‘You shall see him as soon as you are strong enough,’ said Mr. Kendal; ‘your brother and I have been with him.’

’Oh, I am glad; I could not rest if he had not been thanked.  And can anything be done for him?  What is he?  I thought he was a gentleman.’

Maurice smiled, and Mr. Kendal answered, ’Yes, he is Mr. Goldsmith’s nephew, and I am pleased to find that he is a connexion of your brother.’

‘One of the O’Mores,’ cried Albinia.  ’Oh, Maurice, is it really one of Winifred’s O’Mores?’

‘Even so,’ replied Mr. Ferrars; the very last person I should have expected to meet on the banks of the Baye!  It was that clever son of the captain’s for whose education Mr. Goldsmith paid, and it seems had sent for, to consider of his future destination.  He only arrived yesterday.’

‘A very fine young man,’ said Mr. Kendal.  ’I was particularly pleased with his manner, and it was an act of great presence of mind and dexterity.’

‘It is all a maze and mystery to me,’ said Albinia; ’do tell me all about it.  I can’t make out how the horse came there.’

‘I understood that young Dusautoy was calling here,’ said Mr. Kendal; ’I wondered at even his coolness in coming in by that way, and at your letting him in.’

‘I saw nothing of him,’ said Albinia.  ’Perhaps he was looking for Gilbert.’

‘No,’ said Lucy, looking up from her work, with a slight blush, and demure voice of secret importance; ’he had only stepped in for a minute, to bring me a new fern.’

‘Indeed,’ said her father; ’I was not aware that he took interest in your fernery.’

‘He knows everything about ferns,’ said Lucy.  ’Mrs. Cavendish Dusautoy once had a conservatory filled with the rarest specimens, and he has given me a great many directions how to manage them.’

’Oh! if he could get you to listen to his maxims, I don’t wonder at anything,’ exclaimed Albinia.

’He had only just come in with the Adiantium, and was telling me how hydraulic power directed a stream of water near the roots among his mother’s Fuci,’ said Lucy, rather hurt.  ’He had fastened up his horse quite securely, and nobody could have guessed that Maurice could have opened that gate to cross the bridge, far less have climbed up the rail to the horse’s back.  I never shall forget my fright, when we heard the creature’s feet, and Mr. Cavendish Dusautoy began to run after it directly.’

‘As foolish a thing as he could have done,’ said Mr. Kendal, not impressed with Mr. Cavendish Dusautoy’s condescension in giving chase.  ’It was well poor little Maurice was not abandoned to your discretion, and his resources.’