"Were they rich?" said John.

Uncle Matthew nodded his head. "It would be a great thing now," he
said, "if a lord's daughter was to take a fancy to you!..."

"I'd have to be queer and adventurous for the like of that to happen to
me, Uncle Matthew," John exclaimed. He had never seen a lord's
daughter, but he had seen Lady Castlederry, a proud and beautiful
woman, who seemed to be totally unaware of his existence when he passed
by her on the road.

"Well, and aren't you as fond of adventure as anybody in the wide
world?" Uncle Matthew retorted.

"Indeed, that's true," John admitted, "but then I never had any
adventures in my born days, and you yourself would like to have one,
but you've never had any!"

Uncle Matthew sat quietly in his chair for a few moments. Then he drew
his nephew close to him and stroked his hair.

"Come here 'til I whisper to you," he said. "D'you know why I never had
any adventures, John?"

"No, Uncle Matthew, I do not!'

"Well, I'll tell you then, though I never admitted it to anyone else in
the world, and I'll mebbe never admit it again. I never had any because
I was afraid to have them!"