with several travellers, for
the purpose of extending my dealings with the trade in the
provinces; so that when it comes into your hands you will find it
more compact, and at the same time more extensive, than it is now.

"I am glad that I have had you here, for the past four months. I
have had my eye upon you, more closely than you suppose; and I am
pleased to see that you have worked well and willingly--far more so
than I expected from you. This has much encouraged me in the hope
that you will, in time, settle down to business here; and not be
contented to lead a purposeless and idle life. The happiest man, in
my opinion, is he who has something to do--and yet, not too much;
who can, by being free from anxieties regarding it, view his
business as an occupation, and a pleasure; and who is its master,
and not its slave.

"I am thinking of giving Mr. Medlin a small interest in the
business. I mean to make a real effort to break a little loose from
it, and I have seen enough of him to know that he will make a very
valuable junior. He is a little eccentric, perhaps--a sort of
exaggeration of myself--but I shall signify to him that, when he
comes into the firm, I consider that it will be to its advantage that
he should import a little of what we may call his 'extra-official'
manner into it.

"In our business, as I am well aware--although I do not possess it,
myself--a certain cheerfulness of disposition, and a generally
pleasing manner, are of advantage. Buyers are apt to give larger
orders than they otherwise would do, under the influence of
pleasant and genial relations; and Mr. Medlin can, if he chooses,
make up for my deficiencies in that way.

"But I am taking the step rather in your interest than in my own.
It will relieve you of a considerable portion of the burden of the
business, and will enable you to relax somewhat, when you are
disposed, if you have a partner in whom you can place thorough
confidence.

"I do not wish you to mention this matter to him. I would rather
open it to him, myself. We will go on another fishing expedition
together, and I think we can approach it, then, on a more pleasant
footing than we could here. He has modelled himself so thoroughly
upon me that the matter could only be approached in so intensely a
businesslike way, here, that I feel sure we should not arrive at
anything like such a satisfactory arrangement as we might do,
elsewhere."

In the course of the week, Captain Lock