"Yes," said Dr. Kent, with troubled expression and perplexed took.

"What does Uncle Benjamin say?" asked our young hero, eagerly.

"Nothing very encouraging, Herbert, I am sorry to say," returned the
doctor. "However, here is the letter; you may read it for yourself."

Herbert received the letter from the doctor's hands and read it through
with feelings of mortification and anger.

Here it is:

"DEAR SIR: I have to acknowledge yours of the 10th inst. I regret to
hear of my sister's decease. I regret, also, to hear that her son,
Herbert, is left without a provision for his support. My brother-in-law
I cannot but consider culpable in neglecting to lay up something during
his life upon which his widow and son might depend. I suspect that he
must have lived with inconsiderate extravagance.

"As for myself, I have a family of my own to provide for, and the
expense of living in a city like this is very great. In justice to them,
I do not feel that it would be right for me to incur extra expense. You
tell me that he is now fourteen and a stout boy. He is able, I should
think, to earn his own living. I should recommend that he be bound out
to a farmer or mechanic. To defray any little expenses that may arise, I
enclose ten dollars, which I hope he may find serviceable. Yours etc.,

"BENJAMIN STANTON."