When Mrs. Mason died it was found that the sale of her furniture barely realized enough to defray the expenses of her funeral.  Herbert, her only son, was left wholly unprovided for.  Dr. Kent, knowing that he had a rich uncle in New York, undertook to communicate to him the position in which his nephew had been left, never doubting that he would cheerfully extend a helping hand to him.  Meanwhile he invited Herbert to come to his house and make it his home till his uncle should send for him.

Herbert was a handsome, well-grown boy of fourteen, and a general favorite in the village.  While his mother lived he had done all he could to lighten her tasks, and he grieved deeply for her loss now that she was gone.  His father had ten years before failed in business in the city of New York, and, in a fit of depression, had emigrated to this obscure country village, where he had invested the few hundred dollars remaining to him in a farm, from which he was able to draw a scanty income.  Being a man of liberal education, he had personally superintended the education of his son till his death, two years before, so that Herbert’s attainments were considerably in advance of those of other boys of his age in the neighborhood.  He knew something of Latin and French, which made him looked upon as quite a model of learning by his playmates.  After his father’s death he had continued the daily study of the languages, so that he was able to read ordinary French with nearly as much ease as if it were English.  Though studious, he was not a bookworm, but was distinguished in athletic sports popular with boys of his age.

Enough has been said of our hero by way of introduction.  Herbert’s faults and virtues will appear as the record of his adventures is continued.  It may be hinted only that, while he was frank, manly, and generous in his disposition, he was proud and high-spirited also, and perhaps these qualities were sometimes carried to excess.  He would not allow himself to be imposed upon if he could help it.  Being strong for his age, he was always able to maintain his rights, but never abused his strength by making it the instrument of tyrannizing over weaker boys.

Of course Herbert felt somewhat anxious as to his future prospects.  He knew that the doctor had written to his Uncle Benjamin about him, and he hoped that he might be sent for to New York, having a great curiosity to see the city, of which he had heard so much.

“Have you heard from my uncle, Dr. Kent?” he inquired, a few days after the scene recorded in our first chapter.

His question was prompted by seeing the doctor coming into the yard with an open letter in his hand.

“Yes,” said Dr. Kent, with troubled expression and perplexed took.

“What does Uncle Benjamin say?” asked our young hero, eagerly.

“Nothing very encouraging, Herbert, I am sorry to say,” returned the doctor.  “However, here is the letter; you may read it for yourself.”