You have an undrained marsh of your own: I'll exchange with you, and
welcome, ten acres of the marsh for five of Clover-hill."

"Done," said Goodenough.

"Done. I shall stock it with geese, and you'll see what the quills and
feathers alone will bring me in. I've engaged with one already to sell
them for me. But, Wright, here's another scheme I have. Wildmore common,
you know, is covered with those huge thistles, which prick the noses of
the sheep so as to hinder them from feeding and fattening: I will take
that common into my own hands."

"Ay," said Goodenough; "exchange the rest of Clover-hill for it:--that's
like you!"

"And I will mow the thistles," pursued Marvel, without deigning to reply
to Goodenough. "I will mow the thistles; their down I can contrive to
work up into cotton, and the stalks into cordage: and, with the profit
I shall make of these thistles, and of my decoy, and of my goose-quills
and feathers, and of my silver sprig rabbits, I will buy jackets for my
sheep, for my sheep shall all have jackets after shearing. Why should
not Lincolnshire sheep, if they have jackets, become as valuable as the
Leicestershire breed? You'll see my sheep will be the finest in the
whole county; and, with the profit I shall make of them, I will set up a
fishery in Fen-lake; and with the profits of the fishery--now comes my
grand scheme--I shall be the richest of you all! with the profits of the
fishery, and the decoy, and the sheep, and the silver sprigs, and the
quills and feathers, geese and thistles, I will purchase that fine
heronry, near Spalding."