d and requested Captain Farlow to report to
Admiral Perry.

The squadron continued on its way. The northeast wind increased, driving
black scurrying clouds before it which swept across the foaming waves
and suddenly enveloped everything in glimmering darkness. The rain
poured down on the decks in sheets and everything was swimming in a
splashing flood. What with the downpour of the rain and the splashing of
the waves, it was often impossible for the lookouts to see a yard ahead.
Added to all this was a disagreeable sticky, humid heat. It was surely
more comfortable below deck.

* * * * *

"What do you think of this Magdalen Bay affair?" asked the admiral of
the captain as the latter entered the admiral's cabin; "it is worrying
me considerably."

"In my opinion," was the answer, "it's a piece of crass stupidity on
the part of the commander of the _New York_. It is all nonsense to play
such tricks with a country where we are not particularly welcome guests
at any time, in spite of all the diplomatic courtesies of Porfirio Diaz.
The gentlemen over in Tokio have every movement of ours in the bay
watched by their many spies, and their diplomatic protests are always
ready."

"Certainly," said the admiral, "certainly, but our maneuvers are
supposed to reflect actual war, and--between ourselves--there's no doubt
but that we should treat Magdalen Bay in time of war just as though it
were American soil."

"In time of war, yes," answered the captain eagerly, "but it's foolish
to show our hand in a maneuver, in time of peace. Even if we do act as
though Magdalen Bay belonged to us, whereas in reality we have only been
permitted to use it as a coaling-station and had no right to erect a
wireless station as we did, it is nevertheless inexcusable to use that
particular spot for maneuver operations. If it once becomes known in
Mexico, the diplomats there, who are always dying of ennui, will make
trouble at once, and as we don't suffer from a surplus of good friends
at any time, we ought to avoid every opportunity of giving them a
diplomatic lever through maneuver blunders."

"Then the best plan," said the admiral in a thoughtful tone, "would be
to report the circumstances to Washington at once, and suggest to them
that it would be advisable to represent the attack on Magdalen Bay as
the result of too much zeal on the part of a poorly posted commander and
to apologize to Mexico for the mistake."