," she said after they had
chatted together for some time, "but you are not changed so much as I
expected."

"Well, Aunt, I don't see how I can change much till the hair begins to
grow on my face. Putting on uniform doesn't in itself make one a man;
but of course I feel older, and I think I have grown a bit. But there is
no chance of my ever shooting up like Julian. Of course, you have heard
nothing from him, Aunt, or you would have written to me at once!"

"Nothing, Frank. That fisherman, Bill, came in the other day, and said
he had only heard what we knew before, that he had been sent to gaol,
and that he had been marched away with a batch of prisoners somewhere
inland. The smugglers could not learn what prison they had gone to. They
said that the people of Nantes did not know that, as the guards who went
with them from there only received orders to take them a short distance,
and they were then handed over to other soldiers, who went so much
further with them, and as their escort might be changed a dozen times
not even the officials at Nantes had an idea where they were taken to at
last."

"No news of Markham, Aunt?"

"Only that he is one of the regular crew of that French lugger now."

Frank looked up all his old friends and spent a pleasant week. His visit
did his aunt a great deal of good, and the servant told him that she was
quite a different woman since he had come home again.

"She missed you wonderful, Master Frank, and though she used to go about
as usual, she did not seem to take an interest in things as she did
before. I expect, now that she has seen you again, and has perked up a
bit, she will fall into her old ways more regular. Now she has heard
from you all about what you are doing, and your friends, and such like,
and she knows that you are well and not changed, she will feel more
comfortable, and won't be always worriting herself. Mr. Henderson often
comes in and talks about you, and that always seems to do her good. And
Colonel Chambers, he looks in sometimes, and she tells me that they both
think a great deal of you, and of course that pleases her; and she looks
forward wonderful to your letters coming regular once a week. I don't
think you need trouble yourself about her, Master Frank. She has not
really much the matter with her; only you know it was always her way to
worrit about things, and you can't expect her to be otherwise, and I do
think your coming here will do her a lot of good."