His depression did not escape the notice of his partner, who, after first advising love-philtres and then a visit to a well-known specialist for diseases of the heart, finally recommended more work, and put a generous portion of his own on to the young man’s desk.  Hardy, who was in an evil temper, pitched it on to the floor and, with a few incisive remarks on levity unbecoming to age, pursued his duties in gloomy silence.

A short time afterwards, however, he had to grapple with his partner’s work in real earnest.  For the first time in his life the genial shipbroker was laid up with a rather serious illness.  A chill caught while bathing was going the round of certain unsuspected weak spots, and the patient, who was of an inquiring turn of mind, was taking a greater interest in medical works than his doctor deemed advisable.

“Most interesting study,” he said, faintly, to Hardy, as the latter sat by his bedside one evening and tried to cheer him in the usual way by telling him that there was nothing the matter with him.  “There are dozens of different forms of liver complaint alone, and I’ve got ’em all.”

“Liver isn’t much,” said his visitor, with the confidence of youth.

“Mine is,” retorted the invalid; “it’s twice its proper size and still growing.  Base of the left lung is solidifying, or I’m much mistaken; the heart, instead of waltzing as is suitable to my time of life, is doing a galop, and everything else is as wrong as it can be.”

“When are you coming back?” inquired the other.

“Back?” repeated Swann.  “Back?  You haven’t been listening.  I’m a wreck.  All through violating man’s primeval instinct by messing about in cold water.  What is the news?”

Hardy pondered and shook his head.  “Nugent is going to be married in July,” he said, at last.

“He’d better have had that trip on the whaler,” commented Mr. Swann; “but that is not news.  Nathan Smith told it me this morning.”

“Nathan Smith?” repeated the other, in surprise.

“I’ve done him a little service,” said the invalid.  “Got him out of a mess with Garth and Co.  He’s been here two or three times, and I must confess I find him a most alluring rascal.”

“Birds of a feather—­” began Hardy, superciliously.

“Don’t flatter me,” said Swann, putting his hand out of the bed-clothes with a deprecatory gesture.

“I am not worthy to sit at his feet.  He is the most amusing knave on the coast.  He is like a sunbeam in a sick room when you can once get him to talk of his experiences.  Have you seen young Nugent lately?  Does he seem cheerful?”

“Yes, but he is not,” was the reply.

“Well, it’s natural for the young to marry,” said the other, gravely.  “Murchison will be the next to go, I expect.”

“Possibly,” returned Hardy, with affected calmness.

“Blaikie was saying something about it this morning,” resumed Swann, regarding him from half-closed lids, “but he was punching and tapping me all about the ribs while he was talking, and I didn’t catch all he said, but I think it’s all arranged.  Murchison is there nearly every day, I understand; I suppose you meet him there?”