, Herbert, my dear boy,' and his mother hugged him, 'your uncle is a
lord, and you'll be one one of these days.'

'I say, don't lug a man's head off. Who has been making a fool of you?'

'Uncle Frank is Lord Northmoor,' said Ida impressively.

'I say, that's a good one!' and Herbert threw himself into a chair in
fits of laughter.

'It is quite true, Herbert,' said his mother. 'Here is the letter.'

A bell rang sharply.

'Bless me! I shall not hear much more of that bell, I hope. Run up,
Conny, and say Mrs. Leeson's lunch will be up in a moment, but we were
hindered by unexpected news,' said Mrs. Morton, bustling into the
kitchen. 'Oh dear! one doesn't know where one is.'

'Let her ring,' said Ida. 'Send her off, bag and baggage! We've done
with lodgings and milliners and telegraphs, and all that's low. We shall
all be lords and ladies, and ever so rich.'

'Hold hard!' said Herbert, who had got possession of the letter. 'He
doesn't say so.'

'He'll be nasty and mean, I daresay,' said Ida. 'What does he say? I
hadn't time to see.'

Herbert read from the neat, formal, distinct writing: "I do not yet know
what is in my power, nor what means I may be able to command; but I hope
to make your position more comfortable and to give my nephew and nieces a
really superior education. You had better, however, not take any steps
till you hear from me again." There, Ida, lots of schooling, that's
all.'

'Nonsense, Bertie; he must--if he is a lord, what are we?'

Hunger postponed this great question for a little while; but dinner had
been delayed till the afternoon school hour had passed, and indeed the
young people agreed that they were far above going to their present
teachers any more.

'We must acquire a few accomplishments,' said Ida. 'Uncle never would
afford me lessons on the piano--such a shame; but he can't refuse me now.
Dancing lessons, too, we will have; and then, oh, Conny! we will go to
Court, and how they will admire us!'

At which Herbert burst out laughing loudly, and his mother rebuked him.
'You will be a nobleman, Herbert, and your sisters a nobleman's sisters.
Why should they not go to Court like the best of them?'

'That's all my eye!' said Herbert. 'The governor has got a young woman
of his own, hasn't he?'

'That dowdy old teacher!' said Ida. 'Of course he won't marry her now.'

'She will be artful enough to try to hold him to it, you may depend on
it,' said Mrs. Morton; 'but I