And you can't make lads into wiseacres between sundown and sunrise." "No, by Gawd, you can't!" affirmed his companion.

"But I think youth's just a fine name for a sort o' piggish mess What's the good, one 'ud like to know, of gettin' old, and learnin' wisdom, and knowin' the good from the bad, when ev'ry lousy young fathead that's born inter the world starts out again to muddle through it for 'imself, in 'is own way.

And that things 'as got to go on like this, just the same, for ever and ever--why, it makes me fair tired to think of it.

My father didn't 'old with youth: 'e knocked it out of us by thrashin', just like lyin' and thievin'.

And it's the best way, too.-- Wot's that you say ?" he flounced round on the unoffending Tom.