o Ridge, saying:

"Go back to Santiago and your duty, my boy. I will convey your report
concerning the meeting with Garcia to General Shafter."

Then all hurried to the deck, and in another minute the great war-ship
had started eastward to welcome the troops, while the Spanish launch,
which had been hastily dismissed, was heading towards Santiago Bay with
every member of the party she had brought out still on board.

"What is about to happen?" asked one of the Spanish officers, in
bewilderment.

"The ships bringing the American army have been sighted," replied
Ridge, who saw no reason for withholding information that must soon be
known to every one.

Upon this there was great excitement in the launch, which was pressed
to its utmost speed, that the news might be carried to Admiral Cervera
and General Linares as quickly as possible.

At his own request, Ridge, in company with Lieutenant Navarro, was
permitted to carry it to the General, who said, quietly:

"Very good, gentlemen; and now, since the time for action has arrived,
I will assign you to the important duty of patrolling the coast, from
which you will bring to me, at Sevilla, earliest word of any attempted
landing by the enemy. You will act independently, but in co-operation
with Captain del Rey, who is already scouting in the neighborhood of
Guantanamo with his company of cavalry. It is supposed that the
landing will be made there, but--as Heaven only knows what these
Yankees may do--we must watch every possible point."

Nothing could have suited Ridge better than this; and a few minutes
later, with Santiago left behind, he and his companion were galloping
in the direction of the Morro, from whose lofty walls they would be
able to command a vast sweep of ocean and coast. Already were its
garrison crowding tower and battlement to gaze wonderingly at the
American fleet coming from the eastward. A double column eight miles
long of ships, crowded to their utmost capacity with armed men, was
advancing under low-trailing banners of black smoke, like a resistless
fate. As they neared the war-ships, that had for a month impatiently
awaited them, these thundered forth a welcome from their big guns.
Bands played, swift steam-launches darted to and fro, and a mighty
volume of cheering from twice ten thousand throats was borne to those
who listened on land like the roar of a breaking tempest. The American
army and navy had met at last, and were joined in a c