invisible enemy. There was no longer
any difference of opinion as to the danger that threatened from the
Mongolians, and those officers who had been exonerated from the charge
of being too suspicious by the rapid developments of the last few hours
were considerate enough not to make their less far-sighted comrades feel
that they had undervalued their adversaries. No one had expected a
catastrophe to occur quite so suddenly, and the uncertainty as to what
was going on elsewhere had a paralyzing effect on all decisions. What
one could do in the way of defense had been or was being done, but there
were absolutely no indications as to the side from which the enemy might
be expected.

The chief cause for anxiety at the moment was furnished by the question
whether the squadron which had started for Mindanao was already aware of
the outbreak of war. In any case, it was necessary to warn both it and
the transports expected from San Francisco before they arrived at
Mindanao. The only ships available for this purpose were the few little
gunboats taken from the Spaniards in 1898; these had been made fit for
service in all haste to be used in the harbor when the cruiser squadron
left. Although they left much to be desired in the way of speed--a
handicap of six days could, however, hardly have been made up even by
the swiftest turbine--there was nevertheless a fair chance that these
insignificant-looking little vessels, which could hardly be
distinguished from the merchant type, might be able to slip past the
Japanese blockading ships, which were probably cruising outside of
Manila. This, however, would only be possible in case the Japanese had
thus far ignored the squadron near Mindanao as they had Manila, for the
purpose of concentrating their strength somewhere else. But where? At
any rate, it was worth while taking even such a faint chance of being
able to warn the squadron, for the destruction of the _Monadnock_ could
have had no other reason than to prevent communications between Manila
and the squadron. The enemy had evidently not given a thought to the
rickety little gunboats. Or could it be that all was already at an end
out at Mindanao? At all events, the attempt had to be made.

Two gunboats coaled and slipped out of the harbor the same evening,
heading in a southeasterly direction among the little islands straight
through the archipelago in order to reach the eastern coast of Mindanao
and there intercept the transport