one o'clock
`` These Mexicans will have to wait until they get out of range of the Navy 's guns before they can hope to do much with their artillery , '' laughed Lieutenant Trent , then turned again to see what his sailormen were doing in the way of `` getting '' Mexican snipers from other roofs . Every minute a few bullets , at least , hissed over the roof on which the detachment was posted . Trent , believing that he was exposing more men than were needed , ordered twenty seamen to the floor below . By one o'clock the firing died slowly away . Though the Mexicans had made a brave resistance , and had done some damage , they had been so utterly outclassed by better fighting men that they wearied of the unequal struggle . `` But when the enemy get heavy reinforcements from the rear , '' Trent predicted , as he stood looking over the city , `` they 'll put up a fight here in Vera Cruz that will be worth seeing ! '' `` I ca n't help wondering , '' mused Dave Darrin aloud , `` what the rest of the day will bring forth . ''