“Not you.  With the Kendrick establishments waiting for you to come into your own?  Which will mean, in your case, becoming the nominal head of a great system, while it continues to be run for you, as now, by a lot of trained heads under salary—­big salary.”

“Great idea of my future you have, Lorry, haven’t you?  Well, I can’t wonder.  I’ve been doing my best for all the years of my life to implant that idea in your mind.  But, what about you?  What are you at, yourself?  You said you had a plan.”

“He asks what I’m ‘at,’” remarked Belden Lorimer to the rural landscape through which the car was passing.  “Ever know me to be ‘at’ anything?  It’s as much as I can do to support life until I can be off on my next little travel-plan.  It’s me for a leisurely cruise around the world, in the governor’s little old boat—­the Ariel—­painted up within an inch of her life, brass all shining, lockers filled, a first-class cook engaged, and a brand-new skipper and crew—­picked men.  Sounds pretty good to me.  How about you?  Shop keeping in it with that, me lord?”

His usually languid glance was sharp, as he eyed his friend.

“Jove!” ejaculated Richard Kendrick, under his breath.

“I thought so.  ‘Jove!’ it is, too—­and also Jupiter!  You’ve always said you’d be ready when I was.  Well, I’m ready.”

Richard was silent for a long minute, while his friend waited confidently.  Then, “Good luck to you, old Lorry,” he said.  “It’s mighty fine of you to remember our ancient vow to do that trick some day.  And I’d like to go—­you know that.  But—­I’ve a previous engagement.”

“Not with that fool store up in the backwoods?  Can’t make me believe that, you know.”

Richard’s face was a study.

“Believe it or not, it’s a fact.  That store is the joint property of Benson & Company.  I’m the Company.  I can’t desert my partner just as we’re getting the ground under our feet.”

“Well—­I’ll—­be—­hanged,” drawled Lorimer, more heavily than ever, as was his custom when opposed, “if I see it.  You go and help a fellow out with capital and set him on his feet.  You save his pride, I suppose, by making yourself a partner.  Fine, sporty thing to do.  But you’ve done it.  You’ve contributed the capital.  Can’t reasonably suppose you contribute anything else.  If you don’t mind my saying it, your—­previous—­training—­”

“Doesn’t make me indispensable to the success of the business?  Hardly, as yet.  But for the very reason that I lack training, I’ve got to stay and get it.”

“Take lessons in shopkeeping from Hugh Benson?”

“Exactly.  And from Alf Carson.  He’s our manager.”

“Don’t know him.  But from the way you allude to him I judge he has the details at his fingers-ends.  That’s all right.  Leave—­him—­on—­the—­job.”

“I will—­and stay myself.”

Richard’s eyes were straight ahead, as the eyes of a man must be whose powerful car is running at high speed along a none too smoothly surfaced portion of state road.  Therefore the glances of the two young men could not meet.  But Lorimer’s eyes could silently scan the well-cut profile presented to his view against the green of the fields beyond.