Solomon’s voice sank to a whisper.

“Forgive me,” said Jack.  “I didn’t know you felt that way.  But I’m glad you do.  I’ll take it on the understanding that as long as I live what I have shall also be yours.”

“I’ve two hundred poun’ an’ six shillin’ in my pocket an’ a lot more hid in the bush.  It’s all yourn to the last round penny.  I reckon it’ll purty nigh bridge the slough.  I want ye to be married respectable like a gentleman—­slick duds, plenty o’ cakes an’ pies an’ no slightin’ the minister er the rum bar’l.

“Major Washington give me a letter to take to Ben Franklin on t’other side o’ the ocean.  Ye see ev’ry letter that’s sent ercrost is opened an’ read afore it gits to him lessen it’s guarded keerful.  This ’ere one, I guess, has suthin’ powerful secret in it.  He pays all the bills.  So I’ll be goin’ erlong with ye on the nex’ ship an’ when we git thar I want to shake hands with the gal and tell her how to make ye behave.”

That evening Jack went to the manager of The Gazette and asked for a six months’ leave of absence.

“And why would ye be leaving?” asked the manager, a braw Scot.

“I expect to be married.”

“In England?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll agree if the winsome, wee thing will give ye time to send us news letters from London.  Doctor Franklin could give ye help.  He has been boiling over with praise o’ you and has asked me to broach the matter.  Ye’ll be sailing on the next ship.”

Before there was any sailing Jack and Solomon had time to go to Albany for a visit.  They found the family well and prosperous, the town growing.  John Irons said that land near the city was increasing rapidly in value.  Solomon went away into the woods the morning of their arrival and returned in the afternoon with his money, which he gave to John Irons to be invested in land.  Jack, having had a delightful stay at home, took a schooner for New York that evening with Solomon.

The night before they sailed for England his friends in the craft gave Jack a dinner at The Gray Goose Tavern.  He describes the event in a long letter.  To his astonishment the mayor and other well-known men were present and expressed their admiration for his talents.

The table was spread with broiled fish and roasted fowls and mutton and towering spiced hams and sweet potatoes and mince pies and cakes and jellies.

“The spirit of hospitality expresses itself here in ham—­often, also, in fowls, fish and mutton, but always and chiefly in ham—­cooked and decorated with the greatest care and surrounded by forms, flavors and colors calculated to please the eye and fill the human system with a deep, enduring and memorable satisfaction,” he writes.