"I suppose I must not object, but your plan appears to me rather quixotic."
"You might not have thought so at my age, Mr. Miller."
"No; we look upon such things differently as we grow older. When do you want to start?"
"To-morrow."
"Stay at my house till then."
"Thank you, sir. I will go home this afternoon and get my carpet-bag and a few underclothes, and then I shall be ready to start to-morrow morning."
Jasper did as proposed. He would gladly have dispensed with this call at the house which had once been a home to him, but was so no longer; but it was necessary to make it.
He caught sight of Tom Forbes near the house.
"Tom," he called out, "do you know if Mrs. Kent is at home?"
"No, Master Jasper, she went out riding, and her cub went with her."