red the infant American navy by a brilliant exploit. He was
convoying some merchant vessels, and while at anchor near Cape May was
attacked by an English cruiser with two companions. He sent the
merchantmen up the river, and by an expert movement got the _Hyder Ali_
entangled with her antagonist in such a way that her great guns swept
the decks of the foe with a destructive raking fire. In less than half
an hour the British vessel (which proved to be the brig _General Monk_)
surrendered. She was badly bruised, and had lost fifty men. This was
"one of the most brilliant actions that ever occurred under the American
flag," wrote Cooper, fifty years afterward.

The war for independence was now about to close with triumph for the
Americans and their cause. The little Continental Navy had fully
justified the faith of the stout-hearted people by its grand
performances. This little David had fought the Goliath of England most
valiantly for seven years, and in the might of right its "pebbles from
the brook" had been equal in efficiency to the huge "spear" of the
boastful oppressor. Divine help gave final victory to the patriots.

During the war the Americans had thirty-six public vessels afloat,
besides swarms of active and efficient privateers. They had also built a
large 74-gun ship (the _America_), but before she was put to sea she was
presented to the French government. The veteran Manly, the pioneer of
the naval warfare on the part of the Americans, after a long captivity,
cruised in the _Hague_ among the West India Islands, until the
preliminary treaty of peace was signed in the fall of 1782. He there
closed the regular maritime operations which he had opened in 1775. The
cruisers were recalled, the commissions of the privateers were revoked,
and of all the vessels of the remarkable little Continental Navy only
the _Alliance_ remained in 1783. Nothing but the recollection of the
services and sufferings of the navy was left behind. The _Alliance_ was
reluctantly sold in 1785 to save the expense of repairs. The exhausted
Americans craved the enjoyment of peace, and felt no need of a navy.

[TO BE CONTINUED.]

MR. MARTIN'S EYE.

BY JIMMY BROWN.

I've made up my mind to one thing, and that is, I'll never have anything
to do with Mr. Martin again. He ought to be ashamed of himself, going
around and getting boys into scrapes, just because he's put together so
miserably. Sue says she believes it's mucilage, and I t