stacle for Spain's best ships.

The minutes slipped by, the crews had not completed their work on the
_Merrimac_, but at last a boatload of men, black and tired out, came over
to the flag-ship. Last of all, at 4.30, came the admiral. He had been
delayed by a breakdown of the steam launch.

Dawn was breaking over Santiago de Cuba, and nearly everybody thought it
was too late for the attempt to be made that morning. Then somebody cried:

"She is going in."

Surely enough, the seemingly deserted collier was seen heading straight
for Morro Castle. A few moments later, however, she was recalled by
Admiral Sampson, who thought it sure death for Hobson to venture in at
that hour. The _Merrimac_ did not return at once. Word came back:

"Lieutenant Hobson asks permission to continue on his course. He thinks he
can make it."

The admiral sent Hobson a message to the effect that the _Merrimac_ must
return at once, and in due course of time the doomed collier slowly
steamed back, her commander evidently disappointed with the order. All day
Thursday the collier lay near the flag-ship, and more elaborate
preparations were made to carry out the mission of the _Merrimac_
successfully. During these preparations Hobson was cool and confident,
supervising personally every little detail.

When, finally, he went on board the _Merrimac_ Thursday night, he had been
without sleep since Wednesday morning. His uniform was begrimed, his hands
were black, and he looked like a man who had been hard at work in and
about an engine-room for a long time. As he said good-bye, the lieutenant
remarked that his only regret was that all of the _New York's_ volunteers
could not go with him.

_June 3._ The hazardous voyage was begun at three o'clock Friday morning.
The _Merrimac_ was lying to the westward. Under cover of the clouds over
the moon, she stole in toward the coast and made her way to the eastward,
followed by a steam launch from the _New York_, with the following crew on
board: Naval Cadet J. W. Powell, of Oswego, N. Y.; P. K. Peterson,
coxswain; H. Handford, apprentice of the first class; J. Mullings, coal
passer; G. L. Russell, machinist of the second class. In the launch were
bandages and appliances for the wounded.

From the crowded decks of the _New York_ nothing could be seen of the
_Merrimac_ after she got under the shadow of the hills. For half an hour
officers and men strained their eyes peering into the gloom, when,
suddenly, t