'Have you heard whether anything else was bagged besides the cups?'
asked Welch.

'Not that I know of,' said Jim.

'Yes there was,' said Jackson. 'It further appears that that lunatic,
Adamson, had left some money in the pocket of his blazer, which he had
left in the Pav. overnight. On enquiry it was found that the money had
also left.'

Adamson was in the same House as Jackson, and had talked of nothing
else throughout the whole of lunch. He was an abnormally wealthy
individual, however, and it was generally felt, though he himself
thought otherwise, that he could afford to lose some of the surplus.

'How much?' asked Jim.

'Two pounds.'

At this Jim gave vent to the exclamation which Mr Barry Pain calls the
Englishman's shortest prayer.

'My dear sir,' said Charteris. 'My very dear sir. We blush for you.
Might I ask _why_ you take the matter to heart so?'

Jim hesitated.

'Better have it out, Jim,' said Tony. 'These chaps'll keep it dark all
right.' And Jim entered once again upon the recital of his doings on