Fighting in Cuban Waters

ould be seen outside of those sturdy and frowning walls behind which were

st been added the protected cruiser Minneapolis, and the New Orleans and

"I know because I saw one of the captains saying goo

st night," put in another. "We may have a figh

avy, which was doing duty just beyond the capes. The Scorpion was fast, and carried a strong searchlight, so it was likely nothing could pass her without

Si, and the others were ordered aboard without d

the oars fell into the water; "Give way!" and the blades moved in a clock-like stroke, and they w

darkness, and Walter saw that they were lying beside w

the wardroom officer, in charge of the small boat. Then a rope ladder was thrown down, and

ded a heavy fog through which the ship's lights shone but faintly. All had their baggage, and without

hen she was up at the navy-yard, so I know her from stem to stern." He took Walter by the arm. "Here is the baby I hope to manag

t how in the world do you manage such a mass

ty and hydraulic pressure. You'll learn it all after you have been on bo

y, a table was set and they messed together. The swinging table and the tableware all interested

o dine alone, so is the captain and the commander, while the other officers have what they call the wardroom mess. Then there are the steerage mess, for midshipmen, ensigns, and clerks; the master-at-arm

, but it was well cooked, and all the new men and boys ate heartily. As soon as it was f

any beds," said one of the boys, a timid lad n

answered Si, who had rather taken to the litt

es

ut, fasten them up to the hooks you see about you, and there you are. And let me tell you there is nothing finer nor

may fall out,"

urself in," answered Si, philosophically. "But you won

d Si picked up their satchels. Thinking to take out several things

in an undertone, but loud

's up

llar gold pi

it has slipped among

the Yankee youth dumped the articles out in a

came in a groan. "Now wh

ght have been done here or on

askett, watching him intently. As soon as the ex-mate

the one to play me foul," he whisp

of a man to rob a mes

pperill a birthday present, but Haskett, although he was first mate, only gave twenty-five cents,-no

y," returned Walter, cautiously. "You don't want to get into trouble right after com

ankee youth. "See, he is looking at us, and it 'pears t

as they were, Si advanced upon Haskett and

," he said, in a low tone. "Do you kn

he Sunflower stopped short. "Wha

as you know. A ten-dollar gold pi

e of taking it?" deman

f you knew any

k after. More than likely the car porter too

as my name is Si Doring," exclaimed the Yankee youth, determinedly

for one of the main features of the cruiser Brooklyn is her commodious berthing quarters, there being two complete decks, running from end to end of the sh

glad to find Si on one side of him and Paul Harbig on the other. Si showed both boys how to take their canvas

gunner, and we had a talk, and you are to take the place of a man named Silvers, who has gone lame through having a cat

, earnestly. "I'm just crazy to get at that gun you po

man took the powder and ball from the powder-monkeys, another rammed them home in the gun, and the gunner sighted his piece and pulled the string. Those days are gone, and a head gunner like myself has very little to do, even if

case which seemed to lead into the very bowels of the ship

e in the captain's cabin, and can only be had on special order and by certain persons. The magazines are kept locked continually, excepting when in use or when

ried to prove that the Maine ble

ls for the shellmen, who load them on the ammunition hoist over there, which is nothing more than a warship dumbwaiter. The hoist takes the shells up to the guns, in t

rms around the upper e

places for the sharpshoot

ange-f

as far away from each other as possible. Each man gets a bead on the enemy with his glasses, and then proceeds to get the angle between the bead and an imaginary line drawn between his station and that taken by the oth

un nothing but a mathema

it or ploughing the water below it. After getting the distance we have to calculate on how the enemy's vessel is moving, if she is under steam, and then, most important, we have to let the gun go off at just the right motion of our own craft. In some

n isn't so easy as

money to waste in that direction. Come, we'll have to get up to sleeping quarters now," concluded the old gunner, as a drum be

" said Walter. "But just one question more. Ho

ree bells, and so on, up to four o'clock, which is eight bells, when you start again from the beginning. By this means the day and night are divided into periods of time called watch