ut, Ladle," said Vince. "Birds are coming to peck 'em
out."

"They'd better not," said Mike.

"I say, couldn't we train some gulls, and harness them to a sort of
chair, and make them fly with us off the cliff? They could do it if
they'd only fly together. I wonder how many it would take."

"Bother the old gulls! Don't talk nonsense. When shall we go and see
the old man?"

"Must do it, I suppose," said Vince. "Yes, we ought to: it's so mean to
sneak out of it, else we might send him the five shillings. I hate
having to go and own to it, but we must, Ladle. Let's take the dose
now."

"Do what?" said Mike lazily.

"Go and take it, just as if it was salts and senna."

"Ugh!"

"Best way, and get it over. We've got to do it, and we may as well have
it done."

"Yes."

"But I say, when are you going to the cave again? Not to-day?"

"No."

"To-morrow?"

"No."

"Next day?"

"Well, p'r'aps. See how I feel."

"Ready?"

"What for?"

"To go and see old Joe Daygo."

"Haven't got the money with me now."

"We'll go and fetch it, and then go to him."

Mike grunted.

"There, it's of no use to hang back, Ladle; we've got it to do, so let's
get it done."

"Yes; you keep on saying we've got it to do, but you don't jump up to go
and do it."

"I'm quite ready," said Vince; "and I'll jump up if you will. Now then,
ready?"

"Don't bother."

"But we must go, Ladle."

"Well, I know that; but I haven't got the money, and it's so far to
fetch it, and I ache all over, and I don't want to see old Joe to-day,
and--"

"There, you're shirking the job," interrupted Vince.

"No, I'm not, for I want to get it over."

"Then don't stop smelling the stuff; hold your nose, tip it up, and you
shall have a bit of sugar to eat after it if you're a good boy."

"Oh, Cinder, how I should like to punch your head!"

"No, you wouldn't. Come on and take your physic."

"I won't till I like. So there."

"`Cowardy, cowardy, custard, Ate his father's mustard,'" said Vince. "I
say, I don't see that there was anything cowardly in eating his father's
mustard. It was plucky. See how hot it must have been; but I suppose
he had plenty of beef and vegetables with it. He must have had,
because, if he hadn't, it would have made him sick."

"What, mustard would?" said Mike, who was quite ready to discuss
anything not relating to the visit to old Daygo.

"Yes; mustard would."

"Nonsense. How do you know?"

"Fa