James laughed in derision. "Well, if you think your choice will merit the praise of humanity——!" he began.
"Stop!" said William. "The words in our agreement were 'obtain the praises of humanity.' We said nothing about meriting them. I say my choice will obtain them."
"Well, well," said James, "you needn't split hairs!"
"I'm not splitting hairs," replied William; "I am pointing out the chasm between two mountains."
"But—confound it!" said James, impatient at his companion's want of reason. "You don't mean to seriously tell me that you seriously believe that humanity would seriously choose to reward those who injure rather than those who benefit——?"
"Never mind what I believe. You'll see," said William. "See, our babies are growing; they are little boys now. What's yours doing?"
"Mine," said James, triumphantly, "has found a dead bird, and is trying to bring it to life."
"That is the bird which my little boy has killed," said William.
James sniggered again. "You had better make another choice," he said.
"Will you kindly mind your own business," said William, "and look after your chance of that comet? You'd better be ordering a handsome casket to present it to your baby in when he has obtained the praises of humanity. What's your baby up to now?"