Betimes in the morning, before Mr. Herbert's school-hour, I was with him; for all the livelong night I could think only of my misled boy, as I then began to consider him, the dark fears and despondent prognostications of Mr. Bell having infected me to that extremity. But in Mr. Herbert I found a comforter.

“I beseech you,” said he, almost as soon as he saw me, “to drive from your mind the unchristian reflections of yon disappointed man. The lad is but sowing his wild oats; and, after all, it appears to be to no great extent. It is dangerous to make too much of such things.”

Thus it came to pass, that upon the counselling of Mr. Herbert, I wrote a gentle admonitory letter to Robin, pointing out the inevitable consequences which would ensue if he neglected his business, or associated himself with lads of loose morals and midnight revellings. I also addressed Mr. Ferret in the most earnest manner, entreating him to watch my son with vigilance, and to let me know from time to time how he conducted himself. The anxieties of a parent were now awakened in my bosom; and the grief I felt was unspeakable, when I thought of the bare possibility of the innocent and playful child, the lamb of my first love, becoming tainted with the dishonours of a profligate life.

When this was done, I stopped some time with Mr. Herbert, until his pupils began to collect. I told him when I expected to be able to move to Judiville, and remarked, that I wondered why he had never been there, mentioning, among other things, as an inducement to visit it, the character and tasteful conduct of the Cockspurs.

He had heard of them before, but seemingly without taking any particular interest in them; when, however, I described the sort of man I thought the old gentleman must have been, the judicious education of the young folks, and, above all, the serenity and gentleness of the mother, he seemed for some time to be lost in cogitation.