SHOWS HOW BENJAMIN FRANKLIN OPENED THE SECRET DISPATCH
Upon reaching Paris the three immediately sought out lodgings and
removed the grime of the road. Then the commander and Ethan went to
call upon Dr. Franklin and present their dispatches.
The rooms of the famous philosopher, sage and statesman were modestly
furnished, but were crowded by a most brilliantly attired company.
No representative of a foreign government at the Court of France had
ever created such a marked impression as this American commissioner.
The imaginative French saw in him one of the sages of ancient Greece
reincarnated. His advanced age, his natural dignity, his virtues, his
undoubted wisdom made him a man of mark. The courtiers of King Louis
admired and respected him, and it was seldom, indeed, that a group of
influential persons and young soldiers were not to be found in his
rooms.
He received Captain Jones and Ethan with great heartiness, for he was
ever eager for news.
“My dear sir,” said he, holding the officer’s hand tight clasped within
his own, “I am most happy to meet you. Your exploits upon the sea have
long been known to us here in France, and if every American ship had
a commander like you, we’d have the enemy suing for peace within a
twelve-month.”
John Paul Jones flushed with pleasure. It is noted of him that he ever
loved to be praised, and praise from such a man as Franklin was praise,
indeed.
The sage had not at the beginning of the war with England, given much
thought to the sea as a place to meet the foe in the struggle for
liberty; being a landsman this was, perhaps, natural. But upon his
voyage to France in the Reprisal, Captain Lambert Wickes, his eyes had
been opened to the possibilities of what might be done upon deep water.
This was the first American war vessel to cross the Atlantic, and two
rich prizes were captured under the philosopher’s eyes. When these
were sold at a French port and the proceeds added to his slender means
his admiration knew no bounds. He saw at once how the enemy might be
so weakened by a few swift cruisers in the German ocean as to cripple
them permanently; and the dispatching of the Lexington and the other
brave little vessels which carried the war under the very shadow of the
English cliffs was made according to his suggestion.
It had somehow become noised abroad that the daring and successful
American sailor Paul Jones was to call upon Mr. Franklin that morning,
and the throng present were most anxious to see and lionize him. They
knew too, that he must bring tidings as to the progress of the war.
Count de Vergennes, minister of foreign affairs, was present, and his
interest was most marked; upon being introduced to Captain Jones he at
once plunged into the subject of the American conflict.
“You and your countrymen have done excellently upon the sea,” admitted
the count, “but upon the land you have not been so successful.”
“General Washington is still in the field. He will never surrender.”
“That may be true. But he is retreating, retreating--ever retreating.
This does not win battles. The British are apparently triumphant upon
every hand. Your army has been driven from Canada; you have evacuated
Long Island; New York is in the hands of your country’s foes; and it
is rumored that the American soldier is throwing down his arms and
taking advantage of the pardon which General Howe offered all who would
return.”
As he stood at a window some little distance from the group about the
commander of the Ranger and the French minister, Ethan noted the eager
interest of all. He also saw that Dr. Franklin had opened the letters
which had been handed him but still held the secret packet with its
seals unbroken; he smiled over the letters as one smiles who is highly
pleased.
As the minister continued in the same strain for some time, it dawned
upon Ethan that the news of Gates’ victory had not yet reached him, and
with a thrill he realized that there was a surprise in store for those
present. At length Dr. Franklin lifted his venerable head and said,
with a quiet smile:
“But, my dear count, you have not yet heard of the affair of Burgoyne.”
The minister of foreign affairs laughed.
“You must not think us so far behind the times, monsieur,” he said.
“Burgoyne compelled the Americans to retreat from Ticonderoga some time
ago. And he followed this up by severely defeating them at a place
called Hubbardton. This news reached us promptly and through a channel
which we never question.”
“My news,” and Franklin fluttered his letters triumphantly, “is very
much later than yours, it would seem. Burgoyne undoubtedly accomplished
what you claim. But it is the result of his subsequent operations of
which I speak.”
“You have news, monsieur?” The face of the Count de Vergennes shone
with satisfaction; this gentleman was ever a friend to America, and was
always hungry for news of American success.
“Burgoyne’s troubles began with his advance upon Fort Edward. A
thousand German mercenaries were killed and captured to begin with.
Then he crossed the Hudson in force to turn the American position at
Bemis Heights; but Arnold met him with desperate courage and held him
back.”
A murmur of admiration went up from the Frenchmen present.
“A brilliant officer, this General Arnold,” commented the count.
“Burgoyne’s communications with Lake Champlain were then cut by a
dashing enterprise of my countrymen; forced by the hunger of his men,
the British general risked another battle,” proceeded Dr. Franklin,
“and met with a crushing defeat.”
Another murmur went up; eyes sparkled with pleasure; hands applauded
softly.
“But,” argued the Count de Vergennes, “the tables might be turned once
more. Burgoyne may still conquer.”
Franklin smiled serenely.
“That is impossible,” said he.
“An hour ago I would have said as much for Arnold’s chances of
victory,” said the count.
“I said that Burgoyne’s chance of ultimate victory was impossible,
because after his defeat he retreated upon Saratoga. Finding himself
surrounded he surrendered his entire force to General Gates.”
A cry of delight went up; the Americans were congratulated heartily.
“It was such news as this that we have been waiting for,” whispered
the minister of foreign affairs to the aged commissioner. “From now
on things will take a turn; success will await your negotiations now,
where only delay and disappointment met you in the past.”
When all had gone save Captain Jones and Ethan Carlyle, Dr. Franklin
said:
“You will pardon me, I’m sure. These letters spoke of a document of
much importance as being in this packet.”
He broke the great red seals and tore off the covering; then, as they
watched him, they saw his face take on a bewildered look.
“What is it?” cried Captain Jones.
“Strange,” said Dr. Franklin. “The entire page is blank save only for
one word. Look.”
He held out the sheet, and they found staring them in the face,
scrawled in huge, sprawling letters, the name:
“Siki.”
“Robbed!” exclaimed John Paul Jones.
“He got the packet after all,” cried Ethan, with a great leap at his
heart.
“Explain your meaning,” said Dr. Franklin, still bewildered. “I do not
understand.”
In as few words as possible the entire story of the attempt made to
steal the papers was told him. He listened intently, and shook his head
gloomily at the end.
“He was a cunning rascal, indeed, that Lascar,” said he. “He took the
packet and substituted another resembling it in order to delay the
alarm long enough to permit him to get safe away.”
“But,” cried Paul Jones, “how could he know anything about the
appearance of the packet?”
“You forget our young friend’s statement that the Lascar saw it lying
upon the table between him and Mr. Hancock. For a fellow as keen as he
it only required a glance and he carried away a picture of it in his
mind.”
“The attack at the inn is more than I can understand,” said Ethan.
“If they already had the dispatch why should they set upon us after
demanding it? The matter has a queer look.”
“Most queer,” agreed the sage, wrinkling his brows. “And, to me, there
seems to be only one explanation: The Lascar stole the dispatch and
kept the fact hidden from his employer and comrades. He had come to
understand that it was a very valuable thing and made up his mind that
the profit to come from it was to be all his own.”
“Bravo,” cried John Paul Jones. “That must be it--and that fact holds
out a promise.”
“Of what nature?”
“We may recover the dispatch! The Lascar will be forced to sound every
step of his way toward the disposal of the paper. He may know that it
is valuable but he will not know to whom.”
“A good thought,” said Mr. Franklin. “As long as it does not reach the
British ministers, who alone would understand it, the paper can do no
harm.”
“It shall not reach them,” cried Ethan. “I’ll hunt this man, Siki, all
over Europe but what I’ll have the dispatch from him!”
And Captain Jones reached forward and clasped him by the hand.