is
mother about taming of un an' grawing saplings for his better
bringing-up. She'll tell 'e a thing or two. Just mind the slowness o'
growth in the human young. 'T will be years before theer's enough of un
to beat."

"They do come very gradual to fulness o' body an' reason," admitted
Billy; "and 't is gude it should be so; 't is well all men an' women 's
got to be childer fust, for they brings brightness an' joy 'pon the
earth as babies, though 't is mostly changed when they 'm grawed up. If
us could awnly foretell the turnin' out o' childern, an' knaw which 't
was best to drown an' which to save in tender youth, what a differ'nt
world this would be!"

"They 'm poor li'l twoads at fust, no doubt," said Will to his
father-in-law.

"Ess, indeed they be. 'T is a coorious circumstance, but generally
allowed, that humans are the awnly creatures o' God wi' understandin',
an' yet they comes into the world more helpless an' brainless, an' bides
longer helpless an' brainless than any other beast knawn."

"Shouldn't call 'em 'beastes' 'zactly, seem' they've got the Holy Ghost
from the church font ever after," objected Billy. "'T is the differ'nce
between a babe an' a pup or a kitten. The wan gets God into un at
christenin', t' other wouldn't have no Holy Ghost in un if you baptised
un over a hunderd times. For why? They 'm not built in the Image."

"When all's said, you caan't look tu far ahead or be tu forehanded wi'
bwoys," resumed Will. "Gallopin' down-long I said to myself, 'Theer's
things he may do an' things he may not do. He shall choose his awn road
in reason, but he must be guided by me in the choice.' I won't let un go
for a sailor--never. I'll cut un off wi' a shillin' if he thinks of it."

"Time enough when he can walk an' talk, I reckon," said Billy, who,
seeing how his master viewed the matter, now caught Mr. Lyddon's manner.

"Ess, that's very well," continued Will, "but time flies that fast wi'
childer. Then I thought, 'He'll come to marry some day, sure's Fate.'
Myself, I believe in tolerable early marryin's."

"By God! I knaw it!" retorted Mr. Lyddon, with an expression wherein
appeared mingled feelings not a few; "Ess, fay! You'm right theer. I
should take Time by the forelock if I was you, an' see if you can find a
maiden as'll suit un while you go back-along through the village."

"Awnly, as 'tis better for the man to number more years than the
wummon," added Billy, "it might be wise to bide a week