were forced to stand while they caught their fish. Here they dabbled in
mud and mire like a flock of ducks.

"This is very uncomfortable," said Ben Franklin one day to his comrades,
while they were standing mid-leg deep in the quagmire.

"So it is," said the other boys. "What a pity we have no better place
to stand!"

If it mad not been for Ben, nothing more would have been done or said
about, the matter. Butt it was not in his nature to be sensible of an
inconvenience without using his best efforts to find a remedy. So, as
he and his comrades were returning from the water-side, Ben suddenly
threw down his string of fish with a very determined air.

"Boys," cried he, "I have thought of a scheme which will be greatly for
our benefit and for the public benefit."

It was queer enough, to be sure, to hear this little chap--this rosy-
checked, ten-year-old boy--talking about schemes for the public benefit!
Nevertheless, his companions were ready to listen, being assured that
Ben's scheme, whatever it was, would be well worth their attention.
They remembered how sagaciously he had conducted all their enterprises
ever since he had been old enough to wear small-clothes.

They remembered, too, his wonderful contrivance of sailing across the
mill-pond by lying flat on his back in the water and allowing himself to
be drawn along by a paper kite. If Ben could do that, he might
certainly do anything.