"I ask you, isn't that the way we do?
Don't we stop to think sometimes and get way down, and then don't we feel hungry and forget it all and go to eating ?" "Sure, Emil is sensible just like us," said Minna.
"But there's some catch about the whole thing," said Dave.

"Say, Doc, what do you think life is, anyway ?" Purdy scanned the monkey with shrewd eyes, and grinned.
"I only know what it is physiologically," he said.

"Physiologically, life is a constant force rhythmically overcoming a constant resistance." "Pretty good," said Dave, treasuring the phrase.

"The catch must be right there--it always does overcome the constant resistance." "When it can't in one plant," said Purdy, "it dismantles it and builds another, making improvements from time to time." "Think what it's had to do," said Dave, "to build Herman from a simple, unimproved plant like Emil! Herman's a great improvement on Emil." "My Herman has got a soul," said Minna, stoutly--"monkeys ain't." Dave Cowan and Purdy exchanged a tolerant smile.

They were above arguing that outworn thesis.