w
with the old tutor had confirmed him in his resolution to abandon the
service and marry Ivanowna; and Jack, though sorry to lose him, promised
to do his best to forward his views. Jack gave him leave of absence,
and Higson was engaged in packing up to accompany Herr Groben in a
steamer which was to start the next day for the Crimea, when the
commander of the _Tornado_ was sent for on board the flagship. Greatly
to his satisfaction, Jack found that he had to return to Balaclava on an
affair relating to the evacuation of the place, and afterwards to visit
other places to the eastward which had been captured by the allied
squadrons and restored to the Russians.

"This is a most fortunate circumstance for you, Higson," he said, when
he returned on board; "you will have an opportunity of visiting your
friends, and if you take my advice, you will go home in the ship, and,
as I hope, obtain your promotion."

Higson, thanking Jack, promised to be guided by circumstances. The
_Tornado_ had got her steam up, when the mail from England was
signalled, and Jack waited for its arrival. He received several
letters--one from his sister Mary, replete, as was usually the case in
her letters, with scraps of news. The most important, as far as he
himself was concerned, was that Julia Giffard was somewhat out of
health, and that her father had taken her to Malta, where they intended
to pass the winter. Sir John and Lady Rogers were as averse as ever to
Lucy's marriage with Adair, not from any objection to him, except on
account of his want of means; and they were annoyed at the encouragement
Admiral Triton and Miss Deborah appeared to have afforded the young
people. The admiral had actually written to Sir John on the subject,
but neither he nor Lady Rogers could understand his meaning, except that
he thought him unwise in objecting to a fine promising young officer,
who was certain if he remained in the service to become an admiral some
day. "Poor Lucy is sadly perplexed about it," said Mary; "she has given
her heart to Adair, and is certainly not a person likely to bestow it on
anyone else; so that her fate will be a hard one if she is not allowed
to marry." Sidney had returned home very much improved by his Crimean
campaign, having dropped all his Guardsman's airs, and become, Mary
observed, very like Jack himself.

Jack would have been more deeply concerned about Julia, had he not
received a letter from her, assuring him th