Mr. Cattley did not tell Jack, but he confided to Susie that he had offered to take that smiling and gentle-mannered reprobate to live with ‘us’ in the new parish where nobody would have known. But May would not listen to any such proposal. He was very wise and foreseeing, and full of consideration. ‘There is no saying who might turn up,’ he said; ‘at the last, everything gets known; and perhaps a parson’s house would be too much for me,’ he had added, with a twinkle in his eyes. ‘I don’t know that I’m good enough for that. I might fall into temptation, don’t you know! And I couldn’t live with a blunderbuss always at my head, which would be the case if I were with that son of mine--if he is my son. And Susie would be worse, with her eyes. I remember her eyes long ago--they were harder to meet than all her mother’s talk. They’re all very good, Mr. Cattley. A man might be very happy among them; but not my kind. I’m not worthy of such company. No, I’ve got a plan of my own.’ This plan, when it was stated, was to the effect that May had made up his mind to emigrate. He thought he would go to the far West of America, or to California. ‘I don’t want to go to a place where there’s no fun,’ he avowed, candidly. ‘I want to see a little life. If I stay here, I’ll get into mischief.’ Mr. Cattley (against his own wishes) had done his best to persuade him to depart from this determination, but in vain; and finally he had been authorised to treat with the family for the passage-money of the two travellers, for Mr. Cattley had found the faithful Joe in attendance, and had not been able to persuade May that this was not a fit companion for him. ‘He has been all the company I’ve had. Perhaps he’s not fit for respectable society,’ said May, looking at the slouching ruffian with eyes that were almost affectionate, ‘but I’m not respectable myself, and why should I pretend to be better than he is? I’m not better, I’m worse, if the truth was known; for of course I know a great deal better, and ought to have avoided what was wrong, if anything is really wrong or right in this world. It depends so much on your point of view.’ ‘But why should you not be respectable?’ the curate had said. ‘There is a home waiting for you, and better company than Joe.’