Natty Bell--you'll remember as you said--"
"Never mind what I said then, father, I was very young. To-day,
since I never can be a gentleman, I have come home so that you may
teach me to be a man. And believe me," he continued more lightly as
he glanced from the thoughtful brow of Natty Bell to the gloom on his
father's handsome face, "oh, believe me--I have no regrets,
none--none at all."
"Natty Bell," said John ponderously, and with his gaze still fixed
intently upon the blunderbuss, "what do you say to that?"
"Why I say, John, as I believe as our lad aren't speaking the truth
for once."
"Indeed, I shall be very happy," said Barnabas, hastily, "for I've
done with dreaming, you see. I mean to be very busy, to--to devote
my money to making us all happy. I have several ideas already, my
head is full of schemes."
"Man Jack," said Natty Bell, puffing thoughtfully at his pipe,
"what do _you_ say to _that_?"
"Why," answered John, "I say Natty Bell, as it be my belief as our
dear lad's nob be full o' only one idee, and that idee is--a woman.
Ah, and always will be and--there y'are, Natty Bell."
"For one thing," Barnabas went on more hastily than before,
"I'm going to carry out the improvements you suggested years ago for
the dear old 'Hound,' father--and you and I, Natty, might buy the
farm next door, it's for sale I know, and go in for raising horses.
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