As a matter of fact, the strange disclosures of the previous night were weighing heavily upon him. With a vague, dull discomfort he was saying to himself that, as between himself and Jack, there could be no possible doubt as to which was the better man; and therefore--as he argued with himself--of the true stock. And, if that was so, he was simply superfluous and in everybody's way. He was not much good in the world, anyway. He felt as if he would be better out of it. If he were gone, Jack would take his proper place--and marry Gracie---- All the same, it was deucedly hard that one's life should be broken up like this through absolutely no fault of one's own. And to surrender all thought of Gracie---- Yes, that was the hardest thing of all. But she would go to Jack by rights, along with all the rest. "Thank God for this war that is coming!" he said to himself. "There will be my chance of getting out of the tangle and leaving the field clear to them." So no wonder our poor old Jim was feeling in the dumps, and was quite unable to keep them out of his face. "Hillo? What's brought yo' home?" asked old Mrs. Lee, as they came into her kitchen. "Business," said Jack curtly, and she was surprised at the dourness of them all. But Jack was saying to himself--"That old witch may be my grandmother." And Jim--"She is most likely my grandmother." And Eager--"If the old wretch would only speak she could tell us all we want to know." Under which conditions a certain lack of cordiality was really not very surprising. "Well, well! How much is it?" asked Sir Denzil, eyeing them quizzically over his arrested pinch of snuff as they came into his room. "And how did you manage to get here at this time of day?" "We slept at the Pig and Whistle, sir," said Jack. "We got to Wyvveloe too late last night to come on here." "Most considerate, I'm sure. What have you been up to, to make you so thoughtful of the old man? "They have run up against the Great Puzzle, sir, as we knew they must sooner or later," said Eager. "They came in to me at ten o'clock last night to ask if I could enlighten them, and I have told them all we know." "So!" And he absorbed his snuff and stared intently at the boys. . . . "And how do you feel about it?" "We feel bad, sir," said Jack. "But apparently there is no way out of the tangle." "We've been trying to find one for the last twenty years," said the old man grimly. "How did it come to you?" "Ah! I'm surprised at Deseret," he said, when he had heard the story. "He's old enough to know how to hold his tongue." "How are things shaping? Have they made up their minds to fight?" he asked. And Eager, at all events, knew how that great question bore upon the smaller. "I think there is no doubt about it, sir," said Jack. "There is talk of some of our men going out almost at once." "And you are both set on going?" "Yes, sir"--very heartily from both of them.