Now and then a little torpedo-boat would cut like a knife-blade through the water on messenger service; or a gunboat would drop lightly down the hill of the sea, along the top of which it patrolled so vigilantly; and ever on the horizon hung a battle-ship that looked like a great gray floating cathedral. But nobody was looking for a fight--nobody thought the Spaniard would fight--and so these were only symbols of war; and even they seemed merely playing the game. It was as Grafton said. Far ahead went the flag-ship with the huge Commander-in-Chief and his staff, the gorgeous attachés, and the artists and correspondents, with valets, orderlies, stenographers, and secretaries. Somewhere, far to the rear, one ship was filled with newspaper men from stem to stern. But wily Grafton was with Lawton and Chaffee, the only correspondent aboard their transport. On the second day, as he sat on the poop-deck, a negro boy came up to him, grinning uneasily: "I seed you back in ole Kentuck, suh." "You did? Well, I don't remember seeing you. What do you want?" "Captain say he gwine to throw me overboard." "What for?" "I ain't got no business here, suh." "Then what are you here for?" "Lookin' fer Ole Cap'n, suh." "Ole Cap'n who?" said Grafton, mimicking. "Cap'n Crittenden, suh." "Well, if you are his servant, I suppose they won't throw you overboard. What's your name?" "Bob, suh--Bob Crittenden." "Crittenden," repeated Grafton, smiling. "Oh, yes, I know him; I should say so! So he's a Captain?" "Yes, suh," said Bob, not quite sure whether he was lying or not. Grafton spoke to an officer, and was allowed to take Bob for his own servant, though the officer said he did not remember any captain of that name in the --th. To the newspaper man, Bob was a godsend; for humour was scarce on board, and "jollying" Bob was a welcome diversion. He learned many things of Crittenden and the Crittendens, and what great people they had always been and still were; but at a certain point Bob was evasive or dumb--and the correspondent respected the servant's delicacy about family affairs and went no further along that line--he had no curiosity, and was questioning idly and for fun, but treated Bob kindly and, in return, the fat of the ship, through Bob's keen eye and quick hand, was his, thereafter, from day to day.