"That I can quite understand," Gerald answered; "but how will you get ashore?"
"I do not know, but something may turn up shortly," Hal replied hopefully.
"Matanzas, for instance," said a voice at his elbow, with such suddenness that both lads sprang round, to find themselves face to face with Samuel K. Billing. "Say, boys," the latter continued, rubbing his hands together with pleasure, "Matanzas has turned up. It's over there, on the port bow. I tell you it's nearing a stiff naval action. The commodore has decided to attack the place."
Both lads turned their eyes to the shore, and, with the aid of glasses, saw a low-lying town on the fringe of a bay, the entrance to which was crossed by rocky reefs, through which, however, a wide and very deep channel was left. To right and left forts could be seen, while on a slope farther inland a host of men were busily erecting a sand-bag battery. It was a fine morning, and the unruffled surface of the sea showed the wind had dropped.
"Look, there's Morillo Battery pointing out right clear between the headlands!" exclaimed the lieutenant, jerking his thumb in the direction of a stone-faced fort far on the inland slope. "That promontory on the right has a powerful erection known as Fort Maya, while on the left there is another of just about equal strength, called Rubal Caya. All are armed with modern quick-firing guns, so we may expect a peppering. Say, boys, have you ever heard the sing of a shell?"
"Never. What is it like?" Hal asked.
"Poom! A burst of smoke from the distant gun, if black powder is used, and then a faint kind of whisper, getting bigger every second till it's just shrieking overhead. If she don't it's a dib, dib, dib in the water, a bit of a splash here and there as the shell ricochets, and then plump she goes to the bottom. Hallo! there's the signal flying to the Puritan and Cincinnati. We're steaming in. So long, till next time."
He hurried off, leaving Hal and Gerald in possession of a pair of glasses. For the moment they were occupied in looking at the other ships in company with the New York, and at the latter herself. No one took the least notice of them, and in consequence they walked the length of the decks. What a fine cruiser the New York was! From amidships three mighty funnels poured forth volumes of smoke, while the steam sizzled and roared into the air. From her masts bristled many quick-firers, pointing from the tiers of batteries which are known as "fighting tops," and which are slung at various elevations. And from the decks six long cannon of eight inches' caliber grinned through the ports, the breeches surrounded by eager gunners. Others stood at hand by the ammunition lifts, prepared to supply more cartridges. On the bridge walked the admiral and his officers, smart, cool, and collected, and with eyes fixed upon the distant shore.
Poom! A flash and a billow of smoke burst from Point Maya, and out flew a shell, singing merrily, till it plunged into the sea some distance from the New York.
"The ball opens," said Hal quietly. "Wait till we are closer in. Then it will be warm work. I reckon we are about six thousand yards from the shore, and the Dons judged the distance badly."