n't know what would,--that is, I don't think I _have_ any ambition
now;" and there was a touch of sorrow in the last word that gave all the
force to what he said.

"At all events, you are tired of this sort of thing," said the other,
good-humoredly, "and it's not to be much wondered at. You began life at
what my father used to call 'the wrong end.' You started on the sunny
side of the road, Tony, and it is precious hard to cross over into the
shade afterwards."

"You 're right there, M'Gruder. I led the jolliest life that ever man
did till I was upwards of twenty; but I don't believe I ever knew how
glorious it was till it was over; but I must n't think of that now. See!
this is what I mean to do. You 'll find some way to send that safely to
my mother. There's forty-odd pounds in it, and I 'd rather it was not
lost I have kept enough to buy a good rifle--a heavy Swiss one, if I can
find it--and a sword-bayonet, and with these I am fully equipped."

"Come, come, Tony, I'll not hear of this; that you are well weary of the
life you lead here is not hard to see, nor any blame to you either, old
fellow. One must be brought up to Rags, like everything else, and
_you_ were not. But my brother writes me about starting an American
agency,--what do you say to going over to New York?"

"What a good fellow you are!" cried Tony, staring at him till his eyes
began to grow clouded with tears; "what a good fellow! you 'd risk
your ship just to give me a turn at the tiller! But it must n't be,--it
cannot be; I 'm bent on this scheme of mine,--I have determined on it."

"Since when? since last night?"

"Well, it's not very long, certainly, since I made up my mind."

The other smiled. Tony saw it, and went on: "I know what you mean. You
are of old Stewart's opinion. When he heard me once say I had made up
my mind, he said, 'It does n't take long to make up a small parcel;' but
every fellow, more or less, knows what he can and what he cannot do. Now
I cannot be orderly, exact, and punctual,--even the little brains I have
I can't be sure of keeping them on the matter before me; but I defy a
horse to throw me; I 'll bring you up a crown-piece out of six fathoms
water, if it 's clear; I'll kill four swallows out of six with a ball;
and though these are not gifts to earn one's bread by, the man that has
them need n't starve."

"If I thought that you had really reflected well over this plan,--given
it all the thought and consideration i