E-text prepared by Al Haines Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 16231-h.htm or 16231-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/6/2/3/16231/16231-h/16231-h.htm) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/6/2/3/16231/16231-h.zip) "FORWARD, MARCH" A Tale of the Spanish-American War by KIRK MUNROE Author of "The Painted Desert," "Rick Dale," The "Mate Series," etc. Illustrated New York and London Harper & Brothers Publishers 1899 [Frontispiece: The Rough Riders fought without seeing the enemy.] CONTENTS CHAPTER I. A BOWL OF ROSES II. WAR IS DECLARED III. ROLLO THE TERROR IV. THE ROUGH RIDERS AT SAN ANTONIO V. RIDGE BECOMES A TROOPER VI. OFF FOR THE WAR VII. THE STORY OF HOBSON AND THE _MERRIMAC_ VIII. CHARGED WITH A SECRET MISSION IX. HERMAN DODLEY INTERPOSES DIFFICULTIES X. ON THE CUBAN BLOCKADE XI. A LIVELY EXPERIENCE OF CUBAN HOSPITALITY XII. DENOUNCED BY A FRIEND XIII. TO BE SHOT AT SUNRISE XIV. REFUGEES IN THE MOUNTAINS XV. DIONYSIO CAPTURES A SPANIARD XVI. ASLEEP WHILE ON GUARD XVII. IN THE HANDS OF SPANISH GUERILLAS XVIII. DEATH OF SENORITA XIX. CALIXTO GARCIA THE CUBAN XX. THE TWO ADMIRALS XXI. A SPANIARD'S LOYALTY XXII. ROLLO IN CUBA XXIII. THE "TERRORS" IN BATTLE XXIV. FACING SAN JUAN HEIGHTS XXV. RIDGE WINS HIS SWORD XXVI. MUTINY ON A TRANSPORT XXVII. DESTRUCTION OF THE SPANISH SHIPS XXVIII. LAST SHOT OF THE CAMPAIGN XXIX. TWO INVALID HEROES XXX. ROLLO MAKES PROPOSITIONS ILLUSTRATIONS THE ROUGH RIDERS FOUGHT WITHOUT SEEING THE ENEMY . . . (Frontispiece) "SILAS PINE GAZED ABOUT HIM WITH THE AIR OF ONE WHO IS DAZED" "'HIM HOLGUIN SPANIARD. NOW YOU SHOOT HIM,' SAID THE CUBAN" RIDGE ESCORTS A CUBAN FAMILY INTO SANTIAGO "FORWARD, MARCH!" CHAPTER I A BOWL OF ROSES In the morning-room of a large, old-fashioned country-house, situated a few miles outside the city of New Orleans, sat a young man arranging a bowl of roses. Beside him stood a pretty girl, in riding costume, whose face bore a trace of petulance. "Do make haste, Cousin Ridge, and finish with those stupid flowers. You have wasted half an hour of this glorious morning over them already!" she exclaimed. "Wasted?" rejoined Ridge Norris, inquiringly, and looking up with a smile. "I thought you were too fond of flowers to speak of time spent in showing them off to best advantage as 'wasted.'" "Yes, of course I'm fond of them," answered Spence Cuthbert, who was from Kentucky on a Mardi Gras visit to Dulce Norris, her school-chum and cousin by several removes, "but not fond enough to break an engagement on account of them." "An engagement?" "Certainly. You promised to go riding with me this morning." "And so I will in a minute, when I have finished with these roses."