.

On entering the cabin, the English officer greeted Commodore Rodgers
with deference, and proceeded at once to tell of naval matters.

"I have here," said he, placing a bundle of papers in the commodore's
hands, "a numbers of despatches for Admiral Warren, who is on this
station. You may not know that one of the principal objects of our
squadron cruising here is the capture of the Yankee frigate
'President,' which has been greatly annoying British commerce."

Rodgers was naturally much interested in this statement, and asked the
visitor if he knew much about the commander of the "President."

"I hear he is an odd fish," was the response; "and certainly he is
devilish hard to catch."

Rodgers started. He had hardly expected so frank an expression of
opinion.

"Sir," said he emphatically, "do you know what vessel you are on board
of?"

"Why, certainly,--on board of His Majesty's ship 'Sea-Horse.'"

"No, sir, you are mistaken," was the startling response. "You are on
board of the United States frigate 'President,' and I am Commodore
Rodgers."

The astounded Englishman sprang to his feet, and rushed to the deck.
The sight he saw there was still more startling. The quarter-deck was
crowded with officers in United States uniform. The scarlet coats of
the marines had vanished, and were replaced by Yankee blue. Even as he
looked, the British flag came fluttering down, the American ensign
went up, and the band struck up "Yankee Doodle."

Nothing was left to the Englishman but to submit; and, with the best
grace possible, he surrendered his vessel and himself to the "odd
fish," who had so cleverly trapped him.

[Illustration: "I Am Commodore Rodgers."]

Three days later, the "President," with her prize, and crowded with
prisoners, dropped anchor in the harbor of Newport, after a cruise of
one hundred and forty-eight days. In actual results, the cruise was
far from satisfactory, for but eleven vessels had been taken. But the
service rendered the country by annoying the enemy's merchantmen, and
drawing the British war-vessels away in chase, was vast. At one time
more than twenty British men-of-war were searching for the roving
American frigate; and the seafaring people of the United States were
thus greatly benefited by the "President's" prolonged cruise.

CHAPTER IX.

DECATUR BLOCKADED AT NEW YORK. -- ATTEMPTS TO ESCAPE THROUGH
LONG ISLAND SOUND. -- THE FLAG-SHIP STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. --
TO