CHAPTER XXV

THE BOMBARDMENT OF THE SANTIAGO BATTERIES

When Walter returned to his friends he was immediately surrounded and asked what had happened in the cabin. "Did the commodore slap you on the back and call you a bully boy?" queried Si.

"Well, hardly," answered Walter, with a quiet smile. "They plied me with questions and said I had had some remarkable adventures; that's all."

"Didn't praise you?" queried Caleb.

"No."

"Didn't rush up and shake hands even?" put in Paul.

"Not at all. I saluted and toed the mark, and kept toeing it until I left."

At this Paul's face fell. "Why, I thought you would be right in it, Walter," he said.

"I guess you've been reading some dime and half-dime colored-cover novels, Paul. I imagine that is the way they do in such books."

"That's it. Why, I've got a story about 'Dewey's Boy Bodyguard.' The hero in that overheard a plot against Dewey, and Dewey clasped him to his breast and made him a captain of marines."

"Indeed! And you believe such a yarn?"

"Dewey couldn't make the boy a captain of marines, not if he was an admiral twice over," put in Caleb. "Those yarns are pure trash. Paul, you had better study some good book on gunnery, and try to become a gun captain."

"I thought the story was slightly overdrawn," said Paul, growing red in the face. "There is another about the 'Boy Hero of Havana,' who saves General Lee's life at the time the Americans are getting out of Havana. I suppose that is untrue, too."

Answer the following questions:
1. What does Paul like to read?
2. Did he read one about Dewey?
3. What did Dewey do for the hero of that story?
4. What did Dewey promote him to?
5. of what?
6. What is the other story he read about?
7. Who saved him?
8. What are the Americans doing?
9. Does Paul believe this stories?
10. What does Caleb call them?
11. What does he suggest he read?
12. What for?
1. American Military stories
2. yes
3. Warned him of a plot
4. a captain
5. marines
6. General Lee
7. the 'Boy Hero of Havana,
8. getting out of Havana
9. Not quite
10. pure trash
11. books on gunnery,
12. to try to become a gun captain.