ut the recess was over,
and the students were all in the school-room. It was not safe for me to
remain long in this vicinity, for my uncle had by this time reached
Parkville, and had probably employed some one to pursue me. I wrote a
note to Bob with pencil, on a slip of paper I had in my pocket, and
running the Splash up to the pier, sent it to the school-room by one of
the men who was at work in the garden. My friend appeared immediately.

"Come on board, Bob. I have a great deal to say to you, and only a
little time to say it in."

"But it is school time," replied Bob.

"I must not stop here a moment. I am going off, Bob, and may never see
you again, at least not for some time."

"Why, what's up, Ernest?" he asked, as he stepped on board, his scruples
removed by the announcement I had made.

"A great deal has happened since we parted last night," I replied,
pushing off the Splash from the pier.

"How do you do, Miss Loraine?" continued Bob. "I am glad to see you are
still safe."

"I am very well, thanks to Ernest Thornton," she replied.

I headed the boat up the lake towards the cottage again, and proceeded
to tell Bob all that had happened since midnight. He listened in
amazement to my story. I showed him my father's will, which I had not
yet read, and we went through it together.

"It is very plain that they mean to cheat you out of the property your
father left for you," said he.

"That is clear enough. My uncle told me nearly a year ago that my father
left nothing for me."

"It seems that your father died in England," added Bob.

"Yes; in London. This will names my mother as my guardian, and my uncle
Amos as the trustee, to take care of the property, which, it seems, was
all in stocks and bonds. But my uncle says my mother is in an insane
asylum; but whether in England or the United States, I don't know," I
continued, folding up the will.

"I don't see how your uncle did it. It is the most infernal, mean
business I ever heard of," said Bob, indignantly. "But what are you
going to do?"

"I am going to find my mother!"

"How will you find her? Where will you look for her?"

"I don't know," I answered, feeling for the first time that my
information was very insufficient.

"Were there no other papers in the safe?"

"Plenty of them; but I was so agitated I could not examine them."

"But what are you going to do, Ernest?"

"I am going to New York, first; then to Philadelphia, perhaps, where
T