“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.”