"Tell your general," he said to the messenger, "that I do not consider
him a man of honor, and that he has lowered himself too deeply to be on
a level where he can confer with me."

The insurgents are in great numbers around Havana, and are making
constant attacks on the suburbs of that city.

Their force is now so strong that no one can leave the city by land, and
no provisions can be brought into it.

It was decided that an army should be led against the besiegers, and
General Weyler (having been commanded to do so from Madrid) decided to
lead this army himself.

He found himself so hemmed in by insurgents that he was unable to leave
the city except by boat, as all the roads are now in the hands of the
Cubans.

* * * * *

The results of the military bicycle trial on Long Island were most
satisfactory.

The company started out with thirty-two men, and arrived home with
twenty-eight, three having been sent back on business, the fourth man
being the only one whose wheel was too badly damaged to be ridden.

The company travelled three hundred and ninety-eight out of the five
hundred miles planned. The rest of the distance could not be made on
account of the dreadful weather.