They carried one small dingy along, and an old life-raft was left on board.

A steam-launch from the _New York_ was to follow them close in under the batteries, and lie there so long as there was a chance of picking any of them up, or until driven off.

Cadets Palmer and Powell, each eager to go on this service, drew lots to see which should command the launch, and luck favored the latter.
"When it was known that six men were wanted to accompany Hobson to almost certain death, four thousand volunteered, and three thousand nine hundred and ninety-four were mightily disappointed when the other six were chosen." "I should have felt just as they did if I had been left in camp," said Ridge, who was following this story with eager interest.
"Me too," replied Rollo Van Kyp, to whom the remark was addressed.
"The worst of it was," continued the Ensign, "that those fellows didn't get to go, after all, for when they had put in twenty-four hours of hard work on the _Merrimac_, with no sleep and but little to eat, only kept up by the keenest kind of excitement, it was decided to postpone the attempt until the following night.

At the same time the Admiral, fearing the nerve of the men would be shaken by so long a strain, ordered them back to their ships, with thanks for their devotion to the service, and selected six others to take their places.

The poor fellows were so broken up by this that some of them cried like babies." "It was as bad as though we should be ordered to remain behind now," said Ridge.
"Yes," answered Rollo.