It was lunch-time, so Worthing whisked me away to an ordinary, and over a savoury pie and a mug of porter we chatted of our doings. At least I did, for Worthing didn't have much to say for himself, though I managed to screw from him the story of the way he had rescued me from Rancey Bridge. He was able to laugh at the affair now, though something of the indignity he had suffered still seemed to rankle at his pride. But all I learnt fresh was that being in the confidence of the Doctor he had discovered where my knife and pistol were kept, and so had been able to steal them and bring them to me. He added no comment; and the rest I knew. He shrugged at the affair, and dismissed it; but he was excited at my own particular business. However, he soon calmed down to his usual sedate self-control, and told me something of his progress in the solution of the mystery. He had been going into the whole affair, and his uncle was as keen as himself to unravel the thing, and was absent even then following up the clue; and though he wouldn't give me particulars he hinted that the matter was taking on a proportion that promised to make it of unique interest in the history of crime. "In fact, Tommy," he said, "I'm afraid your dad's very much in the background. We're after higher game." All this wasn't of much comfort to me. I felt a little hurt that Worthing could so far forget my loss in the mere thrill of the legal triumph that he declared lay before him. But I knew his nature. The human counted for little, the legal for much. Indeed, apart from his friendship with me I don't think he had a tie to bind him to humanity. He had set my own personal affairs in order, I soon found. My father had left, not a fortune indeed, but a competence which with husbanding would yield an income sufficient to guarantee independence. So at least Worthing assured me, though the figures which he set down for me in orderly columns conveyed exactly nothing to me. I asked him to look after the whole thing, and to let me have money when I wanted it. As for me, I intended to study seamanship under Dirk. At this Worthing frowned slightly as though considering the matter; then drawing out a document he studied it carefully, and at last said that he thought that would do. It seemed that my father had stipulated that I was to apprentice myself to some profession, or, if I preferred, to continue at school till I was seventeen and then proceed to a university. But the thought of a scholastic career for a fellow like myself sent me into a roar of laughter.