g kept so
long from tea.

Ned's face was very long and sad as he entered the room.

"Dear uncle," said he, taking Mr Shirley by the hand, "I'm not going to
take a week to think over it. I have made up my mind to remain at home,
and become a lawyer."

"Ned," replied Mr Shirley, returning his nephew's grasp, "I'm not going
to take a week to think over it either. I have made up my mind that you
are to go to California, and become a--a--whatever you like, my dear
boy; so sit down to tea, and I'll tell you all about it."

Ned was incredulous at first, but as his uncle went on to explain how
matters stood, and gradually diverged from that subject to the details
of his outfit, he recovered from his surprise, and sprang suddenly up to
100 degrees of Fahrenheit, even in the shade of the prospect of parting
for a time from old Mr Shirley.

Need we be surprised, reader, that our hero on that night dreamed the
golden dream over again, with many wonderful additions, and sundry
remarkable variations.

Thus it came to pass that, two weeks afterwards, Ned and his uncle found
themselves steaming down the Thames to Gravesend, where the good ship
_Roving Bess_ lay riding at anchor, with a short cable, and top-sails
loose, ready for sea.

"Ned," said Mr Shirley, as they watched the receding banks of the noble
river, "you may never see _home_ again, my boy. Will you be sure not to
forget me! will you write often, Ned!"

"Forget you, uncle!" exclaimed Ned, in a reproachful voice, while a tear
sprang to his eye. "How can you suggest such a--"

"Well, well, my boy, I know it--I know it; but I like to hear the
assurance repeated by your own lips. I'm an old man now, and if I
should not live to see you again, I would like to have some earnest,
loving words to think upon while you are away." The old man paused a
few moments, and then resumed--

"Ned, remember when far from home, that there is another home--eternal
in the heavens--to which, if you be the Lord's child, you are hastening.
You will think of that home, Ned, won't you! If I do not meet you
again here at any rate I shall hope to meet you _there_."

Ned would have spoken, but his heart was too full. He merely pressed
old Mr Shirley's arm.

"Perhaps," continued his uncle, "it is not necessary to make you promise
to read God's blessed Word. You'll be surrounded by temptations of no
ordinary kind in the gold-regions; and depend upon it that the Bible,
read with pray