“That’s majestic,” Harry said; “lend us something, old fellow, for luck,” and they all laughed again. They thought it a capital joke that Jack should earn two guineas in six months. It did not hurt him or any of them; he had everything he wanted as if he had been earning hundreds. But Mr. Sandford did not laugh. This time it vexed and disturbed him to hear all the cheerful banter and talk about Jack’s two guineas. “It is all very well to laugh,” he said to his wife afterwards, “but how is he ever to live upon that?” “Dear Edward, it’s not like you to take their fun in earnest,” said the mother. “The poor boy has such spirits--and then it’s always a beginning.” “I am afraid his spirits are too good. If he would only take life a little more seriously----” “Why should he?” said Mrs. Sandford, taking high ground; “it is his happiest time. If he wanted to marry and set up for himself it might be different. But they have no cares--as yet. We ought to be thankful they are all so happy at home. Few young men love their home like our boys. We ought to be very thankful,” she repeated with a devout look upon her upturned face. It took the words out of his mouth. He could not say any more. But he kept on thinking. The time was passing away with great rapidity--far more quickly than it had ever done. Sunday trod on the heels of Sunday, and the months jostled each other as they flew along. Presently it was Jack’s birthday, and there was a dance and a great deal of affectionate pleasure; but when Mr. Sandford remembered how old the boy was, it gave him a shock which none of the others felt. At that age he himself had been Jack’s father, he had laid the foundation of his reputation, and was a rising man. If they did not live at home and had not everything provided for them, what would become of these boys? It gave him a sort of panic to think of it. In the very midst of the dance, when he was himself standing in the midst of a little knot of respectable fathers watching the young ones enjoying themselves, this thought overtook him and made him shiver. “Getting on, I hear, very well at the bar,” one of the gentlemen said. “He is not making very much money as yet,” replied Mr. Sandford. “Oh, nobody does that--at first, at least; but so long as he has you to fall back upon,” this good-natured friend said, with a nod of his head.