d have been
so naturally; or, if not naturally, he would have made himself so by
force of will. Yet he made no talk about it. His step was quiet, though
quick; and his voice was gentle, though rapid; and he was chiefly famous
for _talking_ little and _doing_ much.

Some time after the opening of our tale, Mr. Jollyboy had received
information of Mrs. Grumbit's stocking movement. That same afternoon he
put on his broad-brimmed white hat, and, walking out to the village in
which she lived, called upon the vicar, who was a particular and intimate
friend of his. Having ascertained from the vicar that Mrs. Grumbit would
not accept of charity, he said abruptly,--

"And why not,--is she too proud?"

"By no means," replied the vicar. "She says that she would think shame to
take money from friends as long as she can work, because every penny that
she would thus get would be so much less to go to the helpless poor; of
whom, she says, with much truth, there are enough and to spare. And I
quite agree with her as regards her principle; but it does not apply
fully to her, for she cannot work so as to procure a sufficient
livelihood without injury to her health."

"Is she clever?" inquired Mr. Jollyboy.

"Why, no, not particularly. In fact, she does not often exert her
reasoning faculties, except in the common-place matters of ordinary and
every-day routine."

"Then she's cleverer than most people," said Mr. Jollyboy, shortly. "Is
she obstinate?"

"No, not in the least," returned the vicar with a puzzled smile.

"Ah, well, good-bye, good-bye; that's all I want to know."

Mr. Jollyboy rose, and hurrying through the village, tapped at the
cottage door, and was soon closeted with Mrs. Dorothy Grumbit. In the
course of half an hour, Mr. Jollyboy drew from Mrs. Grumbit as much about
her private affairs as he could, without appearing rude. But he found the
old lady very close and sensitive on that point. Not so, however, when he
got her upon the subject of her nephew. She had enough, and more than
enough, to say about him. It is true she began by remarking, sadly, that
he was a very bad boy; but, as she continued to talk about him, she
somehow or other gave her visitor the impression that he was a very
_good_ boy! They had a wonderfully long and confidential talk about
Martin, during which Mr. Jollyboy struck Mrs. Grumbit nearly dumb with
horror by stating positively what he would do for the boy,--he would send
him to sea! Then,