"Captain," he said, "my orders are from General Blanco himself. He charged me above all things to see these people safe at once, even if I had to go out to the ships with them. I don't see that there is but one thing we can do."
"What is it?"
"We will have to hoist a flag of truce and take them out on this vessel."
The captain started.
"Can we trust the Americans?" he gasped.
"They are expecting us," said the lieutenant quietly.
And then for a minute the captain was silent; when he spoke it was to the man at the wheel.
"Steer us out to the Yankee fleet," he said. "It will have to be done, and run up that white flag."
Perhaps ten minutes after that the blockading squadron sighted a Spanish gunboat coming toward them with a flag of truce.