ascertain the fate of his mother.

This was a

duty which he had long wished to repeat; but his necessities and want of time had hitherto precluded the renewal of the task.

Early the next morning Newton and his father went up to London by the Greenwich coach, and a walk of a few minutes after they were put down brought them to the chambers of Mr. John Forster.

"How do you do, Mr. Scratton? Is my uncle at home?" inquired Newton.

Mr. Scratton immediately recognised him, and very graciously replied, that his uncle was at home, and would be very glad to see him, having talked very often of him lately.

Newton and his father were ushered into the parlour, where he found his uncle precisely in the same position as when he last saw him;-it would almost have appeared that he had not quitted his seat during Newton's tedious voyage. Nephew," said Mr. John Forster, without rising from his chair, "I am very glad to see

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you.-Brother Nicholas, I am very glad to see you, too. Chairs, Scratton," continued the old lawyer, taking his watch off the table and placing it in his fob. "Well, nephew, I am very glad to hear such good accounts of you. I saw Mr. Bosanquet yesterday, and he told me that you had, for your good conduct, been promoted to the rank of second-mate."

"It is more than I was aware of," replied New"I am ton, much pleased with the information. much obliged to you for the intelligence, as I am for your many other acts of kindness."

"Well, so you ought to be. It's no bad thing, as I told you before, to find out an uncle. Bythe-by, there has been some alteration in my establishment since we parted, nephew. I have a house in Lincoln's Inn Fields and a spare bed, if you will accept of it. We dine at six; brother Nicholas, I shall be very happy to see you, if you can stay. It will be too late to go home after dinner, but you can share my nephew's bed."

"I shall be most happy to accept your kind offer for a few days, sir, if it does not incommode you," replied Newton.

"No; you will not incommode me there, but you do very much here, where I am always busy ; so good-by, my boy, I shall be at home at six. Brother Nicholas, you did not vouchsafe me an answer."

"About what, brother John?" replied Nicholas, who had been " in the clouds."

"Oh, I'll tell you all about it, father," said Newton, laughing. "Come away now, my uncle is busy ;" and Nicholas rose up, with the observation.

"Brother John, you appear to me to read a great deal."

"Yes, I do, brother."

"How much do you read in a day?"

"I really cannot say; much depends upon whether I am interrupted or not."

"It must be very bad for your eyes, brother John."

"It certainly does not improve them,” replied the lawyer, impatiently.

"Come, father, my uncle is very busy," said Newton, touching Nicholas on the arm.

"Well, good-by, brother John. I had something to say-oh! I hope you are not displeased at my not coming to see you before?"

Humph! not in the least, I can assure you, brother Nicholas; so good-by. Newton, you'll bring him with you at six," said Mr. John Forster, and he resumed his brief before they had quitted the room.

Newton was much surprised to hear that his uncle had taken a house, and he surmised whether he had not also been induced to take a wife. He felt an inclination to put the question to Mr. Scratton, as he passed through the office, but checked the wish, lest it should appear like prying into his uncle's affairs. Being the month of February, it was dark long before six o'clock, and Newton was puzzled what to do with his father until that time. He returned to the Salopian

Coffee House, opposite to which they had been put down by the Greenwich coach, and, taking possession of a box, called for some biscuits and a pint of sherry, and requesting his father to stay there until his return, went out to purchase a sextant, and some other nautical luxuries, which his pay enabled him to procure without trespassing upon the funds supplied by the generosity of his uncle. He then returned to his father, who had finished the wine and biscuits, and had his eyes fixed upon the ceiling of the room; and, calling a hackney-coach, drove to the direction which his uncle had pointed out as his residence.

Mr. John Forster had already come home; and they found him in the dining-room, decanting the wine for dinner, with Amber by his side. Newton was surprised at the appearance of a little girl; and, as he took her proffered hand, inquired her

name.

"Amber. Papa says it's a very foolish name; don't you, papa?"

"Yes, my dear, I do; but now we are going