oices from the crew, impetuously.

"We will show the new flag for the first time on the high seas," he
continued, visibly pleased, and pointing proudly to the stars and
stripes, which his own hand had first hoisted, fluttering gayly out at
the peak; "and I trust we may strike a blow or two which will cause it,
and us, to be long remembered. While you are under my orders I shall
expect from you prompt, unquestioned compliance with my commands, or
those of my officers, and a ready submission to the hard discipline of
a ship-of-war, to which most of you, I suspect, are unfamiliar, unless
you have learned it in that bitter school, a British ship. You will
learn, however, while principles of equality are very well in civil
life, they have no place in the naval service. Subordination is the
word here; this is not a trading-vessel, but a ship-of-war, and I
intend to be implicitly obeyed," he continued sternly, looking even
more fiercely at them. "Nevertheless," he added, somewhat relaxing his
set features, "although we be not a peaceful merchantman, yet I expect
and intend to do a little trading with the ships of the enemy, and in
any prizes which we may capture, you know you will all have a just,
nay, a liberal, share. It must not be lost sight of, however, that the
first business of this ship, as of every other ship-of-war of our
country, is to fight the ships of the enemy of equal, or of not too
great, force. Should we find such a one, as is most likely, in the
English Channel, we must remember that the honor and glory of our flag
are above prize money."

"Three cheers for Captain John Paul Jones!" cried one of the seamen,
leaping on a gun and waving his hat; they were given with a mighty rush
from nearly two hundred lusty throats, the ship being heavily
overmanned for future emergencies.

"That will do, men," said the captain, smiling darkly. "Remember that
a willing crew makes a happy cruise--and don't wake the sleeping
cat![1] Mr. Seymour, have the boatswain pipe all hands to grog, then
set the watches. Mr. Talbot," he added, turning to the young officer
in the familiar buff and blue of the Continental army, who stood by his
side, an interested and attentive spectator to all that had occurred,
"will you do me the honor of taking a glass of wine with me in the
cabin?--I should be glad if you would join us also, Mr. Seymour, after
the watch has been called, and you can leave the deck. Let Mr.
Wallingford have