“Oh!” remarked Mr. Vermont simply; but his “oh” was full of meaning and apparent sympathy for the misfortunes of his friend.

“Yes, that hard-hearted old skinflint, Harker—­what a mean brute he is!  I should like to bury him, and would attend his funeral gladly to be certain I had seen the last of him.  He holds a pretty little tot-up in the way of bills of mine; and I expected, naturally enough, when I call on the firm, that they would renew them at the usual Shylock rates, and I could try elsewhere for something to go on with.”

“Yes,” said Mr. Vermont, “of course, that’s the way you have done for years.”

Captain Beaumont nodded.

“Yes, that’s so; but Harker only shook that long head of his, and refused me; and nothing I could say would change the old skinflint’s mind either.  You know that cock-and-bull story he always tells, about his not being the principal, but only the servant?  Well, he says his principal has instructed him to call in my bills, and it is impossible for him to renew them; and that the usual steps will be taken if I am not able to meet them.”

Jasper laughed, with gentle sarcasm.

“Of course, that’s always the moneylender’s excuse.  I’m afraid he will sell you up, Beau.”

Captain Beaumont whistled.

“My dear Vermont, it will be an awful shock for the guv’nor.  He can only give us younger sons a small allowance, and he certainly won’t be able to settle this matter; it would be altogether beyond him.”

“What is the amount?” inquired Jasper.  He was as well aware as was the young captain himself, of Lord Dunford’s financial difficulties.

“Well, not much,” replied Captain Beaumont.  “Only seven thousand; but it’s no good my going to the guv’nor for a penny piece, and how to clear it up is more than I can tell.  But why do you ask?” he added, though with but faint eagerness.  “Do you think you could find any one able to help me out of this beastly hole?”

“Well, I might,” said Jasper, eyeing his cigar meditatively, as if seeking from its fumes some inspiration as to a method of aiding his friend.

“I only know one way to prevent Harker taking extreme measures,” went on the troubled debtor; “that is, if I could get some one to back new bills.  Now if, say, Adrien Leroy were to back some bills for me, Harker certainly would not refuse; but I am hardly in a position to ask Leroy.”

“But I am,” said Vermont, smiling with the consciousness of power; “and I will do it for you, for old friendship’s sake.”

“You will!” exclaimed the captain gratefully.  “Jasper, you’re a brick!  I feel sure, somehow, he will do it for you. I should stand no chance.  You are a good fellow to come to my rescue in this fashion.”

“Ah,” said Mr. Vermont, with a smile; “but can we be sure that Harker will accept Leroy’s name of the bills?”