thing is parental love!" cried the general factor, in
his hard, short way, which made many people trust him, because it was
unpleasant; "and filial duty of unfathomable grog! Worthy Joseph, let
your narrative proceed."

"They big words is beyond me, Sir. What use is any man to talk over a
chap's head?"

"Then, dash your eyes, go on, Joe. Can you understand that, now?"

"Yes, Sir, I can, and I likes a thing put sensible. If the gentlemen
would always speak like that, there need be no difference atween us.
Well, it was all along of all that money-bag of Bob's that he and I
found out anything. What good were your guinea? Who could stand treat
on that more than a night or two, and the right man never near you? But
when you keep a good shop open for a month, as Bob and me did with Widow
Tapsy, it standeth to reason that you must have everybody, to be called
at all respectable, for miles and miles around. For the first few nights
or so some on 'em holds off--for an old chalk against them, or for doubt
of what is forrard, or for cowardliness of their wives, or things they
may have sworn to stop, or other bad manners. But only go on a little
longer, and let them see that you don't care, and send everybody home
a-singing through the lanes as merry as a voting-time for Parliament,
and the outer ones begins to shake their heads, and to say that they are
bound to go, and stop the racket of it. And so you get them all, your
honor, saints as well as sinners, if you only keeps the tap turned long
enough."

"Your reasoning is ingenious, Joseph, and shows a deep knowledge of
human nature. But who was this tardy saint that came at last for grog?"

"Your honor, he were as big a sinner as ever you clap eyes on. Me and my
son was among the sawdust, spite of our three crutches, and he spreading
hands at us, sober as a judge, for lumps of ungenerous iniquity. Mother
Tapsy told us of it, the very next day, for it was not in our power to
be ackirate when he done it, and we see everybody laffing at us round
the corner. But we took the wind out of his sails the next night,
captain, you may warrant us. Here's to your good health, Sir, afore I
beats to win'ard."

"Why, Joseph, you seem to be making up lost way for years of taciturnity
in the tower. They say there is a balance in all things."

"We had the balance of him next night, and no mistake, your honor.
He was one of them 'longshore beggars as turns up here, there, and
everywhere, gall