Ravenshoe. By Henry Kingsley.

254 RAVENSHOE.
al faton de parler, —sometimes, perhaps, intensive, when the
participle is used, but in general no more than expletive. In
this case, the speaker was, I fear, in earnest, and meant what he
said most heartily.
Marston never swore, but he certainly did not correct William
for swearing, in this case, as he should have done. There was a
silence for a time. After a little, William laid his hand on Marston's shoulder, and said,"He never had a truer friend than you. Don't you blame
yourself."
"I do; and shall, until I find him."
"Marston," said William, "what has he done with himself?
Where the deuce has he gone?"
~"Lord Saltire and I were over the same problem for two
hours the other night, and we could make nothing of it, but that
he was gone to America or Australia. He hardly took money
enough with him to keep him till now. I can make nothing of
it. Do you think he would be likely to seek out Welter?"
"If he were going to do so, he would have done so by now,
and we must have heard of it. No," said William.
"He was capable of doing very odd things," said Marston.
"Do you remember that Easter vacation, when he and Lord
Welter and Mowbray went away together?"
" Remember! " said William. "Why I was with them; and
glorious fun it was. Rather fast fun, though, - too fast by half.
We went up and lived on the Severn and Avon Canal, among
the bargemen, dressing accordingly. Charles had nothing to do
with that folly, beyond joining in it, and spending the day in
laughing. That was Lord Welter's doing. The bargees nicknamed Lord Welter'the sweep,' and said he was a good fellow,
but a terrible blackguard. And so he was, - for that time, at all
events."
Marston laughed, and, after a time, said, " Did he ever seem to
care about soldiering? Do you think he was likely to enlist?"
"It is possible," said William; " it is quite possible. Yes, he
has often talked to me about soldiering. I mind, - I remember,
I should say, - that he once was hot about going into the army,
but he gave it up because it would have taken him away from
lMr. Ravenshoe too much."
They turned and walked homewards, without speaking a word
all the way. On the bridge they paused and leant upon the
coping, looking into the stream. All of a sudden, William laid
his hand on Marston's arm, and looking in his face, said, -
"Every day we lose, I feel he is getting farther from us. I
don't know what may happen. I shall go and seek him. I will
get educated at my leisure. Only think of what may be happen