Page:The Children of the New Forest - 1847 - Marryat.djvu/231

 for my services. The tailor has promised the clothes on Saturday without fail, so that you or I must go for them."

"I will go, Edward; my sisters will wish you to stay with them now, as you are so soon to leave them; and I will take Pablo with me, that he may know his way to the town; and I will show him where to buy things, in case he goes there by himself."

"It appears to me to have been a most fortunate thing, your having caught Pablo as you did, Humphrey, for I do not well know how I could have left you, if you had not."

"At all events, I can do much better without you than I should have done," replied Humphrey; "although I think now that I could get on by myself; but still, Edward, you know we cannot tell what a day may bring forth, and I might fall sick, or something happen which might prevent my attending to anything; and then, without you or Pablo, everything might have gone to rack and ruin. Certainly, when we think how we were left, by the death of old Jacob, to our own resources, we have much to thank God for, in having got on so well."

"I agree with you, and also that it has pleased Heaven to grant us all such good health. However, I shall be close at hand if you want me, and Oswald will always call and see how you get on."

"I hope you will manage that he calls once a week."

"I will if I can, Humphrey, for I shall be just as anxious as you are to know if all goes on well. Indeed, I shall insist upon coming over to you once a fortnight; and I hardly think the Intendant will refuse me—indeed I am sure that he will not."

"So am I," replied Humphrey. "I am certain that he wishes us all well, and has, in a measure, taken us under his protection; but, Edward, recollect, I shall never kill any venison after this, and so you may tell the Intendant."

"I will, and that will be an excuse for him to send some over,