things came to such a crisis, I had not
placed my balance at the bank at the disposal of the senior partner for
use on behalf of the farm. The fact was that my balance was at the
moment small. I have not yet in the course of this narrative gone into
my pecuniary position, but I may state here that it was an inconvenient
one. It was big with possibilities, but of ready cash there was but a
meagre supply. My parents had been poor. But I had a wealthy uncle.
Uncles are notoriously careless of the comfort of their nephews. Mine
was no exception. He had views. He was a great believer in matrimony,
as, having married three wives--not simultaneously--he had every right
to be. He was also of opinion that the less money the young bachelor
possessed, the better. The consequence was that he announced his
intention of giving me a handsome allowance from the day that I
married, but not an instant before. Till that glad day I would have to
shift for myself. And I am bound to admit that--for an uncle--it was a
remarkably sensible idea. I am also of the opinion that it is greatly
to my credit, and a proof of my pure and unmercenary nature, that I did
not instantly put myself up to be raffled for, or rush out into the
streets and propose marriage to the first lady I met. But I was making
quite enough with my pen to support myself, and, be it never so humble,
there is something pleasant in a bachelor existence, or so I had
thought until very recently.

I had thus no great stake in Ukridge's chicken farm. I had contributed
a modest five pounds to the preliminary expenses, and another five
after the roop incident. But further I could not go with safety. When
his income is dependent on the whims of editors and publishers, the
prudent man keeps something up his sleeve against a sudden slump in his
particular wares. I did not wish to have to make a hurried choice
between matrimony and the workhouse.

Having exhausted the subject of finance--or, rather, when I began to
feel that it was exhausting me--I took my clubs, and strolled up the
hill to the links to play off a match with a sportsman from the
village. I had entered some days previously for a competition for a
trophy (I quote the printed notice) presented by a local supporter of
the game, in which up to the present I was getting on nicely. I had
survived two rounds, and expected to beat my present opponent, which
would bring me into the semi-final. Unless I had bad luck, I felt that
I