ies about your respectability would soon
bring the bulkies about me. And you would not have poor Jerry sent back
to that d---d low place on t'other side of the herring-pond, would you?"

"Ah, Jerry!" said William, kindly placing his hand in his brother's,
"you know I helped you to escape; I left all to come over with you."

"So you did, and you're a good fellow; though as to leaving all, why you
had got rid of all first. And when you told me about the marriage, did
not I say that I saw our way to a snug thing for life? But to return
to my story. There is a danger in going with the youngsters. But since,
Will,--since nothing but hard words is to be got on the other side,
we'll do our duty, and I'll find them out, and do the best I can for
us--that is, if they be yet above ground. And now I'll own to you that I
think I knows that the younger one is alive."

"You do?"

"Yes! But as he won't come in for anything unless his brother is dead,
we must have a hunt for the heir. Now I told you that, many years ago,
there was a lad with me, who, putting all things together--seeing how
the Beauforts came after him, and recollecting different things he let
out at the time--I feel pretty sure is your old master's Hopeful. I know
that poor Will Gawtrey gave this lad the address of Old Gregg, a friend
of mine. So after watching Sharp off the sly, I went that very night, or
rather at two in the morning, to Gregg's house, and, after brushing
up his memory, I found that the lad had been to him, and gone over
afterwards to Paris in search of Gawtrey, who was then keeping a
matrimony shop. As I was not rich enough to go off to Paris in a
pleasant, gentlemanlike way, I allowed Gregg to put me up to a noice
quiet little bit of business. Don't shake your head--all safe--a rural
affair! That took some days. You see it has helped to new rig me," and
the captain glanced complacently over a very smart suit of clothes.
"Well, on my return I went to call on you, but you had flown. I half
suspected you might have gone to the mother's relations here; and I
thought, at all events, that I could not do better than go myself and
see what they knew of the matter. From what you say I feel I had better
now let that alone, and go over to Paris at once; leave me alone to
find out. And faith, what with Sharp and the old lord, the sooner I quit
England the better."

"And you really think you shall get hold of them after all? Oh, never
fear my nerves if I'm