At the suggestion of Captain Bainbridge, the Americans determined to burn the _Philadelphia_, rather than allow the Tripolitans to keep her. This was a very dangerous undertaking, as the vessel was anchored in the midst of the Tripolitan fleet. It was also within easy range of the guns of the fort, commanding the harbor. The task was given to Stephen Decatur. In order to deceive the enemy, he took a small boat which had been captured from them a short time before. Its crew was made up of volunteers, for the chances of escape were very few. [Illustration: STEPHEN DECATUR.] Under cover of night, the little vessel sailed into the harbor, and, as if by accident, ran into the _Philadelphia_. Before the Tripolitans realized what had happened, Decatur and his men were climbing over the sides of the vessel and through the port holes. [Illustration: BURNING OF THE PHILADELPHIA.] Decatur had ordered his men to use no firearms. He did not wish to attract the attention of the Tripolitans who were in the fort and on the other vessels in the harbor. A desperate hand to hand fight ensued. In a few minutes the Americans were in possession of the vessel. Some of the Tripolitan crew had been killed; others had jumped into the sea. The Americans then set the _Philadelphia_ on fire and jumped into their boat to escape. Lieutenant Decatur was the last one to leave the burning ship. The situation of the little band was now desperate. The _Philadelphia_ was a mass of flames, lighting up the harbor for miles around. Decatur's little boat could be plainly seen, and all the vessels and forts opened fire on it. But the Tripolitans were too much excited to do serious damage. In a short time the fire reached the magazine of the _Philadelphia_ and she blew up with a tremendous crash, leaving the harbor in darkness. Decatur and his men escaped with but one man wounded. This is only one of many deeds of bravery done in this war, but we can not tell of them in this story. Lieutenant Perry, in his home in America, heard of them, and longed to be on the scene of action. He was very glad when, in the following September, he was ordered to return in the _Constellation_ to the Mediterranean. The American fleet in the Mediterranean was by this time so large that the Bashaw was convinced that the Americans were in earnest. He was glad to make a treaty of peace and release the prisoners on payment of a small ransom. In October, 1806, Oliver Perry returned to America. He was greatly disappointed that he had not been able to take a more active part in the war. He spent most of the next two years in Newport, dividing his time between study and his many friends. VI.--MORE TROUBLE WITH ENGLAND. While America was having these troubles with the Barbary States, France and England were still at war. Commerce all over the world was affected, and in some cases almost destroyed by this long war.