s world, honesty's
nothing without force of character! And so your health!"

Here the captain emptied the rest of the brandy into his glass, drained
it at a draught, and, while poor William was wiping his eyes with a
ragged blue pocket-handkerchief, rang the bell, and asked what coaches
would pass that way to -----, a seaport town at some distance. On
hearing that there was one at six o'clock, the captain ordered the best
dinner the larder would afford to be got ready as soon as possible; and,
when they were again alone, thus accosted his brother:--

"Now you go back to town--here are four shiners for you. Keep
quiet--don't speak to a soul--don't put your foot in it, that's all I
beg, and I'll find out whatever there is to be found. It is damnably out
of my way embarking at -----, but I had best keep clear of Lunnon. And I
tell you what, if these youngsters have hopped the twig, there's another
bird on the bough that may prove a goldfinch after all--Young Arthur
Beaufort: I hear he is a wild, expensive chap, and one who can't live
without lots of money. Now, it's easy to frighten a man of that sort,
and I cha'n't have the old lord at his elbow."

"But I tell you, that I only care for my poor master's children."

"Yes; but if they are dead, and by saying they are alive, one can make
old age comfortable, there's no harm in it--eh?"

"I don't know," said William, irresolutely. "But certainly it is a hard
thing to be so poor at my time of life; and so honest a man as I've
been, too!"

Captain Smith went a little too far when he said that "honesty's nothing
without force of character." Still, Honesty has no business to be
helpless and draggle-tailed;--she must be active and brisk, and make use
of her wits; or, though she keep clear or the prison, 'tis no very great
wonder if she fall on the parish.

CHAPTER III.

"Mitis.--This Macilente, signior, begins to be more sociable on
a sudden." Every Man out of his Humour.

"Punt. Signior, you are sufficiently instructed.

"Fast. Who, I, sir?"--Ibid.

After spending the greater part of the day in vain inquiries and a vain
search, Philip and Mr. Morton returned to the house of the latter.

"And now," said Philip, "all that remains to be done is this: first
give to the police of the town a detailed description of the man; and
secondly, let us put an advertisement both in the county journal and in
some of the London papers, to the effect, that if