oss-columns below were the
virtues he aimed to acquire--patience, temperance, frugality and the
like. The book contained a table for every week in the year. It had
been his practise, at the end of each day, to enter a black mark
opposite the virtues in which he had failed.

It was a curious and impressive document--a frank, candid record in
black and white of the history of a human soul. To Jack it had a
sacred aspect like the story of the trials of Job.

"I begin to understand how you have built up this wonderful structure
we call Franklin," he said.

"Oh, it is but a poor and shaky thing at best, likely to tumble in a
high wind--but some work has gone into it," said the old gentleman.
"You see these white pages are rather spotted, but when I look over the
history of my spirit, as I do now and then, I observe that the pages
are slowly getting cleaner. There is not so much ink on them as there
used to be. You see I was once a free thinker. I had no gods to
bother me, and my friends were of the same stripe. In time I
discovered that they were a lot of scamps and that I was little better.
I found myself in the wrong road and immediately faced about. Then I
began keeping these tables. They have been a help to me."

This reminded Jack of the evil words of the melancholy Mr. Pinhorn
which had been so promptly rebuked by his friend John Adams on the ride
to Philadelphia. The young man made a copy of one of the tables and
was saying good night to his venerable friend when the latter remarked:

"I shall go to Sir John Pringle's in the morning for advice. He is a
noted physician. My man will be having a day off. Could you go with
me at ten?"

"Gladly," said Jack.

"Then I shall pick you up at your lodgings. You will see your rival at
Pringle's. He is at home on leave and has been going to Sir John's
office every Tuesday morning at ten-thirty with his father. General
Clarke, a gruff, gouty old hero of the French and Indian wars and an
aggressive Tory. He is forever tossing and goring the Whigs. It may
be the only chance you will have to see that rival of yours. He is a
handsome lad."

Doctor Franklin, with his crutch beside him in the cab, called for his
young friend at the hour appointed.

"I go to his office when I have need of his advice," said the Doctor.
"If ever he came to me, the wretch would charge me two guineas. We
have much argument over the processes of life in the human body, of
which