"Ether--how do you spell it?" asked Jasper, carelessly. The captain spelt it. "Not a common name, and he's anything but a common boy; he's a handsome youngster, and I couldn't help pitying him, because he has been left to himself so much--no friends, and all that sort of thing." "How's that?" asked Jasper, with his eyes cast down, a hungry eagerness eating at his heart. There was some mystery after all, then, about the old man! "Well, it is this way. It seems he's the son of an old man--a painter, or a writer, or something, who lives away in the country, and who can't bear this boy near him." "Why?" asked Jasper, examining his nails. "Because he's like his mother," said the captain, simply. "And she----?" said Jasper, softly. "She ran away with another man, and left her boy behind----" "I understand." "Yes," resumed the captain. "Usual thing, the husband, this boy's father, was awfully cut up; left the world and buried himself and sent the boy away, treated him very well, though, all the same; sent him to Eton, and to Cambridge, under the care of a tutor, and that sort of thing, but couldn't bear to see him. He's up now for the holidays--the boy, I mean!" "I understand," said Jasper, in a low voice. "Quite a story, isn't it? And"--he paused to throw the piece of paper on the fire--"do you think the boy has communicated with the father ever since?" "Heaven knows--not unlikely. He said something about telegraphing." "Oh, yes; just so," said Jasper, carelessly. "Well, it will be inconvenient, but I suppose I must do what you want. The sooner we get this over the better," and he sat down and drew out his check book. "Thanks, thanks!" muttered the captain. "I didn't think a good fellow like you would stand back; I didn't, indeed!" "I ought not to do it," murmured Jasper, with a shake of the head, as he rang the bell. "Take this letter to Murphy, and wait, Scrivell," he said. Scrivell disappeared noiselessly. "By the way," said Jasper, "have you mentioned this to any one excepting me?" "Not to a soul," replied the captain; "and you bet, I shall not of course." "Of course," said Jasper, with a smile; "it wouldn't be worth spending a hundred and fifty to hush it up if you did. Mention such a thing to one person--excepting me, of course,"--and he smiled--"and you let the whole world know. Where did you get all this information?" "From Bellamy, the boy's chum," said the captain. "He asked me to look him up occasionally." "I see," said Jasper. "You won't mind my writing a letter or two, will you?" "Go on," said the captain, lighting the fifth cigarette. Jasper went to a cupboard and brought out a small bottle of champagne and a couple of glasses. "The generous glow of so virtuous an action--which by-the-way is strictly illegal--suggests something to drink," he said, with a smile. The captain nodded. "I didn't know you did this sort of thing here," he said, looking round.