358 THE FAT OF THE LAND 



is all right, but your terminal facilities are bad. 

 Jack is to be educated, travelled, employed, en- 

 gaged, married, endowed with Homestead Farm, 

 and all that ; but you mustn't kill off the Gordons. 

 I swing the red lantern in front of that train of 

 thought. Let Jack and Jessie wait till we are 

 through with Four Oaks and the Gordons have 

 no further use for Homestead Farm, before think- 

 ing of coupling that property on to this." 



" Don't be a greater goose than you can help," 

 said Polly. " You know what I mean. Men are 

 so short-sighted ! Laura says, < the Headman 

 ought to have a small dog and a long stick ' ; but 

 no matter, I'll keep an eye on the children, and 

 you needn't worry about country life for them. 

 They'll take to it kindly." 



Well, they ought to, if they have any appre- 

 ciation of the fitness of things. Did you ever 

 see weather made to order before ? I feel as if 

 I had been measured for it." 



" It suits my garden down to the ground," said 

 Polly, who hates slang. 



It was planned for the farmer, madam. If 

 it happens to fit the rose-garden mistress, it is 

 a detail for you to note and be thankful for, but 

 the great things are outside the rose gardens. 

 Look at that corn-field ! A crow could hide in 

 it anywhere." 



" What have crows hiding got to do with corn, 

 I'd like to know ? " 



When I was a boy the farmers used to say, 



