er Jack himself did not write with it. Mr Jack senior
thankfully used two hundred of the amount, which was quite sufficient to
extricate him from all his difficulties. The balance he put into the
nearest bank, to be kept for "the dear boy" on his return.

From that date God sent prosperity to the cottage on the Border. Flocks
increased, seasons were no longer bad, grey mares no longer broke their
legs, turnips throve, and, in short, everything went well, so that,
instead of using the large sums of money which his son frequently sent
him, Mr Jack placed them all to "dear Teddie's" credit in the bank.

In one of these letters, his son mentioned that he had sent still larger
sums to the care of Mr Wilkins senior, to be invested for himself. Mr
Jack, having consulted with his faithful spouse, drew his son's gifts
from the local bank, went to the city of Blankow, called on Mr Wilkins,
and desired him to invest the money in the same concern with the rest.
Mr Wilkins purchased shares with it in the Blankow Bank, telling Mr
Jack that he considered it one of the best and safest investments in
Scotland, that he had invested in it all the funds sent home by his own
son and his comrades, and that he himself was a large shareholder. Thus
did Mr Jack senior act with all the gifts that Jack junior sent him,
saying to Mr Wilkins on each occasion, that, though the dear boy meant
him to use the money, he had no occasion to do so, as the Lord had
prospered him of late, and given him enough and to spare.

We re-introduce the Jack family to the reader at breakfast-time, not
because that was the only noteworthy period of their day, but because it
was the time when the parents of the family were wont to talk over the
daily plans.

Mr Jack went to the door and shouted, "Breakfast!" in a sonorous tone.
Instantly the octave was abandoned and the socks were dropped. Next
moment there was a sound like the charge of a squadron of cavalry. It
was the boys coming from the farm-yard. The extreme noise of the
family's entry was rendered fully apparent by the appalling calm which
ensued when Mr Jack opened the family Bible, and cleared his throat to
begin worship. At breakfast the noise began again, but it was more
subdued, appetite being too strong for it. In five minutes Dobbin was
up to the eyes in a treacle-piece. This was a good opportunity for
conversation.

"Maggie," said Mr Jack, looking up from his plate, "the last bill sent
us