r than I expected to find them. Of course,
you always spoke of them as when you saw them last. They are both
growing into very pretty girls, the elder especially. I made your
mother promise to bring them down to stay with me, for a bit, when
I came into the title; which I knew could not be long, for I had
called that morning on my uncle's solicitors, and they told me that
he was not expected to live many weeks. As it is only a month since
he died, I suppose I ought not to have visitors, just yet; but in a
few weeks I shall go up to town, and bring them down with me. I
cannot help thinking that it is a little selfish for, when they see
this place, they would not be human if they did not feel that it
would have been yours, if it had not been for your getting me out
of the hands of those Burmese.

"I see that you are gazetted captain, this week. I suppose, long
before this, you have settled down to your old work of going up
sluggish streams; and trying to stir up the equally sluggish native
to a sense of the advantages of British goods. At present, I am
quite content to do nothing particular--to ride and drive about,
return calls, and so on--but I expect, before very long, I shall
get restless, and want to be doing something. However, there is the
Continent open to one, and decent hotels to stop at. No fevers
there, and no Burmese brigands."

A month later he had a letter from his mother, which had been
written before that of Harry, but had been sent to Calcutta and
thence to Akyah; and had there lain until his return, two months
later, from a boat journey up to Pegu. She said how kind it was of
his cousin to come in, to give them news of him, the very day he
arrived in London.

"Of course, we were delighted with all that he told us about you;
but it made us anxious to think of your running into so many
dangers. We like him very much. We could not help laughing, because
he seemed quite concerned that you should not have the peerage,
instead of him. He seems likely to come into it soon, for he tells
us that the earl is very ill. He says that we must come down and
pay him a visit, as soon as he is master there; but I don't know
whether that can be. Of course it would be a nice change, and I
believe that it is a very fine place. I said that it would seem
strange our going there, when there are no ladies, and that
bachelors did not generally entertain; but he said that, in the
first place he should have his sisters there,