“To Rodgers’s delight, he discovered that he possessed its complement. He then signalled that his vessel was the Sea Horse, one of the largest of its class known to be then on the American coast. The Highflyer at once bore down, hove to under the stern of the President and received one of Rodgers’s lieutenants on board, who was dressed in British uniform. He bore an order from Rodgers for the commander of the Highflyer to send his signal books on board to be altered, as some of the Yankees, it was alleged, had obtained possession of some of them.
“The unsuspecting lieutenant obeyed, and Rodgers was put in possession of the key to the whole correspondence of the British navy.
“Pretty soon the commander of the Highflyer followed his signal books. He was pleased with everything he saw on board what he believed was the English vessel Sea Horse, and admired even the scarlet uniform of Rodgers’s marines, whom he took for British soldiers. Invited into the cabin, he placed in the commodore’s hands a bundle of dispatches for Admiral Warren, and informed his supposed friend that the main object of the British commander on the American station at that time was the capture or destruction of the President, which had been greatly annoying and destroying British commerce and spreading alarm throughout British waters.
“The commodore asked what kind of a man Rodgers was. ‘An odd fish and hard to catch,’ replied the lieutenant.
“‘Sir,’ said Rodgers most emphatically, ‘do you know what vessel you are on board of?’
“‘Why, yes,’ he replied; ‘on board His Majesty’s ship Sea Horse.’
“‘Then, sir, you labor under a mistake,’ said Rodgers. ‘You are on board the United States frigate President, and I am Commodore Rodgers, at your service.’”
“Oh, how frightened that British man must have been!” exclaimed Elsie. “Wasn’t he, papa?”