“He was more utterly ruined than any man I ever knew of, and all his estates were sold. I had made some money, few others in the county had any ready cash, the sale was forced, and I bought the whole establishment at a remarkably low figure. I got old Brandy--Brandy was a nickname I gave the old fellow--I got him a house in the village, and supported him for a while with his wife and daughter and his great lubberly boy. I soon found out what vipers they were. They all turned against their benefactor, and dared to say that I had ruined their father. In fact, my only fault was buying the place, and that was an advantage to old Brandy rather than an injury. It shows, though, what human nature is. “They all got sick at last, and as they had no one to nurse them, I very considerately sent them all to the alms-house, where they had good beds, good attendance, and plenty to eat and drink. No matter what I did for them they abused me. They reviled me, for sending them to a comfortable home, and old Brandy was the worst of all. I used to go and visit him two or three times a day, and he always cursed me. Old Brandy did get awfully profane, that’s a fact. The reason was his infernal pride. Look at me, now! I’m not proud. Put me in the alms-house, and would I curse you? I hope not. “At last old Brandy died, and of course I had to look out for the family. They seemed thrown on my hands, you know, and I was too good-natured to let them suffer, although they treated me so abominably. The best thing I could think of was to ship them all off to America, where they could all get rich. So I took them to Liverpool.” “Did they want to go?” “They didn’t seem to have an idea in their heads. They looked and acted just like three born fools.” “Strange!” “I let a friend of mine see about them, as I had considerable to do, and he got them a passage.” “I suppose you paid their way out.” “I did, Sir,” said Potts, with an air of munificence; “but, between you and me, it didn’t cost much.” “I should think it most have cost a considerable sum.” “Oh no! Clark saw to that. Clark got them places as steerage passengers.” “Young Brandon told me once that he came out as cabin passenger.” “That’s his cursed pride. He went out in the steerage, and a devilish hard time he had too.” “Why?” “Oh, he was a little crowded, I think! There were six hundred emigrants on board the _Tecumseh_--” “The what?” “The _Tecumseh_. Clark did that business neatly. Each passenger had to take his own provisions, so he supplied them with a lot. Now what do you think he gave them?” “I can’t imagine.” “He bought them some damaged bread at one quarter the usual price. It was all mouldy, you know,” said Potts, trying to make Brandon see the joke. “I declare Clark and I roared over it for a couple of months, thinking how surprised they must have been when they sat down to eat their first dinner.” “That was very neat,” rejoined Brandon.