Frolic departed Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on 23 July 1898 with mail for ships of the North Atlantic Station on Spanish–American War duty off Cuba and Puerto Rico.

Assigned to the Asiatic Station, she cleared Hampton Roads, Virginia, on 30 December bound for the Mediterranean Sea, the Suez Canal, and finally Cavite on Luzon in the Philippine Islands, where she arrived on 24 April 1901.

Cooperating with the United States Army in the Philippine–American War, Frolic patrolled the southern Philippines, serving primarily off Samar.

In February 1904, Frolic added patrols and target practice in Chinese waters to her operating schedule at intervals.

On 21 May 1909, Frolic was transferred to the United States Department of War for U.S. Army service in the Philippines.