fight, I could not
have borne it."

Charlie did his best to console his mother, by telling her how
everyone who went to India made fortunes, and how he should be sure to
come back with plenty of money; and that, when the girls grew up, he
should be able to find rich husbands for them; and at last he
succeeded in getting her to look at matters in a less gloomy light.

"And I'm sure, Mother," he said, "Uncle means most kindly. He sends
twenty pounds, you see, and says that that is for immediate
necessities; so I have no doubt he means to help to get my outfit, or
at any rate to advance money, which I can repay him out of my salary.
The letter is rather stiff and businesslike, of course, but I suppose
that's his way; and you see he asks about your income, so perhaps he
means to help for the girls' education. I should go away very happy,
if I knew that you would be able to get on comfortably. Of course it's
a long way off, Mother, and I should have liked to stay at home, to be
a help to you and the girls; but one can't have all one wishes. As far
as I am concerned, myself, I would rather go out as a writer there,
where I shall see strange sights and a strange country, than be stuck
all my life at a desk in London.

"What is Uncle like?"

"He is a short man, my dear, rather stiff and pompous, with a very
stiff cravat. He used to give me his finger to shake, when I was a
child, and I was always afraid of him. He married a most disagreeable
woman, only a year or two before I married, myself. But I heard she
died not very long afterwards;" and so Mrs. Marryat got talking of her
early days and relations, and was quite in good spirits again, by the
time her daughters returned from school; and she told them what she
was now coming to regard as the good fortune which had befallen their
brother.

The girls were greatly affected. They adored their brother, and the
thought that he was going away for years was terrible to them. Nothing
that could be said pacified them in the slightest degree, and they did
nothing but cry, until they retired to bed. Charlie was much affected
by their sorrow; but when they had retired, he took his hat and went
out to tell the news of his approaching departure to some of his
chums.

The next day, Mrs. Marryat wrote thanking her uncle for his kindness,
and saying that Charlie would go round to London by the packet which
sailed on the following Monday; and would, if the wind were fair and
all went