The sailors found Lady Selkirk and her family at breakfast. They took all the silver from the table, put it into a bag, and returned to the ship.
MAP OF THE IRISH SEA, SHOWING THE CRUISE OF THE RANGER.
Paul Jones was always troubled about this. He afterwards bought the silver for a large sum of money, and sent it back to Lady Selkirk with a letter of apology.
The people in the neighborhood were frightened when they heard of the earl's silver being taken. They ran here and there, hiding their valuables. Some of them dragged a cannon to the shore, and spent a night firing at what they supposed in the darkness to be Paul Jones' vessel. In the morning they found they had wasted all their powder on a rock!
The next day the alarm was carried to all the towns along the shore: "Beware of Paul Jones, the pirate!"
VIII.—The Ranger and the Drake.
An English naval vessel called the Drake was sent out to capture the Ranger. Every one felt sure that she would be successful, and five boatloads of men went out with her to see the fight.
When the Drake came alongside of the Ranger, she hailed and asked what ship it was. Paul Jones replied: "The American Continental ship Ranger! Come on! We are waiting for you!"
After a battle of one hour, the Drake surrendered. The captain and forty-two men had been killed, and the vessel was badly injured. Paul Jones lost only his lieutenant and one seaman. Six others were wounded, one of whom died.