bly, basely, craftily, forcibly,
benevolently, ruthlessly, whichever way best suited the particular
occasion, had built a model Union; and still, with unremitting zeal and
vigilance, contrived to keep numbers down and prices up--which is the
great Union problem.

The work was hard, but it was done in a position favorable to the lungs,
and the men were healthy, brawny fellows; one or two were of remarkable
stature.

Up to this moment Silly Billy had fully justified that title. He had
stuck to Henry's side like a dog, but with no more interest in the
inquiry than a calf, indeed, his wandering eye and vacant face had
indicated that his scanty wits were wool-gathering miles from the place
that contained his body.

But, as soon as he entered the saw-grinders' room, his features lighted
up, and his eye kindled. He now took up a commanding position in the
center, and appeared to be listening keenly. And he had not listened
many seconds before he cried out, "There's the bad music! there! there!"
And he pointed to a grindstone that was turning and doing its work
exactly like the others. "Oh, the bad music!" cried Billy. "It is out of
tune. It says, 'Murder! murder! Out of tune!'"

Henry thought it his duty to inspect the grindstone so vigorously
denounced, and, naturally enough, went in front of the grinder. But
Billy pulled him violently to the side. "You musn't stand there," said
he. "That is the way they fly when they break, and kill the poor father,
and then the mother lets down her hair, and the boy goes crazed."

By this time the men were attracted by the Anomaly's gestures and
exclamations, and several left their work, and came round him. "What is
amiss, Billy? a flawed stone, eh? which is it?"

"Here! here!" said the boy. "This is the wheel of death. Kill it, break
it, smash it, before it kills another father."

Henry spoke to the grinder, and asked him if there was anything amiss
with the stone.

The man seemed singularly uneasy at being spoken to: however he made
answer sullenly that he had seen better ones, and worse ones, and all.

Henry was, however, aware, that the breaking of a large grindstone,
while revolving by steam power, was a serious, and often a fatal thing;
he therefore made a private mark upon the wall opposite the grindstone,
and took his excited companion to Bayne. "This poor lad says he has
found a defective grindstone. It is impossible for me to test it while
it is running. Will you let us