"Oh, dear!" cried Henrietta, "that's just what Cook and all kinds of
people will say. But it was the front stairs that were on fire. We
only went up the back stairs, and they weren't burning at all."

The barge-master smiled in reply. But it was with the affability of
superior knowledge, and I feel quite sure that he always told the
story (and believed it) according to his impossible version.

It was on the third day after the fire that our cousin called at the
_Crown_. He had never been to see us before, and, as I have said, we
had never been to the Castle. But the next day he sent a close
carriage for Henrietta and my mother, and a dog-cart for Rupert and
me, and brought us up to the Castle. We were there for three months.

It was through him that Rupert went to those baths abroad, which cured
his knee completely. And then, because my mother could not afford to
do it, he sent him to a grander public school than Dr. Jessop's old
grammar school, and Mr. Johnson sent Thomas Johnson there too, for Tom
could not bear to be parted from Rupert, and his father never refused
him anything.

But what I think was so very kind of our cousin was his helping me.
Rupert and Henrietta had been a credit to the family, but I deserved
nothing. I had only run away in the mean hope of outshining them, and
had made a fool of myself, whilst they had been really great in doing
their duty at home. However, he did back me up with Mother about going
to sea, and got me on board the training-ship _Albion_; and my highest
hope is to have the chance of bringing my share of renown to my
father's name, that his cousin may never regret having helped me to my
heart's desire.

Fred Johnson and I are very good friends, but since our barge voyage
we have never been quite so intimate. I think the strongest tie
between us was his splendid stories of the captain, and I do not
believe in them now.

Oddly enough, my chief friend--of the whole lot--is Weston. Rupert
always said I had a vulgar taste in the choice of friends, so it seems
curious that of our old schoolmates Johnson should be his friend and
Weston mine. For Johnson's father is only a canal-carrier, and Weston
is a fellow of good family.

He is so very clever! And I have such a habit of turning my pockets
inside out for everybody to see, that I admire his reticence; and
then, though he is so ironical with himself, as well as other people,
he has very fine ideas and ambitions and very noble