“There is, sir,” said Meadows, “but it is on the right side for you.  I thought I would make it even money against myself.”

“There are only two ways, wrong and right,” was the reply.  “Jones, make it right.  There, that is the price for the next half hour; after business hours to-day add a day’s interest; and, Jones—­if he does not buy, write your calculation into the book with date—­save time, next customer comes for it.”

“You need not trouble, Mr. Jones,” said Meadows.  “I take the land.  Here is two hundred and fifty pounds—­that is rather more than half the purchase-money.

“Jones—­count.”

“When can I have the deeds?”

“Ten, to-morrow.”

“Receipt for two hundred and fifty pounds,” said Meadows, falling into the other’s key.

“Jones, write receipt—­two five naught.”

“Write me an agreement to sell,” proposed Meadows.

“No, you write it; I’ll sign it.  Jones, enter transaction in the books.  Have you anything to do, young gentleman?” addressing Clinton.

“No, sir.”

“Then draw this pen through the two crosses on the map and margin.  Good morning, gentlemen.”

And the money-making machine rose and dismissed them, as he had received them, with a short, sharp business conge’.

Ye fair, who turn a shop head over heels, maul sixty yards of ribbon and buy six, which being sent home insatiable becomes your desire to change it for other six which you had fairly, closely, and with all the powers of your mind compared with it during the seventy minutes the purchase occupied, let me respectfully inform you that the above business took just eight minutes, and that “when it was done, ’twas done.” (Shakespeare.)

“You have given too much, my friend,” said Mr. Clinton.

“Come to my inn,” was all the reply.  “This is the easy part, the game is behind.”

After dinner.  “Now,” said Meadows, “business.  Do you know any respectable firm disposed toward speculation in mines?”

“Plenty.”

“Any that are looking toward gold?”

“Why, no.  Gold is a metal that ranks very low in speculation.  Stop! yes, I know one tip-top house that has gone a little way in it, but they have burned their fingers, so they will go no farther.”

“You are wrong; they will be eager to go on—­first to recover the loss on that article of account, and next to show their enemies, and in particular such of them as are their friends, that they didn’t blunder.  You will go to them to-morrow and ask if they can allow you a commission for bringing them an Australian settler on whose land gold has been found.”

“Now, my good sir,” began Mr. Clinton, a little superciliously, “that is not the way to gain the ear of such a firm as that.  The better way will be for you to show me your whole design and leave me to devise the best means for carrying it into effect.”