John T. McIntyre

“ For a moment the men hesitated; they had caught sight of the advancing boat, and knew that it meant help; but the Irish dragoon’s pistol poked itself into their faces without any parleying, and in another instant the capstan was clanking merrily, and the heavy anchor was being drawn from the bottom of the cove. Then the seamen lent a reluctant hand at hoisting the mainsail and the jibs. As the wheel whirled under the skilful hands of Ethan Carlyle, the hanging canvas filled and the foot of the schooner broke the first ripple on her way seaward. ”

“ The gunnery of the latter was not now so good; she fired many times and did little or no damage; night had spread her bat-like wings above the waters when a last shot splintered the mizzen mast, and it fell in a tangle of rigging over the stern.
“Take care,” roared Longsword to Ethan, who stood directly in its way.
[278] But the warning came too late; with a wild cry the lad was swept over the side into the sea; the lugger went rushing by, having changed her course to down coast; the lanterns of the frigate could be seen gleaming for a time further out to sea. ”

“ A sudden rending roar came from the British ship’s bow, a red tongue of flame darted from a port and a haze of smoke curled upward. In answer the Montespan ran up the English flag; but Captain McHale cried bravely:
“No sailing under false colors for the Erin. We sink or swim with our own colors at the peak.”
The French flag went up to the lugger’s mainmast a moment later, and with a swing of the wheel McHale headed her toward the coast.
“We’ll get shallow water further in,” said he, “and some ugly looking rocks. A vessel of her draft will not venture in after us.” ”

“ As it afterward appeared, Ethan guessed the truth. The American prisoners about whom Longsword had spoken had just arrived in France, burning with the desire to fight against the country which had treated them so cruelly in its prisons. They were a fine body of men, stalwart and skilled in the handling of sea-going ships, and they leavened the mass of the Richard’s crew wonderfully when they came on board; from a semi-rabble of mutinous ruffians it came, in the end, to be as effective and steady a ship’s company as an officer could desire. ”

“ The great weight of the man must crush the slighter boy to the deck.
Around and around crept the soft-footed young athlete; Blake wheeled constantly to face him, still holding his high, rigid guard. Suddenly the man’s bulging muscles grew tense; Ethan knew that another moment would bring the expected rush; with the speed of lightning his right shot out and landed a smashing blow in the other’s wind; then he went dancing away, a smile upon his lips. The lad continued to follow these tactics. Every time Blake stepped in to clinch, Ethan’s left hand would dart in a quick stab. ”

“ Ethan laughed, and there was a twinkle in his eye as he remarked:
“Why, if you dislike the British so, you old fire eater, how came you to be so taken with my poor dead father? He was an Englishman.”
The old dragoon scratched his head in a rather awkward fashion, and then made reply:
“Your father was the finest gentleman I ever saw, and it was no fault of his that he was an Englishman. Sure no man can choose the country he’s to first see the light in. But he showed his quality when he resigned from the English army and came to America. ”

“ Because of a succession of contrary winds the schooner Island Queen did not enter Portsmouth harbor for almost two weeks after the time she left the Delaware Capes. As they ran up under light sail, the skipper pointed to a sloop-of-war riding at anchor, and with a strange looking flag flying at her peak.
“That’s the ship you are looking for, I think,” he said.
“Yes; she seems like a new vessel,” said Ethan Carlyle, gazing earnestly at the craft. “See, they are only bending her after sails.”
“She’s a foreigner,” spoke the mate of the schooner who stood by. “Look at the flag she’s flying.” ”

“ Within a few hours the schooner was well out in the channel and bowling along at a spanking pace; the two seamen, now that there was no immediate hope of rescue, as the boat had promised, were quiet and willing enough to work the vessel under her new masters. But Longsword kept his eye upon them for all that; he had no confidence in the faith of captured men; long experience in warfare had taught him that they were only to be depended upon when they could not help themselves.
“Is it for Ireland you’ll be making?” asked the trooper of Ethan, who still held the wheel. ”

“ When Ethan had finished he drew out the packet of papers sealed with the big splotches of red wax, and John Paul Jones locked it carefully away in a heavy, oaken chest.
“Mr. Hancock was right,” said he to Ethan. “Everything depends upon an alliance with France. With the help that her heavy fleets would render us, the troops that she could send now and then, and above all the embarrassment that a war between her and England would cause the latter country, we could gain a peace with perfect freedom and honor.” ”

“ Freedom is not worshiped here, no matter how much the French say they admire the desire for it in us.”
“I always thought,” observed Longsword as they passed a row of miserable huts, “that the poor people of Ireland were the worst housed in the world. But, faith, the French beat them. Sure a Galway beggar would turn up the nose of him at a house like one of those.”
“The people seem to lack spirit, too,” observed Ethan. “They are sullen and lowering in their looks sometimes, but they have the appearance of having given up all hope of betterment, long ago.” ”

“ Longsword promptly extinguished all the lanterns; shouts from the Drake came ever [214] more dimly through the night; a drum throbbed dully.
“They are beating to quarters,” said Ethan.
“Let them,” laughed Longsword. “Sure if they begin firing in a fog like this it’s only waste good powder they’ll be doing.”
Ethan had changed the course of the Condor until she stood as before the meeting; the wind blew briskly once more and the fog began to lift before it. The schooner had made some little distance before this died away, and the mist settled once more. Nothing was seen of the British ship. ”

“ They grew to know when morning and evening came, for the woman always brought them the bread and water at these times. And with each visit her spite against Ethan seemed to increase; the silence of the young American seemed to anger her beyond measure; once she thrust her arm through the grating and struck at him.
“Faith and you’re no favorite of hers,” chuckled Longsword, when Ethan told him of this after the woman had gone. “It’s too select ye are for her. She seems to like her boarders to be talkative and sociable.” ”

“ He is to take ship at Brest and meet Danvers at Plymouth with the dispatch. Fochard is to get the ten thousand pounds, and Danvers is to get all the credit.”
“It would seem,” said Captain Jones, “that this man has but one object in view—and that is his own profit. He keeps faith with no one.”
“No,” cried the Lascar, clinching his fist and setting his strong white teeth, “he plays false with all—with you, with Danvers—with me. But I will be revenged! If you start in pursuit at once you will overtake him on the way to Brest or on the sea; and the dispatch will be your own once more.” ”

“ Through the open door Longsword could see the landlord and his people moving about their affairs; he fancied that he caught them whispering and casting sidelong looks now and then, and began to feel troubled for the safety of the horses. At last he could stand it no longer and arose to his feet.
“I believe,” said he, “I’ll go out and give an eye to the cattle. Something tells me that they are not as safe as they might be.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t trouble, Shamus, if I were you,” said Ethan. “They’ll do very well out there. You’re prejudiced against these poor people, that’s all.” ”

“ After Longsword returned and told me how you were carried over the stern of the lugger by the falling mast, I gave you up for lost. And this is Mr. Dale, is it?”
“Yes,” said Ethan; “and he wants to sail with you.”
The American commander’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction as they took in all the fine qualities of the young sailor.
“You are a seaman, then?” he said to Dale.
“Yes, sir. My last berth was master’s mate aboard the Lexington.” Dale stood stiffly erect and saluted as he spoke.
“I’ll ship you at the same rating,” said Jones. “I wish I could get more Americans to man my vessel.” ”

“ Sure enough the American vessel now wore around and opened fire; from that distance the puffs of smoke from her sides could be seen long before the reports were heard; and when they did come, they were dull and sullen and ominous.
“Hello,” cried one of the men on the beach, “that Yankee can shoot a bit.”
[164] At the first fire the Thunderer’s bowsprit hung limply, her foresails trailing in the sea; a clutter of spars and a broken topmast hung over the deck, and the rent canvas flapped helplessly and wrapped itself about the masts and shrouds. ”

“ Once again Paul Jones, Ethan Carlyle and Longsword rode to Paris to consult with Dr. Franklin. They were warmly greeted by the sage, and he listened to their experiences with interest and appreciation.
“Captain Jones,” he said at the conclusion, “there is nothing in the gift of your country too great for your deserving. In the name of the colonies, I thank you.”
“I suppose,” remarked Ethan, after a time, “that the lost dispatch is now valueless, seeing that the alliance has already been accomplished.” ”

“ Jefferson’s papers in a small room at the south end; from the hall came the murmur of voices and now and then a steady flow of words which showed that some member was addressing the Congress.
“They do be after talking it over, Master Ethan,” said the ex-dragoon. “And it’s mighty glad they all are.”
“And no wonder,” said Ethan Carlyle, looking up from his work with a smile. “A victory now means a great deal. Defeat has followed defeat so closely, Shamus, that they, in spite of their hopeful front, began to despair of ever seeing success crown the American arms.” ”

“ London is the place for me. There I can lose myself in the throngs; and perhaps I can somehow get a ship for France.”
He gave up all hope of Longsword and McHale; bitter as was the thought he made up his mind that it would be useless to linger [283] about Plymouth in the hope of helping them; he began to think, also, that it was dangerous for him, in his sailor’s dress, to be seen upon the streets; at any time a press-gang might happen along, for the king’s ships were badly in need of men for the American war. ”

“ Dale passed the word; the gunners applied their matches and the whole broadside of the Richard hurled destruction at the grim Englishman. From that moment the night was ablaze; broadside answered broadside with echoing fury; the men at the guns, stripped to the waist, with hard set mouths and scowling brows, charged, rammed and fired like clockwork. Men standing behind screens, drenched with water, handed out charges of powder to boys who darted up and down the ladders like monkeys, passing the explosive to the guns. ”

“ As the last man was going over the side into Lieutenant Dale’s boat, Ethan Carlyle swarmed up the damaged shrouds of the American ship.
“Come back,” shouted Dale. “She is going down.”
But the boy continued upward till he reached the main top; then he drew from beneath his arm a flag, and with a few rapid blows nailed it to the mast. He had descended and clambered into the boat, which pulled rapidly away, before the Richard gave her last heavy shuddering lurch; then, with her battle flag streaming above her, she dipped grandly and sank slowly beneath the waves. ”

“ They followed the direction of his outstretched finger, and saw a carriage drawn up, with horses tied up by the bridles behind it.
“Fochard!” exclaimed Longsword exultantly.
“It can be no one else,” said Ethan.
“It’s the carriage that I spoke to ye of, I feel sure,” said Captain McHale. “The lame horse must have broken down entirely at this point.”
Ethan put his horse into a run and the others followed his example. When they reached the fire they halted; and with his hand upon the butt of a pistol, Ethan cried out:
“Stand forth, Monsieur Fochard. We have a small matter of business with you.” ”

“ The guns of the Richard were useless while the Serapis held her present position; the only damage that the Americans were doing was by the small arms’ fire from the top.
[343] With his deck reeling beneath him, and the very frame of his crazy old ship almost rent asunder by the shocks of her own guns, the dauntless commander of the Bon Homme Richard sprang along his shot-swept rail into that sleet of death. He had seen the desperate efforts of Ethan Carlyle and Longsword to drag a gun to a position from which it could be brought to bear upon the enemy, and now lent his aid in placing it. ”

“ The officers and crew of the Island Queen could never tell just what happened there in the schooner’s waist in the dim light of the lanterns. They saw a dreadful whirl of blows, two swords that looked like circles of flame, two straining, panting, laboring figures that [44] seemed to carry death in their hands. Then the decks were cleared; the shallop drew off slowly, firing an occasional musket shot, while the cries of pain from her deck showed how fierce had been her crew’s repulse. ”

“ Wallingford.
“You are apparently a friend to Captain Jones,” said the third lieutenant. “And as a man with half an eye can see, he hates the captain like poison.”
“And why?”
“Just because he’s the skipper, I suppose,” said Wallingford, with a shrug. “Simpson is one of those men who hate all those who are placed over them. He got his rank by influence, and fancies that the command should have been given him.”
[56] “I wouldn’t like to sail under him,” said Ethan.
“It is rather a good thing that you don’t belong to the ship,” agreed Wallingford. “He’d make life a burden for you, if you did.” ”

“ Any one whom they ever closed upon has been held as fast as a rat in a trap. Not one has ever escaped. The great noble whose private prison this was in the old days, Mr. Danvers, knew how to build. Ah, yes, indeed. But,” with a chuckle, “he never dreamed how his handiwork [180] was to bring me my living long years after he was in his grave. Oh, no, he never knew that.”
She unlocked the door before which she stood, and slowly swung it open, creaking and groaning. Then she stood aside and bowed mockingly to Ethan. ”