ard here now, and not attempt to leave the yacht again so
long as she remains in Cuban waters."

And upon this opinion the trio acted, remaining below all the afternoon,
and not venturing on deck at all until after darkness had fallen.

Dinner was over on board the _Thetis_, and the three occupants of the
saloon, with Milsom, had adjourned to the top of the deck-house to smoke
their post-prandial cigars and enjoy the welcome coolness of the night
air. The former were entertaining Milsom by relating to him a few of
their recent adventures while operating against the Spanish troops when,
just as three bells (half-past nine o'clock) was chiming out from the
ships in the harbour, a violent concussion was felt by everybody on
board the yacht, and simultaneously their ears were deafened by the
sound of a terrific explosion. For a space of perhaps two or three
seconds following this a dead silence prevailed, and then from the ships
afloat and the streets and quays ashore there arose a low murmur,
instantly changing to a confused clamour of hurrying feet and shouting
voices, expressive of the utmost panic and dismay, which became a
perfect uproar when, as everybody involuntarily turned toward the spot
from which the explosion had seemed to proceed, it was seen that the
American warship _Maine_ was sinking rapidly by the head, while the
after part of her was enveloped in flames. And as everybody stared in
paralysed horror at the terrible sight, other explosions, though of a
much less violent character, were heard on board her! For a second or
two astonishment and dismay seemed to have robbed everybody of all power
of coherent thought or action; then Milsom started to his feet and
shouted in a voice that rang from end to end of the ship:

"Out boats! Each boat her own crew, and no more; you will want every
inch of room you can spare for those poor fellows who are struggling for
their lives yonder. Hurry, lads, lively now; every second is worth a
man's life, remember, for the harbour swarms with sharks! Ah, here you
are, Macintyre--come along with me! Is there steam enough in the
steamboat's boiler to move her? Good! Then we will try her. I want
two more hands. Will you come, Jack, and Carlos?"

Of course they would; and in little more than a minute from the first
explosion the boats of the _Thetis_ were tearing up the waters of the
harbour in a mad race for the honour of being first in the noble work of
rescue! An