“Yes.  But that rather flatters me, you know, dad.  Shows I’m being taken notice of.”

“Still, you have been playing a dangerous game, haven’t you?”

“Admitted,” said Charlie, brightly and modestly.  “But I was reading in one of my new books that it is not a bad scheme to live dangerously, and I quite agree.  Anyhow it suits me.  And it’s quite on the cards that I may pull through.”

“You mean if I help you.  Now listen to me, Charlie.  I’m your father, and if you’re on earth it’s my fault, and everything that happens to you is my fault.  Hence I’m ready to help you as far as I can, which is a long way, but I’m not ready to throw my money into a pit unless you can prove to my hard Treasury mind that the pit is not too deep and has a firm unbreakable bottom.  Rather than have anything to do with a pit that has all attractive qualities except a bottom, I would prefer to see you in the Bankruptcy Court and make you an allowance for life.”

“That’s absolutely sound,” Charlie concurred with beautiful acquiescence.  “And it’s awfully decent of you to talk like this.  I expect I could soon prove to you that my pit is the sort of pit you wouldn’t mind throwing things into, and possibly one day I might ask you to do some throwing.  But I’m getting along pretty well so far as money is concerned.  I’ve come to ask you for something else.”

“Oh!” Mr. Prohack was a little dashed.  But Charlie’s demeanour was so ingratiating that he did not feel in the least hurt.

“Yes.  There’s been some trouble between Mimi and me this afternoon, and I’m hoping that you’ll straighten it out for me.”

“Ah!” Mr. Prohack’s interest became suddenly intense and pleasurable.

“The silly girl’s given me notice.  She’s fearfully hurt because you told her that I told you about the church-clock affair, after it had been agreed between her and me that we wouldn’t let on to anybody at all.  She says that she can’t possibly stay with anybody who isn’t loyal, and that I’m not the man she thought I was, and she’s given notice!...  And I can’t do without that girl!  I knew she’d be perfectly invaluable to me, and she is.”

Mr. Prohack was staggered at this revelation concerning Mimi.  It seemed to make her heroic and even more incalculable.

“But I never told her you’d told me anything about the clock-striking business!” he exclaimed.

“I felt sure you hadn’t,” said Charlie, blandly.  “I wonder how she got the idea into her head.”

“Now I come to think of it,” said Mr. Prohack, “she did assume this morning that you must have told me about the clock, and I didn’t contradict her.  Why should I!”

“Just so,” Charlie smiled faintly.  “But I’d be awfully obliged if you’d contradict her now.  One word from you will put it all right.”

“I’ll ask her to come and see me first thing in the morning,” said Mr. Prohack.  “But would you believe it, my lad, that she never gave me the slightest sign this morning that your telling me anything about the clock would upset her.  Not the slightest sign!”