"Meet me at ten o'clock, at Euston, to-morrow morning and we'll go down and get to the bottom of it all; unless you think it would be better still to go across to Paris and see our father and ask him. I have thought of that."
"If the old man won't speak, we may have to do that," said Jack, in gloomy consideration. "But if there's something queer behind it all, he's the last man to tell us, for he must be mixed up in it, and it can't be to his credit."
"I wish we'd never heard anything about it," said Jim.
"I don't know. If there's anything wrong it's sure to come out sooner or later, and we ought to know. I'd like a proper foundation for my life."
"Seems to me to cut all the foundations away."
"Feels like that. Any one who says we're not brothers is simply a fool. Besides, why on earth should our grandfather bring us up as brothers if we aren't? He's no fool, and he's not the man to play at things all these years. I wonder if Mr. Eager knows."
"I shouldn't think so. We were ten when he came."
"Well, we'll see him first, at all events, and get his advice." And on that understanding they parted, to meet at Euston the following morning.
Jack would have had Jim stop for a while to see round Chatham and make the acquaintance of some of his friends, but he begged off.
"I can think of nothing but this thing at present. It's turned me upside down. I hope nothing will turn up to separate us, Jack."