Now there was always something to do, and Captain Miles, a first-class officer, saw that everything was done to perfection.
"If we do go into action," he said, "it will not be our fault if we are beaten!"
The run to Porto Rico took some days.
The lookout men were on the alert, expecting to sight land every minute.
Suddenly there was a shout from one of them.
"Porto Rico at last!" cried one of the sailors, joyfully.
"A sail!" cried the lookout man.
"Where?"
"On the port bow!"
One of the officers instantly went to the top with his binocular, bringing it to bear on a small, far distant speck on the ocean.