d carried the bag to the
little room, leaving Florence to read the telegram over for her own
satisfaction--as if that would give her any more information.

She followed her brother to the study and said, 'Where do you think
they have gone, Len?'

'How can I tell? I never heard of a rich uncle, did you?'

His sister shook her head. 'Daddy was an only son, I know,' she said.
'But I think mother had a brother.'

'Was he a millionaire?' asked Leonard.

'He was a doctor, which is quite as good, I am sure, for that is----'

'Flo, you're a duffer,' interrupted her brother. 'There's nothing like
millionaires in these days, and so I hope this uncle, whoever he may
be, has made his pile, and will leave it all to us.'

'But you don't know it is an uncle they have gone to see. Father had
friends in London, and this telegram came from Westminster, and I know
that is in London.'

'Well, we shall hear all about it when they come, I dare say. Now run
away, little girl, for I want to get on with my lessons, now I have
got the book I wanted.'

'Oh, that was what you wanted! You boys are so careless. It is a good
job you can borrow of each other;' and Florence went away, leaving
Leonard to do his lessons or reflect upon the strange events of the
evening.

After a few angry thoughts concerning Taylor and his behaviour towards
him that evening, he began wondering once more whether it was an uncle
his parents had gone to see, and then whether he was rich, and would
make them wealthy too. He had never thought so much of money and what
it could do for its possessor until lately, but Taylor and Curtis both
belonged to wealthy families, and he thought of what they could do. He
called to mind the half-sovereign and the cigarettes he had seen them
smoking, and he had no doubt they were going to a famous billiard-room
in the town. Billiards, cigars, and half-sovereigns made up an
entrancing picture to the boy, and he sat and dreamed of these things,
and wished he had plenty of money, until half the evening was gone;
and although he declined to go to bed at the usual hour, he only half
knew his lessons when he did go.

The next morning he started for school in good time, for fear he
should miss Taylor, and be compelled to have those bottles on his mind
all the morning. But Taylor was looking out for him at the corner of
the road where they usually met. He was in a different mood this
morning, and flattered and praised the lad for havin