“Dick,” said the captain, “let’s go fishing.  It’s not late yet, and I’ll put my mare to the buggy, and we can drive to the river.  We will take something to eat with us, and make a day of it.”

Lancaster hesitated a moment; he had been thinking that the time had come when he should say something about his departure, but this invitation settled the matter for that day; and in half an hour the two had started away, leaving the toll-gate in charge of old Jane, who was a veteran in the business, having lived at the toll-gate years before the captain.

As they drove along the smooth turnpike Lancaster remembered with great interest that this road led to the gap in the mountains; that the captain had told him Broadstone was not very far from the gap; and that the river was not very far from Broadstone; and his face glowed with interest in the expedition.

But when, after a few miles, they turned into a plain country road which, as the captain informed him, led in a southeasterly direction, to a point on the river where black bass were to be caught and where a boat could be hired, the corners of Dick Lancaster’s mouth began to droop.  Of necessity that road must reach the river miles to the south of Broadstone.

It was a very good day for fishing, and the captain was pleased to see that the son of his old shipmate was a very fair angler.  Toward the close of the afternoon, with the conviction that they had had a good time and that their little expedition had been a success, the two fishermen set out for home with a basket of bass:  some of them quite a respectable size; stowed away under the seat of the buggy.  When they reached the turnpike the old mare, knowing well in which direction her supper lay, turned briskly to the left, and set out upon a good trot.  But this did not last very long.  To her great surprise she was suddenly pulled up short; a carriage with two horses which had been approaching had also stopped.

On the back seat of this carriage sat Mrs. Easterfield; on one side of her was a little girl, and on the other side was another little girl, each with her feet stuck out straight in front of her.

“Oh, Captain Asher,” exclaimed the lady, with a most enchanting smile, “I am so glad to meet you.  I was obliged to go to Glenford to take one of my little girls to the dentist, and I inquired for you each time I passed your gate.”

The captain was very glad he had been so fortunate as to meet her, and as her eyes were now fixed upon his companion, he felt it incumbent upon him to introduce Mr. Richard Lancaster, the son of an old shipmate.

“But not a sailor, I imagine,” said Mrs. Easterfield.

“Oh, no,” said the captain, “Mr. Lancaster is Assistant Professor of Theoretical Mathematics in Sutton College.”

Dick could not imagine why the captain said all this, and he flushed a little.

“Sutton College?” said Mrs. Easterfield.  “Then, of course, you know Professor Brent.”