Ethan heard the man chuckle as he waited for the expected answer. But the chuckle died in the British tar’s throat when the voice from the newcomer shouted,
“The American sloop-of-war Ranger; heave to, or I’ll blow you out of the water!”
With cries of joy both Ethan and Longsword heard these welcome words. Ethan brought the schooner to; in a few moments a boat was lowered and rowed away from the American ship. When Wallingford, third lieutenant of the Ranger, climbed over the schooner’s rail he was astonished to find himself grasped by the hand.
“None other,” laughed the boy. “You aren’t rid of me yet, you see.”
“We thought you taken by the enemy on St. Mary’s Isle.”
“So I was; but it’s a long story and will keep. You’d better have some men sent on board to take charge of this craft. It’s a prize that Longsword and I took some distance up the coast.”
Lieutenant Wallingford looked his surprise, but said nothing. A crew was soon placed on board the Condor, and Ethan and the Irish dragoon were taken to the Ranger.
John Paul Jones was undisguisedly delighted at the unexpected return of the two adventurers. He shook their hands and expressed his pleasure warmly.
“We are headed for Carrickfergus,” he said. “We understand that the frigate Drake has orders to come out after us.”
“She is already out,” said Ethan eagerly. “We met her and slipped away from her less than an hour ago.”
“Hah!” said the commander of the Ranger, “then the struggle may be nearer at hand than I fancied.”
He took Ethan down into the cabin, and listened to the news which the lad had of the dispatch.
“The villain,” cried the captain, with flushed face, when he heard of Danvers’ charge against Ethan and himself regarding the paper. “It will go hard with him if I ever come within reach of him.”
They talked for some time; the Ranger was once more under way and her nose was headed for Carrickfergus as before. Ethan and Longsword slept well that morning after they turned in, and awoke just as the Ranger ran into the outer harbor of the Irish port.
The Drake was there, having arrived some hours earlier, and just as Ethan came on deck her captain was sending off a boat to the Ranger to find out what she was. The boat was in charge of a hectoring British lieutenant, and as it came alongside the American vessel he cried sharply,