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wrong and he knew it. And he saw that the American meant business. He
could soon settle the little _St. Louis_ with his seven ships. But the
great United States was behind that one ship, and war might be behind
all that.

So the Archduke took the wisest course, turned his ship about, and
sailed back. Then he sent word to Ingraham that he would wait till
Consul Brown's answer came.

The Consul's reply came on July 1. It said that Captain Ingraham had
done just right, and advised him to go on and stand for the honor of his
country.

The daring American now took a bold step. He sent a note to the
Archduke, demanding the release of Koszta. And he said that if the
prisoner was not sent on board the _St. Louis_ by four o'clock the next
afternoon, he would take him from the Austrians by force of arms.

A refusal came back from the Austrian ship. They would not give up their
prisoner, they said. Now it looked like war indeed. Captain Ingraham
waited till eight o'clock the next morning, and then he had his decks
cleared for action and brought his guns to bear on the _Huszar_. The
seven Austrian ships turned their guns on the _St. Louis_. The train was
laid; a spark might set it off.

At ten o'clock an Austrian officer came on board the _St. Louis_. He
began to talk round the subject. Ingraham would not listen to him. It
must be one thing or nothing.

"All I will agree to is to have the man given into the care of the
French consul at Smyrna till you can hear from your government," he
said. "But he must be delivered there or I will take him. I have stated
the time at four o'clock this afternoon."

The Austrian went back. When twelve o'clock came a boat left the
_Huszar_ and was rowed in shore. An hour later the French consul sent
word to Captain Ingraham that Koszta had been put under his charge.
Captain Ingraham had won. Soon after, several of the Austrian ships got
under way and left the harbor. They had tried to scare Captain Ingraham
by a show of force, but they had tried in vain.

When news of the event reached the United States everybody cheered the
spirit of Captain Ingraham. He had given Europe a new idea of what the
rights of an American citizen meant. The diplomats now took up the case
and long letters passed between Vienna and Washington. But in the end
Austria acknowledged that the United States was right, and sent an
apology.

As for Koszta, the American flag gave him life and liberty. Since then
Americ