in the first vessel which
left England. He stated how delighted he should be at his return, and
told him to say to Emma that he had not found an English wife, as she
had prophesied, but was coming back as heart-whole as he went. Very
soon afterwards they had a visit from Colonel Foster and some of the
officers of the garrison. The Colonel offered Mr Campbell a party of
soldiers to assist in raising the mill, and the offer was thankfully
accepted.

"We were very much alarmed about you last autumn when the woods were on
fire, Mr Campbell," said the Colonel; "but I perceive that it has been
of great advantage to you. You have now a large quantity of cleared
land sown with seed, and if you had possessed sufficient means might
have had much more put in, as I perceive all the land to the north west
is cleared by the fire."

"Yes," replied Mr Campbell; "but my allotment, as you know, extends
along the beach, and we have sown the seed as far from the beach as the
property extends."

"Then I should recommend you to write to Quebec, and apply for another
grant on each side of the stream; indeed, at the back of and equal to
what you now have."

"But if I do, I have not the means of working the land."

"No, not with your present force, I grant; but there are many emigrants
who would be glad of work, and who would settle here upon favourable
conditions."

"The expense would be very great," said Mr Campbell.

"It would; but the return would indemnify you. The troops at the fort
would take all the flour off your hands, if you had ever so much."

"I am not inclined at present to speculate much further," replied Mr
Campbell; "but I shall see how this year turns out, and if I find that I
am successful I will then decide."

"Of course you will but act prudently. You can send down to your agent
at Quebec, and ascertain what would be the probable terms of the men you
might require. But there is another way, which is to give them the land
to cultivate and the seed, and to receive from them a certain portion of
corn in return as rent; that is very safe, and your land will be all
gradually brought into cultivation, besides the advantage of having
neighbours about you. You might send one of your sons down to Montreal
and arrange all that."

"I certainly will write to my agent and institute inquiries," replied
Mr Campbell, "and many thanks to you for the suggestion; I have still a
few hundreds at the bank to dispose of, if