"Oh, nuthin'. I was jest kinder meditatin' on the fact that most folks are 'tarnal fools, and I guess I'm abaout the biggest fool I know."
"That's hardly like you. You're not usually troubled with such thoughts."
"He's gitting older and wiser, Frankie," chuckled Mulloy. "Oi think he's becomin' acquainted wid himself."
"Yeou ain't gut nuthin' to say!" snapped Eph. "Yeou wanted to make a bet with Mr. Silent, didn't ye?"
"Oi did," nodded Barney. "Av it hadn't been for Frankie to kape me sinsible, Oi'd cracked up me money on the shpot. It's Frankie whot's got the livel head, Gallup. The rest av us are chumps, begobs!"
"I guess, by gum, that's correct!" nodded Eph. "The older I git, the bigger chump I become."
"What's it all about?" laughed Merry.
"Oh, nothing, nothing," again asserted the Vermonter. "I was jest kinder meditatin' on some of my foolish breaks. I don't believe I know enough to paound sand."
"I can't understand what's made you so pessimistic concerning yourself. A man who can make ten thousand dollars of his own accord at your age and salt it away where it's safe has no right to be ashamed of himself."
"Who knows whether it's safe or not?" muttered Eph.