"I'm greatly pleased," said he, his face a shining proof of it; "I'm amazingly pleased. I had no thought that such a pleasure as this awaited me. So your father and mother are both dead." He nodded at his nephew wistfully. "Both dead and gone. And you left alone, and I never so much as sending you a line of writing." "These things escape one," said Anthony; "especially when they happen so far away." "A brother is a brother, no matter what the distance; and you were of my own blood. There was never a time when I did not hold your mother as the most beautiful and best of women; there was no reason why all these years should have gone by, and I holding my tongue; no reason at all." They sat down. "Have you been in the city long?" asked Charles. "Less than a week. I inquired here for you, but learned you were away." "And you've had a devil of a dull time, I know, going about in strange places." "Why, fortunately, no. I dropped in on Christopher Dent--" "What--old Kit!" Charles laughed, and curled himself up in a corner of the divan, nursing his lame foot. "Good soul! I'm glad you thought of him." "And while I was there who should come in but Dr. King, and he, when he found who I was, instantly invited me to supper." "Excellent!" approved Charles. "It couldn't have been better." They talked for some time of Dr. King and of the city and its changes; then there came a tap upon the door, and the affable clerk put in his head. "Mr. Clark, of the _Starry Cross_, sir, when you are at leisure." "I'll speak to him in a few moments." Then, as the clerk withdrew, Charles said to Anthony. "The skipper of one of my tea ships. He reached port while I was away." "I'm afraid I've come in on you at a time when your attention is much engaged." Anthony got up. "Perhaps to-morrow or next day you'll not be so pressed." "Sup with me to-night," said Charles, putting his arm about Anthony's shoulders. "I want you to make the acquaintance of Captain Weir." "I've met the captain already," said the young man. "You've not wasted your time, at any rate," smiled his uncle. "But sup with me, anyhow; there's thousands of questions I want to ask, and to answer." "Thank you," said Anthony. "I shall be glad to." He shook hands with Charles once more and then left the counting-house. At the Half Moon, he encountered the round-faced coachman, seated upon his bench in the passage. "Good even, sir," said the man. "I suppose they are well settled by this." And then, as Anthony looked at him questioningly, he added. "I mean Mr. Lafargue and his daughter--in their new place." "New place!" said Anthony. "Have they gone?" "Why, yes; this morning," said the coachman. "And all their luggage with them. But I couldn't say where. Seeing as they're friends of yours, I thought you knew." "No," said Anthony, "I didn't." And then he went, in a heavy-footed way, up the stairs to his room. XI