There was a space of silence.

"So be I," said Peleg.

Presently Paul Hubbard's metallic voice was heard.

"We were fools not to have known it. Didn't we elect a General Court
last year a purpose to do something for us, and come to get down to
Bosting didn't the lawyers buy em up or fool em so they didn't do a
thing? The people won't git righted till they take hold and right
themselves, as they did in the war."

"Is that all the Squire said, Laban, every word?" asked Israel, and as
he did so all eyes turned on Laban with a faint gleam of hope that
there might yet be some crumb of comfort. Laban scratched his head.

"He said suthin baout govment bein none o' our business an haow we'd a
better go hum an not be loafin roun'."

"Ef govment hain't no business o' ourn I'd like tew know what in time
we fit the King fer," said Peleg.

"That's so, wy didn' ye ass Squire that queschin?" said Meshech
Little.

"By gosh," exclaimed Abner Rathbun, with a sudden vehemence, "ef
govment ain't no business o' ourn they made a mistake when they
teached us that fightin was."