‘I make no doubt,’ said Joe, ‘as the best of it come out o’ your head, guv’nor. You was always the one as had the brains; and it’s you as should profit by it. A young fellow like that’s got no occasion to make his fortune at his age. It ain’t good for him. When you make your fortune like that right off, it puffs you up with pride, and it stops you doing more. Ain’t that true? Why, you knows it is;--chaplains and parsons and all that sort say so. It’s good for you to be kep’ down when you’re young. It would be a thousand pities to spoil a young fellow’s life like, with getting everything that he wants first thing afore he’s had any experience. That’s what has always been said to me.’ ‘There is some truth in it, no doubt,’ said March. ‘A deal of truth, guv’nor. I suppose, now, you’ve just got to take them papers to somebody as deals in things like that, and get money for ’em down on the nail?’ ‘He will take them to some great engineering firm,’ said the other. ‘And probably he would not part with them for a sum “down on the nail,” as you say. Such a scheme as this he’d be sure to have some share in it. He would superintend the carrying out of his plans, if you understand that. It might be years of work for him, and the most excellent beginning. I should think he deserved it, too,’ said John’s amanuensis, looking round approvingly, ‘for there is every evidence that he’s a fine fellow, and I know he has been very kind to me.’ ‘And you might be very kind to ’im, in that way,’ said Joe. ‘I could be--kind to _him_? I don’t think I’ve very much in my power one way or other,’ said March, with a smile and a sigh. ‘Guv’nor,’ said Joe, ‘you never was one as took things upon you. Give up to other folks, that was allays what you would do. But what’s the good? You don’t get no thanks for it. If I was in your place--as I’m a donkey, and good for nothing, but you ain’t, and could do a lot if you liked--I know what I’d do.’ March smiled benignantly enough upon the poor dependent, whose flatteries were not unpleasant to him. ‘And what would you do, if you were me, which is not a very likely change?’ he said. ‘No, it ain’t likely. Them as is born asses, dies asses--and t’other way too. It ain’t for me to tell a clever man like you, and that has got a fine education, and born a gentleman.’ ‘Alas!’ said March, shaking his head; ‘alas! it hasn’t come to much, has it? Your mate, my poor fellow, and one without a friend but you, or a chance in the wide world----’ ‘Don’t say that, guv’nor. Here’s a chance, if I ain’t more of a born ass than ever I thought--a chance for a fortune, and for doing the young fellow a good turn. How’s he, at his age, to show up a big thing like this? There’s nobody as would believe it of him. They’d say, “Oh, get along, you boy.” They’d never take him in earnest at all.’