But the Major is the best man, for after ten minutes troutie is towed up on his side to a convenient shallow, and the Vicar puts on his spectacles to see him brought ashore. He scientifically pokes him in the flank, and spans him across the back, and pronounces EX CATHEDRA-- "You'll find, sir, there won't be a finer fish, take him all in all, killed in the parish this season." "Ah, it's a noble sport," says the Major. "I shan't get much more of it, I'm afraid." "Why shouldn't you?" "Well, I'll tell you," says the Major. "Do you know how much property I have got?" "No, indeed." "I have only ten thousand pounds; and how am I to bring up a family on the interest of that?" "I should fancy it was quite enough for you," said the Vicar; "you have only one son." "How many more am I likely to have, eh? And how should I look to find myself at sixty with five boys grown up, and only 300L. a-year?" "That is rather an extreme case," said the Vicar; "you would be poor then, certainly." "Just what I don't want to be. Besides wanting to make some money, I am leading an idle life here, and am getting very tired of it. And so--" he hesitated. "And so?" said the Vicar. "I am thinking of emigrating. To New South Wales. To go into the sheep-farming line. There." "There indeed," said the Vicar. "And what has put you up to it?" "Why, my wife and I have been thinking of going to Canada for some time, and so the idea is not altogether new. The other day Hamlyn (you know him) showed me a letter from a cousin of his who is making a good deal of money there. Having seen that letter, I was much struck with it, and having made a great many other inquiries, I laid the whole information before my wife, and begged her to give me her opinion." "And she recommended you to stay at home in peace and comfort," interposed the Vicar. "On the contrary, she said she thought we ought by all means to go," returned the Major. "Wonderful, indeed. And when shall you go?" "Not for some time, I think. Not for a year." "I hope not. What a lonely old man I shall be when you are all gone." "Nay, Vicar, I hope not," said the Major. "You will stay behind to see your daughter happily married, and your grand-children about your knees." The Vicar sighed heavily, and the Major continued. "By-the-bye, Miss Thornton seems to have made a conquest already. Young Hawker seems desperately smitten; did it ever strike you?" "Yes, it has struck me; very deep indeed," said the Vicar; "but what can I do?" "You surely would not allow her to marry him?" "How can I prevent it? She is her own mistress, and I never could control her yet. How can I control her when her whole heart and soul is set on him?" "Good God!" said the Major, "do you really think she cares for him?" "Oh, she loves him with her whole heart. I have seen it a long while." "My dear friend, you should take her away for a short time, and see if she will forget him. Anything sooner than let her marry him."