And the woods are full o' mighty industrious men that's got only one motto: 'Get the other fellow's money before he gets yours!' And when a man's built as I have, when he's built good and strong, and made good things grow and prosper--THOSE are the fellows that lay for the chance to slide in and sneak the benefit of it and put their names to it! And what's the use of my havin' ever been born, if such a thing as that is goin' to happen?
What's the use of my havin' worked my life and soul into my business, if it's all goin' to be dispersed and scattered soon as I'm in the ground ?" He strode up and down the long room, gesticulating--little regarding the troubled and drowsy figure by the fireside.

His throat rumbled thunderously; the words came with stormy bitterness.

"You think this is a time for young men to be lyin' on beds of ease?
I tell you there never was such a time before; there never was such opportunity.

The sluggard is despoiled while he sleeps--yes, by George! if a man lays down they'll eat him before he wakes!--but the live man can build straight up till he touches the sky! This is the business man's day; it used to be the soldier's day and the statesman's day, but this is OURS! And it ain't a Sunday to go fishin'-- it's turmoil! turmoil!--and you got to go out and live it and breathe it and MAKE it yourself, or you'll only be a dead man walkin' around dreamin' you're alive.

And that's what my son Bibbs has been doin' all his life, and what he'd rather do now than go out and do his part by me.