lads may do th' same."

"A selfish policy," put in the landlady.

"Selfish or not, they may do it."

"Till the crack o' doom," said Aaron, with a glistening smile.

"Or the crack o' th' rope," said Brewitt.

"Yes, and THEN WHAT?" cried the landlady.

"Then we all drop on our backsides," said Kirk. There was a general
laugh, and an uneasy silence.

"All I can say of you men," said the landlady, "is that you have a
narrow, selfish policy.--Instead of thinking of the children, instead
of thinking of improving the world you live in--"

"We hang on, British bulldog breed," said Brewitt. There was a general
laugh.

"Yes, and little wiser than dogs, wrangling for a bone," said the
landlady.

"Are we to let t' other side run off wi' th' bone, then, while we sit
on our stunts an' yowl for it?" asked Brewitt.

"No indeed. There can be wisdom in everything.--It's what you DO
with the money, when you've got it," said the landlady, "that's where