Mr. Hardy, whistling softly, rose and walked round the room, uncorking medicine bottles and sniffing at their contents.  A smile of unaffected pleasure lit up his features as he removed the stopper from one particularly pungent mixture.

[Illustration:  “Sniffing at their contents.”]

“Two tablespoonfuls three times a day,” he read, slowly.  “When did you have the last, Swann?  Shall I ring for the nurse?”

The invalid shook his head impatiently.  “You’re an ungrateful dog,” he muttered, “or you would tell me how your affair is going.  Have you got any chance?”

“You’re getting light-headed now,” said Hardy, calmly.  “I’d better go.”

“All right, go then,” responded the invalid; “but if you lose that girl just for the want of a little skilled advice from an expert, you’ll never forgive yourself—­I’m serious.”

“Well, you must be ill then,” said the younger man, with anxiety.

“Twice,” said Mr. Swann, lying on his back and apparently addressing the ceiling, “twice I have given this young man invaluable assistance, and each time he has bungled.”

Hardy laughed and, the nurse returning to the room, bade him “good-bye” and departed.  After the close atmosphere of the sick room the air was delicious, and he walked along slowly, deep in thought.  From Nathan Smith his thoughts wandered to Jack Nugent and his unfortunate engagement, and from that to Kate Nugent.  For months he had been revolving impossible schemes in his mind to earn her gratitude, and possibly that of the captain, by extricating Jack.  In the latter connection he was also reminded of that unhappy victim of unrequited affection, Edward Silk.

It was early to go indoors, and the house was dull.  He turned and retraced his steps, and, his thoughts reverting to his sick partner, smiled as he remembered remarks which that irresponsible person had made at various times concerning the making of his last will and testament.  Then he came to a sudden standstill as a wild, forlorn-hope kind of idea suddenly occurred to him.  He stood for some time thinking, then walked a little way, and then stopped again as various difficulties presented themselves for solution.  Finally, despite the lateness of the hour, he walked back in some excitement to the house he had quitted over half an hour before with the intention of speaking to the invalid concerning a duty peculiarly incumbent upon elderly men of means.

The nurse, who came out of the sick room, gently closing the door after her, demurred a little to this second visit, but, receiving a promise from the visitor not to excite the invalid, left them together.  The odour of the abominable physic was upon the air.

“Well?” said the invalid.

“I have been thinking that I was rather uncivil a little while ago,” said Hardy.

“Ah!” said the other.  “What do you want?”

“A little of that skilled assistance you were speaking of.”