A Gunner Aboard the Yankee""

d steaming toward us. Rumors were rife at once, and the excitement increased when the vessel, which proved to be the gallant crui

y!" came acro

ia!'" replied C

orders f

young Potter. "It's dead sure this

tive officer, sternly. "Corpora

es and jeers of his unsympathetic shipmates. The litt

the southward at once to look for several suspicious vessels that had been sighted in the vicinity of Barnega

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 pa

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 Hava

had obeyed the order given by the boatswain's mate, accompanied by the pipe peculiar to

t your sword on, get your sword on, get your sword on, get your sword on, get your sword on right away!" Ten minute

's mate and captain of our gun, said to "Hay," "I think we'll hav

ay," "what does

ck spot painted in the middle, supported by a raft, also tria

ery big," s

t. The red flag that flies from the top is perh

o hit that?" broke in

Tommy the confiden

rom the bridge, where they had been to report, the quick, sharp b

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

es the six-pounders on the spar deck began to bark. "Getting the range, I guess," s

p," as a shot splashed close to

ome one whispered; "no

e officer of the division. "Captain says, sir, instruct your men to shoot at the top of

at 1,500 yards, and when ready, fire." Mr. Greene's orders cam

st of us dreaded it and felt inclined to run away out of ear-shot. It was our business to

ed 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

eel; 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 gun

ay" 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

ifficult 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 som

d that this wa

nd the captain and mai

. "Ho! for the Spanish main," he shouted, fo

Ho! for five days on bread and water, if

t and the mail orderly-but no mail, and how we did long for a

aster-at-arms chased us off the gun deck. Soon the measured tread of many feet could be heard, and then

AS LOWERED

THE STAGES

to go off a

y 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

, rendering pea coats and watch caps extremely comfortable. A fine rain began to fall shortly after

e 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 distingu

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

midst of my reverie a hand was suddenly placed upon m

by sleeping on post? Why di

aptain B

ring a denial. Luckily, the discovery of the strange light, which was just faintly visible

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 t

d perhaps a superior foe to be fought, yet there was no sign of that fear which is supposed to

tra men were presently sent below to the fire room, and it soon became evident that we were in actual chase of the suspiciou

times a dash of water entered the port, besprinkling gun and crew and fighting tackle, leaving great drops t

a dark spot, like a smudge upon a gray background, became visible. "Long Tommy,"

t's another s

cried young Potter, rather wildl

become a dead hero," remarke

pped down the ladder and made a close inspection of the different five-inch guns. A

the muscles of his athletic chest and arms gleaming like white marble in the uncertain light. Most of us followed

hoes of the firemen's shovels could he heard scraping against the iron floor, and little whistlings of steam

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

mer. A dense cloud of smoke was pouring from her funnel, and it was plainly apparent that she was making every effo

he first glitter of the fiery rim appeared above the horizon, a gray, damp mist swept

READY FOR INSTANT