And then Arthur said no more, but fell into a grave fit of musing.
Presently he roused himself, and said, "But, mamma, how can I go in two
days? Are there not things to be done? Mustn't I have a lot of new
clothes, and ever so many things?"

"But, don't you see," said Mrs. Vivyan with a smile, half amused and half
sad, "I have known it for a long time, and I have been making arrangements
that my little boy knew nothing about."

"Oh, well," said Arthur with a deep sigh.

"Would you like to see some of the things that you are going to take away
with you?" asked his mother.

"Yes, I think I should," said Arthur; but he spoke so hesitatingly; for
dearly as he liked preparations for a journey, he remembered with a bitter
pang what the preparations were for, and what the cause of the journey
was.

Mrs. Vivyan opened the door of a small room adjoining her own, which was
generally kept locked, and where, Arthur knew, he was not expected to go
without being allowed. There was a large table near the window; it was
covered with various things; there was a leather writing-case, a new
paint-box, and a Polyglot Bible; there were several new books too, and a
very large pile of new clothes, but they did not take up much of Arthur's
attention. His quick eyes soon detected a fishing rod and cricket bat,
that stood in the corner of the room near by; indeed there seemed to be
nothing that his kind father and mother had not provided. He noticed
something else that was there, and that was a Russia-leather purse; and
when he took it to examine the inside he found that it was not empty--the
first thing he saw was a five pound note!

"Oh, mamma!" said Arthur breathlessly; "who is all that money for?"

"Who do you think?" she asked, smiling.

"Well, I suppose for me," said Arthur; "but, mother, is all that really
for me? It will last until you come back."

"Do you think so?" said Mrs. Vivyan. "Well, I hope you will use it well,
and show that you can be trusted with so much."

"Is it to buy new clothes with, when I want any?" asked Arthur.

"No; I don't think you could quite manage that," said his mother,
laughing; "besides, look at all the new clothes you have; don't you think
they will last until I come back?"

"I don't know; I do use a great many clothes, certainly," said Arthur
thoughtfully, as he remembered various rents in more than one of his
little coats; "and boots, oh, yes, my boots must cost a great deal."

The next da