In the Eastern Seas | Page 7

Having put down the address, the captain and Walter at once set off to
find it. They were not long in getting there. A woman opened the door.
"Mr Heathfield is not in town; he seldom is at this time," was the
answer. "He may come up for a day, or he may not; but letters
addressed here will find him."
"But can you tell me where he is?" asked Walter. "I am a relation of
his."
"As to that, he may be at Newmarket, or some other races. You know
he is a sporting gentleman, and is likely to be in one place one day and
in another place another. But he sends for his letters, and, as I have told
you, if you like to write, one will find him."
This was not very satisfactory information.
"I am afraid he is not likely to do much for the poor children," thought
Captain Davenport. "However, there is nothing like trying."
He then bethought him that he would inquire the address of their uncle,
whose heart might relent when he heard of the death of his brother. "If
not, I will write to Lord Heatherly himself," said the captain.
The nobleman's address was easily found, and after some trouble the

captain ascertained that of Walter's uncle, and with this information he
returned home.
"You must have patience, my boy," he said. "If you are not tired of
staying with us, we are not tired of you."
On reaching home, the captain wrote the three letters. Several days
passed by, and no answer came. At length two appeared by the same
post. One was from the orphans' uncle, stating that he had children of
his own, and that he had long ceased to have any communication with
his brother. He must therefore decline interfering in the matter. The
other contained the words:--"Lord Heatherly presents his compliments
to Mr Davenport, and not having been personally acquainted with the
late Mr Heathfield for many years, must decline in any way interfering
with regard to any children he may have left."
"Oh dear me!" said Mrs Davenport, when she saw the letters. "If the
poor young orphans are treated in this way by their nearest relative and
by the head of their family, I am afraid we can expect very little from
the only other relation we have heard of."
"Well, my dear wife," said the captain, "if nobody else looks after them,
God intends that we shall. We must not decline the charge he has given
us, but do the best we can for them."
The following day a private cab was seen passing along the street with
a sporting-looking tiger behind. The gentleman driving stopped once or
twice, then turning round, brought up at Captain Davenport's door.
Down jumped the tiger, and out sprang the gentleman. Walter and
Emily were in the parlour.
"Why, that is cousin Tom!" exclaimed Walter, and he ran out to open
the front door.
Cousin Tom came in, and shook hands with Walter and Emily, and was
soon talking away to Mrs Davenport as if he had known her all his life.
"I am very much obliged to you and to your worthy husband for all you

have done for these young people," he said. "And my poor cousin
Harry, I little thought he was so soon to be cut off. However, we must
not talk about those sort of things. Why, Walter, you are almost a man
now. We must see what we can do for you. Your uncle Bob will not
help you; I have heard all about that. We will not talk about him; and as
for Heatherly, there is no help to be got from him. I am going out of
town to-night, or I would have had you, Walter, come and dine with me
and talk matters over. However, if your friends will look after you for a
day or two longer, I hope we may settle something. I have an idea that
my aunt, Lady Di Pierpoint, will take charge of Emily. I must insist
upon her doing so. She mixes a good deal in the world, rouges, and is
rather addicted to scandal, it is true; but I say, Emily, you must not
follow her example, and you will get on very well with her. Look after
her lapdogs, feed her parrots, write her notes for her, and all that sort of
thing. Well, I think we may consider that settled.--And now, my good
madam, I must wish you and the young people good-bye. I hope to be
back in a few days with Lady Di's answer. And as to Walter, I have no
doubt about him. In the meantime, I will just beg you to take these two
notes, which you