“We welcome you to our club,” McGlenn remarked when Henry had sat down, “but are you sure that this is the club you wanted to join!”

Henry was surprised.  “Of course I am.  Why do you ask that question?”

“Because you are a rich man, and this is the home of modesty.”

Henry reached over and shook hands with him.  “I like that,” said he, “and let me assure you that you have in one sentence made me feel that I really belong here, not because I am particularly modest, but because your sentiments are my own.  I am not a rich man, but even if I were I should prefer this group to the hyphenated”—­

“Fools,” McGlenn suggested.

“Yes,” Henry agreed, “the hyphenated fools that I am compelled to meet.  George Witherspoon is a rich man, but his money does not belong to me.  I didn’t help him earn any of it; I borrowed money from him, and, so soon as I can, I shall return it with interest.”

“John,” said Richmond, “you were wrong—­as you usually are—­in asking Mr. Witherspoon that question, but in view of the fact that you enabled him to put himself so agreeably on record, we will excuse your lack of courtesy.”

“I don’t permit any man who goes fishing with any sort of ignorant lout, and who spends a whole day in a boat with him, to tell me when I am lacking in courtesy.”

Richmond laughed, put his hand to his mouth, threw back his head and replied:  “I go fishing, not for society, but for amusement; and, by the way, I think it would do you good to go fishing, even with an ignorant lout.  You might learn something.”

“Ah,” McGlenn rejoined, “you have disclosed the source of much of your information.  You learn from the ignorant that you may confound the wise.”

Richmond put his hand to his mouth.  “At some playful time,” said he, “I might seek to confound the wise, but I should never so far forget myself as to make an experiment on you.”

“Mr. Witherspoon,” remarked McGlenn, “we will turn from this rude barbarian and give our attention to Mr. Whittlesy, who knows all about dogs.”

“If he knows all about dogs,” Henry replied, “he must be well acquainted with some of the most prominent traits of man.”

“I am not talking much to-day,” said Whittlesy, ducking his head.  “I went fooling round the Board of Trade yesterday; and they got me, and they got me good.”

“How much did they catch you for, Whit?” McGlenn asked.

“I won’t say, but they got me, and got me good, but never mind.  Ill go after ’em.”

The man who had been asleep on the leather lounge got up, stretched himself, looked about for a moment, and then, coming over to the group, said:  “What’s all this bloody rot?” Seeing a stranger, he added, by way of apology:  “I thought this was the regular roasting lay-out.”

“Mr. Witherspoon,” said Richmond, “let me introduce Mr. Mortimer, an old member of the club;” and when the introduction had been acknowledged, Richmond added:  “Mortimer has just thought of something mean to say and has come over to say it.  He dozes himself full of venom and then has to get rid of it.”