"Oh, take heart, Mrs. Sullivan," said Mrs. Dunn, "our boys will all
turn out well in the end, and all we can do is to bring them up in the
best way we know, and trust to them to take care of themselves after
they leave home. Now Dannie is certainly an industrious lad. I hear
him pounding nails all day long in the back yard, and he made a good
job of shingling the woodshed the other day. He seems made to be a
carpenter."

"Yes, I think so myself," said the Widow Sullivan. "The whole lot of
them is out by the railroad now, building a hut. They've organised a
'Hut Club' to-day, and never a lick of work have I had out of them
boys since mornin'. They've always got something going on, and when I
want a bit of water from the well, or a little wood from the shed,
they're never around."

"Yes, but boys will be boys, Mrs. Sullivan, and we'd better keep them
contented at home as long as we can. They'll be leaving us soon
enough. It seems that no boys are content to stay in town any longer;
they're all anxious to be off to the city."

"That's true, that's true, Mrs. Dunn," said Mrs. Sullivan. "I must be
going now. I'm much obliged for the rain-water, and whenever you want
a bit of milk call over the fence, and I'll bring it to you with
pleasure. It's a good neighbour you are, Mrs. Dunn."

And Mrs. Sullivan went slowly around the house and out at the front
gate, while good Mrs. Dunn returned to her ironing, a few clothes
having to be ready for Sunday.

While these mothers were discussing their boys, the youngsters