orted that she had "wrecked a trainload of troops and
dismantled a blockhouse." When she left for her station again she was
applauded by the whole squadron. We learned later that one hundred and
fifty men were killed on the train.

Shortly after supper the "Yankee's" whaleboat was called away and sent
to the flagship, returning an hour later with sealed orders from the
admiral.

At midnight we quietly steamed from our station and passed out to sea,
our destination being unknown to all save the commanding officer.

CHAPTER XII.

IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURE.

When a man-of-war sails from port under what are called "sealed orders,"
which means that the orders given to the captain by the admiral are not
to be opened for a certain number of hours, or until the ship reaches a
certain degree of latitude, there is a mystery about the affair which
appeals strongly to the crew.

We of the "Yankee" felt very curious as to our destination when we left
Santiago that night, and the interest was greatly stimulated by the
discovery, before we had gone very far, that the "St. Louis" and
"Marblehead" were following us.

The "Rumor Committee" went into active session without delay.

"Bet I can guess it," said "Stump," as a half dozen of us met in the
gangway. "We are bound for a cable station somewhere."

"To cable the news of the fight?" said Flagg.

"No. That was done by one of the other ships."

"What then?"

"To get permission from Washington to go ashore and reclaim all that
steel we wasted in the bombardment."

There was a laugh at this sally.

"I have been figuring on the cost of the fight," remarked "Hay," after a
pause. "A five-inch shell is worth $60, and as we fired about two
hundred and fifty, it means just $15,000 worth of five-inchers alone."

"Then there are the six-pounders."

"They cost $20 a shot," resumed "Hay," reflectively. "I guess we must
have fired about a million of them."

"Hardly that," smiled Tommy, "but we expended enough to bring the total
up to $18,000 at the very least. War is a costly thing, boys."

When the quartermaster on duty came off watch he joined us in the
gangway, and reported that we were steering a straight course to the
southward.

"If we keep it up we'll land somewhere near the Antarctic Ocean,"
remarked Kennedy, doubtfully. "I wonder--"

"I know, I know," broke in the "Kid," eagerly. "We're going for ice."

The burning question was solved at daybreak. The morning sun b