"Hold on!" cried Ridge, springing forward. "I am going with you." "Why aren't you aboard, then?" asked the mate, with a grin, as his men gave another shove that launched the boat into deep water. Leaping into the sea, Ridge barely succeeded in clutching a gunwale and pulling himself aboard, amid chuckles of laughter from the crew. His ducking had not improved his personal appearance, and as he now sat in the bow of the boat dripping water from every point, he formed an object for so much rude wit and coarse merriment, that upon reaching the transport he was furious with pent-up wrath. On gaining the deck of the ship he hurried forward, and found her Captain smoking an after-breakfast cigar in his comfortably appointed cabin. "Well, sir, who are you? and what do you want?" demanded this individual, as Ridge presented himself at the door. "I am an army officer bearing a message of the utmost importance from General Sumner to Admiral Sampson; and as this is the only steam-vessel in the harbor, I have come to ask that you will carry me to the flag-ship." "If you haven't got cheek!" ejaculated the Captain. "So you are an army officer, are you?" "That is what I said." "You don't look it. Are you the Quartermaster-General?" "Certainly not." "Thought not. Didn't know but what you'd claim to be, though, since he's the only army officer that I take orders from." "But I am not giving an order. I am making a request that any American should be glad to grant, seeing that my message concerns the safety of the United States fleet, and may alter the whole course of the war." "What is it?" demanded the Captain, bluntly. "You have no business to ask," replied Ridge. "At the same time I will tell you, that you may be induced to get your ship under way the more quickly. The Spanish squadron is about to make a dash from Santiago Harbor with the hope of taking our fleet by surprise and escaping." "What is that to me?" asked the Captain, coolly. "What is that to you!" cried Ridge. "Why, some of our ships may be destroyed if they are not warned in time." "That is their lookout, not mine. Besides, Uncle Sam can afford to pay for them; while if this ship should be injured the loss would fall on the owners, and I should lose my job." "Do you mean that you refuse to take me out to the flag-ship?" "Of course I do," responded the Captain; "and not one foot nearer to it, or to any other warship, does my vessel move this day than she is at present." "Then, sir," said Ridge, still struggling to maintain his calmness, "I will thank you to set me ashore again, as speedily as possible." "Why should I set you ashore?" asked the Captain, with exasperating indifference. "You came on board without an invitation, and now you may stay here until the next boat is ready to run in, which will be in the course of an hour or two."