Lodgings, as it befell, were to be found, and good ones, close to the beach, and away from the noise of the harbour, on Mrs. Harvey’s first floor; for the local preacher, who generally occupied them, was away.

“But Major Campbell might dislike the noise of the school?”

“The school?  What better music for a lonely old bachelor than children’s voices?”

So, by sunset the major was fairly established over Mrs. Harvey’s shop.  It was not the place which Tom would have chosen; he was afraid of “running over” poor Grace, if he came in and out as often as he could have wished.  Nevertheless, he accepted the major’s invitation to visit him that very evening.

“I cannot ask you to dinner yet, sir; for my menage will be hardly settled:  but a cup of coffee, and an exceedingly good cigar, I think my establishment may furnish you by seven o’clock to-night;—­if you think them worth walking down for.”

Tom, of course, said something civil, and made his appearance in due time.  He found the coffee ready, and the cigars also; but the Major was busy, in his shirt sleeves, unpacking and arranging jars, nets, microscopes, and what not of scientific lumber; and Tom proffered his help.

“I am ashamed to make use of you the first moment that you become my guest.”

“I shall enjoy the mere handling of your tackle,” said Tom; and began breaking the tenth commandment over almost every article he touched; for everything was first-rate of its kind.

“You seem to have devoted money, as well as thought, plentifully to the pursuit.”

“I have little else to which to devote either; and more of both than is, perhaps, safe for me.”

“I should hardly complain of a superfluity of thought, if superfluity of money was the condition of it.”

“Pray understand me.  I am no Dives; but I have learned to want so little, that I hardly know how to spend the little which I have.”

“I should hardly have called that an unsafe state.”

“The penniless Faquir who lives on chance handfuls of rice has his dangers, as well as the rich Parsee who has his ventures out from Madagascar to Canton.  Yes, I have often envied the schemer, the man of business, almost the man of pleasure; their many wants at least absorb them in outward objects, instead of leaving them too easily satisfied, to sink in upon themselves, and waste away in useless dreams.”

“You found out the best cure for that malady when you took up the microscope and the collecting-box.”

“So I fancied once.  I took up natural history in India years ago to drive away thought, as other men might take to opium, or to brandy-pawnee:  but, like them, it has become a passion now and a tyranny; and I go on hunting, discovering, wondering, craving for more knowledge; and—­cui bono?  I sometimes ask—­”

“Why, this at least, sir; that, without such men as you, who work for mere love, science would be now fifty years behind her present standing-point; and we doctors should not know a thousand important facts, which you have been kind enough to tell us, while we have not time to find them out for ourselves.”