"By-the-bye," said the Colonel, "I've been thinking that over. I'm not so sure of that by this time: a man who hopes to rise from the ranks would find _that_, I fear, about the most unkindly soil he could try. Musgrave, of course, wants to see service--the Guards very rarely leave London. After all, I incline to change my opinion: a marching regiment would be better for him with his views." "What a fellow you are!" cried the baronet, "you bring a man round to your views, and then cast him off and declare a contrary opinion. Now I'm all for the Guards and the Regent's Park barracks. He's a handsome fellow enough, I suppose, and I know he's not very clever. Of course, he's taken in by the superior corps, and high reputation, and all that sort of thing. I'll bet you something he's a Guardsman. Now, what's to be done? If you want me to start for town directly and hunt him up, I say thank you, my excellent friend, I am exceedingly comfortable here; travelling bad for my health--beginning of March the worst season in the year--and so on, to any extent you please. But I don't want the boy to slip through our fingers, mind you. What's to be done? Don't you think he'll write again?" "Very doubtful," said Colonel Sutherland. "Doubtful?--doubtful's something," said Sir John. "It can do no harm, so far as I can perceive, to wait and see. Let's be quiet for a little, and keep on the look-out. Of course, had I known what had happened I might have stayed in town," he added, with a slightly injured air, "and settled that concern before I came on here. But, of course, as I did not know--" "I did not know either; nobody knew--he only left home the day before yesterday," interrupted the Colonel. "To be sure; and yet it would have been very convenient could I have been informed of it while in town," proceeded the baronet, still in a tone of injury; "really at this time of the year--and I don't see there can be any damage done by waiting to see if he writes again." "Only that he might enter a regiment going to India, or Canada, or Australia, and might write on the eve of the voyage, as is most likely, and be lost beyond remedy," said the Colonel, anxiously.