Oh, please, sir, fetch him back."

"Your husband has taken his own road, my good woman," said Uncle Josiah
coldly, "and he must suffer for it."

"But what's to become of me, sir? What shall I do without a husband?"

"Go back home and wait."

"But I have no home, sir, now," sobbed Sally. "You'll want the cottage
for some other man."

"Go back home and wait."

"But you'll try and fetch him back, sir?"

"I don't know what I shall do yet," said the old man sternly. "I'm
afraid I do not know the worst. There, go away now. Who's that?"

There was a general excitement, for a loud knock was heard at the door.

Jessie came in directly after, looking round eyed and staring.

"Well, what is it?" said Uncle Josiah.

"If you please, sir, Mr Smithers the constable came, and I was to tell
you that you're to be at the magistrate's office at eleven, and bring
Master Don with you."

"Yes," said Uncle Josiah bitterly; "at the magistrate's office at
eleven, and take Lindon with me. Well, Laura, what have you to say to
that?"

Mrs Lavington gave him an imploring look.

"Try and find him," she whispered, "for my sake."

"Try and find him!" he replied angrily, "I was willing to look over
everything--to try and fight his battle and prove to the world that the
accusation was false."

"Yes, yes, and you will do so now--Josiah--brother."

"I cannot," said the old man sternly. "He has disgraced me, and openly
declared to the world that the accusation of that scoundrel is true."

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

THINKING BETTER OF IT.

Don stood looking at Jem Wimble for some few minutes in silence, as if
the sight of some one else in trouble did him good. Then he sat down on
the stock of an old anchor, to begin picking at the red rust scales as
he too stared at the ships moored here and there.

The tall masts and rigging had a certain fascination for Don, and each
vessel seemed to offer a way out of his difficulties. For once on board
a ship with the sails spread, and the open sea before him, he might
cross right away to one of those beautiful lands of which Mike had
spoken, and then--

The thought of Mike altered the case directly, and he sat staring
straight before him at the ships.

Jem was the next to break the silence.

"Thinking you'd like to go right away, Master Don?"

"Yes, Jem."

"So was I, sir. Only think how nice it would be somewhere abroad, where
there was no Sally."

"And no Uncle Josiah, Jem."