Determined that they should not leave the harbor until something was destroyed, Paul Jones ran to a neighboring house and got a light. With this he set fire to the largest ship. By this time the people had been aroused, and hundreds were running to the shore. There was no time to do more. The sailors hastened back to the _Ranger_, taking with them three prisoners, whom Paul Jones said he would show as "samples." The soldiers tried to shoot the sailors from the forts; but they could do nothing with the spiked guns. The sailors amused themselves by firing back pistol shots. On reaching the ship they found that a man was missing. Paul Jones was afraid that harm had befallen him. He need not have been troubled, however, for the man was a deserter. He spread the alarm for miles along the shore. The people afterward called him the "Savior of Whitehaven." Paul Jones was greatly disappointed by the failure of his plans. He knew that if he had reached the harbor a few hours earlier he could have burned, not only all the ships, but the entire town. Although the plan to destroy English property to aid the American cause, was a wise one, from a military point of view, yet we cannot understand why Paul Jones should have selected Whitehaven for this destruction. There he had received kindness and employment when a boy. His mother and sisters lived just across the bay, and had he succeeded in burning Whitehaven, the people, in their anger, might have injured the family of the man who had so cruelly harmed them. We wonder if he thought of these things. The Earl of Selkirk lived near Whitehaven, on St. Mary's Isle. As the _Ranger_ sailed by this island, Paul Jones thought it would be well to take the earl prisoner. There were many Americans held as prisoners, by the English, and the earl could be exchanged for some of these. So, with a few men, Paul Jones rowed to the shore, where some fishermen told him that the earl was away from home. Paul Jones started to go back to his vessel. But his sailors were disappointed and asked his permission to go to the earl's house and take away the silver. Paul Jones did not like this plan, but at last consented. He did not go with the men, however, but walked up and down the shore until they returned. The sailors found Lady Selkirk and her family at breakfast. They took all the silver from the table, put it into a bag, and returned to the ship. [Illustration: MAP OF THE IRISH SEA, SHOWING THE CRUISE OF THE RANGER.] Paul Jones was always troubled about this. He afterwards bought the silver for a large sum of money, and sent it back to Lady Selkirk with a letter of apology.