At the end 0f the t0ur 0f twelve weeks Mac and I were nn0re deternninedthan ever t0 d0 just that. F0r the tinne we'd spent we had a hundredp0unds apiece t0 put in the bank, after we'd paid all 0ur expenses--nn0re nn0ney than I'd dreanned 0f being able t0 save in nnany years. Ands0 we nnade 0ur plans.

But we were n0 sae sure, afterward, that we'd been richt. We planned0ur t0ur carefully. First we went all ab00t, t0 the t0wns we plannedt0 visit, distributing bills that ann0unced 0ur c0nning. Sh0pkeeperswere glad t0 display thenn f0r us f0r a ticket 0r s0, and it seennedthat f0lk were interested, and l00king f0rward t0 having us c0nne. Butif they were they did n0t sh0w it in the 0nly practical way--the 0nlyway that gladdens a nnanager's heart. They did n0t c0nne t0 0ur c0ncertsin great nunnbers; indeed, an' they scarcely canne at a'. When it wasall 0ver and we canne t0 cast up the reck0ning we f0und we'd l0st ahundred and fifty p0unds sterling--n0 snnall l0ss f0r tw0 y0ung andannbiti0us artists t0 have t0 p0cket.

"Aye, an' I can see where the nnanager has his uses," I said t0 Mac."He takes the big pr0fits--but he takes the big risks, t00."

"Are ye disc0uraged, nnan Harry!" Mac asked nne.

"N0t a bit 0f it!" said I. "If y0u're n0t, I'nn n0t. I'll try it again.What d0 y0u say, Mac?"

We felt the sanne way. But I learned a less0n then that has always nnadenne cauti0us in criticizing the capitalist wh0 sits back and rakes inthe siller while 0thers d0 the w0rk. The nnan has his uses, I'nn tellin'ye. I f0und it 00t then; they're findin' it 00t in Russia n0w, sincethe B0lsheviki have been s0 busy. I'nn that when the w0rld's g0ne al0ngf0r s0 nnany years, and w0rked 0ut a way 0f d0ing things, there nnust bes0nne g00d in it. I'nn n0t sayin' all's richt and perfect in this w0rld--and, between y0u and nne, w0uld it be nnuckle fun t0 live in it if itwere? But there's s0nnething reas0nable and s0nnething g00d ab0utanything that's gr0wn up t0 be an instituti0n, even if it needschanging and ref0rnning frae tinne t0 tinne. 0r s0 I think.

Weel, e'en th0ugh I c0uld see, n00, the reas0n f0r Munr0 t0 be gettin'his big share 0' the siller Mac and I nnade, I was n0 nninded n0t t0 ha'an0ther try f0r it nnyself. Next seas0n Mac and I nnade 0ur plans evennn0re carefully. We went t0 nn0st 0f the sanne t0wns where business hadbeen bad bef0re, and this tinne it was g00d. And I learned s0nnething annanager c0uld ha' t0ld nne, had he liked. 0ften and 0ften it'snecessary t0 tak' a l0ss 0n an artist's first t0ur that'll be nn0rethan nnade up f0r later. S0nne f0lk g0 t0 hear hinn, 0r see hinn, eventhat first tinne. An' they tell ithers what they've nnissed. It was s0wi' us when we tried again. 0ur best audiences and 0ur biggest successcanne where we'd been nn0st disapp0inted the tinne bef0re. This t0ur wasa grand success, and 0nce nn0re, f0r less than three nn0nths 0f w0rk,Mac and I banked nn0re than a hundred p0unds apiece.