Chapter 10

ANOTHER ADVENTURER APPEARS UPON THE SCENE.

About half-past ten o'clock, as they were thus conversing, Israel's

acquaintance, the pretty chambermaid, rapped at the door, saying, with a

titter, that a very rude gentleman in the passage of the court, desired

to see Doctor Franklin.

"A very rude gentleman?" repeated the wise man in French, narrowly

looking at the girl; "that means, a very fine gentleman who has just

paid you some energetic compliment. But let him come up, my girl," he

added patriarchially.

In a few moments, a swift coquettish step was heard, followed, as if in

chase, by a sharp and manly one. The door opened. Israel was sitting so

that, accidentally, his eye pierced the crevice made by the opening of

the door, which, like a theatrical screen, stood for a moment between

Doctor Franklin and the just entering visitor. And behind that screen,

through the crack, Israel caught one momentary glimpse of a little bit

of by-play between the pretty chambermaid and the stranger. The

vivacious nymph appeared to have affectedly run from him on the

stairs--doubtless in freakish return for some liberal advances--but had

suffered herself to be overtaken at last ere too late; and on the

instant Israel caught sight of her, was with an insincere air of rosy

resentment, receiving a roguish pinch on the arm, and a still more

roguish salute on the cheek.

The next instant both disappeared from the range of the crevice; the

girl departing whence she had come; the stranger--transiently invisible

as he advanced behind the door--entering the room. When Israel now

perceived him again, he seemed, while momentarily hidden, to have

undergone a complete transformation.

He was a rather small, elastic, swarthy man, with an aspect as of a

disinherited Indian Chief in European clothes. An unvanquishable

enthusiasm, intensified to perfect sobriety, couched in his savage,

self-possessed eye. He was elegantly and somewhat extravagantly dressed

as a civilian; he carried himself with a rustic, barbaric jauntiness,

strangely dashed with a superinduced touch of the Parisian _salon_. His

tawny cheek, like a date, spoke of the tropic, A wonderful atmosphere of

proud friendlessness and scornful isolation invested him. Yet there was

a bit of the poet as well as the outlaw in him, too. A cool solemnity of

intrepidity sat on his lip. He looked like one who of purpose sought out

harm's way. He looked like one who never had been, and never would be, a

subordinate.

Israel thought to himself that seldom before had he seen such a being.

Though dressed -la-mode, he did not seem to be altogether civilized.

So absorbed was our adventurer by the person of the stranger, that a few

moments passed ere he began to be aware of the circumstance, that Dr.

Franklin and this new visitor having saluted as old acquaintances, were

now sitting in earnest conversation together.

"Do as you please; but I will not bide a suitor much longer," said the

stranger in bitterness. "Congress gave me to understand that, upon my

arrival here, I should be given immediate command of the _Indien_; and

now, for no earthly reason that I can see, you Commissioners have

presented her, fresh from the stocks at Amsterdam, to the King of

France, and not to me. What does the King of France with such a frigate?

And what can I _not_ do with her? Give me back the "Indien," and in less

than one month, you shall hear glorious or fatal news of Paul Jones."

"Come, come, Captain," said Doctor Franklin, soothingly, "tell me now,

what would you do with her, if you had her?"

"I would teach the British that Paul Jones, though born in Britain, is

no subject to the British King, but an untrammelled citizen and sailor

of the universe; and I would teach them, too, that if they ruthlessly

ravage the American coasts, their own coasts are vulnerable as New

Holland's. Give me the _Indien_, and I will rain down on wicked England

like fire on Sodom."

These words of bravado were not spoken in the tone of a bravo, but a

prophet. Erect upon his chair, like an Iroquois, the speaker's look was

like that of an unflickering torch.

His air seemed slightly to disturb the old sage's philosophic repose,

who, while not seeking to disguise his admiration of the unmistakable

spirit of the man, seemed but illy to relish his apparent measureless

boasting.

As if both to change the subject a little, as well as put his visitor in

better mood--though indeed it might have been but covertly to play with

his enthusiasm--the man of wisdom now drew his chair confidentially

nearer to the stranger's, and putting one hand in a very friendly,

conciliatory way upon his visitor's knee, and rubbing it gently to and

fro there, much as a lion-tamer might soothingly manipulate the

aggravated king of beasts, said in a winning manner:--"Never mind at

present, Captain, about the '_Indien_' affair. Let that sleep a moment.

See now, the Jersey privateers do us a great deal of mischief by

intercepting our supplies. It has been mentioned to me, that if you had

a small vessel--say, even your present ship, the 'Amphitrite,'--then, by

your singular bravery, you might render great service, by following

those privateers where larger ships durst not venture their bottoms; or,

if but supported by some frigates from Brest at a proper distance, might

draw them out, so that the larger vessels could capture them."

"Decoy-duck to French frigates!--Very dignified office, truly!" hissed

Paul in a fiery rage. "Doctor Franklin, whatever Paul Jones does for the

cause of America, it must be done through unlimited orders: a separate,

supreme command; no leader and no counsellor but himself. Have I not

already by my services on the American coast shown that I am well worthy

all this? Why then do you seek to degrade me below my previous level? I

will mount, not sink. I live but for honor and glory. Give me, then,

something honorable and glorious to do, and something famous to do it

with. Give me the _Indien_"

The man of wisdom slowly shook his head. "Everything is lost through

this shillyshallying timidity, called prudence," cried Paul Jones,

starting to his feet; "to be effectual, war should be carried on like a

monsoon, one changeless determination of every particle towards the one

unalterable aim. But in vacillating councils, statesmen idle about like

the cats'-paws in calms. My God, why was I not born a Czar!"

"A Nor'wester, rather. Come, come, Captain," added the sage, "sit down,

we have a third person present, you see," pointing towards Israel, who

sat rapt at the volcanic spirit of the stranger.

Paul slightly started, and turned inquiringly upon Israel, who, equally

owing to Paul's own earnestness of discourse and Israel's motionless

bearing, had thus far remained undiscovered.

"Never fear, Captain," said the sage, "this man is true blue, a secret

courier, and an American born. He is an escaped prisoner of war."

"Ah, captured in a ship?" asked Paul eagerly; "what ship? None of mine!

Paul Jones never was captured."

"No, sir, in the brigantine Washington, out of Boston," replied Israel;

"we were cruising to 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 with a body as soon as possible. For you can't improve so well on

ideas as you can on bodies."

With that, going to a little drawer, he produced a small basket, filled

with a curious looking unfinished frame-work of wood, and several bits

of wood unattached. It looked like a nursery basket containing broken

odds and ends of playthings.

"Now look here, Captain, though the thing is but begun at present, yet

there is enough to show that _one_ idea at least of yours is not

feasible."

Paul was all attention, as if having unbounded confidence in whatever

the sage might suggest, while Israel looked on quite as interested as

either, his heart swelling with the thought of being privy to the

consultations of two such men; consultations, too, having ultimate

reference to such momentous affairs as the freeing of nations.

"If," continued the Doctor, taking up some of the loose bits and piling

them along on one side of the top of the frame, "if the better to

shelter your crew in an engagement, you construct your rail in the

manner proposed--as thus--then, by the excessive weight of the timber,

you will too much interfere with the ship's centre of gravity. You will

have that too high."

"Ballast in the hold in proportion," said Paul.

"Then you will sink the whole hull too low. But here, to have less smoke

in time of battle, especially on the lower decks, you proposed a new

sort of hatchway. But that won't do. See here now, I have invented

certain ventilating pipes, they are to traverse the vessel thus"--laying

some toilette pins along--"the current of air to enter here and be

discharged there. What do you think of that? But now about the main

things--fast sailing driving little to leeward, and drawing little

water. Look now at this keel. I whittled it only night before last, just

before going to bed. Do you see now how"--

At this crisis, a knock was heard at the door, and the chambermaid

reappeared, announcing that two gentlemen were that moment crossing the

court below to see Doctor Franklin.

"The Duke de Chartres, and Count D'Estang," said the Doctor; "they

appointed for last night, but did not come. Captain, this has something

indirectly to do with your affair. Through the Duke, Count D'Estang has

spoken to the King about the secret expedition, the design of which you

first threw out. Call early to-morrow, and I will inform you of the

result."

With his tawny hand Paul pulled out his watch, a small, richly-jewelled

lady's watch.

"It is so late, I will stay here to-night," he said; "is there a

convenient room?"

"Quick," said the Doctor, "it might be ill-advised of you to be seen

with me just now. Our friend here will let you share his chamber. Quick,

Israel, and show the Captain thither."

As the door closed upon them in Israel's apartment, Doctor Franklin's

door closed upon the Duke and the Count. Leaving the latter to their

discussion of profound plans for the timely befriending of the American

cause, and the crippling of the power of England on the seas, let us

pass the night with Paul Jones and Israel in the neighboring room.