Young Glory and the Spanish Cruiser Part 18

Captain Miles thought the same as Dan, but he determined to remain, because even if he could not get near enough to the Cristobal Colon to attack her, yet he was able by remaining, to prevent the Spanish cruiser from leaving the port in order to prey on American commerce.

The next day a ship was sighted.

She evidently recognized the Brooklyn, for she flew the Stars and Stripes in a very short time.

"One of ours, boys!" cried a sailor, "and I know her, too."

"You do?"

"Yes. She's a gun-boat. She's the Nashville, and I was aboard her for two years."

"A good boat, Bill?"

"A very smart craft."

It was not long before the captains of the Nashville and the Brooklyn were exchanging compliments. The skipper of the gun-boat came aboard the cruiser, and a long conference took place.

"So you'd heard of the Cristobal Colon, then?" said Captain Miles.

"Yes," answered Captain Long, of the gun-boat. "It was on her account I was ordered here. Admiral Jackson thought I might be able to help you.

More than one ship has arrived in the gulf reporting a severe chase.

She's doing great damage as a commerce destroyer, and the admiral says she must be checked."

"It's all very well for Admiral Jackson to talk that way," said Captain Miles, impatiently; "but just let him come here. He wouldn't be able to do any more than I'm doing."

"Of course, if she won't stir outside of San Juan it's difficult for us to act."

"Yes."

"What's to be done? A ship-load of wretches like that should not be at large. They're no better than wild beasts."

"I can't venture in sh.o.r.e."

"But I can, Captain Miles. My boat's very light draft. Supposing I have a look in at San Juan? I may find out something."

"A good idea, but be careful. The Cristobal Colon's a fast boat, and if she caught you, well, you know where you'd be, at the bottom of the sea in a very few minutes."

"I shall be cautious. My scheme will be to try and lure the Spaniards out of port."

"Ha! Ha! Try, by all means, but the fish won't always bite."

"You can do something for me."

"What?"

"Spare me twenty men. That is, if you're not short-handed. I am."

"I can lend you twenty, but they won't like it at all, for they're all spoiling for a fight with this Spaniard, and they want to be here when the fun begins."

"But I must have them."

"Very well. Mr. Robson!"

"Yes, sir."

"Twenty men wanted for the Nashville. We can spare them, and Captain Long is short-handed."

"Now," laughed Captain Long, "give me a fair selection, Mr. Robson. No cripple, mind."

"All our men are up to the mark."

"Good! The sooner you can send them aboard the better, for I want to start."

Lieutenant Robson lost no time. He had twenty men paraded on deck.

Amongst them happened to be Young Glory and Dan Daly.

Lieutenant Robson pa.s.sed his eye along them.

"If he doesn't like them," he said to himself, "he's hard to please."

In truth he would be, for a finer body of men never stepped the deck of a ship.

"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!"

"Do. There's no one to stop you, Dan, and it's very easy. You have only to step over the ship's sides into the mouth of the shark who's waiting there for you."

But Dan was too mad to reply.

He and his comrades very soon found themselves on the Nashville.

The first person they met aboard was Captain Long, whom they had not seen when he paid his visit to Captain Miles on the Brooklyn.