Mr. Wagg was doing practically all the talking on that trip.  He had emerged from his cocoon of taciturnity.  He explained that naturally he was a great talker, but that prison rules had pretty nigh paralyzed his tongue and he was trying to get it back into good working order once more.

He made an especial point of vaunting himself upon the success of his scheme of deliverance.  He tackled the thing from all angles.  He played it up as the greatest achievement that ever had been worked in behalf of a convict.  Mr. Wagg, serving as board of appraisal of his own feat, kept boosting the value.  It was evident that he was suspecting that Vaniman, out and free, was in the mood that is characteristic of the common run of humanity:  urgent desire is reckless about price; possession proceeds to haggle and demur.

“And there’s one thing about it,” insisted Wagg, “we’ve got to keep on going ahead.  We can’t back up.  We can’t dissolve partnership.  And the trade has got to stand as it was made—­fifty-fifty.”

“I’m not going back on the trade.”

They were sitting close to each other on a tussock behind their little tent.  Mr. Wagg leaned close and bored Vaniman with earnest gaze.  “We’ll fetch Egypt on to-morrow’s hitch.  Of course, you’re going to stick close to me, and you can bet that I’m going to stick close to you till the whack-up has been made.  No shenanigan!  Now, seeing how far I have gone in doing my part, don’t you think it’s about time for you to come across?”

Vaniman spread his hands.  “How can I?  Wait till we get to Egypt.”  Right then he had no notion of what he was going to do when he arrived in Egypt.  He had not dared to look the proposition squarely in the face.  He did not even analyze his feelings.  He was dimly conscious that he was pitying Wagg.  That ambitious person was in for a grievous disappointment.  To be sure, Wagg had insisted on following a current belief and persisted in building his hopes on a fallacy and had forced human nature until weak human nature had snapped under the strain.  Wagg had refused to believe the truth; he had preferred to indulge his own delusion in regard to the treasure of the Egypt Trust company.  Nevertheless, Vaniman was ashamed—­and he was afraid.

Britt was the crux of the situation—­that was evident enough!  Britt knew where the coin was.  Vaniman was sure on that point.  Britt had so maneuvered that wild-goose errand to Levant that he had made the affair furnish opportunity to himself and fix the odium on Vaniman.  In spite of what the young man knew of Britt’s lust for money, he believed that the usurer had worked a scheme to ruin a rival instead of merely operating to add to his riches.  But Vaniman knew Britt well enough to reach the conclusion that, once having the hard cash in his possession, and the blame fastened on another man, Britt was allowing avarice to stand pat on the play.