eaning that he did not come from
Massachusetts or Virginia probably. He went to sea as a midshipman on
an American sloop-of-war. And he turned out to be some little middy.
Ensign, lieutenant, commander--man, he just ran up the ladder of naval
rank. And got a ship of his own--a fine, young, able sloop-of-war, and
with this sloop-of-war he would run out from the French channel ports
and harry the English coast and English shipping. Never heard of him?
No? Well, well!--and he so famous in his day that King George put up a
reward of 1,000 pounds for his capture dead or alive. But they never
captured him.

"And Barry? He was the Wexford boy who captured 200 English prizes more
or less in the West Indies. Paul Jones trained under Barry before he had
a ship of his own. And McDonough? He--but am I boring you?"

"No, no--it is very interesting."

"I am glad. Well, McDonough was the commodore who fought the battle of
Lake Champlain against your people. He opened that battle with prayers
for the living and closed it with prayers for the dead. You want to
watch out for those fellows who pray when they go to war. Their technic
is sometimes pretty good. Their spirit is always good. While Mac was
looking over the booty after that fight, a funny thing happened. He----"

"I say, old chap, it's all very interesting, exceedingly interesting,
but what d'y' say to another little nip before I go? I've got to run
along to see the chief now. What will you have to drink?"

"Sure. A nip of Irish, if you please. And here"--Lanahan held up his
glass--"here's to the memory of dead heroes--may they always be
preferred to crawling reptiles when it comes to naming our fighting
ships!"

After the other fellow had gone Lanahan turned to us. "Say, fellows, I
know I got Paul Jones and Barry and McDonough right, but how near was I
on Davey Jones and Conyngham? Something tells me I got their histories
mixed."

* * * * *

This admiral, of whom our fellows used to spin the yarns, was a unique
character. He lacked imagination, and he had the manner of a rat-terrier
toward people not of his own kind; but he was one good executive.

Devotion to duty--conscience--those were his beacon lights. He had been
known, when the minister of the local church wasn't up to standard, to
walk into the pulpit, and deliver the sermon himself. Before he came to
take command of this coast district the U-boats had been raising Cain
there. T