"Oh, I can size a man up in two minutes," observed Dick in his usual slangy manner, "and if I was Reggy I wouldn't give that chap the slant to round on me; he says a lot he doesn't mean, and if he's going to run Reggie's show the apple-cart will soon be upset." Owing to Dick's lavish use of slang, Pumpkin was quite in the dark regarding his meaning, so with a quiet smile walked indoors with the tray. "Reggy can look after himself all right," observed the poet in a placid tone. "And a jolly good thing too," cried Dick, eyeing the poetic youth in a savage manner, "but prevention's better than cure, and I wouldn't let Beaumont have a finger in my pie if I were Reggy." "Ah, you see you're not Reggy." "I'm uncommonly glad I'm not you," retorted Dick politely. "It must be an awful disagreeable thing for you to know what an arrant idiot you are." "I'm not an idiot," said Priggs haughtily. "Not an idiot!" echoed Dick derisively, "why you are such an idiot you don't even know you are one." CHAPTER XIV. THE DIPLOMACY OF BASIL BEAUMONT. Astute is he who mere brute force despises And gains by subtle craft all worldly prizes. When the three gentlemen were comfortably seated in the vicar's study, Beaumont, without further preamble, explained his errand. "You know, sir," he said to genial Dr. Larcher, "that Blake has a very fine voice--a phenomenal tenor voice, which, when properly trained, will make his fortune. Blake tells me he has not decided what line of life to take up, so I propose he should be a singer." "Oh, I should like it above all things," cried Reginald with the usual thoughtless impulse of youth. "Wait a moment," observed the vicar cautiously. "I am not much in favour of a theatrical career for you, Reginald, and, this is too important a matter to be decided lightly, so I would like to hear Mr. Beaumont's views on the subject." "Oh, my views are easily explained," said Beaumont coolly. "I know very well your objections to a theatrical career, Doctor Larcher, and no doubt it is full of temptations to a young man, still, Blake need not sing on the stage, but make his appearance on the concert-platform--good tenors are rare, so he will soon have plenty of work and make an excellent income." "And what do you propose to do?" asked the vicar thoughtfully. "That is the point I am coming to," explained Beaumont quickly. "I am not a rich man myself, but I know many people in Town who are wealthy; if Blake will come up to Town with me, I will undertake to find sufficient money to give him a first class training as a singer; when he makes a success--and I have very little doubt he will do so--he can pay me back the money advanced and a certain percentage for the loan and risk: then of course he will have an excellent profession and be able to earn his own living." "London is full of temptation to a young man," observed Dr. Larcher doubtfully.