ey swept on, preserving their distances as
though performing evolutions in time of peace, the Olympia in the van,
drawing nearer and nearer to the ships that flew the red and yellow
flag of Spain. The shore batteries again roared defiance to the
invaders, but Dewey stood quietly on the bridge of the Olympia,
surrounded by the members of his staff. He wore the usual white
uniform of the service, and a gray cap such as travelers and bicyclers
wear. A huge jet of water now sprang from the peaceful sea, showing
that the Spaniards had fired a submarine mine, but no harm was done.
Then Dewey gave the quiet order to Captain Gridley, who was in the
conning tower:

"Gridley, you may fire when you are ready."

Then the guns of the Olympia spoke, and those of the other ships
followed her example. During the five times they passed and repassed
the Spanish ships and forts, their courses resembled a gigantic figure
8.

Between the entrance to the bay and the city of Manila is an arm of
land or promontory, pointing upwards and towards the city. It is on
the right hand side of the bay and is called Cavite. The word means a
fishhook, and the promontory looks something like one. Behind Cavite
and in the bay of the same name, the Spanish ships were stationed, and
at the little town of Cavite was an arsenal and quite a respectable
navy-yard.

[Illustration: Landing the Marines at Cavite.]

When Dewey withdrew his ships to ascertain what damage the Spaniards
had inflicted upon them, the Spaniards thought they had driven them
off, and so they sent a dispatch from Manila to Spain saying that they
had won a great victory over the Americans; but when Dewey made the
second attack, after breakfast, there was not much more for him to do,
for the Spaniards were well whipped. Dewey had met a foreign foe in
its own waters, and added another victory to the glorious record of
the navy of the United States.

[Illustration: Signaling.]

After the battle, one of the signal boys on the flagship wrote a very
interesting letter to his friends at home:

"... We are all nearly wild with the effects of victory. The pride of
Spain is here under our feet. No doubt before this letter reaches you,
you will read full accounts of the battle--a battle that was hard
fought and bloodless for the victorious. Not a man in our fleet was
killed. Six men were slightly wounded on the Baltimore.

"Say, it was grand! We left Mirs Bay, in China, at two a.m.,
Wednesd