Ash nodded and patted his arm. “Yes, Lochie, of America.”
James said, “He helped write the Declaration, the Constitution, invented a bunch of cool stuff, one of the most famous men in America, and his face is on the hundred dollar bill!”
Magnus dug in his pocket, pulled out a wad of cash, peeling off a couple until he got to a 100 dollar bill. He held it up to the light to look at it, then passed it to Fraoch. “This is the fellow.”
Fraoch nodded and passed it to Lochinvar. “He must be verra important tae hae his picture on the bill.”
James said, “True, andanyway, back to the story, I told you about how he was naked?—”
Zoe and Isla giggled and whispered, “Naked!”
Archie screwed up his face. “I didn’t hear that story!”
Zach leaned forward, “To begin at the beginning, we met Ben Franklin.”
Archie and Ben reverently said, “Cool.”
“We had a beer with him. He’s old as the hills, big, he called himself portly, he got carried into the bar, and then just drank and told stories. It was amazing.”
Hayley said, “I bet it was, that’s crazy.”
They nodded. James said, “Hell yeah, and he told us he would sit in front of open windows taking in the morning air.”
James and Quentin laughed, reliving it.
Zach said, “Keep in mind, boys, he was very portly.”
James raised a fist. “Clothing be damned!”
The boys thought that was hilarious.
Zach said, “We were at the next table over, we heard him tell stories. He would raise his tankard and just start talking, the whole pub would hush and listen.”
Hayley said, “Hey, wait a second, is that what you call having a beer with Ben? You were at the next table over!”
James got up and paced it off. “I was only like this far away from Ben mo-foFranklin, I was having a beer with him, it can’t be disputed, and then guess what?”
Quentin said, “A bunch of other men came to join him.”
“We had to move over, but we didn’t mind. I swear to God, Hayley, it was freaking Thomas Jefferson, sitting down right there!” He pointed at a space about ten feet away. “Now everyone gets a beer, then Franklin launches into a story. He’s holding court, his gouty foot propped up, and some delegate?—”
Zach said, “That was Adams,JohnAdams.”
James said, “Hewas complaining about catching a chill from the drafty room. Ben leaned in and said, ‘Gentlemen, I discovered how to keep from getting a snirl!’ That, boys and girls, according to Franklin, is a head cold.”
Fraoch said, “Aye, everyone kens.”
James continued, “Franklin launches into this whole theory: nobodyevercaught cold from fresh air, he said. It’s the bad air inside, the ‘miasma’ from closed rooms and sweaty bodies, that does it. Adams gets irritated, he says, ‘Are you going to tell this story again?’ But Franklin ignores him, just leans back and starts telling it.”
Fraoch raised his brow. “Sounds like someone I ken. Right Og Maggy?”
Magnus chuckled. “Ye meanin’ me, Fraoch?”
Fraoch said, “I would never insult ye, just want tae remind ye tae keep the stories shorter or ye will get a reputation.”
Magnus chuckled. “A reputation as a good storyteller, perhaps. One where young and old gather round the tavern tae listen tae m’stories. Ye ken, Fraoch,thenI will get m’image upon the bill… oh wait!” He reached in his pocket and pulled out some coins. He sifted through them in his palm and held out a gold coin about the size of a quarter and placed it in front of Fraoch. “My image is already upon a coin because my stories are so grand.”
The boys giggled.
