fro, and a number hurried toward
the burning ship with the purpose of extinguishing the flames. All the
Americans had entered the small boat and were impatiently awaiting their
commander. Instead of joining them, Jones drew his pistol, and, standing
alone in front of the crowd, kept them back until the fire burst out of
the steerage and began running up the rigging. Backing slowly with drawn
pistol, he stepped into the boat and told his men to row with might and
main for the vessel.

The instant this was done the crowd rushed forward and by desperate
efforts succeeded in putting out the blaze before it had done much
damage. Then the forts attempted to fire on the Americans, but their
guns were spiked. Some cannon on the ships were discharged at the boats,
but their shots went wild. When the _Ranger_ was reached Captain Jones
made the discovery that one of his men was missing. The reason was
clear. He was a deserter and had been seen by his former comrades
running from house to house and giving the alarm. Such was the narrow
chance by which one of the most destructive conflagrations of British
shipping was averted.

As may be supposed, this daring act caused alarm throughout England.
Jones was denounced as a freebooter and pirate, and every effort was
made to capture him. Had his enemies succeeded, little mercy would have
been shown the dauntless hero.

England was very cruel to many of her American prisoners, and Captain
Jones fixed upon a bold and novel plan for compelling her to show more
mercy toward those unfortunate enough to fall into her power. It was to
capture some prominent nobleman and hold him as a hostage for the better
treatment of our countrymen. It must be remembered that Jones was
cruising near his birthplace and when a sailor boy had become familiar
with the Scottish and the English coasts. The _Ranger_ was a fast
vessel, and, as I have shown, Jones himself was a master of seamanship.
It would seem, therefore, that all he had to do was to be alert, and it
need not be said that he and his crew were vigilant at all times.

The Earl of Selkirk was a Scottish nobleman who had his country seat at
the mouth of the Dee, and Jones made up his mind that he was just the
man to serve for a hostage. At any rate, he could not be put to a
better use and certainly would not suspect the purpose of the American
vessel which, as night was closing in, anchored offshore. Indeed, no one
dreamed that the vessel was the