. The "Delaware" ran toward the vessel, and sent a boat
aboard, which returned, bringing the captain of the distressed craft.
To Decatur the captain related the old story of French aggression,
which had become so hateful. Only the day before, he said, his ship
had been boarded by boats'-crews from a French privateer of twenty
guns. The assailants, once on board, had eaten his provisions, and
plundered his cargo without scruple. He gave careful directions as to
the course of the privateer after leaving the "Alexander Hamilton,"
and returned to his ship happy in the thought, that, though he could
not regain his plundered property, the thieves at least would be
punished.

Decatur crowded on all sail, and set off in pursuit of the oppressor.
Four hours later, the lookout forward reported four schooners in sight
off the bow. For a moment the captain was puzzled, as he had no means
of knowing which was the guilty privateer; but, after brief
deliberation, he determined to adopt strategy. The rigging of his
vessel was slackened, the yards slewed round, and every attempt made
to transform the trim man-o'-war into a shiftless merchantman. Then
the helmsman was instructed to carefully avoid running near the
suspected schooners. The ruse succeeded admirably. The lookouts in the
tops of the schooners reported an American merchantman in sight, but
making attempts to escape. The cupidity of the Frenchmen was aroused.
In the "Delaware" they saw only a defenceless ship, from which, by
virtue of their strength, they could take whatever plunder they
desired. From the decks of the "Delaware," the sailors could see the
Frenchmen shaking out sail after sail; and soon one schooner, a
perfect cloud of canvas, took the lead, and left her consorts far in
the rear. It was the privateer they were after. The jackies of the
"Delaware" clambered into the rigging, and set all sail, with the
clumsiness of merchant-sailors; but, though the ship spread a large
expanse of canvas, she was making but little progress, for two long
cables dragged in the water astern, holding her back. The Frenchman
came up gallantly, but suddenly discovered the ports along the side of
the "Delaware," and concluded he had caught a Tartar. It was too late
to escape then; for the "Delaware," coming about, had the schooner
directly under her guns, and the Frenchman had no course left but to
surrender. The privateer proved to be "Le Croyable," of fourteen guns
and seventy men. He