f the country, for
the poetry of the woods, the water, and the sky, for the music of bird
and beast and running brook. You know the true proverb, `Man made the
town; but God made the country!'"

"What," asked Barret, "would become of the town, if all men thought as
you do?"

"Oh! John Barret, has town life so marred your once fine intellect,
that you put such a question in earnest? Suppose I answer it by
another: What would become of the country if all men thought and acted
as you do?"

Barret smiled and smoked.

"And what," continued Auberly, "would become of the fine arts if all men
delighted in dirt, dust, dullness, and desks? Depend upon it, John,
that our tastes and tendencies are not the result of accident; they were
given to us for a purpose. I hold it as an axiom that when a man or a
boy has a strong and decided bias or partiality for any particular work
that he knows _something_ about, he has really a certain amount of
capacity for that work beyond the average of men, and is led thereto by
a higher power than that of man. Do not misunderstand me. I do not say
that, when a boy expresses a longing desire to enter the navy or the
army, he has necessarily an aptitude for these professions. Far from
it. He has only a romantic notion of something about which,
experimentally, he knows nothing; but, when man or boy has put his hand
to any style of work, and _thereafter_ loves it and longs after it, I
hold that that is the work for which he was destined, and for which he
is best suited."

"Perhaps you are right," said Barret, smoking harder than ever. "At all
events, I heartily sympathise with you, and--"

At this point the conversation was interrupted by a loud burst of
whistling, as the street-door opened and the strains of "Rule Britannia"
filled the entire building. The music was interrupted by the sudden
opening of another door, and a rough growl from a male voice.

"Don't get waxy, old feller," said the performer in a youthful voice, "I
ain't a-goin' to charge you nothink for it. I always do my music
gratis; havin' a bee-nevolient turn o' mind."

The door was slammed violently, and "Rule Britannia" immediately burst
forth with renewed and pointed emphasis.

Presently it ceased, and a knock came to Barret's door.

"Well, what d'ye want, you noisy scamp?" said Barret, flinging the door
open, and revealing the small figure of Willie Willders.

"Please, sir," said Willie, consulting the back