day without being discovered by the great gray monsters that
blackened the sky to the west with a solid mass of black cloud
from their roaring furnaces.

Vainly the Spaniard raced. Charging along at trial test speed, the
New York soon lay across the bows of the Spanish ship, and the
crashing challenge blazed from the deck of the cruiser. A huge
puff of white smoke rolled out from the side of the flagship, and
far off, just in front of the Spaniard, a fountain of white foam
leaped into the air. In a moment the course of the strange
Spaniard was changed, and she hove to.

Shortly after, the New York led her prize further out from shore
and laid her to. Crew and captain could be seen rushing about the
deck of the ship like a nest of ants, hiding their valuables and
striving to avert some impending fate they could only guess at in
their ignorance. As she came around her name could be clearly read
on her stern, Pedro of Bilboa.

As soon as she was laid alongside, the Pedro was boarded by Ensign
Frank Marble of the New York. Ensign Marble led a prize crew,
consisting of a file of marines and seamen. With great formality
the ensign swung aboard and assumed command. A burly, bare-footed
American tar shoved the Spanish quartermaster away from the wheel
and began to set the course of the Spaniard. The Spanish crew
gathered in a terrified huddle near the forecastle and awaited
developments.

Hardly had the prize crew been put on board before another
freighter was seen going down the coast to the eastward. The New