be on the safe side, so one part of the fleet was put
on the lookout along our coast; and another part, under Commodore
Schley, went around the west end of the island of Cuba; and a third
part, under Admiral Sampson, went to the east. They were all on the hunt
for the Spanish ships, but for days and days nothing of them was to be
seen.

After they had looked into this hole and into that hole along the coast,
like sea-dogs hunting a sea-coon, word came that the Spanish ships had
been seen going into Santiago harbor. Then straight for Santiago went
all the fleet, with its captains very glad to have the answer to the
riddle.

Never before had the United States so splendid a fleet to fight with.
There were five fine battleships, the _Iowa_, the _Indiana_, the
_Massachusetts_, the _Oregon_, and the _Texas_. Then there was the _New
York_, Admiral Sampson's flagship, and the _Brooklyn_, Commodore
Schley's flagship. These were steel-clad cruisers, not so heavy, but
much faster than the battleships. Besides these there were monitors,
and cruisers, and gunboats, and vessels of other kinds, all spread like
a net around the mouth of the harbor, ready to catch any big fish that
might swim out. Do you not think that was a pretty big crowd of ships to
deal with the Spanish squadron, which had only four cruisers and two
torpedo-boats?

But then, you know, the insider sometimes has a better chance than the
outsider. It is not easy to keep such a crowd of vessels together out at
sea. They run out of coal, or get out of order, or something else
happens. If the insider keeps his eyes wide open and waits long enough
his chance will come.

Admiral Cervera, the Spanish commander, was in a very tight place.
Outside lay the American ships, and inside was the American army, which
kept pushing ahead and was likely to take Santiago in a few days. If he
waited he might be caught like a rat in a trap. And if he came outside
he might be caught like a fish in a net. He thought it all over and he
made up his mind that it was better to be a fish than a rat, so he
decided to come out of the harbor.

He waited till the 3d of July. On that day there were only five of the
big ships outside--four of the battleships and the cruiser _Brooklyn_.
And two of the battleships were a little out of order and were being
made right. Admiral Sampson had gone up the coast with the _New York_
for a talk with the army general, so he was out of the way.

No doubt t