Page:Works of the Late Doctor Benjamin Franklin (1793).djvu/64

54 by no means an agreeable one, as we had much bad weather.

When we arrived in the river, the captain was as good as his word, and allowed me to ſearch in the bag for the governor's letters. I could not find a ſingle one with my name written on it, as committed to my care; but I ſelected ſix or ſeven, which I judged from the direction to be thoſe that were intended for me; particularly one to Mr. Baſket the king's printer, and another to a ſtationer, who was the firſt perſon I called upon. I delivered him the letter as coming from governor Keith. "I have no acquaintance (ſaid he) with any ſuch perſon;" and opening the letter, "Oh, it is from Riddleſden!" he exclaimed. "I have lately diſcovered him to be a very arrant knave, and I wiſh to have nothing to do either with him or his letters." He inſtantly put the letter in my hand, turned upon his heel, and left me to ſerve ſome cuſtomers.

I was aſtoniſhed at finding theſe letters were not from the governor. Reflecting, and putting circumſtances together, I then began to doubt his ſincerity. I rejoined my friend Denham, and related the whole affair to him. He let me at once into Keith’s character, told me there was not the leaſt probability of his having written a ſingle letter; that no one who knew him ever placed any reliance on him, and laughed at my credulity in ſuppoſing that the governor would give me a letter of credit, when he had no credit for himſelf. As I ſhowed ſome uneaſineſs reſpecting what ſtep I ſhould take, he adviſed me to try to get employment in the houſe of ſome printer. You may there, ſaid he, improve yourſelf in buſineſs, and you will be able to ſettle yourſelf the more advantageouſly when you return to America.