One evening when reading the Mercury in the bar at the Drovers' Arms, Ham looked up from his paper and addressed several members of the School Committee who were present: 'Gentlemen,' he said, 'I'll have to get you to fill my position within a fortnight.' 'What,' cried Peterson, 'throwin' up your billet ?' 'I'm wanted in England,' said the master, tapping the paper.
There was a roar at this, which Joel treated with sublime indifference, but curiosity prompted Peterson to examine the paper closely when the teacher had set it aside, and he found the following advertisement: 'If this should meet the eye of Joel Hamlyn, second brother of Sir Just Hamlyn, of Darnstable, he is hereby informed of the death of his brother and of his succession to the title and estates.

Any information respecting the above Joel Hamlyn will be thankfully received.' Then followed a description of Joel Hamlyn that was decidedly applicable to Joel Ham, and the address of a firm of Melbourne solicitors.
The schoolmaster said nothing to satisfy the curiosity of his committee, but was more communicative in the presence of Frank Hardy.
'I am Sir Joel Hamlyn now,' he said, grinning down at his white moleskins and broken boots.

'Just and I hated each other like brothers.

He was eminently respectable, I was eminently otherwise.

We parted with mutual satisfaction, but he had two boys when I left England, both of whom have since died, or there would have been no anxious and respectful inquiries for my disreputable self.' 'Well, I congratulate you,' said Frank.