on, or perhaps failure, and death.

Somehow or other all looked to the dashing Stephen Decatur; for from
the first he had taken a leading part in planning the desperate deed.

{161} "For the honor of the flag, sir, the ship must be destroyed.
She must never be allowed to sail under that pirate flag," said
Commodore Preble to Decatur.

"My father was the ship's first commander," replied the young
officer, whose fine black eyes gleamed, "and if I can only rescue
her, it will be glory enough for a lifetime."

"You have spoken first," said the commodore, "and it is only right
that you should have the first chance."

[Illustration: Commodore Stephen Decatur]

No time was lost. All hands went to work.

What was their plan?

With a vessel made to look like a Maltese trader, and with his men
dressed like Maltese sailors, Decatur meant to steal into the harbor
at night, set fire to the Philadelphia, and then make a race for
life.

A short time before this, Decatur had captured a small vessel, known
as a ketch. As this kind of boat was common here, nobody would
suspect her.

{162} The little craft, now named the Intrepid, was soon loaded with
all kinds of things that would catch fire easily.

On board the Enterprise on the afternoon of February 3, 1803, the
order was, "All hands to muster!"

"I want sixty-one men out of this ship's crew," said Decatur, "to
leave to-morrow in the Intrepid, to help destroy the Philadelphia.
Let each man who wants to go take two steps ahead."

With a cheer, every officer, every sailor, and even the smallest
powder boys stepped forward. No wonder the young captain's fine face
beamed with joy.

"A thousand thanks, my men," he said, and the tears came into his
eyes; "I am sorry, but you can't all go. I will now choose the men I
want to take with me." He picked out about sixty of the youngest and
most active.

"Thankee, sir," said each man when his name was called.

Besides his own younger officers and his surgeon, Decatur took five
young officers from the Constitution, and a Sicilian pilot named
Catalano, who knew the harbor of Tripoli.

That same evening, the little ketch, with its crew of some
seventy-five men, sailed out of the harbor of Syracuse amid three
lusty cheers. The war brig Siren went with her.

In four days, the two vessels reached the harbor of Tripoli, but a
bad storm drove them off shore. What a time they had for six days!
The Intrepid was a poor {163} affair a