en Walter, in
conclusion, put to him the question he had put to Florence, he still
stood glancing at him with the same expression, as if he had read some
fate upon his face, mournfully at variance with its present brightness.

'What do you advise, Mr Carker?' said Walter, smiling. 'You always give
me good advice, you know, when you do speak to me. That's not often,
though.'

'I think your own idea is the best,' he answered: looking from Florence
to Walter, and back again.

'Mr Carker,' said Walter, brightening with a generous thought, 'Come!
Here's a chance for you. Go you to Mr Dombey's, and be the messenger of
good news. It may do you some good, Sir. I'll remain at home. You shall
go.'

'I!' returned the other.

'Yes. Why not, Mr Carker?' said the boy.

He merely shook him by the hand in answer; he seemed in a manner ashamed
and afraid even to do that; and bidding him good-night, and advising him
to make haste, turned away.

'Come, Miss Dombey,' said Walter, looking after him as they turned away
also, 'we'll go to my Uncle's as quick as we can. Did you ever hear Mr
Dombey speak of Mr Carker the Junior, Miss Florence?'

'No,' returned the child, mildly, 'I don't often hear Papa speak.'

'Ah! true! more shame for him,' thought Walter. After a minute's pause,
during which he had been looking down upon the gentle patient little
face moving on at his side, he said, 'The strangest man, Mr Carker
the Junior is, Miss Florence, that ever you heard of. If you could
understand what an extraordinary interest he takes in me, and yet how he
shuns me and avoids me; and what a low place he holds in our office, and
how he is never advanced, and never complains, though year after year
he sees young men passed over his head, and though his brother (younger
than he is), is our head Manager, you would be as much puzzled about him
as I am.'

As Florence could hardly be expected to understand much about it, Walter
bestirred himself with his accustomed boyish animation and restlessness
to change the subject; and one of the unfortunate shoes coming off again
opportunely, proposed to carry Florence to his uncle's in his arms.
Florence, though very tired, laughingly declined the proposal, lest
he should let her fall; and as they were already near the wooden
Midshipman, and as Walter went on to cite various precedents, from
shipwrecks and other moving accidents, where younger boys than he had
triumphantly rescued and carried off old