ole, in
England.

Mr. Mole was sad.

For so many years of his life had old Isaac Mole led a wandering
career, that he found it exceedingly difficult, not to say irksome, to
settle down to the prosy existence which they had all dropped into.

He never complained, it is true.

But he fell into a sort of settled melancholy, which nothing could
shake off, and even grew neglectful of the bottle.

His friends grew anxious.

They wished him to take medical advice.

He resisted all persuasion stoutly.

So they had recourse to artifice, and invited an eminent medical man to
their house as a visitor.

And then under the guise of a friendly chat, the doctor took his
observations.

But the peculiar ailment, if ailment it could be called, of Isaac Mole,
completely baffled the man of science at first.

It was only in a casual conversation that, being an observing man, he
discovered the real truth.

"Our patient wants a roving commission," said the physician to himself.

And then he communicated his own convictions to old Jack.

"I scarcely believe it possible, doctor," said Jack.

But the doctor was positive.

"Nothing will do him any good but to get on the move; I'm as sure of
that as I am that he has no physical ailment."

"What's to be done then?" demanded Harkaway. "He can't travel alone."

"I don't know that," said the doctor; "he's hale and wiry enough. The
only difficulty that I can see, is Mrs. Mole."

"I'll undertake to get over that," said Jack.

"You will?"

"Yes."

"It is settled then," said the physician, with a smile.

"Good."

"What would do him more good than all the physic in the world, would be
to send him after your son."

"My Jack!"

"Yes."

"Impossible. Why, Jack is _en route_ for Turkey."

"What of that?" coolly inquired the doctor.

"Consider the distance, my dear doctor."

"Pshaw, sir. Distance is nothing nowadays. It was a very different
thing when I was a boy. Take my word for it, Mr. Harkaway, our patient
will jump at the chance."

"He's very much attached to my roving boy."

"I know it," returned the doctor. "Never a day passes but he speaks of
him; I declare that I never had a single interview with Mr. Mole, but
that he has managed somehow to turn the conversation upon your son and
his pranks."

"Oh, Jack, he has played him some dreadful tricks."

"Yes," returned the physician dryly, "and so has Jack's father, by all
accounts."

"Ahem!"

"And yet I reall