"Right--right, Gammon; by Jove, you're quite right--I _quite_ agree with you!" replied Quirk, earnestly, not observing the lambent smile upon the features of his calm, crafty, and sarcastic companion. "You see, however," said Gammon, "we've a very delicate and difficult game to play with old Tag-rag. He's certainly a toad, ugly and venomous--but then he's got a jewel in his head--he's got money, you know, and, to serve _our_ purposes, we must really give him some hopes about his daughter and Titmouse." "Faugh! eugh! feugh! Nasty wretch! a little trollop! It makes one sick to hear of her! And, by the way, now we're on that subject, Gammon, what do we want of this wretch Tag-rag, now that Titmouse has actually got the property?" "Want of him? Money--security, my dear sir!--money!" "But, curse me! (excuse me, Gammon,) why go to Tag-rag? _That's_ what I can't understand! Surely any one will advance almost any amount of money to Titmouse, with such security as he can now give!" "Very possibly--probably"---- "Possibly? Why, I myself don't mind advancing him five thousand--nay, ten thousand pounds--when we've once got hold of the title-deeds." "My dear sir," interrupted Gammon, calmly, but with a very serious air, and a slight change of color which did not happen to attract the notice of his eager companion, "there are reasons why I should dissuade you from doing so; upon my word there are; farther than that I do not think it necessary to go; but I have gone far enough, I know well, to do you a real service." Mr. Quirk listened to all this with an air of the utmost amazement--even open-mouthed amazement. "What reason, Gammon, _can_ there be against my advancing money on a security worth at least twenty times the sum borrowed?" he inquired with visible distrust of his companion. "I can but assure you, that were I called upon to say whether I would advance a serious sum of money to Titmouse on the security of the Yatton estates, I should at all events require a most substantial _collateral_ security." "Mystery again!" exclaimed Mr. Quirk, a sigh of vexation escaping him. "You'll excuse me, Gammon, but you'd puzzle an angel, to say nothing of the devil! May I presume for one moment, so far on our personal and professional relationship, as to ask what the reason is on which your advice rests?" "Mere caution--excessive caution--anxiety to place you out of the way of all risk. Surely, is your borrower so soon to be pronounced firm in the saddle?" "If you know anything, Gammon, that I don't, it's your bounden duty to communicate it! _Look at our articles!_" "It is; _but do I_ know anything! Prove that, Mr. Quirk, and you need trouble yourself no more!--but, in the mean while, (without saying how much I feel hurt at your evident distrust,) I have but a word or two further to add on this point."