"Uncle Jervas," said I, "pray observe that I bow to your impertinence, by reason of your age; may God mend your manners, sir! Uncle George, farewell. Uncles both, heaven teach you to be some day more worthy my loved aunt Julia!" Saying which, I turned and strode resolutely away across the shadowy park, not a little pleased with myself. I was close upon the gates that opened upon the high road when, turning for one last look at the great house that had been my home, I was amazed and somewhat disconcerted to find my two uncles hastening after me; hotfoot they came, at something betwixt walk and run, their long legs covering the ground with remarkable speed. Instinctively I began to back away and was deliberating whether or not to cast dignity to the winds and take to my heels outright, when my uncle George hailed me, and I saw he flourished a hat the which I recognised as my own. "Hold hard a minute, Perry!" he called, spurs jingling with his haste. "My good uncles," I called, "you are two to one--two very large, ponderous men; pray excuse me therefore if I keep my distance." "My poor young dolt," quoth uncle Jervas a trifle breathlessly, "we merely desire a word with you--" "Aye, just a word, Perry!" cried uncle George. "Besides, we've brought your hat and coat, d'ye see." "You have no other purpose?" I enquired, maintaining my rearward movement. "Dammit--no!" answered uncle Jervas. "Word of honour!" cried uncle George. At this I halted and suffered them to approach nearer. "You do not meditate attempting the futility of force?" I demanded. "We do not!" said uncle Jervas. "Word of honour!" cried uncle George. "On the contrary," continued uncle Jervas, handing me my silver-buttoned, frogged surtout, "I for one heartily concur and commend your decision in so far as concerns yourself--a trifle of hardship is good for youth and should benefit you amazingly, nephew--" "B'gad, yes!" nodded uncle George. "Fine thing, hardship--if not too hard. So we thought it well to see that you did not go short of the--ah--needful, d'ye see." "Needful, sir?" I enquired. "Rhino, lad--chink, my boy!" "Ha, to be sure," sighed uncle Jervas, noting my bewilderment. "These coarse metaphors are but empty sounds in your chaste ears, nephew--brother George is trying to say money. Do you happen to have a sufficiency of such dross about you, pray?" A search of my various pockets resulted in the discovery of one shilling and a groat. "Precisely as I surmised," nodded my uncle Jervas, "having had your every possible want supplied hitherto, money is a sordid vulgarity you know little about, yet, if you persist in adventuring your precious person into the world of men and action, you will find money a somewhat useful adjunct. In this purse are some twelve guineas or so--" here he thrust the purse into the right-hand pocket of my coat. "And six in this, Perry!" said uncle George, thrusting his purse into my left pocket.