"Clinkety-clink! the engine dials rang out eight knots ahead, and away steamed our vessels straight for the Spaniards. Boom! boom! Splash! The water of the harbor boiled in foam, and rose in an enormous pinnacle dead ahead of the Olympia, and then subsided as the ship rode proudly on, for the Dons had exploded their only mines unsuccessfully. Still not a sound, save that monotonous throb, throb. At last a gun report was heard, then another, and within a minute the Spanish ships were all engaging our fleet, their shells hurtling and buzzing everywhere. And from the Americans as yet not so much as a shout. But there is a limit to human patience. A burly giant, stripped to the waist, climbed on to the mounting of the big gun in the stern of the admiral's ship, and, waving his cap, shouted, 'Boys, remember the Maine!' It acted like magic. The shout was taken up from end to end of the fleet, and seemed to spur the admiral on to action, for a minute later the big turret guns thundered, and were very quickly followed by a perfect hurricane of shell. Shifting his course, the commodore turned, and, followed by his consorts, moved down the whole length of the Spanish line. Then he steamed back again, using his other guns.
"Five times did he traverse the line, drawing nearer every time. Two hours had passed like so many minutes, and by that time every Spanish ship was ablaze, and sinking or deserted by her crew. Then the fleet drew away, and, it is reported, steamed to Cavité, where the arsenals and shipping were destroyed.
"The Spaniards are said to have fought with heroic courage, and to have manned old and obsolete ships armed with useless guns. This would appear to be correct, for our losses amount to eight wounded, while one man died of heat-stroke. The Spaniards are said to have suffered very severely.
"Further particulars are expected every moment, but what has already reached us across the wires is sufficient to show that Dewey has crushed the naval power of Spain in the Philippines.
"Let us hope that the war is already at an end in that quarter of the globe."
"Phew! what a victory!" said Hal, lifting his eyes from the paper.
CHAPTER XVIII
A DESPERATE UNDERTAKING
A gigantic success had indeed been scored for America by Admiral Dewey and his fleet, and it need scarcely be mentioned that east and west, north and south, he was a hero throughout the States. For the moment the interest of the nation was transferred to another sphere; the China seas claimed the earnest attention of all. Indeed, when fuller details were to hand, it was more and more apparent that the action in Manila Bay had been of the utmost importance; and before proceeding to detail the doings of Hal, it will be as well to describe the situation more precisely.