3

For nearly two weeks Jack was nursing his wound in Washington’s army hospital, which consisted of a cabin, a tent, a number of cow stables and an old shed on the heights of Harlem.  Jack had lain in a stable.

Toward the end of his confinement, John Adams came to see him.

“Were you badly hurt ?” the great man asked.

“Scratched a little, but I’ll be back in the service to-morrow,” Jack replied.

“You do not look like yourself quite.  I think that I will ask the Commander-in-Chief to let you go with me to Philadelphia.  I have some business there and later Franklin and I are going to Staten Island to confer with Admiral Lord Howe.  We are a pair of snappish old dogs and need a young man like you to look after us.  You would only have to keep out of our quarrels, attend to our luggage and make some notes in the conference.”

So it happened that Jack went to Philadelphia with Mr. Adams, and, after two days at the house of Doctor Franklin, set out with the two great men for the conference on Staten Island.  He went in high hope that he was to witness the last scene of the war.

In Amboy he sent a letter to his father, which said: 

“Mr. Adams is a blunt, outspoken man.  If things do not go to his liking, he is quick to tell you.  Doctor Franklin is humorous and polite, but firm as a God-placed mountain.  You may put your shoulder against the mountain and push and think it is moving, but it isn’t.  He is established.  He has found his proper bearings and is done with moving.  These two great men differ in little matters.  They had a curious quarrel the other evening.  We had reached New Brunswick on our way north.  The taverns were crowded.  I ran from one to another trying to find entertainment for my distinguished friends.  At last I found a small chamber with one bed in it and a single window.  The bed nearly filled the room.  No better accommodation was to be had.  I had left them sitting on a bench in a little grove near the large hotel, with the luggage near them.  When I returned they were having a hot argument over the origin of northeast storms, the Doctor asserting that he had learned by experiment that they began in the southwest and proceeded in a north-easterly direction.  I had to wait ten minutes for a chance to speak to them.  Mr. Adams was hot faced, the Doctor calm and smiling.  I imparted the news.

“‘God of Israel!’ Mr. Adams exclaimed.  ’Is it not enough that I have to agree with you?  Must I also sleep with you?’

“’Sir, I hope that you must not, but if you must, I beg that you will sleep more gently than you talk,’ said Franklin.

“I went with them to their quarters carrying the luggage.  On the way Mr. Adams complained that he had picked up a flea somewhere.

“‘The flea, sir, is a small animal, but a big fact,’ said Franklin.  ’You alarm me.  Two large men and a flea will be apt to crowd our quarters.’