I laughed, “Oh, college will train you for almost any profession; that is, the professional schools will. You can study to be a doctor, a lawyer, a forester, a teacher—oh, anything you think of!”
“What do you think’s the best kind of a thing for a chap to be?”
“Why,” I replied, in embarrassment, “that depends upon the fellow, you know.”
“Well,” said Martin, “what kind of a profession would you advise a chap like me to take, for instance?”
I smiled, knowing what all this fencing meant. “Forestry is a good profession, just now,” I advised. “It’s a new branch to the government and brings in good money. I am sure you would like to be a forester.”
“What’s his work, especially?” came the question.
I explained, as best I knew, the different functions of a trained forester, emphasizing, “Mind you, Martin, he’s paid for what he knows and not what he does with his hands. He doesn’t have to chop down trees and all that sort of stuff; but he knows all about saving the forests, improving them, doctoring them.”
“How long does it take a man to learn that trade?” was the next question.
“About seven years, including college and professional school.”
“It would take a fellow like me that long?”