"It seems that your father died in England," added Bob. "Yes; in London. This will names my mother as my guardian, and my uncle Amos as the trustee, to take care of the property, which, it seems, was all in stocks and bonds. But my uncle says my mother is in an insane asylum; but whether in England or the United States, I don't know," I continued, folding up the will. "I don't see how your uncle did it. It is the most infernal, mean business I ever heard of," said Bob, indignantly. "But what are you going to do?" "I am going to find my mother!" "How will you find her? Where will you look for her?" "I don't know," I answered, feeling for the first time that my information was very insufficient. "Were there no other papers in the safe?" "Plenty of them; but I was so agitated I could not examine them." "But what are you going to do, Ernest?" "I am going to New York, first; then to Philadelphia, perhaps, where Tom Thornton lives when he is at home. I may find out something there." "But how will you get to New York?" "My plan was to run up the creek, and take the train at the Adieno station; but Tom Thornton has gone over that way, and I am afraid he will have somebody stationed there and at Cannondale to stop us. If you could help me, Bob--" "Help you! certainly I'll help you!" interposed he, warmly. "What shall I do?" "If you could get a team and drive us over to Romer, which is about ten miles, we could take the train there without danger." "I'll do it." "And, Bob, you may tell your father the whole story, and then he won't blame you," I added, not wishing to get him into a scrape. "My father is away; but don't worry about me. You are clearly in the right, and I will do all I can for you, whatever happens to me." "Thank you, Bob. The time will come when I shall stand on my feet, and then it will be all right with you." I ran the Splash up a small creek on the edge of the town, and landed Bob. He was to procure a horse and covered wagon, and take Kate and myself at the cottage; for, now that Tom and my uncle were away, it seemed to be the safest place to land. Besides, I had another object in view in choosing this locality. For an hour I cruised about the upper end of the lake, until I saw Bob wave his handkerchief from the wagon, near the cottage. I ran the Splash into the mouth of the brook, which was the only place where the water was deep enough to permit our landing. I lowered the sails, and fastened the painter to a tree. I directed Kate to run through the grove to the road, where she would find the wagon, and promised to join her in a few moments. Trembling with fear, she ran up the hill, and I hastened to the cottage. My uncle was away, and I was determined to look at the papers in the safe again, for I was convinced that I could not find my mother without more information than I possessed. [Illustration: ERNEST SURPRISED BY HIS UNCLE.--Page 139.]