"What ship is this?" was the next inquiry.

"The American privateer, the Eagle of Liberty, Captain Conyngham," said Wilfrid, in a loud voice. "We were captured by an English frigate and a prize crew put on board. Captain Conyngham and his men are

below in the hold."

"And whom have I the honor of addressing?" asked the commodore.

"My name is Wilfrid Shelby. I left America in company with Doctor Benjamin Franklin, being attached to his suite as private secretary. We were separated by the fortunes of war. He is now in Paris and I am here. And you

"I am Commodore John Paul Jones, of the American navy. I am sorry that we have inflicted so much injury upon Captain Conyngham's ship. We will soon set him and his men at liberty. I will tow his vessel into Dunkirk, where it can be repaired, and from that port you can quickly make your way to Paris and rejoin Doctor Franklin. I will accompany you there, for I have some business to transact with him. We are old friends, and his friends are mine," and he extended his hand to Wilfrid, who grasped it warmly.

CHAPTER XXII

A WARRIOR'S DALLIANCE

OM. JONES and Capt. Conyngham accompanied

COM Wilfrid to Paris. Upon reaching that city, they

made their way at once to Passy to see Dr. Franklin. They found him in his study at the Little House, and he was both surprised and delighted to see them in each other's company.

"I cannot understand it," he cried, "and yet it will probably be but a simple story when all is toid. Wilfrid and Captain Conyngham went in one direction, and Miss Fentress and I in another. No one would have supposed that the chances of fate would have thrown the commodore in your path, but I see that it has happened, and I shall be greatly pleased to hear your stories."

They were soon told.

He

Continuing, Dr. Franklin said: "I presume each one of you wishes to see me upon a private matter. Proper deference should be paid to rank, and it will give me pleasure to grant the first interview to the commodore." At that moment the Count de Chaumont entered. was well acquainted with Com. Jones, but Wilfrid and Capt. Conyngham were strangers to him; but not for long, for the doctor soon made it apparent to him that they were "friends of America and friends of France." When the commodore and Dr. Franklin were alone, the former said: "I am here on my old errand; I must

have some money to fix up my ship. Was it not strange that the Sprite-that is the name I gave the French ship I took possession of at Dunkirk; the French called it L'Esprit, and I came as near to it as I could-was it not strange that I should come across the Eagle of Liberty, an American vessel, under British colors, and capture it with a French-built ship under the Rattlesnake Flag? It was the fortune of war, and there is no other fortune that can be compared with it." The commodore's eyes flashed and the color rose to his cheeks. "Then there is Conyngham; I have battered his vessel up pretty well, but if some money can be had to put it in shape, there will be two of us to worry the British instead of one—a consummation devoutly to be wished, in the poet's words. I hate to draw on the English for anything, but Shakespeare belongs to the world, not to them alone."

"I think it can be arranged," said Franklin. "I have been fortunate in securing another loan from the king, and I know of no better use to which a part of it may be put than to repair and equip your vessels."

The commodore extended his hand. "You will never regret it, Doctor Franklin. My heart is in this cause and so is yours. When the history of this war is written. truthfully some day, as it will be, the historian will say that if it had not been for Benjamin Franklin, the Revolution would have been known as a rebellion and its patriots as rebels and traitors."

Franklin grasped the extended hand and for a moment the men sat and looked into each other's faces.

All that could be spoken had been said.

As the commodore turned to leave the room, Franklin said: "You gentlemen will remain over night, of course. The count will be pleased to receive you as his guests, and there is ample accommodation in the Little House

for you all. I will see Captain Conyngham next, if he is at liberty."

After greeting Dr. Franklin, the captain said: “You have, no doubt, heard all, and it is unnecessary to take your time to tell the story over again. Fate is capricious, but, so far, matters have come out all right. If it had not been for Commodore Jones, however, by this time, I should have been on English soil. Without Without my commission to prove my connection with the American navy, I should have been adjudged a pirate, and the yard-arm would have been my fate. I hope, doctor, that you have found the missing document."

"I regret to say, captain, that I have not. I have looked at every paper I brought from the ship, but it is not with them. I will write at once to America and secure another commission for you. I do not see that anything else can be done. Regrets will not mitigate my sorrow for its loss, nor reduce your danger in case you should be taken prisoner."

"The commodore has told me, my dear doctor, that you will advance money to repair the Eagle of Liberty. Commission or no commission, I shall be proud to command her and to fight the enemy. If I am taken prisoner, although I would prefer to die in battle rather than with a noose about my neck, if the worst comes, I will die like a brave man."

The next visitor was Wilfrid. As he grasped the doctor's hand, he cried: "Where is Frances? Is she here?"

"Sit down, my boy," said the doctor. "It is a long story, but you have a right to know it all, and now."

Then he told of how he secured passage on the French man-of-war, his landing in France, and his arrival at Paris. "I was obliged to place Miss Fentress in a board

ing house. She went out to walk, lost her way, and was abducted by some ruffians, but was found and brought back to us by the great French detective Monsieur Jacquin. She was to have still another adventure. This time she was inveigled into the wrong carriage by her uncle, who took her to a convent. Again Monsieur Jacquin found her and she was restored to us. Her third and, I trust, last adventure was the most serious. Our mutual friend, the Marquise de Ferdieu, offered to take her to her chateau in Normandy. On the way the diligence was attacked and Frances was once more the victim of abduction. This time it was not Monsieur Jacquin, but the marquise herself, who secured her release. It was then deemed unsafe for her to remain longer in Paris, and the marquise kindly offered to accompany her to Geneva, and place her in her aunt's care."

Wilfrid clasped his hands and bowed his head upon them. The doctor said nothing, but sat regarding him attentively. Finally Wilfrid looked up and said:

"Pardon me, doctor, but of course I am sadly disappointed. I have been separated from her so long, and through all my troubles I have looked forward to reaching Paris and meeting Frances; but if you thought it was for the best that she should go to Geneva, it must be so, for you are experienced and wise, while I am inexperienced and prone to be rash. There is one thing, however, that I can do, and I will do it to-night. I will write her a letter, telling her of my safe arrival. You can, of course, give me the address ?"

"Why, certainly," said Dr. Franklin. "Write to her care of Monsieur Gustave Vaillarde, Geneva, Switzerland."

The Count de Chaumont had taken Capt. Conyngham and Com. Jones to the Great House, and they had been