ke_, and after a severe combat
succeeded in making her his prize. With the British cruisers in search
of him everywhere he took the captured vessel into the French harbor of
Brest, where he underwent heartbreaking delays in obtaining money to
pay his men. Then the _Ranger_ was taken from him, as the French
Government and the American Commissioners in Paris desired him to be
placed in command of a French vessel.

At last Paul Jones was given charge of an old merchantman named _Duras_
whose name he was allowed to change to suit his own pleasure. In
deference to Benjamin Franklin who had always been his close friend
Jones called his new craft the _Bonhomme Richard_, in honor of Benjamin
Franklin's famous nickname of "Poor Richard." The _Bonhomme Richard_
was refitted and made to approach a ship of war as closely as possible,
and in August, 1779, Jones sailed in her on what was destined to be his
most famous cruise.

The French had placed some other ships at his disposal to the extent
that they were to accompany the _Bonhomme Richard_, but were
independent of her command, being under French naval officers. This
peculiar state of affairs greatly reduced the efficiency of the little
squadron, whose vessels were the _Pallas_, the _Vengeance_, the _Cerf_
and the _Alliance_.

The crew of the _Bonhomme Richard_, which was the only American vessel
of the little fleet,--and the only one that accomplished any signal
success--was composed of such a motley assortment of the offscourings
of the dockyards that even Jones' stout heart sank when he saw his men
assembled together. Among the men that were supposed to be sailors were
many French peasants who had never even seen a vessel and English
prisoners that he had to keep in order by the armed force of his more
loyal men. The fact that he was able to mold this variegated mass of
undisciplined humanity into a staunch crew capable of winning one of
the most famous naval battles of history is a proof of his genius for
leadership.

The lack of unity in command soon began to show the inevitable ill
results. The _Cerf_ became separated from the squadron and returned to
France. The _Alliance_, under the infamous Captain Landais, who had
been dishonorably discharged from the French navy, refused to cooperate
with Jones and soon disappeared on some unknown errand.

As the remaining three vessels were cruising near Flamborough Head,
they sighted a large convoy of British merchant vessels w