said, so constructed that it would always swing with the ship, and so
keep upright in a rolling sea.

"She listened intently, and finally broke out enthusiastically: 'How
nice!'

"Billy almost had a fit at that, and I nearly had, when I read his
letter."

We all laughed heartily and trooped below to enjoy a few hours' sleep
in our "folding staterooms."

The next day dawned bright and clear, and warm; with nothing to remind
us of the storm of the night before except the seedy look on the faces
of some of the "heroes" who were prone to seasickness.

The sun had not been up many hours when the masthead lookout shouted,
"Sail ho!" To which the officer of the deck replied, "Where away?"

"Dead ahead, sir. Looks like one of the vessels of the fleet, sir."

And so we joined the squadron again, after an absence of twenty-four
hours.

Nothing had occurred while we were away. Cervera's fleet was still
"bottled up" in Santiago harbor, and the American fleet held the cork so
effectively that even a torpedo boat could not get out.

After preparing the ship for the usual Sunday inspection, and arraying
ourselves in clean whites, polished shoes, and stockings, we thought we
had done all the work that would be required of us for the day. But when
the gig returned, bringing the skipper from the flagship, we learned
that we were to get under way right after dinner, and steam to the
westward.

After "turn to" was sounded at 1:15 o'clock, we noted a long string of
signal flags flying from the signal yard, which we found requested
permission from the flagship to proceed at once. As the affirmative
pennant on the "New York" slowly rose to its place on the foremast, the
"Yankee's" jingle bell sounded, and the ship began to gather headway.

At "afternoon quarters"--1:30--a drill, new to us, was taught; called by
the officers "physical drill," and by the men "rubber-necking." We
hardly felt the need of exercise. The swinging of a swab and use of sand
and canvas, to say nothing of "scrub and wash clothes" before breakfast,
seemed to us sufficient work to keep our muscles in good condition; but
it is one of the axioms in the navy that "Satan finds some mischief
still for idle hands to do," so the men were soon lined up--sufficient
space being given each man to allow him to swing his arms, windmill
fashion, without interfering with his neighbor.

A regular calisthenic exercise was gone through, such as may be seen in
gymnasiums all