Instantly his attention was riveted, and he read the article from beginning to end.
That there should have been fighting at such a distance from America he fully expected, for Spain possessed the Philippine Islands, which lie in the neighborhood of Hong-Kong, and indeed had held them for not less than three centuries, during which period she had made a rich harvest out of them. When war commenced, an American fleet under Admiral Dewey had been lying in Mirs Bay, close to Hong-Kong; while Montojo, the Spanish commodore, was cruising close to the islands. Evidently they had met, and the newspaper had a description of the battle. Hal ran his eye rapidly down the columns of print.
"A glorious victory has been won for our nation this day, the 1st of May," he read. "Admiral Dewey, who, with his fleet of four cruisers, two gunboats, a dispatch boat, and store ships, has been lying snugly in Mirs Bay, awaiting events, sailed from his anchorage on Wednesday, April 27th, and arrived off Manila Bay on the 30th.
"The Spanish admiral had barely entered, having cruised up to Subic Bay to examine its defenses. Following in his wake, Dewey boldly steamed into Manila Bay, which, as our readers will doubtless know, is some thirty miles wide. It was a night of intense excitement. Not an unnecessary sound was made, the engines worked at their slowest, and every light was masked. Breathless with longing to be up and doing, and yet held quiet and still by love for their country, the crews, grouped round their guns, waited for something to occur.
"Like a column of ghosts the mighty battleships, cruisers, and gunboats forged ahead, a line of a mile and a half in length, at least. Led by the Olympia, the flagship, they entered the deep channel and steamed steadily past Corregidor Island. Not a sound broke the stillness; not a light was to be seen. One, two, three fine ships stole by, and yet there was no alarm. Were the Spaniards dozing? Hark! What was that?
"Another and yet another of Dewey's ships passed the forts. The sixth, the Boston, was abreast, when suddenly the darkness was cleft in twain by a mighty flash, while a loud report echoed from the island.
"'Ah, that aer more like it!' exclaimed the lads. 'That'll relieve the suspense. Swish! Aint that a shell?'"
"It was indeed a big shell, but it whizzed harmlessly overhead, to be answered next moment by the guns of the Raleigh, Concord, and Boston. Unscathed, with not so much as a rope shot away, the fleet pushed into the bay, and, turning northeast, steamed at a pace only just sufficient to maintain steerage way. Hour succeeded hour, and, instead of lessening, the excitement became even more intense. The men were ordered to sleep beside their guns, but who of them could be expected to obey? It was a physical impossibility. They lay on the hard decks, perspiring in the heat, and maintaining for the most part a grim silence.
"At last, when a weary age seemed to have passed, the east suddenly flushed rosy red in the light of another dawn, the last that many a poor Spaniard was to see. As the daylight grew, the distant coast-line, rocky headlands, and gorgeous patches of fresh green rose up out of the mist. Then, away in front, the town of Manila came into view, and a gasp of astonished delight burst from the American crews, for there was the enemy's fleet, part drawn up across the entrance of Cavité Bay, and under easy steam, while the remainder were moored farther in.
"Still, not a sound broke the silence, save the gentle, half-mournful throb, throb of the engines. Grimly, steadily, and with earnest purpose, the fleet, led by Admiral Dewey, bore down upon the enemy—the spangled banner that we love floating slowly in the tropical breeze.