cut off supplies to the English."

"Did your shipmates talk much of me?" demanded Paul, with a look as of
a parading Sioux demanding homage to his gewgaws; "what did they say of
Paul Jones?"

"I never heard the name before this evening," said Israel.

"What? Ah--brigantine Washington--let me see; that was before I had
outwitted the Soleby frigate, fought the Milford, and captured the
Mellish and the rest off Louisbergh. You were long before the news, my
lad," he added, with a sort of compassionate air.

"Our friend here gave you a rather blunt answer," said the wise man,
sagely mischievous, and addressing Paul.

"Yes. And I like him for it. My man, will you go a cruise with Paul
Jones? You fellows so blunt with the tongue, are apt to be sharp with
the steel. Come, my lad, return with me to Brest. I go in a few days."

Fired by the contagious spirit of Paul, Israel, forgetting all about his
previous desire to reach home, sparkled with response to the summons.
But Doctor Franklin interrupted him.

"Our friend here," said he to the Captain, "is at present engaged for
very different duty."

Much other conversation followed, during which Paul Jones again and
again expressed his impatience at being unemployed, and his resolution
to accept of no employ unless it gave him supreme authority; while in
answer to all this Dr. Franklin, not uninfluenced by the uncompromising
spirit of his guest, and well knowing that however unpleasant a trait
in conversation, or in the transaction of civil affairs, yet in war this
very quality was invaluable, as projectiles and combustibles, finally
assured Paul, after many complimentary remarks, that he would
immediately exert himself to the utmost to procure for him some
enterprise which should come up to his merits.

"Thank you for your frankness," said Paul; "frank myself, I love to deal
with a frank man. You, Doctor Franklin, are true and deep, and so you
are frank."

The sage sedately smiled, a queer incredulity just lurking in the corner
of his mouth.

"But how about our little scheme for new modelling ships-of-war?" said
the Doctor, shifting the subject; "it will be a great thing for our
infant navy, if we succeed. Since our last conversation on that subject,
Captain, at odds and ends of time, I have thought over the matter, and
have begun a little skeleton of the thing here, which I will show you.
Whenever one has a new idea of anything mechanical, it is best to clothe
it wi