"I won't wake my aunt up to say good-by," said the young man. "I always hate a scene."
"She will be glad not to be disturbed," thought Robert, but said nothing.
Arriving in Liverpool Frederic Vernon set about buying such things as he thought he would need on his long ocean trip.
"Will you go along to the shops?" he asked Robert.
"No, I will remain at the hotel," answered our hero.
So Frederic Vernon went off alone. He had no heart to buy what was needed, for the thought of going to Australia was very distasteful to him.
"It won't be like living in Chicago or New York," he thought. "It's beastly uncivilized out there. I wish I could put Frost in my place and stay behind myself."
Among the places he visited was a ticket broker's office, and here he asked what they would give for the ticket to Australia.
Tickets were just then in good demand, and the broker looked the matter up.
"I'll give you seventy-five per cent. of its cost," he said. "But I want the ticket right away."