“Oh, it’s not just the _amount_ of work, Jenkins,” acknowledged Roland; “it’s the being tied by the leg to this horrid old office. As good work as play, if one has to be in it. I have been fit to cut it altogether every hour, since Arthur Channing left: for you know you are no company, Jenkins.” “Very true, sir.” “If I could only get Arthur Channing to go with me, I’d be off to-morrow! But he laughs at it. He hasn’t got half pluck. Only fancy, Jenkins! my coming back in a year or two with twenty thousand pounds in my pocket! Wouldn’t I give you a treat, old chap! I’d pay a couple of clerks to do your work here, and carry you off somewhere, in spite of old Galloway, for a six-months’ holiday, where you’d get rid of that precious cough. I _would_, Jenkins.” “You are very kind, sir--” Jenkins was stopped by the “precious cough.” It seemed completely to rack his frame. Roland looked at him with sympathy, and just then steps were heard to enter the passage, and a knock came to the office door. “Who’s come bothering now?” cried Roland. “Come in!” Possibly the mandate was not heard, for poor Jenkins was coughing still. “Don’t I tell you to come in?” roared out Roland. “Are you deaf?” “Open the door. I don’t care to soil my gloves,” came the answer from the other side. And Mr. Roland slid off his stool to obey, rather less lazily than usual, for the voice was that of his mother, the Lady Augusta Yorke. “A very dutiful son, you are, Mr. Roland!” was the salutation of Lady Augusta. “Forcing me up from dinner before I had finished!” “I didn’t do anything of the sort,” said Roland. “Yes, you did. With your threats about Port Natal! What do you know about Port Natal? Why should you go to Port Natal? You will break my heart with grief, that’s what you will do.” “I was not going to start this afternoon,” returned Roland. “But the fact is, mother, I shall have to go to Port Natal, or to some other port, unless I can get a little money to go on with here. A fellow can’t walk about with empty pockets.” “You undutiful, extravagant boy!” exclaimed Lady Augusta. “I am worried out of my life for money, between you all. Gerald got two sovereigns from me yesterday. What money do you want?” “As much as you can let me have,” replied Mr. Roland. Lady Augusta threw a five-pound note by his side upon the desk. “When you boys have driven me into the workhouse, you’ll be satisfied, perhaps. And now hold your foolish tongue about Port Natal.” Roland gathered it up with alacrity and a word of thanks. Lady Augusta had turned to Jenkins. “You are the best off, Jenkins; you have no children to disturb your peace. You don’t look well, Jenkins.” “Thank you kindly, my lady, I feel but poorly. My cough has become troublesome again.” “He has just been saying that he thought the cough was going to take him off,” interposed Roland.