ores and waters of Cuba's tropic isle, a large craft left the side of
the "New York," the flag-ship of Admiral Sampson's fleet off Santiago, and
glided towards the throat of the narrow channel leading to its land-locked
harbor. This mysterious craft was an old coal-carrier named the
"Merrimac." On board were Richmond P. Hobson, Assistant Naval Constructor,
and seven volunteer seamen. Their purpose was to sink the old hulk in the
channel and thus to seal up the Spanish ships in Santiago harbor. The fact
that there were ten chances to one that they would go to the bottom with
their craft, or be riddled with Spanish bullets, did not trouble their
daring souls. Their country called, and they obeyed.

Ranged along the sides of the ship, below decks, was a series of
torpedoes, prepared to blow the vessel into a hopeless wreck when the
proper moment came. A heavy weight in coal had been left on board, to
carry her rapidly to the bottom, and there was strong hope that she could
be dropped in the channel, "like a cork in the neck of a bottle," and
"bottle" up Admiral Cervera and his cruisers. That it was an errand of
imminent risk did not trouble the bold American tars. There were
volunteers enough eager to undertake the perilous task to form a ship's
crew, and to the six seamen chosen Coxswain Clausen added himself as a
stowaway. The love of adventure was stronger than fear of death or
captivity.

It was the morning of June 3, 1898. During the night before an attempt to
go in had been made, but the hour was so late that the admiral called the
vessel back. Now an earlier start was made, and there was no hinderance to
the adventurous voyage. Heavy clouds hid the moon as the "Merrimac" glided
in towards the dark line of coast. Not a light was shown, and great skill
was needed to strike the narrow channel squarely in the gloom. From the
"New York" eager eyes watched the collier until its outlines were lost
beneath the shadow of the hills. Eyes continued to peer into the darkness
and ears to listen intently, while a tense anxiety strained the nerves of
the watching crew. Then came a booming roar from Morro Castle and the
flash of a cannon lit up for an instant the gloom. Other flashes and
booming sounds followed, and for twenty minutes there seemed a battle
going on in the darkness. The "Merrimac" was under fire. She was meeting
her doom. What was the fate of Hobson and his men?

Cadet J. W. Powell had followed the collier with a s