'If my father does not come up, I shall see him once more before he leaves Pentonville,' added Tom; 'and so you must mind and let me know all about his people in America. I found he had no notion of the row that is beginning there, so I said not a word of it. But what is all this about going to Indiana?' 'They are going at the end of April to settle in a place called Massissauga, where Henry is to farm till practice comes to him. It is towards the north of the State, in the county of Pulaski.' 'Ay, in one of the pestilential swamps that run up out of Lake Michigan. All the fertile ground there breeds as many fevers and agues as it does stalks of corn.' 'Indeed! how did you hear that?' 'I looked up the place after Leonard told me of it. It is as unlucky a location as the ill luck of that fellow Henry could have pitched on. Some friend Leonard spoke of--a Yankee, I suppose, meaning to make a prey of them.' 'The father of their young lady friend at the boarding-house.' 'Oh! a Yankee edition of Mrs. Pugh!' 'And the worst of it is that this is to be done with poor Averil's fortune. She has written to Mr. Bramshaw to sell out for her, and send her the amount, and he is terribly vexed; but she is of age, and there are no trustees nor any one to stop it.' 'All of a piece,' muttered Tom; then presently he swung the basket round on the ground with a vehement exclamation--'If any man on this earth deserved to be among the robbers and murderers, I know who it is.' Then he shouldered his load again, and walked on in silence by his sister's side to the school door. Richard had been obliged to go to a benefit club entertainment; and Ethel, knowing the limited literary resources of the parsonage, was surprised to find Tom still waiting for her, when the distribution and fitting of the blue-ribboned hats was over, and matters arranged for the march of the children to see the wedding, and to dine afterwards at the Grammar-school hall. 'O, Tom, I did not expect to find you here.' 'It is not fit for you to be walking about alone on a Whit Monday.' 'I am very glad to have you, but I am past that.' 'Don't talk nonsense; girls are girls till long past your age,' said Tom. 'It is not so much age, as living past things,' said Ethel. 'It was not only that, added Tom; 'but I've more to say to you, while one can be sure of a quiet moment. Have you heard anything about that place?' and he pointed in the direction of the Vintry Mill. 'I heard something of an intention to part with it, and have been watching for an advertisement; but I can see none in the Courant, or on the walls.' 'Mind he does not slip off unawares.' 'I don't know what to do now that old Hardy is cut off from us. I tried to stir up Dr. Spencer to go and investigate, but I could not tell him why, and he has not the same interest in going questing about as he used to have. People never will do the one thing one wants particularly!'