"And what made the little wench so sure, I wonder?" said the old
woman, now in her black bonnet and scarlet cloak.

"Why, la!" says Hannah, "because it's your son, ma'am--and you're his
mother, Dame Meadows!"



CHAPTER VI.

JOHN MEADOWS had always been an active man, but now he was
indefatigable. He was up at five every morning, and seemed ubiquitous;
added a gray gelding to his black mare, and rode them both nearly off
their legs. He surveyed land in half a dozen counties--he speculated
in grain in half a dozen markets, and did business in shares. His plan
in dealing with this ticklish speculation was simple. He listened to
nothing anybody said, examined the venture himself, and, if it had a
sound basis, bought when the herd was selling, and sold wherever the
herd was buying. Hence, he bought cheap and sold dear.

He also lent money, and contrived to solve the usurers'
problem--perfect security and huge interest.

He arrived at this by his own sagacity and the stupidity of mankind.

Mankind are not wanting in intelligence; but, as a body, they have one
intellectual defect--they are muddle-heads.

Now these muddle-heads have agreed to say that land is in all cases
five times a surer security for money lent than movables are. Whereas