There was one man who was sure, perfectly sure; and that man was Maddox. He had read Rickman's book before Jewdwine had seen it, and while Jewdwine was still shaking his head over it in the office of the _The Museion_, its chances were being eagerly discussed in the office of _The Planet_. Maddox was disgusted with the publishers, Stables with the price, Rankin with the illustrations. "It's all very well," said Rankin; "but those borrowed plumes will have to be paid for." "Borrowed plumes with a vengeance," said Maddox. "Vaughan might just as well have turned him out tarred and feathered as illustrated by Mordaunt Crawley. Mind you, some of that tar will stick. It'll take him all his time to get it off." "Did you see," said Stables, "that Hanson bracketed him with Letheby in this morning's _Courier_?" "No, did he?" said Maddox; "I'm sorry for that. It's rough on little Rickman." "It's what you must expect," said Rankin, "if you're illustrated by Crawley." "It's what you must expect," said Stables, "if you go out of your way to offend people who can help you. You know he refused an introduction to Hanson the other day?" "No!" "Fact. And it was in his sublimest manner. He said he hadn't any use for Hanson. Hanson couldn't help him till he'd helped himself. I don't know whether any one was kind enough to tell that tale to Hanson." "Hanson," said Maddox, "is too big a man to mind it if they did." "Anyhow, he _hasn't_ helped him." "No," said Rankin; "but that's another story. Hanson was dining with Jewdwine, and Jewdwine was cracking up Rickman most extravagantly (for him). That was quite enough to make Hanson jump on him. He was bound to do it by way of asserting his independence." "I wonder if Jewdwine calculated that that would be the natural effect." "Oh, come, he's a subtle beast; but I don't suppose he's as subtle as all that." "You'll find that all the reviews will follow Hanson like a flock of sheep." "How about the _Literary Observer_? Mackinnon was friendly." Maddox smiled. "He was. But our Ricky-ticky alienated Mackinnon on the very eve of publication." "How?" "By some awful jest. Something about Mackinnon's head and the dome of the British Museum." "Well, if it was a joke, Mackinnon wouldn't see it." "No, but he'd feel it, which would be a great deal worse. Our Ricky-ticky is devoid of common prudence." "Our Ricky-ticky is a d----d fool," said Stables. "Well," said Rankin, "I suppose he knows what he's about. He's got Jewdwine at his back." Maddox shrugged his enormous shoulders. "Jewdwine? Jewdwine won't slate his own man, but he can't very well turn round and boom the set he always goes for. This," said Maddox, "is my deal. I shall sail in and discover Ricky-ticky." "He's taking precious good care to hide himself. It's a thousand pities he ever got in with those wretched decadents." "He isn't in with them." "Well, he mayn't be exactly immersed, but the tide's caught him."