"Well," said the little Hindu doctor, "and how are things going now,
with the men?"

"The same as ever," said Aaron.

"Yes," said the stately voice of the landlady. "And I'm afraid they
will always be the same as ever. When will they learn wisdom?"

"But what do you call wisdom?" asked Sherardy, the Hindu. He spoke
with a little, childish lisp.

"What do I call wisdom?" repeated the landlady. "Why all acting
together for the common good. That is wisdom in my idea."

"Yes, very well, that is so. But what do you call the common good?"
replied the little doctor, with childish pertinence.

"Ay," said Aaron, with a laugh, "that's it." The miners were all
stirring now, to take part in the discussion.

"What do I call the common good?" repeated the landlady. "That all
people should study the welfare of other people, and not only their
own."

"They are not to study their own welfare?" said the doctor.

"Ah, that I did not say," replied the landlady. "Let them study their
own welfare, and that of others also."