After breakfast Major Grafton left the hotel without saying where he was going, and Ben addressed himself first to packing his trunk, and then going down to the reading-room. There he sat down and wrote a letter to his mother, which ran thus: "DEAR MOTHER:--I can imagine how much you will be surprised when I tell you that when this letter reaches you I shall be on my way to Europe. Major Grafton, my employer, only told me an hour since, and we sail this afternoon at three. I should be glad to come home and bid you and my little sister good-by, but there is no time. I know you will miss me, but it is a splendid chance for me to go, and I shall be receiving a liberal salary, out of which I can send you money from time to time. I know I shall enjoy myself, for I have always had a longing to go to Europe, though I did not dream that I should have the chance so soon. I will write to you as soon as we get on the other side. "Your loving son, BEN. "P. S.--We sail on the Parthia." It may be readily understood that this letter made a great sensation in Sunderland. Mrs. Baker hardly knew whether to be glad or sorry. It was hard to part from Ben for an uncertain period. On the other hand, all her friends congratulated her on Ben's great success in securing so good a position and salary. It was certainly a remarkable stroke of good fortune. Ben was about to write another letter to Clarence, explaining why he could not accept the invitation for dinner on Sunday, but a glance at the clock showed him that he would have a chance to go to his uncle's store, and that seemed, on the whole, more polite. He jumped on board a Broadway car at Twenty-third street, and half an hour later got out in front of his uncle's large business establishment. He entered with quite a different feeling from that attending his first visit, when, in his country attire, poor and without prospects, he came to make an appeal to his rich uncle. Handsome clothes are apt to secure outward respect, and one of the salesmen came forward, obsequiously, and asked: "What can I show you, young gentleman?" "Nothing, thank you," answered Ben, politely. "Is my uncle in?" "Your uncle?" "Mr. Walton." "Oh, yes; you will find him in his office." "Thank you." Nicholas Walton looked up as Ben entered his presence, and did not immediately recognize the handsomely-dressed boy who stood before him. He concluded that it was one of Clarence's high-toned acquaintances. "Did you wish to see Clarence?" he asked affably. "I am sorry to say that he has not been in this morning." "I should like to see him, Uncle Nicholas; but I also wished to see you." "Oh, it's Ben!" said Mr. Walton, in a slightly changed tone. "Yes, uncle; I met my cousin at the Windsor last evening." "He told me so. You are staying there, he says." "For a very short time. My cousin was kind enough to invite me to dinner on Sunday."