"Tut for the ship!--she is gone, if you and your cargo go; and as for
insurances, I want none of them--I am a landed man, and like landed
securities. Give me your note at three months, or six months if you will,
with the bonds and mortgages you mention, and a mortgage on Clawbonny,
and you can have $40,000, this very day, should you need them."

I was surprised at this offer, having no notion my kinsman was rich enough
to lend so large a sum. On a further conversation, however, I learned he
had near double the sum he had mentioned, in ready money, and that his
principal business in town was to invest in good city securities. He
professed himself willing, however, to lend me half, in order to help
along a kinsman he liked. I did not at all relish the notion of mortgaging
Clawbonny, but John soon laughed and reasoned me out of that. As for
Grace's securities, I parted with them with a sort of satisfaction; the
idea of holding her effects being painful to me.

"Were it out of the family, or even out of the name, I should think
something of it myself. Miles," he said, "but a mortgage from _you_ to
_me_ is like one from _me_ to _you_. You have made me your heir, and to be
honest with you, boy, _I have made you mine_. If you lose my money, you
lose your own."

There was no resisting this. My kinsman's apparent frankness and warmth of
disposition overcame all my scruples, and I consented to borrow the money
on his own terms. John Wallingford was familiar with the conveyancing of
real estate, and, with his own hand, he filled up the necessary papers,
which I signed. The money was borrowed at 5 per cent.; my cousin
positively refusing to receive the legal rate of interest from a
Wallingford. Pay-day was put at six months' distance, and all was done