“Hah!” said the commander of the Ranger, “then the struggle may be nearer at hand than I fancied.” He took Ethan down into the cabin, and listened to the news which the lad had of the dispatch. “The villain,” cried the captain, with flushed face, when he heard of Danvers’ charge against Ethan and himself regarding the paper. “It will go hard with him if I ever come within reach of him.” They talked for some time; the Ranger was once more under way and her nose was headed for Carrickfergus as before. Ethan and Longsword slept well that morning after they turned in, and awoke just as the Ranger ran into the outer harbor of the Irish port. The Drake was there, having arrived some hours earlier, and just as Ethan came on deck her captain was sending off a boat to the Ranger to find out what she was. The boat was in charge of a hectoring British lieutenant, and as it came alongside the American vessel he cried sharply, “Now you, sir, what ship is this?” There came no answer from the Ranger; the lieutenant saw a long line of grinning faces looking down at him over her rail and he grew purple with rage. “You unmannerly rascals,” he roared, “I’ll teach you respect to a king’s officer.” He gave a command to his men; they dropped their oars, seized their arms and followed him up the Ranger’s side. The vessel’s ports were closed and the lieutenant had mistaken her for a saucy merchantman. But imagine his consternation when he found himself upon the deck of a fully armed ship and face to face with a smiling young officer who politely demanded his sword. “What ship is this?” he demanded weakly. “The Continental sloop-of-war, Ranger,” answered John Paul Jones, still smiling. “I think your commander has been in search of us.” “He has,” answered the lieutenant, filled with anger at the result of his own and his captain’s lack of caution. “And he’ll sink you now, sir, you may be sure.” “That remains to be seen.” The American looked toward the Drake, which was now hoisting her anchors and apparently preparing to come out, and added: “The Drake seems a pretty ship, indeed, in daylight. I have only seen her once before, and that was under cover of night. She looks as though she would offer a very interesting battle indeed.” “You may be sure of that, sir,” answered the British officer stiffly. Both he and his boat’s crew were disarmed and sent below; then their boat was cast off and the Ranger made ready for action. While this was being done Ethan cried suddenly to Captain Jones: “Look there, sir!” He pointed toward the British ship as he spoke; and the captain saw a number of boats containing soldiers, pulling out to her. “Oh, Captain Burdon of the Drake is adding to his ship’s company,” commented he, evenly. “Well, perhaps he’ll need them.” “They look like volunteers, by their uniform,” remarked Longsword.