oad to distinction in the
profession he is desirous of adopting. Let him call at my office
to-morrow between ten and twelve.--Yours very truly, Daniel Moxton.'"

"Is that all?" inquired Ned, drawing his chair towards the fire, into
which he gazed contemplatively.

Mr Shirley looked at his nephew over the top of his spectacles, and
said--

"That's all."

"It's very short," remarked Ned.

"But to the point," rejoined his uncle. "Now, boy, I see that you don't
relish the idea, and I must say that I would rather that you became an
engineer than a lawyer; but then, lad, situations are difficult to get
now-a-days, and, after all, you might do worse than become a lawyer. To
be sure, I have no great love for the cloth, Ned; but the ladder reaches
very high. The foot is crowded with a struggling mass of aspirants,
many of whom are of very questionable character, but the top reaches to
one of the highest positions in the empire. You might become the Lord
High Chancellor at last, who knows! But seriously, I think you should
accept this offer. Moxton is a grave, stern man, but a sterling fellow
for all that, and in good practice. Now, what do you think!"

"Well, uncle," replied Ned, "I've never concealed my thoughts from you
since the day you took me by the hand, eleven years ago, and brought me
to live under your roof; and I'll not begin to dissemble now. The plain
truth is, that I don't like it at all."

"Stop, now," cried Mr Shirley, with a grieved expression of
countenance; "don't be hasty in forming your opinion. Besides, my boy,
you ought to be more ready to take my advice, even although it be not
altogether palatable."

"My dear uncle, you quite misunderstand me. I only tell you what I
_think_ about the proposal. As to taking your advice, I fully intend to
do that whether I like it or not; but I think, if you will listen to me
for a few minutes, you will change your mind in regard to this matter.
You know that I am very fond of travelling, and that I dislike the idea
of taking up my abode on the top of a three-legged stool, either as a
lawyer's or a merchant's clerk. Well, unless a man likes his
profession, and goes at it with a will, he cannot hope to succeed, so
that I have no prospect of getting on, I fear, in the line you wish me
to adopt. Besides, there are plenty of poor fellows out of work, who
love sitting still from nine a.m. to ten p.m., and whose bread I would
be taking out of their mouths