5 Lightning Rod Ben

5 LIGHTNING ROD BEN Benjamin Franklin leaned against the back door of the state house. His hand trembled as he pulled out his handkerchief. "Are you all right, sir?" Annie asked. "Fine…I'm fine," said Ben, wiping his face. "But I cannot be seen with you. It would be a disaster. We must move away from here." Jack and Annie started walking with Ben toward the front of the building. "But, sir, why would it be a disaster?" asked Annie. "All the delegates have sworn an oath of secrecy!" said Ben. "I'm sorry to say they've already caught me saying a few things outside of our meetings."

"An oath of secrecy?" said Jack. "Yes! We believe in freedom of the press," said Ben. "But we need to make a plan first. Not a word of our plan should be printed in the Gazette—not until we agree on a plan…. Oh, dear…" "The Gazette?" said Jack. "Yes! The Pennsylvania Gazette. The very paper I once owned!" said Ben. "Oh…oh, wait," said Annie. "We don't work for the Pennsylvania Gazette." "No?" said Ben. "But you said you were from the press." "I know. But we were talking about the Frog Creek News," Annie said. "It's our own little paper. Mine and Jack's. We're the only ones who—who read it." "She's right," Jack said. "It's just a game we play. We pretend to be reporters from the Frog Creek News whenever we meet new people." Ben Franklin stopped walking. He looked

hard at Jack and Annie. His expression changed from worry to relief. Then he laughed. "I believe you!" he said. "My goodness, your little game nearly gave me a heart attack!" "I'm sorry," said Annie. At least we got his attention, thought Jack. "So, where do you live?" Ben asked. "Frog Creek," said Jack. "It's miles away." "We're tourists," said Annie. "Our parents want us to study history." "Tourists? I'm afraid I do not know that word," said Ben. "Oh. Well, you can also think of us as 'visiting scholars,'" said Jack. Emperor Marcus Aurelius of Rome had called them "visiting scholars" on their last adventure. Jack liked the sound of that. Ben seemed to like it, too. His face brightened. "Ah! Visiting scholars! And so young!

That's delightful!" he said. "Come, let us walk, scholars! I'll show you Philadelphia's free library." Ben started up Chestnut Street. He still used his walking stick. But now he had a little skip in his step. People waved cheerfully at Ben from wagons and carriages, and he waved back. He seemed to know everyone. "It's important for visiting scholars to see the very first public library in the colonies," Ben told Jack and Annie. "But I do apologize for the heat." "Don't worry. You didn't cause it," said Annie. Ben laughed. "I like your wit, my dear," he said. "I like yours, too," said Annie. Ben stopped and pointed his walking stick at a brick building with high, arched windows. "That's it! Our library! I was the founder! Library members—and visiting

scholars—can borrow books anytime." "That's great," said Jack. "It looks a lot like our Frog Creek Public—" Annie began. But Jack stopped her with a quick shake of his head. He knew there were hardly any public libraries in 1787. "Hey, Lightning Rod Ben!" a boy shouted from a passing wagon. "Hot enough for you?" Ben waved at the boy. "Why did he call you that?" said Annie. "I invented lightning rods!" said Ben. "I'm surprised you didn't know that. See, there's one." He pointed to a long metal rod that rose up from the roof of the library. "The lightning hits the rod and then

passes through a wire into the earth, right?" said Jack. "Exactly!" said Ben. "It keeps the lightning from passing into the building and causing a fire," said Annie. "My word, you are both very bright!" said Ben. He seemed happy and relaxed now. "As visiting scholars, what would you most like to learn about on your visit?" "You!" Annie and Jack said together. "Oh, my." Ben chuckled. "Well, perhaps I could tell you a bit about myself while we sit in the courtyard of my house. How does that sound?" "Cool," said Jack. "Cool indeed!" said Ben. "We will be much cooler under the shade of my mulberry tree!"