He was dismissed from his post, and Messrs. Hopper and Mason refused to employ him again even as a clerk: he just got a quarter's salary instead of a quarter's warning, and one week in which to pack up and turn out of the Gatehouse. And he had to go home—home! It was that no longer—and tell Janet, who knew as little about the impending misery as did poor little Frank and Fred. The children were playing in the parlour when their father rushed in, haggard and wretched. "Where's your mother, Frank?" "In grandma's room, I think." "Run and tell her to come here to me. Take Fred with you, and go to the nursery, and stay there. Do you understand? Stay there." For Frank, all unused to be spoken to thus by his good-tempered, pleasant father, was staring at him in silence. "Yes, father; but, oh, you do look so! What ails you, father?" "Go, child, and send muddie here. I want her. I have no time to talk to you." Frank took the other little fellow by the hand, and they trotted off together. He knocked at the door of Mrs. Rayburn's room with a soft little hand. Janet knew the sound, and came to him. "Muddie, father's in the parlour, and you must go to him; he wants you. Oh, muddie, he does look so!" "What does he look like?" Janet asked, smiling. "Well, like the p'orligal son in my picture-book," answered Frank, after considering the matter. Janet laughed, closed the bedroom door gently, and went to the parlour. She was still laughing when she entered it. Poor Janet! It was a cruel business, a horrible task for Fred Rayburn. It was so hard to awaken Janet's fears, so hard to make her believe that he was in earnest. But at last it was done; and then he was surprised to see how bravely she bore the tidings, and how full of practical help she was. "Fred dear, the worst of it is your chance of being arrested. I don't think Mr. Henley has any right to threaten that, for the fault is his as much as yours. Have you any money, dear?" "My quarter's salary." "And I have twenty pounds—my little savings. I meant to surprise you; but, never mind that. Dear Fred, you must get away at once. The sooner you do so, the sooner you can begin life again, and we must earn enough to pay this debt. I will go at once and beg Mr. Henley to wait—not to have you searched for." "You misunderstood me, dear. There is no danger of my being arrested at once. The danger is if Henley took proceedings against me, I might be imprisoned for—fraudulent dealing." "Well, if you are not here, he is less likely to do that, don't you think? And, in any case, you must get away; you will suffer less so." "How can I leave you, Janet? And yet, indeed, there is no use in my staying. As soon as ever it is known that I am dismissed, Henley will begin proceedings; but I won't go without you and the boys. Let us get away to-night; we'll go to America. I may get employment there. I must pay that money. Poor father, if he only knew! But the great thing is to get away."