cared for other things besides shoemaking, and after a while he happened
to make a remark which led to the following question from Willie:--

"Do you understand astronomy, Hector?"

"No. It's not my business, you see, Willie."

"But you've just been telling me so much about the moon, and the way
she keeps turning her face always to us--in the politest manner, as you
said!"

"I got it all out of Mr Dick's book. I don't understand it. I don't know
why she does so. I know a few things that are not my business, just as
you know a little about shoemaking, that not being your business; but I
don't understand them for all that."

"Whose business is astronomy then?"

"Well," answered Hector, a little puzzled, "I don't see how it can well
be anybody's business but God's, for I'm sure no one else can lay a hand
to it."

"And what's your business, Hector?" asked Willie, in a half-absent mood.

Some readers may perhaps think this a stupid question, and perhaps so
it was; but Willie was not therefore stupid. People sometimes _appear_
stupid because they have more things to think about than they can well
manage; while those who think only about one or two things may, on the
contrary, _appear_ clever when just those one or two things happen to be
talked about.