He possessed to the full that "business" faculty, so frequently despised, but which, out of very ordinary material, often makes a clever man; and without which the cleverest man alive can never be altogether a great man.
When about to sign the orders, John suddenly stopped.

"No; I had better not." "Why so ?" "I have no right; your father might think it presumption." "Presumption?
after to-night!" "Oh, that's nothing! Take the pen.

It is your part to sign them, Phineas." I obeyed.
"Isn't this better than hanging ?" said John to the men, when he had distributed the little bits of paper--precious as pound-notes--and made them all fully understand the same.

"Why, there isn't another gentleman in Norton Bury, who, if you had come to burn HIS house down, would not have had the constables or the soldiers, have shot down one-half of you like mad dogs, and sent the other half to the county gaol.

Now, for all your misdoings, we let you go quietly home, well fed, and with food for children, too.