“Listen to this nonsense,” he said in beginning. “The English must be in a ferment of terror to believe such stuff as this,” and forthwith he read:
“I saw Conyngham yesterday. He had engaged a crew of desperate characters to man a vessel of one hundred and thirty tons. She has now Frenchmen on board to deceive our minister here. A fine fast-sailing vessel, handsomely painted blue and yellow, is now at Dunkirk, having powder, small arms, and ammunition for her. Conyngham proved the cannon himself, and told the bystanders he would play the d——l with the British trade at Havre. It is supposed when the vessel is ready the Frenchmen will yield command to Conyngham and his crew. The vessel is to mount twenty carriage-guns and to have a complement of sixty men. She is the fastest sailer now known—no vessel can catch her once out on the ocean.
“I send you timely notice that you may be enabled to take active measures to stay this daring character, who fears not man or government, but sets all at defiance.
“He had the impudence to say if he wanted provisions or repairs, he would put into an Irish harbor and obtain them.
“It is vain here to say Conyngham is a pirate. They will tell you he is one brave American; he is ‘a bold Boston.’
“You can not be too soon on the alert to stop the cruise of this daring pirate.
“James Clements.”
There was also a letter that Conyngham read in even a louder tone:
“Paris, July 28, 1777.
“Sir: You have no doubt been informed by your ministry that Lord Stormont had been successful, and that the Court of Versailles had declared their ports shut against American privateers. Let your blind politicians sleep, the guns of the American privateers will waken them to their sorrows. The General Mifflin privateer arrived, and Monsieur de Chauffault, the admiral, returned the salute in form, as to a vessel from a sovereign and independent state.
“Your papers tell us that Conyngham is in chains in Dunkirk, and is expected shortly in London, to be tried and hung. I tell you that Conyngham is on the ocean, like a lion searching for prey. Woe be to those vessels who come within his grasp. No force intimidates him. God and America is his motto. Our country is duped by French artifice.”
As he finished it was noticeable to both men that the drunken sailor was paying strict attention.
“What’s your opinion of that?” asked Conyngham.
The man looked up slowly and found the captain’s eyes fastened upon his own. “I say, what is your opinion of that?” he reiterated, this time leaning forward and grasping the man by the collar of his open jacket.
So surprised was the latter that the pipe fell from his lips, and before he could control himself an oath followed the pipe—an oath in good round English.
Conyngham affected to laugh.
“Why, he has understood everything we’ve been saying,” he said, turning to Mr. Hodge again.