Congress ordered war ships to be built. While these were being made, Congress ordered trading vessels to be fitted with cannon and sent out to capture British ships. [Sidenote: =Changes his name=] When John Paul went to Philadelphia he gave his name as Paul Jones, probably in honor of Willie Jones, a friend who lived in North Carolina. Some have thought that he did not want the British to know him, if they should capture him in a sea fight. [Sidenote: =Really wants to fight=] [Sidenote: =What he could do=] Although Paul Jones really knew more about war ships than most of the men in Philadelphia, Congress gave him a very low office. But that made no difference to him, for he really wanted to get into a sea fight. In 1775 he was made a lieutenant, and joined an expedition to capture cannon and powder from the British in the West Indies. He did so well that Congress made him captain and gave him a ship. He then went on a cruise to the West Indies, where in six weeks he captured sixteen prizes and destroyed a number of small vessels. [Illustration: THE FIRST AMERICAN ENSIGN _This, the first flag to float above an American man-of-war, was raised by John Paul Jones_] [Sidenote: =Sent to France=] Congress afterward gave him command of the ship _Ranger_, and sent him to carry letters to Benjamin Franklin, who was in France trying to get the king to take sides with the Americans. [Sidenote: =With the "Ranger" at Whitehaven=] Franklin planned for Jones to take the _Ranger_ to the coast of England, and show that American as well as English ships could burn, destroy, and fight. He captured two vessels, made straight for his old town of Whitehaven, "spiked" the cannon in the fort, set some ships on fire, and escaped without harm. Near by this place, his sailors took all the silver from the home of a rich lady. This robbery troubled him so much that, afterward, at great expense to himself, he returned the silver to its owner. [Sidenote: ="Paul, the Pirate"=] "Look out for Paul Jones, the pirate!" the people said; and the _Drake_, carrying two more cannon than the _Ranger_, was sent to capture her. Five boatloads of people went to see the pirate captured. The fight lasted more than an hour. When the _Drake_ surrendered, her captain and forty-two men had been killed. The _Ranger_ had lost only two men. After this fight the English towns were still more afraid of Paul Jones. [Sidenote: =The "Good Man Richard"=] There was great joy in France when Paul Jones sailed into port. The king, who was now making war on England, promised him a larger fleet of war vessels. So, in 1779, he found himself captain of a large ship armed with fifty cannon. He called the ship the _Bon Homme Richard_ in honor of Franklin's Almanac, the "Poor Richard." Three smaller vessels joined him, and he again set sail for the English coast. The news of his coming caused great alarm. [Illustration: MARINE CANDLESTICK _From man-of-war "Constitution"_]