'I knew though, neighbour, what I was about. Jemmy Bolton wanted money bad; he had property enough laying round for you to slap on any time. You and I, you know, have talked about setting Dave up alongside the Montjoys; that, you see, will never work. Bolton I knew, for he told me of it, owed those boys all of three thousand dollars; they had advanced it to him on the timber, thinking, you see, that all was safe, and that it would be coming along. Stop that, says I; trip up Jemmy Bolton--clap on the timber; that cuts the Montjoys three thousand dollars--no small sum for young folks, considering the times too; then down goes Bolton--that gives Bowers & Co., and Jones & Brothers such a pull, you see, down they go too; ha, ha, ha!'--a poke with the long finger--'both of them owe the Montjoys considerable. That, with Bolton's affair, you see, will just about finish the job for them; they can't stand it no how.' 'Poor fellows! I am almost sorry for them.' Mr. Cross was not so sorry but he could smile a little as he said it. 'I am not a bit--I am not a bit sorry, neighbor; they are upstarts, nothing else; and they have made all the folks about them think that they are the end of the law. No, no; let them go down--the sooner the better; and when they are once down on their back, you see, then up goes Dave. You have got the cash, you know--a dash he will make; and the whole country round will be the better for it.' 'Yes; but, Squire, you know these fellows will fight hard to live it through; they are no fancy boys; they have worked their way along by their own efforts; they stand high at the bank. McFall is a great friend of theirs; they will make the bank help them--see if they don't.' 'I have thought of that too, neighbor'--another hard poke--'I've thought of that; and there you have them too.' 'How so, Squire? I have nothing to do with the bank you know.' 'Don't you know a certain man who would not refuse you a favor for a trifle? Bank Directors are not always so independent as they would wish to be thought--ha, ha, ha!' 'Well, what of him?' 'You just whisper in his ear that it would be no particular accommodation to you, that certain folks should receive any favors; that will be enough. One man, you know, in a board is as good as a dozen'--another poke. 'Well, well, I understand.' 'I thought you did--but what was that? There is nobody sleeps here, I hope?' 'Oh no, it is the dog; he is dreaming I suppose.' 'It startled me though, neighbour, for it would not be quite so clever to have any one get the run of what we have been saying.' 'Never fear, Squire; I shut all up myself.' 'I hope you are sure of that; for I was just going to tell you the best of the whole joke.' 'Tell away, Squire; there are no listeners but the old casks; they won't tell any tales.' 'They do sometimes though, neighbour.' 'How so?'