"Ah! I shouldn't wonder.
If you'd been a man I s'pose you'd have pitched all those rough uns out o' window, eh ?" "I should have liked to be able to take care of myself," I said.
"Without old Ike, eh, my lad ?" "I don't mean that," I said; "only I should like to be a man." "Instead o' being very glad you're a boy with everything fresh and bright about you.

Red cheeks and clean skin and all your teeth, and all the time to come before you, instead of having to look back and think you're like an old spade--most wore out." "Oh, but you're so strong, Ike! I should like to be a man." "Like to be a boy, my lad, and thank God you are one," said old Ike, speaking as I had never heard him speak before.

"It's natur', I s'pose.
All boys wishes they was men, and when they're men they look back on that happiest time of their lives when they was boys and wishes it could come over again." "Do they, Ike ?" I said.
"I never knew a man who didn't," said Ike, making the cups dance on the table by giving it a thump with his fist.

"Why, Master Grant, I was kicked about and hit when I was a boy more'n ever a boy was before, but all that time seems bright and sunshiny to me." "But do you think Shock's happy ?" I said; "he's a boy, and has no one to care about him." "Happy! I should just think he is.

All boys has troubles that they feels bad at the time, but take 'em altogether they're as happy as can be.