Certain friends of his had gone out there a year or two previously, and were sending home flaming accounts of their success at the gold-fields.

It excited in John Massingbird a strong wish to join them.

Possibly other circumstances urged him to the step; for it was certain that his finances were not in so desirable a state as they might be.

With John Massingbird to wish a thing was to do it; and almost before the plan was spoken of, even in his own family, he was ready to start.

Frederick was in his confidence, Lionel partly so, and a hint to his mother was sufficient to induce her to preserve reticence on the subject.