After what had passed, he was determined not to revisit the haunts till he was married, or, at any rate, engaged to be married.

But there was a difficulty in explaining this to Aunt Polly without an appearance of ingratitude.

And then there were affairs in Australia which annoyed him.

Tom Crinkett was taking advantage of his absence in reference to Polyeuka,--that his presence would soon be required there;--and other things were not going quite smoothly.

He had much to trouble him;--but still he was determined to carry out his purpose with Hester Bolton.