"Yes," said Dutch, "he is most polished in his ways, and I must say I begin to feel a great deal of faith in him myself." "That's well," said Mr Parkley, rubbing his hands. "You'll have to go with us." "I'm afraid, sir, you must--" "Excuse you? No, I don't think I can. Besides, Pugh, you would go with me as my partner, for I shall have all that settled." "You are very, very kind, sir," said Dutch, flushing with pleasure. "Nonsense, man," cried Mr Parkley; "all selfishness. You and I can do so much together. See how useful you are to me, partner." "Not your partner yet, sir." "Yes, you are, Pugh," said the other, slapping him on the shoulder; "and now we'll go in for calculations and arrangements for the expedition. I was thinking the schooner would do, but I find it would be too small, so I shall set Captain Studwick to look out for a good brig or a small barque, and take him into our confidence to some extent." "Not wholly?" "No; and yet, perhaps, it would be as well. And now, Pugh, I've got a favour to ask of you." "Anything, sir, that I can do I will do with all my heart," replied Pugh, enthusiastically. "I knew you would," replied Mr Parkley. "You see, this is a big thing, my lad, and will be the making of us both, and Lorry is a very decent fellow." "Decidedly," said Pugh, wondering at what was coming. "Well, I must be as civil to him as I can, and so will you, of course." "Of course." "He's taken a great fancy to you, by-the-way, and praises you sky-high." "Indeed!" "Yes; and look here, Pugh, he has got to be tired of this hotel where he is, and wants society. I can't ask him to my shabby place, so I want you to oblige me by playing the host." Pugh started as if he had been stung. "Nothing could be better," continued Mr Parkley, who did not notice the other's emotion. "Ask him to come and stay at your little place. Mrs Pugh has things about her in so nice and refined a way that you can make him quite at home. You will gain his confidence, too, and we shall work better for not being on mere hard business terms." Dutch felt his brain begin to swim. "I'll come as often as I can, and we shall be making him one of us. The time will pass more pleasantly for him, and there'll be no fear of somebody else getting hold of him to make better terms." "Yes--exactly--I see," faltered Pugh, whose mind was wandering towards home, and who recalled the Cuban's openly expressed admiration for his wife. "The dear little woman," continued Mr Parkley, "could take him out for a drive while you are busy, and you can have music and chess in the evenings. You'll have to live better, perhaps; but mind, my dear fellow, we are not going to let you suffer for that, and you must let me send you some wine, and a box or two of cigars. We must do the thing handsomely for him." "Yes, of course," said Dutch vaguely. "Quite a stranger here, you know, and by making him a friend, all will go on so much more smoothly afterwards."