“They seem to have stopped, general,” said an aid who was attentively watching the advance of the Spanish vessels through his glass.

“They are a long way out of our range,” remarked General Hancock.  “We have nothing that carries far enough to injure them.  They are fully five miles out.”

“Now they go ahead again.  No, they are turning,” said the aid.

The leading ship had ported her helm, and, followed by the others, filed to the eastward, bringing the port broadsides to bear upon the Long Island batteries.

“They certainly are not going into action there,” said the general.

A cloud of white smoke arose from the bow of the leading vessel, and then across the water came the deep “boom” of a heavy gun.

“Why, that fellow has fired out to sea,” exclaimed one of the general’s staff.

“No, it was a blank cartridge.  He fired to attract attention.  See! there goes a white flag up to his mast-head!” said the officer at the telescope:  “A boat with a flag-of-truce is putting off, general.”

“Send a launch out to meet it,” said Hancock, shortly:  “and see that it does not come nearer than a mile or so from the shore.”

A few minutes after, the steam-yacht “Ideal,” which had been offered by its owner as a dispatch boat to the general, was swiftly running towards the Spanish messenger.

The aid at the telescope saw an officer step from the Spanish boat into the yacht, and then the latter put back to the Hook, the enemy’s launch remaining where she was.

The Spanish officer was conducted to the presence of the general.  In excellent English, he announced himself as the Fleet Captain and Chief-of-Staff of the admiral commanding the Spanish squadron present, and with much ceremony presented the communication with which he was charged.

The general received the missive courteously and opened it.  The expression of astonishment which came over his face as he read it for a moment gave place to one of anger.  His eyes flashed, his face reddened, and his fingers nervously played with the end of his moustache.  Then, as he read it over the second time, a rather contemptuous smile seemed to lurk about the corners of his mouth.

The staff stood by in silent but eager anticipation.  The general held the letter in his hands behind his back and walked up and down the small apartment, as if in deep thought, raising his eyes occasionally to glance at the Spanish vessels, which lay almost motionless, blowing off steam.

Finally, he turned to the Spanish officer, who stood erect, with his hand resting upon the hilt of his sword, and said, in a quiet, though determined, voice: 

“You will make my compliments to the admiral commanding, and deliver, in reply to his communication, that which I will now dictate.”

An aid at once seated himself at the table, and, at the general’s dictation, wrote as follows: