Presently, he heard George insisting that he and Harry should return in time for the evening party; and, on beginning to refuse, was amazed to find Harry's only objection was on the score of lack of uniform.

"I don't want you in one, sir," said Flora.

"I have only one coat in the world, besides this," continued Harry, "and that is all over tar."

"George will see to that," said Flora. "Don't you think you would be welcome in matting, with an orange cowry round your neck?"

Norman, however, took a private opportunity of asking Harry if he was aware of what he was undertaking, and what kind of people they should meet.

"All English people behave much the same in a room," said Harry, as if all society, provided it was not cannibal, were alike to him.

"I should have thought you would prefer finding out Forder in his chambers, or going to one of the theatres."

"As you please," said Harry; "but Flora seems to want us, and I should rather like to see what sort of company she keeps."

Since Harry was impervious to shyness, Norman submitted, and George took them to a wonder-worker in cloth, who undertook that full equipments should await the young gentleman. Harry next despatched his business at the Admiralty, and was made very happy by tidings of his friend Owen's safe arrival in America.

Thence the brothers went to Eton, where home letters had been more regarded; and Dr. May having written to secure a holiday for the objects of their visit, they were met at the station by the two boys. Hector's red face and prominent light eyebrows were instantly recognised; but, as to Tom, Harry could hardly believe that the little, dusty, round-backed grub be had left had been transformed into the well-made gentlemanlike lad before him, peculiarly trim and accurate in dress, even to the extent of as much foppery as Eton taste permitted.

Ten minutes had not passed before Tom, taking a survey of the newcomer, began to exclaim at Norman, for letting him go about such a figure; and, before they knew what was doing, they had all been conducted into the shop of the "only living man who knew how to cut hair." Laughing and good-natured, Harry believed his hair was "rather long," allowed himself to be seated, and to be divested of a huge superfluous mass of sun-dried curls, which Tom, particularly resenting that "rather long," kept on taking up, and unrolling from their tight rings, to measure the number of inches.

"That is better," said he, as they issued from the shop; "but, as to that coat of yours, the rogue who made it should never make another.

Where could you have picked it up?"

"At a shop at Auckland," said Harry, much amused.

"Kept by a savage?" said Tom, to whom it was no laughing matter. "See that seam!"

"Have done, May!" exclaimed Hector. "He will think you a tailor's apprentice!"

"Or worse," said Norman. "Rivers's tailor kept all strictures to himself."

Tom muttered that he only wanted Harry to be fit to be seen by the fellows.

"The fellows are not such asses as you!" cried Hector. "You don't deserve that he should come to see you. If my--"

There poor Hector broke off. If his own only brother had been walking beside him, how would he not have felt? They had reached their tutor's house, and, opening his own door, he made an imploring sign to Harry to enter with him. On the table lay a letter from Margaret, and another which Harry had written to him from Auckland.

"Oh, Harry, you were with him," he said; "tell me all about him."

And he established himself, with his face hidden on the table, uttering nothing, except, "Go on," whenever Harry's voice failed in the narration. When something was said of "all for the best," he burst out, "He might say so. I suppose one ought to think so. But is not it hard, when I had nobody but him? And there was Maplewood; and I might have been so happy there, with him and Margaret."

"They say nothing could have made Margaret well," said Harry.

"I don't care; he would have married her all the same, and we should have made her so happy at Maplewood. I hate the place! I wish it were at Jericho!"

"You are captain of the ship now," said Harry, "and you must make the best of it."

"I can't. It will never be home. Home is with Margaret, and the rest of them."

"So Alan said he hoped you would make it; and you are just like one of us, you know."

"What's the use of that, when Captain Gordon will not let me go near you. Taking me to that abominable Maplewood last Easter, with half the house shut up, and all horrid! And he is as dry as a stick!"

"The captain!" cried Harry angrily. "There's not a better captain to sail with in the whole navy, and your brother would be the first to tell you so! I'm not discharged yet. Hector--you had better look out what you say!"

"Maybe he is the best to sail with, but that is not being the best to live with," said the heir of Maplewood disconsolately. "Alan himself always said he never knew what home was, till he got to your father and Margaret."

"So will you," said Harry; "why, my father is your master, or whatever you may call it."

"No, Captain Gordon is my guardian."

"Eh! what's become of the will then?"

"What will?" cried Hector. "Did Alan make one after all?"

"Ay. At Valparaiso, he had a touch of fever; I went ashore to nurse him, to a merchant's, who took us in for love of our Scottish blood. Mr.

Ernescliffe made a will there, and left it in his charge."

"Do you think he made Dr. May my guardian?"

"He asked me whether I thought he would dislike it, and I told him, no."

"That's right!" cried Hector. "That's like dear old Alan! I shall get back to the doctor and Margaret after all. Mind you write to the captain, Harry!"

Hector was quite inspirited and ready to return to the others, but Harry paused to express a hope that he did not let Tom make such a fool of himself as he had done to-day.

"Not he," said Hector. "He is liked as much as any one in the house--he has been five times sent up for good. See there in the Eton list! He is a real clever fellow."

"Ay, but what's the good of all that, if you let him be a puppy?"

"Oh, he'll be cured. A fellow that has been a sloven always is a puppy for a bit," said Hector philosophically.

Norman was meantime taking Tom to task for these same airs, and, hearing it was from the desire to see his brother respectable--Stoneborough men never cared for what they looked like, and he must have Harry do himself credit.

"You need not fear," said Norman. "He did not require Eton to make him a gentleman. How now? Why, Tom, old man, you are not taking that to heart?

That's all over long ago."

For that black spot in his life had never passed out of the lad's memory, and it might be from the lurking want of self-respect that there was about him so much of self-assertion, in attention to trifles. He was very reserved, and no one except Norman had ever found the way to anything like confidence, and Norman had vexed him by the proposal he had made in the holidays.

He made no answer, but stood looking at Norman with an odd undecided gaze.

"Well, what now, old fellow?" said Norman, half fearing "that" might not be absolutely over. "One would think you were not glad to see Harry."

"I suppose he has made you all the more set upon that mad notion of yours," said Tom.

"So far as making me feel that that part of the world has a strong claim on us," replied Norman.

"I'm sure you don't look as if you found your pleasure in it," cried Tom.