Stuart rose uncertainly from his chair and surveyed the tiny clock face
with a startled expression of bewilderment and relief.

"Stuart!" his friends called impatiently from the hall. "Stuart, let us
in!" and without waiting further for recognition a merry company of
gentlemen pushed their way noisily into the room.

"Where the devil have you been?" demanded Weimer. "You don't deserve to
be spoken to at all after quitting us like that. But Seldon is so
good-natured," he went on, "that he sent us after you. It was a great
success, and he made a rattling good speech, and you missed the whole
thing; and you ought to be ashamed of yourself. We've asked half the
people in front to supper--two stray Englishmen, all the Wilton girls
and their governor, and the chap that wrote the play. And Seldon and his
brother Sam are coming as soon as they get their make-up off. Don't
stand there like that, but hurry. What have you been doing?"

Stuart gave a nervous, anxious laugh. "Oh, don't ask me," he cried. "It
was awful. I've been trying an experiment, and I had to keep it up until
midnight, and--I'm so glad you fellows have come," he continued, halting
midway in his explanation. "I _was_ blue."

"You've been asleep in front of the fire," said young Sloane, "and
you've been dreaming."

"Perhaps," laughed Stuart, gayly, "perhaps. But I'm awake now in any
event. Sloane, old man," he cried, dropping both hands on the
youngster's shoulders. "How much money have you? Enough to take me to
Gibraltar? They can cable me the rest."