They sent the paper with the crest on it to Boston.

Some people there wrote to England, and found out that it was the crest of a noble and highly esteemed family, and some earl was at the head of it.

They were all honorable people in this family except one man, a nephew, not a son, of the late earl.

He was the black sheep of them all.

As a young man, he had led a wild and wicked life, and had ended by forging the name of one of his friends, so that he was obliged to leave England and take refuge in America.