His second son, named Benjamin, became a journalist, was the editor of the _London Journal_, and got into temporary trouble for writing a scandalous and seditious libel in that newspaper in 1721.

A writer in _Applebee's Journal_, whom Mr.Lee identifies with Defoe himself, commenting upon this circumstance, denied the rumour of its being the well-known Daniel Defoe that was committed for the offence.

The same writer declared that it was known "that the young Defoe was but a stalking-horse and a tool, to bear the lash and the pillory in their stead, for his wages; that he was the author of the most scandalous part, but was only made sham proprietor of the whole, to screen the true proprietors from justice." This son does not appear in a favourable light in the troubles which soon after fell upon Defoe, when Mist discovered his connexion with the Government.

Foiled in his assault upon him, Mist seems to have taken revenge by spreading the fact abroad, and all Defoe's indignant denials and outcries against Mist's ingratitude do not seem to have cleared him from suspicion.

Thenceforth the printers and editors of journals held aloof from him.