e in it. I was
accepted, and immediately assigned to duty aboard the society's ship
_Gray Nun_, to which I am still attached. That is how I happen to be
here, and I am so glad I came, for I don't believe even you can imagine
how much we were needed. I have also discovered you, and shall write
to Dulce at once. Hoping that we may meet before long, I remain,

"Very sincerely your friend,

"SPENCE CUTHBERT.

"On board _Gray Nun_, off Siboney, _July_ 8, 1898."

"Whew!" whistled Ridge, softly, as he finished reading this letter.
"If that isn't a budget of news! Spence Cuthbert here in Cuba nursing
wounded soldiers! But it is just like the dear girl to do such a
thing. If I had only known of it sooner, though, I might have found a
chance to run down to Siboney and see her. Now it is too late, for the
_Nun_ has gone again. She will discover Rollo, though, and take care
of him. Lucky fellow! Wish I was in his place! And Comly, too! He
must have made that call and scraped an acquaintance. What cheek those
navy chaps have, anyway! So Dodley reports me as a deserter, does he?
And the dear old dad horsewhipped him. Oh, if I had only been there!
It is a shame that I haven't managed to write home, and I'll do so this
very minute."

In pursuance of this resolve, Ridge did write a long letter to his
mother, in which he told of his great disappointment at not seeing
Spence Cuthbert before she left Cuba, and sent it to Siboney to be
forwarded at the first opportunity.

After that, other exciting events in connection with his duty occupied
our young Lieutenant's attention; for at a meeting of Generals Shafter
and Toral, under a great tree midway between the American and Spanish
lines, the latter finally agreed to surrender the entire province of
Santiago, with all the troops within its limits. On this occasion each
General was accompanied by members of his staff, and to Ridge again
fell the honor of acting as official interpreter. Thus for days he was
kept so continually busy that he hardly found time for sleep. Then, on
Sunday, the 17th of July, one week after the firing of the last shot,
and two weeks after the destruction of Cervera's ships, at precisely
noon, the red and yellow banner of Spain was lowered forever from over
Santiago's municipal palace, and the glorious stars and stripes proudly
flung to the breeze in its place. The impressive ceremony was
witnessed by the Ninth Regiment of United States Inf