machine. By-the-bye, I have
quite forgot, gentlemen; you will excuse me, but I wish to see what the
carpenter has done for me, and after that I shall attend the meeting of
the society. Jack, my boy, won't you come and hear my speech."

"Thank you, sir, but I cannot well leave your friends."

Mr Easy quitted the room.

"Are you aware, my dear sir, that your father has opened his preserves
to all the poachers?" said Mr Hanson.

"The devil he has!"

"Yes, he has allowed several gangs of gipsies to locate themselves in
his woods, much to the annoyance of the neighbourhood, who suffer from
their depredations," continued Dr Middleton.

"I find, by the receipts and books, that there is nearly two years'
rental of the estate due; some tenants have paid up in full, others not
for four years. I reckon fourteen thousand pounds still in arrear."

"You will oblige me by taking immediate steps, Mr Hanson, for the
recovery of the sums due."

"Most certainly, Mr John. I trust your father will not commit himself
to-night as he has done lately."

When they rose to retire Dr Middleton took our hero by the hand. "You
do not know, my dear fellow, what pleasure it gives me to find that, in
spite of the doting of your mother and the madness of your father, you
have turned out so well. It is very fortunate that you have come home;
I trust you will now give up the profession."

"I have given it up, sir; which, by-the-bye, reminds me that I have not
applied for either my discharge or that of my servant; but I cannot
spare time yet, so I shall not report myself."

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN.

IN WHICH OUR HERO FINDS HIMSELF AN ORPHAN, AND RESOLVES TO GO TO SEA
AGAIN, WITHOUT THE SMALLEST IDEA OF EQUALITY.

The next morning, when they met at breakfast, Mr Easy did not make his
appearance, and Jack inquired of Mesty where he was?

"They say down below that the old gentleman not come home last night."

"Did not come home!" said Dr Middleton, "this must be looked to."

"He great rascal dat butler man," said Mesty to Jack; "but de old
gentleman not sleep in his bed, dat for sure."

"Make inquiries when he went out," said Jack.

"I hope no accident has happened," observed Mr Hanson; "but his company
has lately been very strange."

"Nobody see him go out, sar, last night," reported Mesty.

"Very likely he is in his study," observed Dr Middleton; "he may have
remained all night, fast asleep, by his wonderful invention."

"I