alone one day, 'I should not
care to stand in your shoes. Now Captain Knowlton is dead you cannot
stay here, you know.'

'Well,' I answered, 'who wants to stay? I am going to Sandhurst soon.'

'I guess you are not, though!' he exclaimed. 'There is no one to pay for
you, and Windlesham is mean enough to say he won't take you off our
hands.'

The entrance of Mr. Bosanquet put an end to Augustus's gloomy forecast
of my future, and, as the assistant master seemed to be the best friend
I had left, I asked his opinion on the subject.

'Of course,' he said, taking my arm, 'it is a rather difficult position.
If Captain Knowlton has left a will with a legacy to you, there need not
be much difference; but Mr. Turton is of opinion that if this were the
case, he would have heard from the solicitor. Mr. Turton is a good deal
perplexed to know what to do with you, though we will hope for the best,
in spite of everything.'

Now, I was fifteen, and fairly tall and strong for my age. I could
easily perceive the difficulties at which Mr. Bosanquet hinted, and
that, if Captain Knowlton were actually dead, and had left me nothing in
his will, there was only Aunt Marion to whom it was possible to look for
help; and she had taken no notice of me since her wedding-day. I was
ignorant of her address in India, and felt that I should be little
better off even if I knew it. So, after a few days' reflection, I
determined to speak to Mr. Turton.

'Well, Everard, what is it now?' he demanded, a little impatiently, as I
entered his study.

'I want to know about the holidays,' I answered. 'Where am I to go?'

'Just what I should like to be in a position to tell you,' he exclaimed.
'At present I have been unable to discover the name and address of
Captain Knowlton's solicitor, but, when I go to London with the boys at
the end of the term, I shall do my best to gain farther information. We
will put off the discussion until my return.'

It was, however, impossible to keep the question of my future in the
background, and no day passed without many speculations. Numerous
out-of-the-way projects had one peculiarity in common--they were all to
end satisfactorily. Even if I were fated to endure certain trials and
hardships, I felt perfectly confident in my ability to rise above them
eventually.

The first important difference which I experienced as a result of the
loss of the _Seagull_ occurred on the Saturday after this interview with
Mr. Turto