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 à-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