"
"Ay, Master Roy is always for making," said the old man with a smile;
"he will try and cram his life with what will come fast enough
naturally, if he only waits."
"But will it?" questioned Roy, flushing up with eagerness; "do you
think it will? I'm longing to do something big and grand and good; I
mayn't live to grow up you know, and I'm sure we're meant to do
something when we're boys."
"We're trying to do good to all men as we have opportunity," said
Dudley, gravely.
"Ay, stick to that, boys, and you'll succeed. There's none too small to
be true philanthropists."
"What is a philanthropist?" asked Roy.
"A man who benefits his fellow creatures. 'Tis a good principle to keep
in mind."
"But it's difficult for boys to do grown-up people good. They always do
boys good."
"Now look here, Master Roy. I've lived and learned where you haven't,
and I try and pass my principles on to you. That's how I do you good.
You come to me and take what I give you and seeing you act out the
advice I offers you does me good. You do me good too, every time you
comes to see me; it's cheery to hear and see you."
"But that's very tame for us," said Roy, a little scornfully.
"Oh, well, if your own likes must come into the question, it's a
different story! I didn't know it mattered about our feelings as long as
the good is done! 'Tis a bad principle to try to please others only when
it pleases ourselves.
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