"Ay, jist so," said Joe, feeling more at ease now that the ice was broken; "but IVe discovered lately, lads, that I ain't a-done my duty."
"Come, old boss, we ain't a-blamin' yer; so don't begin a ballyraggin' yoursel' in that way," said one of the men.
"Facts is stubborn, though," went on Joe, "an' I see that I've kep' mysel' too much to mysel', an' I ain't a-been that neighbourly as I ought to ha' been; but I intend to do differ'nt."
"Well, I'm hanged," said the man who had before spoken, "if I ain't considerable at a loss, Joe, to know what yer drivin' at."
"I 'spects so, no doubt, but I'm not good at 'splainin'; but it 'pears to me, mates, as how we ain't got hold o* life by the right end."
"Yer mean us, Joe ?" questioned several voices together.
"Well, p'r'aps I do. You don't git much comfort in this life, and yer ain't preparin' for a better life. Don't stop me; but I used to think that heaven wer'n't for me, and for lots o' us poor chaps—that we didn't belong to the elect; but, bless yer, lads, I know now that the elect are everybody as likes. We are all God's children, an' He loves us all, the bad 'uns as well as the good 'uns, an' He's promised pardon an' heaven to whosoever will. Let me tell 'e, lads, how it came about. A little girl an' her brother comed an' axed me to let 'em warm theirselves by my fire one pinchin' cold night. A purtier little critter than little Nelly never breathed, wi* her great round eyes an' sweet mouth. I
