Young Glory and the Spanish cruiser

by Walter Fenton Mott

"What's up?" whispered one of the men.

"Shure, it's some fightin' for us!"

"Hope so, Dan."

"My men," said Lieutenant Robson, "the duty you are to be placed on, is not given to you because you have displeased the captain. On the contrary. But someone has to do it, and you have been chosen."

The men's faces fell at this speech.

"Yes, you are lent to the Nashville. You will go aboard at once, and my last word is—but I know it's unnecessary—that you will show your new skipper what the men of the Brooklyn can do."

The men were instantly dismissed. It took them a few minutes to collect their belongings, during which they received much sympathy from their comrades.

"You'll miss this fight, Young Glory."

"Don't talk about it," replied Young Glory, hotly. "It's enough to send a man crazy!"

"Shure, it's like desertin', I feel!"