the brave man with brains 's got a big pull. He 

 don't get shook up jus' keeps on thinkin' out his 

 job right along, while the other feller's worryin' 

 about his hide ! An' dawgs is the same." 



Rocky's eyes for ever grave and thoughtful 

 rested on the fire ; and the remarks that came from 

 the other men passed unnoticed, but they served to 

 keep the subject alive. Presently he went on again 

 opening with an observation that caused me to move 

 uneasily before there was time to think why ! 



" Boys is like pups you got ter help 'em some ; 

 but not too much, an' not too soon. They got ter 

 larn themselves. I reckon ef a man's never made 

 a mistake he's never had a good lesson. Ef you don't 

 pay for a thing you don't know what it's worth ; 

 and mistakes is part o' the price o' knowledge the 

 other part is work ! But mistakes is the part you don't 

 like payin' : thet's why you remember it. You save 

 a boy from makin' mistakes and ef he's got good stuff 

 in him, most like you spoil it. He don't know any- 

 thing properly, 'cause he don't think ; and he don't 

 think, 'cause you saved him the trouble an' he never 

 learned how ! He don't know the meanin' o' 

 consequences and risks, 'cause you kep' 'em off 

 him ! An' bymbye he gets ter believe it's born in him 

 ter go right, an' knows everything, an' can't go wrong ; 

 an' ef things don't pan out in the end he reckon it's 

 jus' bad luck ! No ! Sirree ! Ef he's got ter swim you 

 let him know right there that the water's deep an' 

 thar ain't no one to hoi' him up, an' ef he don't 

 wade in an' larn, it's goin' ter be his funeral ! " 



38 



