Mr. Kemp scratched his ear. "That's your lookout," he said, at last.

"Now, look here," said Mr. Wright, with great determination. "Either you
go and tell them that you've been telegraphed for--cabled is the proper
word--or I tell them the truth."

"That'll settle you then," said Mr. Kemp.

"No more than the other would," retorted the young man, "and it'll come
cheaper. One thing I'll take my oath of, and that is I won't give you
another farthing; but if you do as I tell you I'll give you a quid for
luck. Now, think it over."

Mr. Kemp thought it over, and after a vain attempt to raise the promised
reward to five pounds, finally compounded for two, and went off to bed
after a few stormy words on selfishness and ingratitude. He declined to
speak to his host at breakfast next morning, and accompanied him in the
evening with the air of a martyr going to the stake. He listened in
stony silence to the young man's instructions, and only spoke when the
latter refused to pay the two pounds in advance.

The news, communicated in halting accents by Mr. Kemp, was received with
flattering dismay. Mrs. Bradshaw refused to believe her ears, and it was
only after the information had been repeated and confirmed by Mr. Wright
that she understood.

"I must go," said Mr. Kemp. "I've spent over eleven pounds cabling
to-day; but it's all no good."