James was inclined to suppress such vague information, which he thought would only render his uncle more restless and wretched in his helplessness, and was only questioning whether secrecy would not amount to deceit.

‘The obvious thing is for me to go to Peru,’ said Louis.

‘My uncle and I were intending to go,’ said Clara.

‘How many more of you?’ exclaimed James.

     ’I would not change my native land
      For rich Peru and all her gold;’

chanted little Kitty from the corner, where she was building houses for the ‘little ones.’

‘Extremely to the purpose,’ said Louis, laughing.  ’Follow her example, Clara.  Make your uncle appoint me his plenipotentiary, and I will try what I can to find out what these rogues are about.’

‘Are you in earnest?’

‘Never more so in my life.’

James beckoned him to the window, and showed him a sentence where Tom said that the best chance for the firm was in Miss Ponsonby’s marriage with Mr. Ward, but that engagement was not yet declared on account of her father’s illness.

‘The very reason,’ said Louis, ’I cannot go on in this way.  I must know the truth.’

‘And your father?’

’It would be much better for him that the thing were settled.  He will miss me less during the session, when he is in London with all his old friends about him.  It would not take long, going by the Isthmus.  I’ll ride back at once, and see how he bears the notion.  Say nothing to Mr. Dynevor till you hear from me; but I think he will consent.  He will not endure that she should be left unprotected; her father perhaps dying, left to the mercy of these rascals.’

‘And forgive me, Louis, if you found her not needing you!’

’If she be happy, I should honour the man who made her so.  At least, I might be of use to you.  I should see after poor Madison.  I have sent him to the buccaneers indeed!  Good-bye!  I cannot rest till I see how my father takes it!’

It was long since Louis had been under an excess of impetuosity; but he rode home as fast as he had ridden to Northwold to canvass for James, and had not long been at Ormersfield before his proposition was laid before his father.

It was no small thing to ask of the Earl, necessary as his son had become to him; and the project at first appeared to him senseless.  He thought Mary had not shown herself sufficiently sensible of his son’s merits to deserve so much trouble; and if she were engaged to Mr. Ward, Fitzjocelyn would find himself in an unpleasant and undignified position.  Besides, there was the ensuing session of Parliament!  No!  Oliver must send out some trustworthy man of business, with full powers.

Louis only answered, that of course it depended entirely on his father’s consent; and by-and-by his submission began to work.  Lord Ormersfield could not refuse him anything, and took care, on parting for the night, to observe that the point was not settled, only under consideration.