rstand how bad that
would be under an enemy's ship, not to know in which direction to
navigate?"

"You must have fresh fire, then."

"_That_ is just what I am out for to-night. I had to wait till the
moon was gone."

"Oh! is _that_ all? How foolish I have been! but you ought to tell me
some things, sometimes, David."

"And so I will. I tell you now that it will be well for you to go home
and go to sleep. I may have to go deep into the woods to find the fire
I want."

But his mother only walked by his side a little faster than before,
and on they went to a place where a bit of woodland had grown up above
fallen trees.

They searched in places wherein both had seen the fire of decaying
wood a hundred times, but not one gleam of phosphorescence could be
found anywhere. At last they turned to go homeward.

"What will you do, David? Go and search in the Killingworth woods
to-morrow night?" she asked, as they drew near home.

"It is of no use," he said, with a sigh. "It _must_ be that the frost
destroys the fox-fire. Unless Dr. Franklin knows of a light that will
not eat up the air, everything must be put off until spring."

The next day David Bushnell went to Killingworth, to tell the story to
Dr. Gale, and Dr. Gale wrote to Silas Deane (Conn. Historical Col.,
Vol. 2), begging him to inquire of Dr. Franklin concerning the
possibility of using the Philosopher's Lantern, but no light was
found, and the poor Turtle was housed in the seine-house on Poverty
Island during the long winter, which proved to be one of great
mildness from late December to mid-February.

In February we find David Bushnell before Governor Jonathan Trumbull
and his Council at Lebanon, to tell about and illustrate the marvels
of his wonderful machine.

During this time the whole affair had been kept a profound secret
from all but the faithful few surrounding the inventor. And now, if
ever, the time was drawing near wherein the labor and outlay must
either repay laborer and lender, or give to both great trouble and
distress.

I cannot tell you with what trepidation the young man walked into the
War Office at Lebanon, with a very small Turtle under his arm.

You will please remember the situation of the colonists at that
moment. On the land they feared not to contend with Englishmen. Love
of liberty in the Provincials was strong enough, when united with a
trusty musket and a fair supply of powder, to encounter red-coated
regulars of the Br