How glad he should be to be out of this hateful London, where everything went wrong, and reminded him that he was a pauper, dependent on others for his living, for his clothes, for his--faugh! for his dinner! Happily he had not to endure it much longer.

At Liverpool, he would be independent.

He would hold a position not degrading to a gentleman; he would associate with men of intellect and breeding; he would even have the joy of helping his mother to many a little luxury which, as long as he remained in London, he could never have given her.
He quickened his pace, and reached home.

Gedge had been there, spiritless and forlorn, and had left as soon as he could excuse himself.
"Out of sight, out of mind," he had said, with a forced laugh, to Horace when the latter expressed his regret at Reginald's absence.
Mrs Cruden and Horace both tried to look cheerful; but the cloud on the horizon was too large now to be covered with a hand.
When Reginald announced that he had written and accepted the invitation to Liverpool, there was no jubilation, no eager congratulation.
"What shall we do without you ?" said Mrs Cruden.
"It is horrid having to go, mother," said the boy; "but we must make the best of it.

If you look so unhappy, I shall be sorry I ever thought of it." His mother tried to smile, and said,-- "Yes, we must try and make the best of it, dear boys; and if we cannot seem as glad as we should like to be, it's not to be wondered at at first, is it ?" "I hope you'll get holidays enough now and then to run up," said Horace.
"Oh yes; I don't fancy there'll be much difficulty about that," replied Reg.