"The principal question in life is, What good can I do in the world?" says Franklin. He learned to ask this question in his home in "beloved Boston." It was his purpose to answer this all-important question after the lessons that he had received in his early home, to which his heart remained true through all his marvelous career. This is the seventh volume of the Creators of Liberty Series of books of historical fiction, based for the most part on real events, in the purpose of presenting biography in picture. The former volumes of this series of books have been very kindly received by the public, and none of them more generously than the last volume, The Wampum Belt. For this the writer is very grateful, for he is a thorough believer in story-telling education, on the Pestalozzi and Froebel principle that "life must be taught from life," or from the highest ideals of beneficent character. H. B. 28 WORCESTER STREET, BOSTON, MASS., _June, 1897_. CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I.--THE FIRST DAY 1 II.--UNCLE BENJAMIN, THE POET 10 III.--BENJAMIN AND BENJAMIN 18 IV.--FRANKLIN'S STORY OF A HOLIDAY IN CHILDHOOD 24 V.--THE BOY FRANKLIN'S KITE 28 VI.--LITTLE BEN'S GUINEA PIG 34 VII.--UNCLE TOM, WHO ROSE IN THE WORLD 39 VIII.--LITTLE BEN SHOWS HIS HANDWRITING TO THE FAMILY 46 IX.--UNCLE BENJAMIN'S SECRET 50 X.--THE STONE WHARF, AND LADY WIGGLEWORTH, WHO FELL ASLEEP IN CHURCH 56 XI.--JENNY 70 XII.--A CHIME OF BELLS IN NOTTINGHAM 74 XIII.--THE ELDER FRANKLIN'S STORIES 78 XIV.--THE TREASURE-FINDER 83 XV.--"HAVE I A CHANCE?" 92 XVI.--"A BOOK THAT INFLUENCED THE CHARACTER OF A MAN WHO LED HIS AGE" 99 XVII.--BENJAMIN LOOKS FOR A PLACE WHEREIN TO START IN LIFE 102 XVIII.--LITTLE BEN'S ADVENTURE AS A POET 111 XIX.--LEAVES BOSTON 132 XX.--LAUGHED AT AGAIN 138 XXI.--LONDON AND A LONG SWIM 148 XXII.--A PENNY ROLL WITH HONOR.--JENNY'S SPINNING-WHEEL 160 XXIII.--MR. CALAMITY 168 XXIV.--FRANKLIN'S STRUGGLES WITH FRANKLIN 174 XXV.--THE MAGICAL BOTTLE 179 XXVI.--THE ELECTRIFIED VIAL AND THE QUESTIONS IT