A considerable personage, in his own hand, fair and clerkly, warmly thanked “My dear Hartz” for his efforts on behalf of the London hospitals. Previous campaigns in the newspapers had raised great sums, but the guiding spirit of the Universal Press was urgently asked to open a special fund to meet the needs of the coming winter. This letter in hand, Mr. Hartz pondered rather less than a minute, and then he pressed a bell-button fixed in the side of his desk sharply three times. The summons was answered at once by a youngish, bald, dome-headed man who wore the serious, rather pinched look that accompanies an intense preoccupation with money. “Good-morning, Mumby.” The Chief greeted cheerfully the financial member of his Cabinet. Then he tossed him the letter. Before Mr. Mumby, in order to do justice to this document, could fix gold-rimmed eyeglasses to a nose with a narrow ridge, the Colossus gave a soft chuckle. “A slight--a very slight irritation of the lobe of the left ear”--while he plucked at that organ his eye was fixed on Mr. Mumby’s face--“tells me that an irruption of Popocatapetl is about to occur. I hope you appreciate its significance.” Even Mr. Mumby, schooled as he was in the more recondite ways of the Chief, was at a loss. The Colossus, however, was kind enough at once to enlighten him. “Tell me,” he said, “what is the price of National Mexican Thirds?” “They closed last night,” said Mr. Mumby, who carried all little matters of that kind in his head, “at forty-six and an eighth, rather sellers.” The Chief tapped an excellent set of teeth with a black lead pencil, a favorite trick when engaged in thinking constructively. “Suppose you go a bear--a modest bear?” Again he plucked at his left ear, but this time a smile famous upon five continents accompanied the action. “When shall I cover, sir?” said Mr. Mumby, impassively. “Twelve o’clock on Thursday,” said the Colossus. “And you can start the fund of His Nibs with the proceeds.” “A thousand pounds, sir?” Mr. Mumby was more impassive than ever. “Yes. A thousand pounds from the proprietor of the _Planet_ newspaper. That, I think, should meet the case--to begin with, at any rate.” For the third time the Colossus plucked a little whimsically at his left ear. Mr. Mumby bowed discreetly and retired. XI The Chief turned again to his letters. That which he opened next was not the one that was really going to interest him. The place for it was still the bottom of the pile. He felt this _bonne bouche_ was going to interest him so much that he would keep it until the very end.