“You have let him off too easily,” said the political economist.  “Had I been his creditor, I certainly should have sacked the shares into the bargain.  There is nothing like rigid dealing between man and man.”

“I am contented with moderate profits,” said I; “besides, the image of Selina overcame me.  How goes it with Jobson and Grabbie?”

“Jobson had paid, and Grabbie compounded.  Heckles—­may he die an evil death!—­has repudiated, become a lame duck, and waddled; but no doubt his estate will pay a dividend.”

“So then, we are clear of the whole Glenmutchkin business, and at a handsome profit.”

“A fair interest for the outlay of capital—­nothing more.  But I’m not quite done with the concern yet.”

“How so? not another bearing operation?”

“No; that cock would hardly fight.  But you forget that I am secretary to the company, and have a small account against them for services already rendered.  I must do what I can to carry the bill through Parliament; and, as you have now sold your whole shares, I advise you to resign from the direction, go down straight to Glenmutchkin, and qualify yourself for a witness.  We shall give you five guineas a day, and pay all your expenses.”

“Not a bad notion.  But what has become of M’Closkie, and the other fellow with the jaw-breaking name?”

“Vich-Induibh?  I have looked after their interests as in duty bound, sold their shares at a large premium, and despatched them to their native hills on annuities.”

“And Sir Polloxfen?”

“Died yesterday of spontaneous combustion.”

As the company seemed breaking up, I thought I could not do better than take M’Corkindale’s hint, and accordingly betook myself to Glenmutchkin, along with the Captain of M’Alcohol, and we quartered ourselves upon the Factor for Glentumblers.  We found Watty Solder very shaky, and his assistant also lapsing into habits of painful inebriety.  We saw little of them except of an evening, for we shot and fished the whole day, and made ourselves remarkably comfortable.  By singular good luck, the plans and sections were lodged in time, and the Board of Trade very handsomely reported in our favour, with a recommendation of what they were pleased to call “the Glenmutchkin system,” and a hope that it might generally be carried out.  What this system was, I never clearly understood; but, of course, none of us had any objections.  This circumstance gave an additional impetus to the shares, and they once more went up.  I was, however, too cautious to plunge a second time in to Charybdis, but M’Corkindale did, and again emerged with plunder.