ensign which they had hoisted shot away and hanging on the quarter
gallery in the water, the jib shot away and hanging in the water, her
sails and rigging cut entirely to pieces, her masts and yards all
wounded and her hull very much galled."

The damages to the _Ranger_ were so slight they were repaired by the
close of the following day, when she got under sail with her prize.
Despite the swarm of cruisers that were hunting for him, Jones passed
unscathed through North Channel, along the western coast of Ireland and
arrived at Brest, in France, within a month of the day he left the port,
his cruise having been one of the most remarkable in naval history.




CHAPTER VI.


One of the Most Memorable Sea Fights Ever Known--The Wonderful Exploit
of Captain Paul Jones.



I have taken Paul Jones as the highest type of the infant American navy.
There were others who fought with great bravery and did much to aid in
the struggle for American independence, but none combined in such
perfection the qualities of perfect seamanship, cool but dauntless
courage and skill in fighting.

Of course, no matter how daring our cruisers, they did not always escape