“Very moderate, gentlemen, and I promise you this, that if I can persuade him to go with you, the cost of paying him will be saved out of your expenses. I mean that you will spend less with him than you would without.”
“And he knows something of the country?”
“A great deal, gentlemen. Shall I see if I can get him to go?”
“By all means,” cried the two elders in a breath.
“If he consents I will bring him to you. I beg pardon, I am wrong. I must bring him to see you first before he will consent.”
“Then, as I said before, he is to be the master, not we,” said the professor.
“No, no, sir, you must not take it like that. The man is independent, and need not undertake this journey without he likes. Is it surprising, then, that if he should come and see you, and not liking your appearance, or the prospect of being comfortable in your service, he should decline to go?”
“You are quite right,” said Mr Burne. “I would not.”