“Them's not the sentiments of the men that made laws, sir,” said Quackinboss. “Laws is jest rogues' weapons against rogues. You want to do something you have n't no right to, and straight away you discover that some fellow was so wide awake once that he made a statute against it, ay, and so cleverly too, that he first imagined every different way you could turn your dodge, and provided for each in turn.” Layton shook his head in dissent, but could not repress a faint smile. “Ain't it roguery to snare partridges and to catch fish, for the matter o' that?” said he, with increased warmth. “Wherever a fellow shows hisself more 'cute than his neighbors, there's sure to be an outcry 'What a rogue he is!'” “Your theory would be an indictment against all mankind,” said Layton. “No, sir, for _I_ only call him a rogue that turns his sharpness to bad and selfish ends. Now, that's not the case with him as hunts down varmint: he's a-doin' a good work, and all the better that he may get scratched for his pains.” “Well, what is your plan?” said Layton, rather fearful of the length into which his friend's speculations occasionally betrayed him. “Here it is, sir,” said the Colonel. “I'll come down upon that crittur at Detroit, where I hear he's a-goin', and flatter him by saying that he was all right about _you_.” “Indeed!” said Layton, laughing. “Yes, sir,” said the other, gravely. “I'll say to him, 'Stranger, you _are_ a wide-awake 'un, that's a fact.' He'll rise to _that_, like a ground-shark to a leg of pork,--see if he don't,--and he 'll go on to ask about _you_; that will give me the opportunity to give a sketch of myself, and a more simple, guileless sort of bein' you 've not often heerd of than I 'll turn out to be. Yes, sir, I 'm one as suspects no ill of anybody, jest out of the pureness of my own heart. When we get on to a little more intimacy, I mean to show him twenty thousand dollars I 've got by me, and ask his advice about investin' 'em. I guess pretty nigh what he'll say: 'Give 'em over to me.' Well, I 'll take a bit of time to consider about that. There will be, in consequence, more intimacy and more friendship atween us: but arter he's seen the money, he 'll not leave me; human natur' could n't do _that!_” “Shall I tell you fairly,” said Layton, “that I not only don't like your scheme, but that I think it will not repay you?” “Well, sir,” said Quackinboss, drawing himself up, “whenever you see _me_ baitin' a rat-trap, I don't expect you 'll say, 'Colonel, ain't that mean? Ain't _you_ ashamed of yourself to entice that poor varmint there to his ruin? Why don't you explain to him that if he wants that morsel of fried bacon, it will cost him pretty dear?'” “You forget that you're begging the question. You're assuming, all this time, that this man is a rogue and a cheat.”