LAND HO!
The following days passed uneventfully. The storm abated late the next
afternoon, for the ship was running into southern seas where the skies
took on a deeper blue, the water a golden hue under the southern sun.
One afternoon a few days later the lookout sang out, in a voice that had
a note of gladness in it:
"Land ho!"
"Where away?"
"Three points off the port bow."
Glasses were leveled in the direction indicated, and the jackies on the
forecastle, who had heard the cry, lined the rail, scanning the horizon
with shaded eyes. But the land was too far away to be seen from where
they were standing.
"There it is!" cried Dan, half an hour later, as a thin blue line
appeared to rise from the sea off the port bow. "What land is it?"
"Spain, I reckon," answered a shipmate. "Leastwise, it was Spain when I
was along here last time."
"Spain, did he say?" questioned Hickey.
"Yes."
For a few moments the Battleship Boys gazed in silence. It was their
first glimpse of the shores of that far-away country. After a time the
rocky shores grew into plain sight.
"That is Portugal over there," said a boatswain's mate. "We ought to
sight Lisbon before dark."
Dan and Sam looked into each other's eyes.
"We are seeing things for sure, aren't we, eh?" grinned Hickey.
"Yes; it is a wonderful experience, well worth all the hardships we have
gone through."
"I wonder if they are going to stop?"
"I don't know. Do we make port anywhere along here?" Dan asked of the
boatswain's mate.
"I don't know. The captain hasn't taken me into his confidence yet."
"Can you blame him?" came back Dan Davis, quick as a flash.
"Look here, Little Dynamite, don't get fresh," answered the boatswain's
mate, with a good-natured laugh. "I'll tell you, though, that it is more
than likely that we'll tie up to a tree somewhere along here. We need
some repairs after the banging around we've been having for the last two
weeks. We'll have a field day when we do, and don't you forget that."
"I don't want that kind of a field day," spoke up Sam. "Field day aboard
ship means work, and lots of it."
"Lisbon lies off yonder, in that depression in the shore line that you
can make out if your eyes are good, boys," said the boatswain's mate,
pointing off the port bow.
"I see it, I see it," cried Sam.
"And I," added Dan. They gazed long and searchingly. "I was in hopes we
would run in and anchor there."
"The captain is making for some other place. We are grinding along at a
nineteen-knot gait. That ought to bring us up somewhere about to-morrow
night."
"Have you any idea where?"
"Yes; I've got an idea, but I guess you had better figure it out for
yourself."
After mess that night Dan got out a map and studied it carefully, after
having stolen a glance at the standardized compass high up on the after
part of the superstructure.
"I believe we are headed for Gibraltar," he said to himself.
"You've guessed it, lad," said the mate, coming up behind him. "I
thought you'd get your course figured out. It's better for a man to get
in the habit of looking those things up for himself. He doesn't forget
them when he gets them that way."
That night the Battleship Boys turned in full of anticipation. They were
heading into strange seas. There was hope that they soon would have an
opportunity to go ashore and see something of the people and the life
that thus far they knew only from the books they had read.
The first thing in the morning, after getting their baths and dressing,
the boys ran out on deck. There, looming faintly through the morning
mist, the mighty rock of Gibraltar rose from the sea.
"I see it," breathed Dan Davis, in a tone that was almost awe. "That is
Gibraltar, Sam."
"Yes, anybody could see it."
"Isn't it wonderful?"
"I'll tell you after I get a closer look at the place," replied the
red-headed boy.
"I never thought to see so grand a sight."
"What's that thing on top of it, Dan? They must have a church up there."
"It must be the signal tower. I remember one of the men telling about
that. It is fourteen hundred feet above the sea level."
Hickey uttered a low whistle.
"I'd hate to walk in my sleep up there."
"Up there they keep a constant watch on all ships coming in from the
sea."
"And do you think they see us?"
"Of course they do, and they know who we are, and where we are bound
probably better than we do. I wonder whether we are going through the
straits?"
"The Straits of Gibraltar?"
"Yes."
"Of course we are. We are going to all the places down around here, I
heard the Old Man and the executive officer talking about it when we
were up off Boulogne. We're going all the way around Africa before we
head back for America. It is going to be a long cruise."
"I know that, Sam. We are going to be away from home for a full year.
Think of that. But when we get back, we are going to have a leave to go
to Piedmont and see all the folks."
A bugle call piped all hands to clean ship. They were nearing port and
everything must be in perfect condition. There was need of work, for the
long storm had left the ship in bad condition.
The early view of the famous rock gave the impression of a barren cliff,
but now little patches of emerald green began to grow out of the great
gray pile.
"Look at the guns sticking out!" exclaimed Hickey, later in the day, as
the ship drew nearer and nearer.
"Wonderful!" breathed Dan.
"I don't see anything so wonderful about it. It looks business-like,
that's all," said Sam. "Say, do you know what I'll bet I could do?"
"What?"
"I'll bet that in three shots I could knock the block off the top of
that mountain with the seven-inch."
"You mean the lookout station up there?"
"Yes."
Dan surveyed it with critical eyes.
"If you did you would have to show better marksmanship than you have
thus far."
"Marksmanship? Why, I haven't fired a gun since I've been in the Navy."
"You have had dotter practice, which is practically the same thing."
"There's the town."
As they neared the southern point they could see the white walls of the
city glistening in the sun. Everywhere one looked new sights came into
view, and not for one moment did the Battleship Boys cease wondering
over what they saw.
A low, dark line attracted Sam's attention, far off to the right of
them.
"I guess that must be the Dark Continent," he said with a laugh.
Dan gazed fixedly at the point to starboard indicated by his companion.
"I think you are right. That must be Africa over there. Just think of
it! Would you like to be there, Sam?"
"I don't know," admitted Hickey. "Somehow, I always think of snakes when
Africa is mentioned."
"There's the harbor," cried Dan, interrupting.
"And I see some ships there, too."
"I believe they are war ships," added Dan. "Yes; look, look, Sam! Look!"
"Where, where? What, what?" demanded Sam, dancing about excitedly,
looking first at his companion, then toward the harbor.
"The Flag! The Flag!"
"Oh, is that all?" said Sam in a disappointed tone.
"Isn't that enough? Thousands of miles from home and to come in sight of
the Stars and Stripes! Wouldn't that send the blood coursing through
your veins?" demanded Dan, with flashing eyes.
"Yes; I guess it would make some folks blood run cold. What ships are
those?"
"Let me see; there are three of them."
"I know that--I can count. What I want to know is who they are?"
"I don't know, Sam. Here comes the master-at-arms. I'll ask him."
Dan did so.
"Those are the 'Idaho,' 'Georgia' and 'Wisconsin.' They are to join us
here for the rest of our cruise."
"Thank you," answered Dan.
By this time they were approaching the harbor, and all work was
suspended for the moment.
"Boom!" roared the "Long Island's" six-pounder. "Boom!" answered the
other ships of the fleet. "Boom!" roared a gun from the mountain. The
air seemed full of smoke and powder. Bands played, jackies shouted
themselves hoarse, flags fluttered down from gaffs, only to go up again
on the after gaffs. The American ships were at anchor, the three already
in having only just arrived.