It was the 30th of May, Decoration Day, but no services of a special character were had, although the Civil War was talked of by a dozen veterans of both the North and the South, who were now standing once more shoulder to shoulder, as Washington, Jefferson, and a hundred other patriots of old had intended that they should stand, once and forever. "We're under the stars and stripes to stay," said one man who had worn the gray at Gettysburg. "Just let those Dons show themselves, and we'll lick 'em out of their boots." The man's name was Berkeley, and he was as good a soldier as he was a sailor, and wore both Union and Confederate medals for bravery. Walter had just fallen into a light doze early in the morning when a dull booming awoke him with a start, and made him leap to his feet. "What is that--guns firing?" he asked. "That's it, lad," came from Caleb. "The commodore is giving his defiance to the enemy, I reckon. There she goes again," he went on, as half a dozen sullen reports rolled over the water. "I just wish we were in this." A Spanish warship, the _Christobal Colon_, had again showed herself at the entrance to Santiago Bay, and the _Iowa_, the _Massachusetts_, and the _New Orleans_, had been ordered to move to within seven thousand yards and open fire. Away they darted, and passed and re-passed the harbor entrance twice, firing as they sailed. What damage was done it was impossible to tell, but that the _Colon_ was hit seemed very probable, for she soon disappeared. The shore batteries also took part, and sent one big shell directly over the _Iowa_, where it burst with a noise that was deafening, but without doing any damage. "Gracious! what a racket!" exclaimed Walter, as he watched the bombardment from afar. "Racket!" repeated Caleb, who stood beside him. "Why, lad, this is nothing to what we'll have when we get mixed up. I only hope the commodore signals us to line up for the scrap," he went on, for Commodore Schley had left the _Brooklyn_ temporarily, and hoisted his pennant on the _Massachusetts_. But the signal did not come, much to the old gunner's disappointment. By dark the bombardment was at an end. It had been brought about by the commodore with the view to ascertain the strength of the enemy, his ability to shoot straight, and the number and location of the shore batteries. Now this information was gained, and it was likely to be of great value in the near future.