.

"They will be sorry for it, Wedge--mark my words. All this stabbing and
killing comes from too much work and no play. Jack's at his tools for
ever--gets a dull boy--and then stabs and cuts about him for the sake of
getting lively. Government should have playgrounds in every parish. They
would save the expense in the rapid diminution of the standing army. I
wrote a letter once to the prime minister"----

Wedge sighed.

"What do you mean by that, Wedge? Ah, quite right--I see! You are a good
fellow, Wedge. You have kept the compact. I won't be the first to break
it. Let us change the subject. I burnt all my letters and papers the day
I got here. What was the good of keeping them? This is an ungrateful
country, Wedge!"

Wedge sipped his grog, and sighed again.

"What is the matter, boy?" enquired his patron. "Speak your
mind--relieve your heart."

"No, I won't, Planner--I won't be the first. You sha'n't say it is me. I
don't mean to be blamed, that's a fact--but if I dared, oh, that's all!"

"Is it any thing very good?"

"Good! Good, did you say? Well, an agreement's an agreement, Planner. It
isn't for me to introduce the subject; but I could tell you something,
if we were differently situated, that would be a fortune to you. Ah,
Planner, I sha'n't be a burden upon you long! I have hit upon a thing at
last--I am a made man!"

"Now I tell you what, Wedge," said Planner, pulling out his watch, and
looking very serious, "we'll have just five minutes' private
conversation on this matter, and then have done with it. Only five
minutes, mind you, by the watch. If we mutually agree to lay aside our
compact for a minute or so, there's no great harm done, provided it
isn't made a precedent. I should like to see you set a-going, Wedge. You
may open your mind to me, and be sure of good advice. It's now seven
minutes to twelve. Till twelve, Wedge, you are at liberty to talk on
business."

"What were you saying just now about amusements, Planner? Do you
recollect."

"I do."

"I have thought about it for the last six months. We have formed a
company."

"A company!"

Wedge was as full of mystery as an Oxford tractman. He rose on tiptoe
from his chair, proceeded to the passage, listened on the stairs,
returned as carefully, closed the door, resumed his seat.

"A company!" repeated Planner.

"Such an undertaking!" proceeded the ungagged and self-deluded Wedge.
"It's the finest thing that has been thought of for the