"You gave me your word--the word of a gentleman. I ask you to borrow the money for a week or two, and then we would replace it, and nobody be a bit the wiser, while we shall be on the high-road to fortune and fair France." "I tell you I dare not." "Then I shall do it myself." "No, that you shall not." "Then you shall." "I daren't." "Bah! what a milksop you are; you have nothing to care for here. Miss Van Heldre has pitched you over because you are now her father's clerk." "Let that be, please." "And taken up with Mr Bagpipes." "Do you want to quarrel, Pradelle?" "Not I, dear boy; I'm dumb." He said no more on that subject, but he had said enough. That was the truth then. Madelaine had given him up on that account, and the sting rankled in Harry's breast. "Money goes to the bank every day, you say?" said Pradelle. "Yes. Crampton takes it." "But that sum of money in notes? How much is there of that?" "Five hundred." "Why don't that go to the bank?" "I don't know. A deposit, I think; likely to be called for." "May be; but that's our game, Harry. The other could not be managed without being missed; this, you see, is not in use." "Pradelle, it's madness." "Say Vic, dear boy." "Well, Vic, I say it's madness." "Nothing of the kind. It's making use of a little coin that you can get at easily. Why, hang it, old fellow, you talk as if I were asking you to steal the money." "Hush! Don't talk like that." "Well, you aggravate me so. Now, am I trying to serve you, or am I not?" "To serve me, of course." "Yes, and you behave like a child." "I want to behave like an honourable man to my father's friend." "Oh, if you are going to preach I'm off." "I'm not going to preach." "Then do act like a man. Here is your opportunity. You know what the old chap said about the tide in the affairs of men?" Harry nodded. "Well, your tide is at its height. You are going to seize your opportunity, and then you can do as you like. Why you might turn the tables on Miss Madelaine." "If you don't want to quarrel just leave her name alone," said Harry, with a bulldog-like growl. "Oh, I'll never mention it again if you like. Now, then, once for all, is it business?" Harry was silent for a few minutes, and then replied-- "Yes." "Your hand on it." Harry stretched out his hand unwillingly, and it was taken and held. "I shall hold you to it now, my lad. Now, then, when is it to be?" "Oh, first opportunity." "No: it's going to be now--to-night--as soon as it's dark." "Nonsense, it must be some day--when Crampton is not there." "That means it will not be done at all, for Crampton never leaves; you told me so. Look here, Harry Vine, if you borrow the amount then, and it's missed, of course you are asked directly, and there you are. No, my lad, you'll have to go to-night." "But it will be like housebreaking."