Jack.

In an hour Jack reported that he had been to the Perrotte home and had
interviewed Tony's mother. From her he had learned that Tony had left
the town, barely catching the train to Toronto. He might not return for
a week or ten days. He could set no time for it. He was his own master
as to time. He had got to the stage where he could go and come pretty
much as he pleased. The mother was not at all concerned as to these
goings and comings of her son. He had an assured position, all cause for
anxiety in regard to him was at an end. Tony's mother was obviously not
a little uplifted that her son should be of sufficient importance to be
entrusted with business in Toronto in connection with the mill.

All of which tended little toward relieving the anxiety of Mr. Maitland.

"Let him take his swing, Dad, for a bit," was Jack's advice. "He will
come back when he is ready, and until then wild horses won't bring him
nor hold him. He is no good for his old job, and you have no other ready
that he will stick at. He has no Sergeant-Major now to knock him about
and make him keep step, more's the pity."

"Life will be his Sergeant-Major, I fear," said his father, "and a
Sergeant-Major that will exact the utmost limit of obedience or make him
pay the price. All the same, we won't let him go. I can't Jack, anyway."

"Oh, Tony will turn up, never fear, Dad," said Jack easily.

With this assurance his father had to content himself. In a fortnight's
time a letter came from Tony to his sister, rosy with the brilliance of
the prospects opening up before him. There was the usual irresponsible
indefiniteness in detail. What he was doing and how he was living Tony
did not deign to indicate. Ten days later Annette had another letter.
The former prospects had not been realised, but he had a much better
thing in view, something more suitable to him, and offering larger
possibilities of position and standing in the community. So much Annette
confided to her mother who passed on the great news with elaborations
and annotations to Captain Jack. To Captain Jack himself Annette gave
little actual information. Indeed, shorn of its element of prophecy,
there was little in Tony's letter that could be passed on. Nor did
Annette drop any hint but that all was quite well with her brother, much
less that he had suggested a temporary loan of fifty dollars but only
of course if she could spare the amount with perfect convenience. After
this letter th