men we shall be by and by."

"Hear! hear!" cried Frank, in his deepest tone, for he heartily agreed
to that, having talked the matter over with his mother, and received
much light upon things which should always be set right in young heads
and hearts. And who can do this so wisely and well as mothers, if they
only will?

Feeling that his sentiments had been approved, and he need not be
ashamed of the honest color in his cheeks, Ed sat down amid the applause
of his side, especially of Jack, who pounded so vigorously with his
crutch that Mrs. Pecq popped in her head to see if anything was wanted.

"No, thank you, ma'am, we were only cheering Ed," said Gus, now upon
his legs, and rather at a loss what to say till Mrs. Pecq's appearance
suggested an idea, and he seized upon it.

"My honored friend has spoken so well that I have little to add. I agree
with him, and if you want an example of what girls _can_ do, why, look
at Jill. She's young, I know, but a first-rate scholar for her age. As
for pluck, she is as brave as a boy, and almost as smart at running,
rowing, and so on. Of course, she can't play ball--no girl can; their
arms are not made right to throw--but she can catch remarkably well.
I'll say that for her. Now, if she and Mabel--and--and--some others I
could name, are so clever and strong at the beginning, I don't see why
they shouldn't keep up and go along with us all through. I'm willing,
and will do what I can to help other fellows' sisters as I'd like to
have them help mine. And I'll punch their heads if they don't;" and Gus
subsided, assured, by a burst of applause, that his manly way of stating
the case met with general approval.

"We shall be happy to hear from our senior member if he will honor us
with a few remarks," said Frank, with a bow to Ralph.

No one ever knew whom he would choose to personate, for he never spoke
in his own character. Now he rose slowly, put one hand in his bosom, and
fixing his eye sternly on Grif, who was doing something suspicious with
a pin, gave them a touch of Sergeant Buzfuz, from the Pickwick trial,
thinking that the debate was not likely to throw much light on the
subject under discussion. In the midst of this appeal to "Me lud and
gentlemen of the jury," he suddenly paused, smoothed his hair down upon
his forehead, rolled up his eyes, and folding his hands, droned out Mr.
Chadband's sermon on Peace, delivered over poor Jo, and ending with the
famous lines:--

"