Here on September 1, 1776, the lookout discovered a fleet of five ships well to windward. Jones believed that they were merchantmen, and began beating up to the largest of the fleet, but on getting closer she was found to be a frigate--the _Solebay_, of twenty-eight guns. At that Jones put his brig on the other tack, and for nearly four hours kept beyond range, though the frigate steadily gained upon him, and was at the last within less than a hundred yards, and a little on the brig’s lee quarter. The frigate had meantime been firing at intervals with her bow guns, though without effect. But now the time had come when she could yaw around, and with a single broadside cut the little brig to pieces. Any man would have been justified in surrendering at once to save life, and only a man of extraordinary bravery and resources would have thought of doing otherwise. But Jones was the man for the occasion. Fortunately, the weather was precisely to his liking--the sea was level, and yet there was a fresh breeze to fill the sails rap-full. Easing his vessel away from the wind a little to give her more headway and bring her more directly under the bows of the frigate, where she would be in less danger of a broadside, Captain Jones, in a low voice, passed the word to stand by to square away before the wind and set studdingsails high and low on both sides. Very quickly, but without attracting attention, the crew led out the weather-braces and the spanker-brails, and placed the coils of the lee-braces ready for veering away. The studdingsails in stops were brought to the rails, and halliards and sheets made fast. This done, a man with a lighted match was placed at each of the cannon on the lee side, while a quartermaster bent the grand union flag to the signal halliards. [Illustration: John Paul Jones. _From an engraving by Longacre of the portrait by C. W. Peale._] The critical moment of the day was come, and with thrilling nerves the crew leaped to obey the orders that followed in swift succession. The helm was put hard up, and as the spanker was brailed in to the mast, the quartermaster hoisted the colonies’ flag to the truck. The little brig turned like a yacht square down across the frigate’s bows, and the men at the guns fired what was at once a salute to their flag and a raking blast to the frigate. And then, out of the white cloud of smoke rolling away over her rails, rose the filmy studding-sails to catch the helpful gale. So sure had the crew of the _Solebay_ been of their prize that the sudden dash and attack from the brig threw them into a confusion from which they did not recover until the _Providence_ was beyond the reach of the grapeshot with which most of their guns were loaded. Moreover, the _Providence_ now had the heels of it, and drew steadily away. The _Solebay_ fired over 100 round shot, all told, but not one took effect.