tols.

"We're outnumbered," Ranc shouted, his face showing extreme suffering.
"Haul down the flag! Had Jean Bart been here alone I could have
trounced him well."

Thus reluctantly and sadly the flag of the _Sherdam_ came down. But
the French had paid well for their victory.

Jean Bart was badly wounded in the leg; his face was burned by the
discharge of a gun, which went off--almost in his eyes--just as he
leaped on board the _Sherdam_. Six of his men were killed and
thirty-one were wounded, while the little privateer that had fastened
to the other flank of the huge _Sherdam_, was a total wreck. So well,
indeed, had the Dutch fighters plied their cannon as she approached,
that she was shattered almost beyond repair. With great difficulty she
was finally towed to shore.

Of course all France again rang with the fame of Jean Bart, while the
crafty sea-dogs who had endeavored to capture the slippery
privateersman were furious with envious rage. But Jean Bart hummed a
little tune to himself, which ran,

"You'll have to get up early if you want to catch Jean Bart,
You'll have to get up early, and have a goodly start,
For the early bird can catch the worm, if the worm is fast asleep,
But not if it's a privateer, who can through a window leap."

This invincible corsair was also not idle, for in two weeks' time he
was again at sea in the _Mars_ of thirty-two guns, and a fast sailer.
Eagerly looking for prizes, he cruised far up the coast of Holland and
was keenly hunting for either merchantman or frigate, when a small
vessel neared him, upon which was flying a white flag.

"A truce!" cried Jean Bart. "The war must be over."

When the little boat drew nearer, a fat Dutchman called out something
which sounded like, "Amsterdam yam Goslam!" which meant, "Peace has
been declared," in Dutch.

So Jean Bart sailed back into the sheltering harbor of Dunkirk with
tears of sorrow in his eyes, for he loved his exciting life.

"Helas!" said he. "It is all over!"

Thus, indeed, ended the career of Jean Bart as a privateer captain. In
January, 1679, he was given the commission of lieutenant in the French
navy, but, although he accepted, he was never happy in this service.
From captain to lieutenant was a decided come down, and besides this,
the aristocratic officers of the Crown made life very unpleasant for
one who had entered their ranks from privateering.

"Bah!" said they. "He is only a commoner!" And they w