Dr. Franklin wrote him a letter, praising him for his bravery. He thanked him, most of all, for the prisoners he had captured. There were so many of them that, by exchange, every American, held by the English, could be set at liberty.
While Paul Jones was enjoying this praise, Captain Landais was going about also, claiming for himself the glory for the capture of the Serapis, and trying to make people believe that he was the real hero.
When Dr. Franklin heard from the sailors how he had fired upon the Richard, he ordered him to Paris to be tried.
During the next year, Paul Jones made a few short cruises, but accomplished nothing more than the taking of a few prizes.
At this time the army of George Washington was sorely in need of clothing and military supplies. Word was sent to Dr. Franklin to buy them in France and send them to America by Paul Jones.
Fifteen thousand muskets, with powder, and one hundred and twenty bales of cloth, were bought and stored in the Alliance and the Ariel. Dr. Franklin told Paul Jones to sail with these goods at once. This was early in the year 1780.
The summer came and passed away, and the ships were still anchored in the French harbor. Paul Jones gave excuse after excuse until the patience of Dr. Franklin was about gone.
Captain Landais had been one cause of the delay. Instead of going to Paris for trial, as Franklin had ordered, he had gone back to the Alliance to stir up mutiny against Paul Jones. He caused one trouble after another and disobeyed every order. Finally, by intrigue, he took command of the Alliance and sailed to America.
But Captain Landais never again troubled Paul Jones. His reception in America was not what he had expected. Instead of being regarded as a hero, he was judged insane, and dismissed from the navy. A small share of prize money was afterward paid to him. On this he lived until eighty-seven years of age, when he died in Brooklyn, New York.
Another reason Paul Jones gave for his delay in France was that he wished to get the prize money due for the capture of the Serapis, and pay the sailors. This gave him an excuse to linger about the courts where he could receive more of the homage he loved so well.