ed to my venerable friend
impressed me deeply. It occurs to me that Burke has been chosen to
speak for the soul of Britain.

"When we think of the choosing of God, who but the sturdy yeomen of our
mother land could have withstood the inhospitalities of the New World
and established its spirit!

"Now their Son, Benjamin Franklin, full grown in the new school of
liberty, has been chosen of God to define the inalienable rights of
freemen. I think the stage is being set for the second great adventure
in our history. Let us have no fear of it. Our land is sown with the
new faith. It can not fail."

This conviction was the result of some rather full days in the British
capital.

CHAPTER VIII

AN APPOINTMENT AND A CHALLENGE

Solomon Binkus had left the city with Preston to visit Sir Jeffrey
Amherst in his country seat, near London. Sir Benjamin had taken Jack
to dine with him at two of his clubs and after dining they had gone to
see the great actor Robert Bensley as Malvolio and the Comedian Dodd as
Sir Andrew Aguecheek. The Britisher had been most polite, but had
seemed studiously to avoid mention of the subject nearest the heart of
the young man. After that the latter was invited to a revel and a cock
fight, but declined the honor and went to spend an evening with his
friend, the philosopher. For days Franklin had been shut in with gout.
Jack had found him in his room with one of his feet wrapped in bandages
and resting on a chair.

"I am glad you came, my son," said the good Doctor. "I am in need of
better company than this foot. Solitude is like water--good for a dip,
but you can not live in it. Margaret has been here trying to give me
comfort, although she needs it more for herself."

"Margaret!" the boy exclaimed. "Why does she need comfort?"

"Oh, largely on your account, my son! Her father is obdurate and the
cause is dear to me. This courtship of yours is taking an
international aspect."

He gave his young friend a full account of the night at Lord Howe's and
the interviews which had followed it.

"All London knows how I stand now. They will not try again to bribe
me. The displeasure of Sir Benjamin will react upon you."

"What shall I do if he continues to be obdurate?"

"Shove my table this way and I'll show you a problem in prudential
algebra," said the philosopher. "It's a way I have of setting down all
the factors and striking out those that are equal and arriving at the