XIII.—Ambitious Hopes.
You remember that, during the war, Captain Landais had sent two valuable ships to Norway, and so caused the loss of much prize money. Denmark had taken these ships, by force, and given them back to England.
Paul Jones determined to go to Denmark to try to induce that country to pay for these ships. In November, 1787, he left America for the last time.
On the way to Denmark, he stopped in Paris. Here he heard some news which pleased him very much.
For some time Russia had been at war with Turkey, and the Russian navy had lately met with several disasters on the Black Sea.
The Russian minister in Paris had heard a great deal about the hero, Paul Jones. So he sent word to the Empress Catherine, who was then the ruler of Russia, that if she would give Paul Jones the command of the Russian fleet, "all Constantinople would tremble in less than a year."
When Paul Jones heard that this message had gone to Russia, he was sure that a chance would come to win still more glory and fame.
He was more anxious than before to go to Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark. He would then be nearer to Russia and could more quickly answer the summons of the empress.
He was not disappointed in this. He was in Copenhagen but a few weeks, when he received the offer of a position in the Russian navy, with the rank of rear-admiral.
He gave up the hope of the prize money, and started in April, 1788, for St. Petersburg.