France not only treated the United States as an equal, but she went to war with England and helped the Americans win their independence. Captain Jones was a little, peppery man, and had been an American only two years, but he was trying to make up for lost time. He believed so much in the people’s right to be free, that he considered being an American citizen the highest honor in the world. He begged the high French officials and Doctor Franklin, who represented the United States in France, to let him take the _Ranger_ out and fight England all by himself. The British had taken American prisoners and treated them as spies and traitors, instead of as prisoners of war. Captain Jones wished to capture some British prisoners and teach the enemy how prisoners of war should be treated. When the Americans in Paris and the French tried to convince the brave little captain that it would be dangerous for him to go out with but one ship, he replied that he liked nothing better than “going into harm’s way,” and he finally went. He waited outside an English port till the warship _Drake_ came out. The British commander stared at the new flag, for he had never seen it before. “What ship is that?” he asked. “It is the American ship _Ranger_.” Some one on the _Drake_ made fun of the new flag, saying it looked like a patchwork quilt. “Very well,” retorted Captain Jones, “we will cover your Union Jack with it, then.” The battle between the _Ranger_ and the _Drake_ lasted just one hour and four minutes. When it was over, the _Drake_ had lost her captain and first lieutenant and thirty-eight men, killed and wounded, while the loss on the _Ranger_ was only two killed and six wounded. When Captain Jones returned to the shores of France he brought with him the _Drake_ as a prize, with a goodly crew of British prisoners to exchange for Americans. As he had promised, the Stars and Stripes were at the _Drake’s_ masthead over the British flag. There was no trouble then about saluting the American flag. All France and America went wild over this victory. In fact, nearly every nation under heaven--excepting Great Britain--was greatly pleased with the escapade of brave little Captain Jones.