"You had better keep out of the way," was the grim return. "Come forward, and I'll report the matter to Lieutenant Hobson. If you have to go in with us, the best thing you can do is to strip off your clothing, and buckle a life preserver around you--just as the rest of us have done. Of course if you were on the _Brooklyn_ you know what we intend to do, and let me tell you we've some mighty hot work ahead of us." And throwing him a life preserver, the man stalked off, leaving Walter standing on the forward deck of the collier in the darkness. It was a little after three o'clock in the morning, and the _Merrimac_ was headed north-northeast, directly for the harbor entrance. From far ahead shone a Spanish flashlight, located on a hill, and by steering for this, Lieutenant Hobson knew the craft would be taken just where he wanted her. Walter was but lightly attired, and without stripping off any more clothing he placed the life preserver around him, under the arms. "When the _Merrimac_ goes down, we may not even have the catamaran to fall back on," he thought. Boom! It was the report of one of the Spanish guns on shore, and a heavy shot whizzed over the bridge of the _Merrimac_, where Lieutenant Hobson and the helmsman were standing, and fell into the waves on the starboard side. The aim was so close that the wind from the shot carried off the helmsman's cap! Other shots soon followed, and in the excitement of the moment Walter's presence on board was forgotten. The _Merrimac_ was now running at a tremendous rate of speed, her fires roaring fiercely and her boilers threatening to burst at any instant. Quivering from stem to stern under such high pressure, she shot into the harbor entrance and straight for the narrowest part of the channel. By this time the Spanish guns from all sides were sending down on her a shower of shot and shell, awful to contemplate. Seeing he could do nothing, Walter ran for the shelter of one of the companionways. "Put the wheel hard a-port!" came the order from the bold commander, who, if he was excited did not show it. "Lively now!" "Ay, ay, sir!" came from the helmsman, and the wheel went over, and was lashed fast. "She isn't coming over!" came another cry, a moment later, and while shot and shell were flying, in all directions. "What's the matter there? Charette, go down and look at the steering gear." At once Charette ran off at his best speed. He was gone but a moment, and came back all out of breath. "One of the rudder chains has been shot away, sir," he reported. "Shot away!" came from several. "That's bad." To this Hobson did not answer, but instantly ordered the engines stopped. "And open the sea-valves and come up," he added. "There is not a minute to lose now, lads, if we want to sink her and escape alive." Morro Castle and the battery opposite had heretofore been firing alone, but now came shots from Smith Cay, up the harbor, and from a Spanish warship which was bearing down upon the scene.