[Illustration:  “The fusillade was lively”]

“Hay” proved to be a prophet.

An hour later, on rounding a point of land, we came upon a small, armed launch steaming about near an old-time roofed-in gunboat which was riding at anchor in the harbor.  As soon as we hove in sight the gunboat and launch opened fire.  It was at long range, however, and the projectiles merely stirred up the water a mile away.

As the “Yankee’s” guns replied, a two-masted steamer made her appearance from within the harbor and vanished behind the keys.  The fusillade was lively, we firing fully one hundred rounds, but there was little damage done.  After a time, the launch retreated, and we went outside for the night.

“It’s the last of that scrap,” remarked Tommy, the boatswain’s mate, as he piped down.  “We haven’t any time to devote to such small fry.”

CHAPTER XVI.

“Remember the fish.”

The following morning, after “all hands,” the “Yankee” started westward along the coast.  Cienfuegos was passed, and presently the cruiser was taken nearer shore.  The lookouts were told to keep watch for horsemen riding near the beach.  This order aroused our flagging interest, and the majority of men on board maintained a careful scrutiny of the white strip of land just beyond the breakers.

It was not until noon, however, that our search was rewarded.  It was just after passing a deep inlet that one of the lookouts espied a group of men gathered near the water’s edge.  There seemed to be a number of them, and not far away could be seen a blue and white flag flying from a small staff.

The engines were stopped, and a boat officered by Lieutenant Duncan, and carrying “Hay” as interpreter, went ashore.  “Hay” had spent several years in the West Indies and was thoroughly familiar with the Spanish language.  As he was unique in that respect on board the ship, he often did duty as interpreter.

The boat landed in a little cove.  After parleying for a while, one of the landing party was seen to wigwag.  A few moments later the boat returned, bringing three Cubans, one of whom was the Cuban governor of Matanzas.  The others were a captain and commander respectively.  “Hay” was immediately surrounded and asked to describe what he saw ashore.

“I have had the honor of photographing a detachment of the Cuban Army of Liberation,” he replied, quizzically.  “To tell the truth, it looked like a part of Coxey’s army.  There were about thirty of them, and the clothing of the whole outfit wouldn’t supply a New England farmer with a season’s scarecrow.  They carried guns of all descriptions, some of them with the barrels sawed off short like cavalry carbines; and not one of the men looked as if he knew the meaning of a square meal.”

“Like Washington’s army at Valley Forge, eh?” observed LeValley, joining the group.