"It is so sad to see a fine young fellow, as he is, with all his wits and capabilities about him, spending his days in idleness. I had meant to talk to Uncle Francis about it to-day. I do think, Mary, it has been a great mistake." "Well, dear, perhaps it has," replied the equable woman. "But you see, it takes so much money to bring young men on in life: and we had no money to spare." "Then, where money is wanting, they should be 'brought on' in some way that does not need money," rejoined Edina. "Charles has been absolutely idle; and only for the want of proper direction. Even Frank saw the error. When he returned to us the last time from his short stay here, he said what a pity it was." "Charles wanted to be a barrister, I fancy. But the major could not take any steps in it without money." "Then I would place him in a lawyer's office as a temporary clerk, that he might be acquiring some knowledge of law while he waited." "I declare we never thought of that," cried Mrs. Raynor. "Perhaps Charley would not have liked it, though." "Perhaps not. I should have done it, for all that, had I been Uncle Francis. Nothing in the world is so bad to a young man as indulging in idle habits. Has Charles been reading law books?" "No; only novels," said Mrs. Raynor. "Oh, it will all be right, Edina, now that he has Eagles' Nest to look forward to. Of course, he could look forward to it before; but there was always the doubt when we should come into it. Suppose Mrs. Atkinson had lived to be a hundred? Some people do. Where should we all have been then? or even to eighty or ninety?" "I'm sure I don't know," said Edina, smiling. "Suppose Uncle Francis should live to be a hundred, Mary? Where would Charley be in that case?" "But, Edina, what would it matter? With a beautiful place like Eagles' Nest and means to keep it up, the children would always be sure of a home and of welcome there. It would be Charley's as much as ours----" "Oh, mamma! What do you think? Papa has gone without his shaving-tackle, and without his boots!" The salutation came from the children, who all came wildly rushing forth again. They had been visiting the major's dressing-room, and discovered that these indispensable articles had been left behind. "They are his light summer boots, too; those with the long name," said Alice. "He cannot walk about much in any others." "Dear, dear, dear!" lamented Mrs. Raynor. "He must have put on those tight, patched ones by mistake--and they always blister his heels. How will he manage to get to Bath?"