"Horribly. He is soon going home to see if our surgeons can find the bullet; but he is plainly failing."
"Oh, he is going home?"
"Yes; very soon."
"How did it all happen? It has been much talked about, but one never knows what to believe."
"I sent him to New York with despatches for our foreign office, but the Jean Bart must have sailed without them; for he was waylaid, shot, and robbed of the papers, but lost no valuables."
"Then it was not highwaymen?"
"No; I can only conjecture who were concerned. It was plainly a robbery in the interest of the Federalists. I do not think Mr. Randolph could have these despatches, or if he has, they will never be heard of." Upon this he smiled.
"Then they are lost?"
"Yes. At least to our foreign office. I think Mr. Wolcott of the Treasury would have liked to see them."