "curios" and souvenirs brought aboard would fill a museum.
+Pieces of projectiles and Mauser cartridge shells, fragments of an
+unusual red wood, and pieces of fossil rock, of which the cliff was
+composed, were stowed away in bags and ditty boxes.
+
+The bay now had a very deserted appearance. All the battleships and many
+of the cruisers had gone North. The auxiliary cruisers, "New Orleans,"
+"Newark," "Marblehead," and a number of converted yachts were all that
+remained, besides our own vessel. It was still a goodly fleet, but in
+comparison to the great squadron, seemed small.
+
+For the first time we were at a loss for something to do. Time hung
+heavy on our hands. The routine work, including morning "quarters," was
+finished by half-past ten every morning, and the balance of the day was
+spent as pleased us best, within certain well-defined limits.
+
+Much time and thought were spent in chasing down rumors, and watching
+signals from the flagship.
+
+Troopships from Santiago, laden with homeward-bound troops, sailed by
+the mouth of the harbor, but we, the first volunteers to reach the seat
+of war and to see active service, still lingered. The "Resolute" and
+"Badger" left at last, and it was rumored that we would follow next day.
+But still we lingered.
+
+Occasionally we got mail that told of home doings, and almost every
+letter finished with, "I suppose that you will soon be home, now that
+peace is declared." But still we lingered.
+
+We knew that we could hardly expect to be relieved at once; that there
+were many arrangements to be made in the Navy Department; many orders to
+be signed, and new plans to be formulated. But the thought carried
+little comfort with it. The pangs of homesickness were getting a strong
+hold on us.
+
+Dr. "Gangway" McGowan had the ship's carpenter nail a nice, smooth piece
+of board over a hole in the wire netting of his cabin door; some wag
+took advantage of the opportunity, and lettered plainly the following,
+on its white surface:
+
+[Illustration]
+
+He would have done a rushing business if he could have found a sure cure
+for homesick "heroes."
+
+On Tuesday, August 23d, our depression reached its culminating point,
+for the word had been passed unofficially that we might lay here
+indefinitely--two weeks, a month, three months--there was no telling
+when we would get away from what had become a hateful spot to us. The
+men went about with a dejected air, and while all were good-natured
+enough, there was little inclination to talk.
+
+As night drew near, we saw several troopships pass the harbor homeward
+bound, and the sight did not lighten our gloom.
+
+When the sun finally sank, we were as melancholy a crowd as ever trod a
+deck.
+
+The men gathered in little groups, bewailing in monosyllables the
+decidedly gloomy future, when some one glanced up and saw that Commodore
+Watson's flagship, the "Newark," was showing the general signal lights.
+Then, as the answering lights blazed on the other ships, the red and
+white lanterns began to spell out a message.
+
+The news spread at once that the flagship was signalling a general
+message or one of interest to the whole fleet.
+
+Soon the rail was lined with signal boys, and signal boys, _pro tem_.
+
+Those who could read them, spelled the messages aloud, letter by letter.
+
+"'Y-A-N-K-E-E'  A-N-D  'N-I-A-G-A-R-A'  W-I-L-L
+S-A-I-L  F-O-R  T-O-M-P-K-I-N-S-V-I-L-L-E  T-O-M-O-R-R-O-W.
+'D-I-X-I-E'  A-N-D  'F-E-R-N'
+W-I-L-L  G-O  T-O  H-A-M-P-T-O-N  R-O-A-D-S."
+
+With a single bound all was changed from gloom to gladness.
+
+No man could say how glad he was, but every man felt his heart grow warm
+within him. There was a deep feeling of gratitude for the providential
+care we had received, and for the happy release that now had come.
+
+"Cupid," the ship's bugler, played "Home, Sweet Home," and instead of
+mobbing him as we would have done had he played it three hours earlier,
+we applauded. He also played "America," and then "Dixie," in honor of
+our Maryland friends on our sister ship of that name. It pleased them
+mightily, as was evidenced by the cheer that came over the quiet water
+to us. Their bugler returned the compliment soon after by playing
+"Yankee Doodle."
+
+There was much good feeling when the men went below, to turn in, but not
+to sleep; we were too happy for that.
+
+As the talk and laughter gradually died down (the order, "Turn in your
+hammocks and keep silence," was not very strictly observed that night),
+a voice would be heard singing--not always the same voice:
+
+    "But we'll all feel gay when
+    The 'Yankee' goes sailing home."
+
+The following morning Scully did not have to repeat "up all hands," for
+he had hardly got the words out of his mouth before every man was
+scrambling into his clothes as fast as he could.
+
+Soon after breakfast the order was given to hoist up the catamaran, and
+then the rest of the boats were pulled up one by one. The boat's falls
+were run away with in a fashion that made the officers smile. The
+tackle-blocks fairly smoked.
+
+The only thing that marred our perfect joy was the departure of some of
+the marines to the "New Orleans." We had grown to like them all very
+much, and especially a pleasant fellow we dubbed "Happy," because of his
+unvarying cheerfulness. We had hoped to bring them all back with us, and
+were sorry to see them go.
+
+We listened with eager ears for the final order before sailing, "All
+hands on the cat falls," and just before noon we heard it. In ready
+response the men came tumbling up, and in a jiffy the anchor was pulled
+up as if it weighed five hundred, instead of five thousand pounds.
+
+The leadsman stood on his little platform and sang out, as he heaved the
+lead, the number of fathoms. It was the last touch we had of Cuban soil.
+
+As the old ship gathered headway, cheer after cheer rang out from the
+ships that were left behind, and in answer to each, our crew, which had
+gathered on the forecastle, gave three rousing hurrahs and a tiger.
+
+So we sailed out of Guantanamo Bay for the last time.
+
+It was with a feeling of sadness mixed with joy that we watched the
+headland, that stands like a guard on one side of the bay, disappear in
+the haze. We were one of the first ships to enter its then hostile
+portals. We had gained renown there; we had seen the American flag
+raised on its beautiful shores, and but a few minutes ago we heard a
+ringing American cheer come over its clear waters, bidding us Godspeed
+and a joyful home coming.
+
+The voyage home was like a triumphal journey. All hands were in high
+spirits. The gloom of a few hours before was dispelled by the talismanic
+words, "'Yankee' and 'Niagara' will sail for Tompkinsville."
+
+Though we were exceedingly glad, there was a good deal of quiet thinking
+going on.
+
+One and all realized that we had been exposed to no ordinary dangers.
+Danger from the enemy's fire; danger from a deadly climate; danger from
+the effects of unaccustomed labor; danger from wind and raging sea. We
+had been brought through safe and sound by an all-wise God to lead
+peaceful, useful, and, it is hoped, helpful lives at home.
+
+This same thought had been in our minds many times before, and with the
+feeling of thankfulness would come a sense of surprise that we should
+pass through it all without harm.
+
+We sped on and on, the ship's prow ever pointed North. We watched the
+water to note the change in color; to see when the blue water of the
+Gulf Stream should be left behind and the green northern sea should be
+entered.
+
+As we neared New York our impatience grew with every added mile, and
+this eagerness was felt by officers as well as men.
+
+We sometimes forgot that our officers were capable of feeling
+disappointment, impatience, and joy; that they also had to stand watch
+and get along on short allowance of sleep; that they, too, were subject
+to annoyances as well as we. If we had not felt this before, we fully
+realized, now, how much _our_ officers had done for us.
+
+Lieutenants Duncan, Greene, and Barnard, Dr. McGowan, Ensigns Dimock and
+Andrews, always treated us fairly and honestly.
+
+Every man has a deep-seated feeling of loyalty and affection for them
+that will last as long as life shall last.
+
+As the tropical latitudes were left astern the nights became cool, and
+the watch on deck had the novel experience of walking post in pea coats.
+Shortly after daybreak on the twenty-seventh of August the Atlantic
+Highlands were sighted, and, to quote one of the forecastle men, "All
+hands shouted to see God's country once more!"
+
+Though we had seen the Highlands, Sandy Hook, and all the familiar
+landmarks of the harbor many times, never had they seemed so attractive.
+
+The steam vessels we met tooted a welcome, as our identity became known,
+and the sailing craft dipped their colors in salute.
+
+Inside the Narrows, and ranged along the Staten Island shore, we found
+our companions of the Santiago blockade, and, as we passed through the
+fleet to our anchorage, the crew stood at "quarters" in their honor.
+
+We heard later of the great reception these tried and true fighting
+ships of Uncle Sam's had received, and we only regretted that we were
+not present to add our little mite to the applause.
+
+After two days' stay off Tompkinsville, during which time the ship was
+fairly overrun with visitors eager to see the "Yankee" and her crew of
+"heroes," we steamed through the Narrows en route for League Island.
+Orders had arrived from Washington providing for the paying off and
+discharge of the New York Naval Reserves, and little time was lost in
+obeying.
+
+On reaching League Island, the naval station near Philadelphia, we found
+the old-time war monitors "Nahant" and "Jason" in port. The crew of the
+"Nahant," made up of the New York Naval Reserves, were in readiness to
+accompany the "Yankee's" crew back to the metropolis.
+
+While waiting for the specified date--Friday, September 2d--bags were
+packed for the last time, and all preparations made for leaving the
+ship. Now that the hour for departure was rapidly approaching, many of
+the boys began to express regrets. Despite the hardships attending the
+cruise, it had brought many happy days--days made pleasurable by novel
+and strange surroundings--and it is not claiming too much to say that
+not one of the "Yankee's" crew would have surrendered his experience.
+
+Friendships had been formed, too--friendships cemented by good
+fellowship and mutual peril. Those who have spent many days at sea know
+that acquaintances made on shipboard in the midst of calms and storms
+and the dangers of the deep, are lasting. And that was now being
+impressed upon the boys of the "Yankee."
+
+While the crews of the "Nahant" and "Yankee" were preparing for the
+railway trip to New York, arrangements were being made in that city for
+a rousing welcome to the returning Naval Reserve Battalion.
+
+Shortly after ten the boys were mustered aft to hear Captain Brownson's
+parting speech. In his usual brisk manner he said that we were now to go
+back to our peaceful avocations; to our homes; to join our relatives and
+friends, and to become again private citizens. He ended by wishing us
+the best of luck.
+
+The cheers that followed shook the old ship from keel to topmast, nor
+were the cheers for Lieutenant Hubbard any the less hearty.
+
+A very few minutes after, we piled into a tug and steamed away. Little
+was said, for there was a feeling of real regret: we were fond of the
+old boat, after all.
+
+"Patt," the gunner's mate; the marines, and the few men of the engineer
+force who stayed on board, waved good-by.
+
+We boarded a special train with the crew and officers of the "Nahant,"
+and were soon speeding over the level country towards New York.
+
+After a very fast trip we reached Jersey City, where we were fitted out
+with rifles and belts, and were met by the band that was to lead us
+through the city.
+
+[Illustration: MARCHING THROUGH CITY HALL PARK, NEW YORK CITY]
+
+The people of New York turned out to give us a rousing welcome.
+
+It was a welcome we shall never forget--a welcome that made us forget
+all hardships, all dangers. Whatever pride we may have had in our
+achievements was drowned in that thunderous greeting; we were humbled,
+for real heroes could hardly have deserved such a reception.
+
+The Mayor stood in front of the City Hall and reviewed us, and later we
+were reviewed by the President himself, at Madison Square.
+
+As the head of the column turned down Twenty-sixth Street, heading to
+our old receiving ship the "New Hampshire," the band struck up "Home,
+Sweet Home." The men still marched with heads erect and eyes to the
+front, but many of those eyes were dimmed with a moisture that almost
+prevented their owners from seeing the long, homeward-bound pennant that
+floated from the masthead of the old frigate.
+
+As for the greeting given by mothers and sisters and relatives of every
+degree and by friends assembled on the "New Hampshire," that is one
+experience that cannot be described; it must be felt to be appreciated.
+Suffice it that every member of the New York Naval Battalion felt amply
+repaid for the hardships endured and the sacrifices made in the service
+of Old Glory. And if the occasion should again arise for the calling out
+of the Naval Reserves of the First New York Battalion, they, together
+with their comrades, the Naval Reserve Battalions of other cities, will
+cheerfully don their "clean whites" and respond to muster.
+
+"Pipe down!"
+
+
+APPENDIX.
+
+THE NAVAL MILITIA OF THE UNITED STATES.
+
+The Naval Militia is a volunteer organization made up of certain
+patriotic citizens of the United States, who conceived the idea that the
+country could be served by its sons as well in the naval branch of the
+National Defence as in the military. The subject of a naval volunteer
+force had been agitated for several years, but it was not until the
+latter part of June, 1891, that the first enlistments were made.
+
+Since that time the success of the organization has been continuous and
+most gratifying, and it has required only the recent war with Spain to
+prove that its value to the country at large cannot be overestimated. At
+the outbreak of hostilities, the strength of the Naval Militia
+throughout the country was 4,445 officers and enlisted men, but the rush
+of recruits incidental to the opening of the war vastly increased that
+number.
+
+The scope of the organization is naturally limited to those States
+bordering on the seacoast and the Great Lakes, but the interest taken in
+it to-day by the people is widespread and emphatic. The existence of
+this interest was amply proved by the enthusiastic welcome tendered the
+returning crews of the "Badger," "Dixie," "Prairie," "Yosemite," and
+"Yankee" by the citizens of the cities more closely concerned, and by
+the country at large.
+
+In a report made to Secretary Long in 1897 by Theodore Roosevelt, then
+Assistant Secretary of the Navy, these prophetic words were used:
+
+"The rapidity with which modern wars are decided renders it imperative
+to have men who can be ready for immediate use, and outside of the
+regular navy these men are only to be found in the Naval Militia of the
+various States. If a body of naval militia is able to get at its head
+some first-class man who is a graduate of Annapolis; if it puts under
+him as commissioned officers, warrant officers, and petty officers men
+who have worked their way up from grade to grade, year after year, and
+who have fitted themselves for the higher positions by the zeal and
+painstaking care with which they have performed their duties in the
+lower places; and if the landsmen, ordinary seamen, and seamen go in
+resolutely to do real work and learn their duties so that they can
+perform them as well as the regulars aboard our warships, taking pride
+in their performance accordingly as they are really difficult--such an
+organization will, in course of time, reach a point where it could be
+employed immediately in the event of war.
+
+"Most of the Naval Militia are now in condition to render immediate
+service of a very valuable kind in what may be called the second line of
+defence. They could operate signal stations, help handle torpedoes and
+mines, officer and man auxiliary cruisers, and assist in the defence of
+points which are not covered by the army. There are numbers of advanced
+bases which do not come under the present scheme of army coast defence,
+and which would have to be defended, at any rate during the first weeks
+of war, by bodies of Naval Militia; while the knowledge they get by
+their incessant practice in boats on the local waters would be
+invaluable.
+
+"Furthermore, the highest and best trained bodies could be used
+immediately on board the regular ships of war; this applies to the
+militia of the lakes as well as to the militia of the seacoast--and
+certainly no greater tribute is necessary to pay to the lake militia.
+Many of these naval battalions are composed of men who would not enlist
+in time of peace, but who, under the spur of war, would serve in any
+position for the first few important months."
+
+The last sentence of the above extract is of peculiar interest, inasmuch
+as it proved true in every particular. The crews of the auxiliary ships
+manned by the Naval Militia during the Spanish-American war of 1898 were
+composed of men who, in civil life, were brokers, lawyers, physicians,
+clerks, bookkeepers, or men of independent means. They sacrificed their
+personal interests for the moment, and, in their patriotic zeal,
+accepted positions of the most menial capacity on board ship.
+
+Prior to the outbreak of war they had entered into training with the
+utmost enthusiasm. The Navy Department had assigned some of the older
+vessels to the various naval brigades, to be used as training ships, and
+with these as headquarters the brigades began drilling. In addition to
+the regular routine, summer cruising was taken up.
+
+The First Battalion, New York State Militia, for instance, went in a
+body to Fisher's Island, off the eastern end of Connecticut, and there
+engaged in landing parties, camping, and sham battles. On another
+occasion the battalion embarked on board the battleships "Massachusetts"
+and "Texas," each militiaman having a regular bluejacket for a running
+mate, and doing just as he did. The two ships cruised in the vicinity of
+Fisher's Island, and a programme was carried out which included
+instruction in the different parts of the ship in great guns and
+ordnance, such drills as abandon ship, arm and away boats, clear ship
+for action, general quarters, signalling, and in the use of torpedoes.
+
+During one of the cruises of the Massachusetts Naval Brigade a
+detachment was engaged in locating signal stations on the coast from the
+New Hampshire State line to Cape Ann, and it was due to the efforts of
+this detachment that the signal stations established during the late war
+proved so efficient.
+
+The Naval Militia of Maryland, Louisiana, Illinois, and other States
+were given opportunities for instruction in the handling of guns, the
+care of wounded, in infantry drill, limited artillery practice with
+rapid-fire batteries, and all the details of naval life, and so well did
+they benefit by it that the authorities at Washington announced a
+willingness to trust any of the warships in their sole charge.
+
+It was to reach this pinnacle, as it may be termed, that the Naval
+Militia organizations of the United States had striven, and when they
+were finally called upon by the Government they proved their worth by
+boarding modern warships, doing the work of regular sailors, and
+fighting for their country with a degree of skill and zeal that has
+earned for them the commendation of their fellow-citizens.
+
+UNITED STATES NAVAL CODE FOR VISUAL SIGNALLING.
+
+To signal with flag or torch "wigwag":
+
+There are but _one_ position and _three_ motions.
+
+The _position_ is with the flag held vertically in front of the body;
+the signalman facing squarely the point to which the message is to be
+sent.
+
+
+APPENDIX
+
+The _first_ or 1 is a motion to the right of the sender.
+
+The _second_ or 2 is a motion to the left of the sender.
+
+The _third_ or 3: the flag is dropped in front of the sender and
+instantly returned to _position_.
+
+The entire code is made up of these three motions--1, 2, and 3. Every
+letter begins and ends with _position_.
+
+"WIGWAG" CODE. UNITED STATES NAVAL CODE FOR VISUAL AND
+TELEGRAPHIC
+SIGNALLING.
+
+ALPHABET.
+
+A    22
+B  2112
+C   121
+D   222
+E    12
+F  2221
+G  2211
+H   122
+I     1
+J  1122
+K  2121
+L   221
+M  1221
+N    11
+O    21
+P  1212
+Q  1211
+R   211
+S   212
+T     2
+U   112
+V  1222
+W  1121
+X  2122
+Y   111
+Z  2222
+
+NUMERALS.
+1  1111
+2  2222
+3  1112
+4  2221
+5  1122
+6  2211
+7  1222
+8  2111
+9  1221
+0  2112
+
+ABBREVIATIONS.
+
+a  after.
+b  before.
+c  can.
+h  have.
+n  not.
+r  are.
+t  the.
+u  you.
+ur your.
+w  word.
+wi with.
+y  why.
+
+x x 3 = "numerals follow" or "numerals end."
+sig. 3 = signature.
+3 = End of word.
+33 = End of sentence.
+333 = End of message.
+22, 22, 3 = I understand.
+
+The complete number opposite each letter or numeral stands for that
+letter or numeral.
+
+Example: The signal sent by Commodore Schley's flagship "Brooklyn" that
+memorable 3d of July--
+
+T  H    E    E   N   E   M     Y'   S     F     L    E   E   T
+2, 122, 12 3 12, 11, 12, 1221, 111, 212 3 2221, 221, 12, 12, 2, 3
+L, RLL, RL D RL, RR, RL, RLLR, RRR, LRL D LLLR, LLR, RL, RL, L, D
+
+I  S     C    O   M     I  N   G      O   U    T   O   F
+1, 212 3 121, 21, 1221, 1, 11, 2211 3 21, 112, 2 3 21, 2221
+R, LRL D RLR, LR, RLLR, R, RR, LLRR D LR, RRL, L D LR, LLLR
+
+H    A   R    B     O   R.
+122, 22, 211, 2112, 21, 211, 333.
+RLL, LL, LRR, LRRL, LR, LRR, DDD.
+
+R = Right = 1.          L = Left = 2.         D = Drop = 3.
+
+NIGHT SIGNALLING.
+
+The lights in the Ardois system--named after its inventor--sometimes
+called "shroud lights," are placed well up on the foremast. They are red
+and white electric bulbs. There are four of each placed in a line one
+above the other, in groups of two--- a red and white bulb together.
+Unlike the "wigwag" system, the whole letter is shown at once.
+
+The code is the same as the "wigwag." One is indicated by a red light,
+two by white, and three by the combination, white, white, red and white.
+
+Both systems may be mastered very easily by a little painstaking
+practice, and much amusement may be had through the mystification of
+those who do not understand it. A "wigwag" flag may be easily made by
+sewing a white square of muslin in the centre of a red bandana
+handkerchief.
+
+The best method of learning this system is to send simple messages,
+looking up the letters that there is any doubt about, and correcting
+mistakes as you go along.
+
+
+APPENDIX.
+
+NAVY CODE FLAGS.
+
+Messages sent by the navy code flags cannot be read except by the aid of
+the code book. There are ten numeral flags--1 to 9, and one for 0. All
+messages are made up by means of these ten flags headed by the code flag
+(whether it be geographical, telegraph, or navy list).
+
+For instance, a line of bunting is sent up on the flagship's signal
+halliards. It is read from the top down. The geographical flag flies
+first; then follow 7, 6, 3, 8. It means that the message can be found in
+the geographical list, number 7638.
+
+The repeaters are used to avoid confusion. Instead of putting two number
+1 flags together, for instance, number 1 is flown with a repeater under
+it; second repeater repeats number 2, and so on.
+
+PREPARATORY.--Over hoist. Prepare to execute subjoined order.
+
+INTERROGATION.--Alone. What is that signal? or "I don't
+understand--repeat." Above hoist puts signal in interrogative sense.
+
+ANSWERING.--Flown by ship receiving message indicates that signal is
+understood.
+
+AFFIRMATIVE.--Alone. Yes. Above hoist puts message in affirmative or
+permissive sense.
+
+NEGATIVE.--Alone. No. Above hoist puts message in negative sense.
+
+MEAL or NUMERAL.--Alone. Crew at mess. Above or below hoist--the numeral
+flags are to be taken as numbers simply.
+
+CONVOY.--Alone at fore, means naval convoy. Above hoist means use navy
+list.
+
+POSITION.--In manoeuvres, hoisted by each ship as it gets into position
+ordered; lowered when next ship gets into place.
+
+GUARD or GUIDE.--As its name implies--flown by guard or guide ship.
+
+TELEGRAPH.--Use telegraph list.
+
+DESPATCH or GEOGRAPHICAL.--Alone at fore, indicates that the ship flying
+it is carrying despatches. Above hoist. Use geographical list.
+
+CORNET.--Alone. Ship about to sail. Over number. Official number of
+ship.
+
+GENERAL RECALL.--Recalls all small boats.
+
+POWDER.--Hoisted alone in port. Taking powder on board. Alone at sea.
+Distress.
+
+
+RATING MARKS IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY.
+
+THE INSIGNIA OF RANK OF COMMISSIONED, WARRANT, AND PETTY OFFICERS.
+
+There are four classes of officers in the United States navy, and each
+has its own distinguishing mark.
+
+The commissioned officers of the line.
+
+The commissioned corps.
+
+The warrant officers.
+
+The petty officers.
+
+The first two classes are graduates of Annapolis, or regularly
+commissioned by the Government. The last two are composed of enlisted
+men who have been promoted.
+
+The rank device of the commissioned officers is worn on the
+shoulder-knot of the full dress uniform and on the collar of the service
+coat.
+
+The marks are as follows:
+
+[Illustration: REAR-ADMIRAL.]
+
+Foul anchor with silver stars at ends; and one stripe of gold lace two
+inches wide, and one of one-half inch wide above it, on sleeves.
+
+[Illustration: COMMODORE.]
+
+A star with a foul anchor at either side of it; and one stripe of gold
+lace two inches wide on sleeves.
+
+[Illustration: CAPTAIN.]
+
+A spread eagle with foul anchor at either side. Four one-half-inch
+stripes of gold lace on sleeves.
+
+[Illustration: COMMANDER.]
+
+Foul anchor with silver oak leaves at ends. Three stripes of half-inch
+gold lace on sleeves.
+
+LIEUTENANT-COMMANDER.--A silver foul anchor with a silver oak leaf at
+either end. Two stripes of half-inch gold lace with a quarter-inch
+stripe between.
+
+[Illustration: LIEUTENANT.]
+
+Silver foul anchor with two silver bars at either side. Two stripes of
+gold lace one-half inch wide on sleeves.
+
+[Illustration: LIEUTENANT--JUNIOR GRADE.]
+
+Silver foul anchor with one silver bar at either side. Two stripes of
+gold lace, half and quarter-inch, on sleeves.
+
+[Illustration: ENSIGN.]
+
+A gold foul anchor on collar or shoulder-knot and one stripe of gold
+lace on sleeves.
+
+THE COMMISSIONED CORPS.
+
+The commissioned corps' devices are substituted for the anchor by staff
+officers, who wear the same rank devices as are prescribed for line
+officers with whom they have relative rank.
+
+THE PAY CORPS.--A silver oak sprig and a narrow band of white cloth
+above and below the gold lace on sleeves.
+
+THE MEDICAL CORPS.--A spread oak leaf of gold with an acorn of silver,
+and a band of dark maroon velvet above and below the gold lace on
+sleeves.
+
+THE ENGINEER CORPS.--Four silver oak leaves, and a band of red cloth
+above and below the gold lace on sleeves.
+
+PETTY OFFICERS' RATING MARKS.
+
+All petty officers wear a rating device on the sleeve of the outer
+garment above the elbow. If they belong to the starboard watch the mark
+will be sewed on the right sleeve; if the port, on the left.
+
+[Illustration: QUARTERMASTER.]
+
+The petty officers' device always has a spread eagle above it. The
+specialty mark indicating to which department he belongs is just below
+in the angle formed by the chevrons. The chevrons indicate the class.
+Three chevrons, first class; two, second class, and so on. The chief
+petty officers have an arch of the same cloth connecting the two ends
+of the top chevron.
+
+The specialty marks are as follows:
+
+[Illustration: MASTER-AT-ARMS.]
+
+[Illustration: GUNNER'S MATES.]
+
+[Illustration: SEAMAN GUNNER.]
+
+[Illustration: CHIEF YEOMAN.]
+
+[Illustration: APOTHECARY.]
+
+[Illustration: YEOMAN--1ST, 2D, AND 3D CLASS.]
+
+[Illustration: SHIP'S PRINTER OR SCHOOLMASTER.]
+
+[Illustration: BANDMASTER.]
+
+[Illustration: MACHINISTS, BOILER-MAKERS, WATER-TENDERS, COPPERSMITHS,
+AND OILERS.]
+
+[Illustration: CARPENTER'S MATES, PLUMBERS, AND PAINTERS.]
+
+[Illustration: BLACKSMITH.]
+
+[Illustration: BOATSWAIN'S MATES AND COXSWAINS.]
+
+The seaman class is indicated by the rows of braid on the cuffs.
+
+Seamen, first class or able-bodied seamen, have three rows of braid.
+
+Seamen, second class or ordinary seamen, have two rows of braid.
+
+Seamen, third class or landsmen, have one row of braid.
+
+The watch mark for the enlisted men not petty officers consists of a
+stripe of braid on the sleeve close to the shoulder. For the seaman,
+white on blue clothes, blue on white clothes.
+
+For the engineer force, red on both white and blue clothes.
+
+The watch mark indicates the watch of which the wearer is a member. The
+starboard men wear it on the right arm, and the port men on the left.
+
+TAKING SOUNDINGS.
+
+HEAVING THE LEAD.
+
+The man using the "lead line" (as the sounding-line weighted with lead
+is called) stands on a grating that projects over the side. This is
+placed near enough so that the steersman can hear the man who "heaves
+the lead" when he calls out the number of fathoms of water. This he
+tells by the marks on the "lead line" as follows:
+
+ 2 fathoms, twelve feet, 2 strips of leather.
+ 3    "                  3 strips of leather.
+ 5    "                  white rag.
+ 7    "                  red rag.
+10    "                  leather with hole in it.
+13    "                  3 strips of leather or blue rag.
+15    "                  white rag.
+17    "                  red rag.
+20    "     2 knots.
+25    "     1 knot.
+30    "     3 knots.
+35    "     1 knot.
+40    "     4 knots.
+ 9    "     are called mark.
+11    "      "    "    deeps.
+
+The leadsman stands on his little grating and swings the lead so it just
+clears the water. When it is swinging well he lets it fly in the
+direction in which the ship is moving and then notes the depth by the
+strips of leather or rags. The result is shouted out so the steersman
+can hear and keep the vessel in the channel.
+
+THE BOATSWAIN'S CALLS.
+
+The boatswain's calls or "pipes" are very difficult to reduce to a
+musical scale, because the pitch of the instrument depends entirely on
+the amount of energy expended by the blower. The novice, after a few
+trials, would probably assert that the primitive little whistle had only
+one note--and not very much of that; but he would be surprised indeed at
+the volume of sound, the range, and the command over the instrument
+which a veteran boatswain would soon make everyday matter to him. Not
+only do these experts sound the regular calls with ear-piercing
+exactness, but actual tunes are often included in their repertoire.
+
+The pipe or whistle is held with the bulb in the centre of the palm, the
+hole being towards the wrist. The lobe to which the ring and lanyard are
+attached, serves simply as a handle.
+
+In the diagram given, the black line indicates the "pipe" or call; the
+four faint horizontal lines, the notes, and the vertical bars, the time.
+
+The roll indicated by the wavy line in the diagram is made by rapidly
+opening and closing the hand. The gradual rise and fall is effected in
+the same way, but slowly. The rattle is done by a quick movement of the
+tongue.
+
+This diagram is furnished by an old boatswain. As a rule, the calls are
+taught entirely by personal instruction, and it is believed that they
+have here been put into print for the first time. None of the ordinary
+manuals have ever given them, the young sailor having had to learn them
+by experience on shipboard.
+
+Their importance is evident from the fact that every order aboard ship
+is preceded by the pipe peculiar to the command; for though the words
+may not be heard, the whistle can always be distinguished. Even the most
+lubberly landsman, with such continuous practice, soon learns the
+meaning of the different calls, and jumps to obey them.
+
+[Illustration: THE BOATSWAIN'S CALLS]
+
+[Illustration: STATIONS OR QUARTERS FOR EXERCISE, OR PRECEDING ACTION,
+OF FIVE-INCH BREECHLOADING RIFLES.]
+
+1. First Captain, Second Boarder. 2. Second Captain, First Boarder. 3.
+First Loader, Second Boarder, 4. Second Loader, First Boarder. 5. First
+Shellman, Pumpman, Port guard. 6. Second Shellman, Fireman, Port guard.
+7. First Shellman, Second Rifleman. 8. Second Shellman, First Rifleman.
+
+1. Stands at elevating gear wheel and sights and fires the gun.
+
+2. Stands at the right and beside the breech; opens same after firing so
+shell can be taken out.
+
+3. Stands at the left training wheel--i.e., the wheel that moves the gun
+laterally. He also loads the gun.
+
+4. Stands at the right training wheel. He takes out the empty shell
+after firing, and wears heavy gloves for that purpose.
+
+5 and 6. Stand just behind No. 2 to the right of the gun. They may be
+termed emergency men. They assist with the shells, carry the wounded, if
+any; will be called away in case of fire, and are qualified to sight and
+fire the gun in case the first and second captains are wounded or
+killed. They provide revolvers and belts for Nos. 1, 2, and 3, and belts
+for Nos. 5, 6, 7, and 8. They are also port guards, and defend the ports
+in case of close action.
+
+7 and 8. Carry shells from the ammunition hoist to a position amidships
+convenient for quick transport to the gun. They are also riflemen, and
+may be called to protect any part of the ship from boarders or from fire
+on shore.
+
+
+
+***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A GUNNER ABOARD THE "YANKEE"***
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