‘Nor when he’s not at work, if he wants to keep what he earns.’

‘I’m not going to take the pledge, or anything of that kind,’ continued the son, ’but I think I know enough of it all, not to fall into that pit.’  During this discussion, Caldigate sat silent, for he had already had various conversations on this subject with his friend.  He had entertained some fears, which were not, perhaps, quite removed by Dick’s manly assurances.

A cabin had been taken for the joint use of the young men on board the Goldfinder, a large steamer which was running at the time from London to Melbourne, doing the voyage generally in about two months.  But they were going as second-class passengers and their accommodation therefore was limited.  Dick had insisted on this economy, which was hardly necessary to Caldigate, and which was not absolutely pressed upon the other.  But Dick had insisted.  ‘Let us begin as we mean to go on,’ he had said; ’of course we’ve got to rough it.  We shall come across something a good deal harder than second-class fare before we have made our fortunes, and worked probably with mates more uncouth than second-class passengers.’  It was impossible to oppose counsel such as this, and therefore second-class tickets were taken on board the Goldfinder.

A terrible struggle was made during the last fortnight to prevent the going of John Caldigate.  Mr. Babington was so shocked that he did not cease to stir himself.  Allow a son to disinherit himself, merely because he had fallen into the hands of a money-lending Jew before he had left college!  To have the whole condition of a property changed by such a simple accident!  It was shocking to him; and he moved himself in the matter with much more energy than old Mr. Caldigate had expected from him.  He wrote heartrending letters to Folking, in spite of the hard words which had been said to him there.  He made a second journey to Cambridge, and endeavoured to frighten Mr. Bolton.  Descent of acres from father to son was to him so holy a thing, that he was roused to unexpected energies.  He was so far successful that Mr. Daniel Caldigate did write a long letter to his son, in which he offered to annul the whole proceeding.  ‘Your uncle accuses me of injustice,’ he said.  ’I have not been unjust.  But there is no reason whatever why the arrangement should stand.  Even if the money has been paid to Davis I will bear that loss rather than you should think that I have taken advantage of you in your troubles.’  But John Caldigate was too firm and too determined for such retrogression.  The money had been paid to Davis, and other monies had been used in other directions.  He was quite contented with the bargain, and would certainly adhere to it.