ght long the fog, like a moist,
impenetrable curtain, rested on the ocean. The next day the "Cerf" set
out to find the missing boats. As she neared the shore, to avoid
raising an alarm, she hoisted British colors. Hardly had she done so
when she was seen by Trent and his companions. The fog made the
outlines of the cutter indistinct, and magnified her in the eyes of
the Americans, so that they mistook her for an English man-of-war. To
avoid what they thought would lead to certain capture on the water,
they ran their boat ashore, and speedily fell into the hands of the
British coast guard. They were at once thrown into prison, where the
unfortunate Trent soon died. The rest of the party were exchanged
later in the war.

The loss of the boats, and capture of Mr. Trent and his followers,
were not the only unfortunate results of this incident; for the "Cerf"
became lost in the fog, and before she could rejoin the fleet a
violent gale sprang up, and she was carried back to the coast of
France. She never again returned to join the fleet, and Jones found
his force again, depleted.

But the effective force of the squadron under the command of Paul
Jones was weakened far more by the eccentric and mutinous actions of
Capt. Landais of the "Alliance" than by any losses by desertion or
capture. When the news of the loss of two boats by desertion reached
the "Alliance," Landais straightway went to the "Richard," and
entering the cabin began to upbraid Jones in unmeasured terms for
having lost two boats through his folly in sending boats to capture a
brig.

"It is not true, Capt. Landais," answered Jones, "that the boats which
are lost are the two which were sent to capture the brig."

"Do you tell me I lie?" screamed the Frenchman, white with anger. His
officers strove to pacify him, but without avail; and he left the
"Richard" vowing that he would challenge Capt. Jones, and kill him.
Shortly thereafter the "Richard" captured a very valuable prize,--a
ship mounting twenty-two guns, and loaded with sails, rigging,
anchors, cables, and other essential articles for the navy Great
Britain was building on the Lakes. By desertion and other causes, the
crew of the "Richard" was greatly depleted, and not enough men could
be spared to man the prize. Jones applied to Landais for aid. In
response the Frenchman said,--

"If it is your wish that I should take charge of the prize, I shall
not allow any boat or any individual from the 'Bon H