sent his name ringing over all the world, and made the British empire stand aghast.
Just as the September sun was setting, after a long and sultry afternoon, the Commodore, standing on the deck of the “Richard,” with his spyglass, noticed a few specks far off over the water. Larger and larger they grew, and nearer and nearer they came, until he saw plainly that they were the great Baltic fleet of merchant vessels escorted by two noble men-of-war. Surely this merchant fleet was safe under the protection of such an escort. Surely no harm could come to it, as it made its way slowly and majestically seaward.
Paul Jones knew that if any battle was to take place, it would be without the help of his other vessels, for their cowardly commanders were not to be depended upon. So he watched the movements of the stately procession as it neared the poor, old battered “Richard,” and sent its ripples rolling toward her hulk. But the same man
