A Gunner Aboard the Yankee""

expected. An unusual activity on the part of the signal men on the flagship "New York" had not escaped our notice, and

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 w

who was too lazy to live and the neighbors finally decided to bury him.

ted an officer, beckoning to us. "Bill" grasped one e

s saying," resumed "Bill," "and they buried him up to his

urrying past us. "You 'heroes' do too much yarning to

aying, the villagers concealed themselves behind convenient tombstones and waited to see what the lazy man would do when he wo

der a few feet away. "Lively there; the 'old man' wants to break a record. When you have finishe

of chests into the hold where they would be out of the way; then we disposed of more obje

sels 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 tho

d rate. When "Bill" and I reached the paint locker we found several others preparing to

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 r

the "Kid," suddenly approaching. "We a

one arm and was hustling him along the deck. The "Kid,

laughed and laughed until the tears rolled down his cheeks. 'Whoop!' he cried, 'this is the best piece of luck

laughing I picked up

'? It's a good story, but you

anish fossils around here to-day?" "Bill" demanded. "And aren't we the

eny "Bill's" claim. Seeing the success of one story, he was on the point of telling another, when word came to

ms were covered with canvas to prevent the scattering of splinters, the steel hatch covers were closed down, hammocks were broken out of t

s were displayed stating that we were in readiness, then all hands were called to general qua

for sure," observed the first captain of Num

d the target. Maybe we won't do much after all. Just to make it interesting I

the whole ship's company,"

shook

d hungry Reserves, and on a salary of

nd provide,"

n port we could catch a glimpse of the other vessels of the fleet, and the spectacle formed by the low-lying b

he gray steel of turrets and superstructure. The "New York" and the "Brooklyn" were similarly cleared

ircle, the heavier vessels taking the centre where they could directly face the fort

e flagship, and there did not seem to be any move toward opening the battle by the forts. We

murmured "Stump," glancing shoreward rathe

in the same tone. "The day is fine and the range is good. There's the

lamp," said the second loader. "It would be a gre

trance to Santiago. Grim Morro Castle appeared almost deserted. The red and yellow banner of Spain flaunted lazily from the ramparts, but only h

rked "Stump" decisively. "It must be one of thei

exclaimed the first loader, pointing

t again," groaned "Stu

ombardment for some reason," I venture

rk," which were repeated by the "Brooklyn," the whole fleet returned to the former station several miles from shore

Dye," the chief member of the "Yankee's" choir, started one of "Steve's" little songs, which, although rendered very quietly

sign our pap

s in a natty

how to heave th

ndle guns and

e'd be leavi

rizes on the

aising m

usky Spani

onth come stea

OR

ead we ra

the Jers

rns were e

nds were a

ive our bo

see a ca

ar a newsb

moke a go

eace we do not

or stand on wa

to scrub down

ained, or brasswo

hed our face

the fog-horn'

ate sal

our hair,

ore our stocki

OR

came from the darkness just then. "Wha

Stump." "He would like to ma

form of the navigator passing forward; then Tom Le Vall

ing over there about where the 'Dol

yawned an

ll," who was leaning against the rail.

al over in Brooklyn," continued Tom. "I was almost well a

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, b

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, h

casm at that interesting point. "To tell a good story with a point to it is an art. Now, as I w

suggeste

," said

tory. 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 u

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

r 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 s

little house almost knocked me silly," broke in Tom

aising his voice, "he felt something strike him full in the

her room g

l you?" cried Bill. "You want th

astily whispered "Stump." "We've made too muc

warningly. "'Cutlets' is chasing around to-night,

nd I'll finish that story if

Tom, with evident de

followed