The _Chancellorville_ lay all night watching off the port of the two gunboats and, soon after daylight, the lookout descried three smokes to the westward and they were later made out to be the _Chicken_, the _Holy Moses_ and the _Adolphus_, the latter tagging hurriedly after the United States vessels. The _Chicken_ had been a harbour tug but she was now the U.S.S. _Chicken_, by your leave. She carried a six-pounder forward and a six-pounder aft and her main point was her conspicuous vulnerability. The _Holy Moses_ had been the private yacht of a Philadelphia millionaire. She carried six six-pounders and her main point was the chaste beauty of the officer's quarters. On the bridge of the _Chancellorville_, Lieutenant-Commander Surrey surveyed his squadron with considerable satisfaction. Presently he signalled to the lieutenant who commanded the _Holy Moses_ and to the boatswain who commanded the _Chicken_ to come aboard the flag-ship. This was all very well for the captain of the yacht, but it was not so easy for the captain of the tug-boat who had two heavy lifeboats swung fifteen feet above the water. He had been accustomed to talking with senior officers from his own pilot house through the intercession of the blessed megaphone. However he got a lifeboat overside and was pulled to the _Chancellorville_ by three men--which cut his crew almost into halves. In the cabin of the _Chancellorville_, Surrey disclosed to his two captains his desires concerning the Spanish gunboats and they were glad for being ordered down from the Nuevitas station where life was very dull. He also announced that there was a shore battery containing, he believed, four field guns--three-point-twos. His draught--he spoke of it as _his_ draught--would enable him to go in close enough to engage the battery at moderate range, but he pointed out that the main parts of the attempt to destroy the Spanish gunboats must be left to the _Holy Moses_ and the _Chicken_. His business, he thought, could only be to keep the air so singing about the ears of the battery that the men at the guns would be unable to take an interest in the dash of the smaller American craft into the bay. The officers spoke in their turns. The captain of the _Chicken_ announced that he saw no difficulties. The squadron would follow the senior officer in line ahead, the _S. O._ would engage the batteries as soon as possible, she would turn to starboard when the depth of water forced her to do so and the _Holy Moses_ and the _Chicken_ would run past her into the bay and fight the Spanish ships wherever they were to be found. The captain of the _Holy Moses_ after some moments of dignified thought said that he had no suggestions to make that would better this plan. Surrey pressed an electric bell; a marine orderly appeared; he was sent with a message. The message brought the navigating officer of the _Chancellorville_ to the cabin and the four men nosed over a chart.