mighty happy as it came tumbling down through the air.

PETS ON SHIPBOARD

In November, 1906, the President, accompanied by Mrs. Roosevelt, went to
the Isthmus of Panama, where he spent three days in inspecting the
work of building the Panama Canal, returning by way of Porto Rico.
The journey was taken on the naval vessel _Louisiana_, and many of his
letters to the children were written while on board that vessel and
mailed after reaching Colon.

On Board U. S. S. _Louisiana_, On the Way to Panama. Sunday, November
11, 1906.

BLESSED QUENTIN:

You would be amused at the pets they have aboard this ship. They have
two young bull-dogs, a cat, three little raccoons, and a tiny Cuban
goat. They seem to be very amicable with one another, although I
think the cat has suspicions of all the rest. The coons clamber about
everywhere, and the other afternoon while I was sitting reading, I
suddenly felt my finger seized in a pair of soft black paws and found
the coon sniffing at it, making me feel a little uncomfortable lest
it might think the finger something good to eat. The two puppies play
endlessly. One of them belongs to Lieutenant Evans. The crew will not be
allowed ashore at Panama or else I know they would pick up a whole raft
of other pets there. The jackies seem especially fond of the little
coons. A few minutes ago I saw one of the jackies strolling about with
a coon perched upon his shoulder, and now and then he would reach up his
hand and give it a small piece of bread to eat.

NAMES OF THE GUNS

On Board U. S. S. _Louisiana_, Sunday, November 11, 1906.

BLESSED ARCHIE:

I wish you were along with us, for you would thoroughly enjoy everything
on this ship. We have had three days of perfect weather, while this
great battleship with her two convoys, the great armored cruisers,
_Tennessee_ and _Washington_, have steamed steadily in column ahead
southward through calm seas until now we are in the tropics. They are
three as splendid ships of their class as there are afloat, save only
the English Dread-naught. The _Louisiana_ now has her gun-sights and
everything is all in good shape for her to begin the practice of the
duties which will make her crew as fit for man-of-war's work as the
crew of any one of our other first-class battleships. The men are such
splendid-looking fellows, Americans of the best type, young, active,
vigorous, with lots of intelligence. I was much amused at the names of
the sev