rhaps your aunt
will lend it me at some other time if I feel ill and fancy I am going to
die; but I shan't die yet, O no, no, I want to live a great many years
longer."

"I hope that you may, if you wish it," said Mary. She did not add, "I
wonder what the poor old man can find so pleasant in his existence as to
make him desire to live?" She did not again refer to Ned, but shortly
got up, and told Mr Shank that she must be going.

"What! do you come all this way alone merely to visit a wretched being
like me?" he exclaimed, as she moved towards the door.

"No, Ned comes with me, and he is waiting to take me back," she
answered.

"Why didn't he come in and sit down until you were ready to go?" he
asked.

"Because, Mr Shank, he knows that you dislike boys," said Mary.

"Perhaps, as you think so well of him, he may not be so bad as others.
When you come again bring him in; I'll not scold him if he speaks
civilly to me, and doesn't attempt to play me tricks."

"He'll not play you tricks, and I'm sure that he'll speak properly to
you," answered Mary, considerably mollified by Mr Shank's last remark.
She was glad, however, that Ned was not in sight, as she still somewhat
mistrusted the old man. As soon as the door was closed she looked about
for Ned, and spied him hurrying up.

"He wants to see you," she said when Ned joined her, "so you must come
in when Aunt Sally next sends me to him. He is a strange being. I
wonder how he can manage to spend his time all by himself?"

They walked home chattering merrily, though Ned was a little more
thoughtful than usual, wondering why his uncle had not written; and as
soon as he had seen Mary safe at home, he hurried off to consult
Lieutenant Hanson about the matter.

"Why," said Ned to the lieutenant, "has uncle not written?"

"Simply that he has had nothing to say, or has had no time to write, or
if he has written, his letter may have gone astray," answered the
lieutenant. "You must exercise patience, my young friend; you'll find
plenty of that required in this world."

Ned returned home not much wiser than he went, but a brisk walk and the
fresh air revived his spirits. Next morning's post brought the
looked-for letter, addressed to Miss Sarah Pack. She hurriedly opened
it, while the young people looked eagerly on, watching her countenance.
That, however, betrayed no satisfaction. The lieutenant's handwriting
required time to decipher, though the characters were