There was a joyous shout from Dunn.
“But, Mr. Martin,” persisted Mr. Rae, whose mind was set in arriving at a solution of the problem in hand, “I have understood that agriculture was the chief pursuit in Canada.”
“Farming! Yes, it is, but of course that means capital. Good land in Ontario means seventy-five to a hundred dollars per acre, and a man can't do with less than a hundred acres; besides, farming is getting to be a science now-a-days, Sir.”
“Ah, quite true! But to a young man bred on a farm in this country—”
“Excuse me, Mr. Rae,” replied Martin quickly, “there is no such thing in Canada as a gentleman farmer. The farmer works with his men.”
“Do you mean that he actually works?” inquired “Lily.” “With the plough and hoe, and that sort of thing?”
“Works all day long, as long as any of his men, and indeed longer.”
“And does he actually live—? of course he doesn't eat with his servants?” said “Lily” in a tone that deprecated the preposterous proposition.
“They all eat together in the big kitchen,” replied Martin.
“How awful!” gasped “Lily.”