“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.