An earnest and eloquent petition was sent up to the King signed with the names of Wilson, Barker, Buck, Swindon, and others. It urged that at the forthcoming conference to be held in his Majesty's presence touching the final disposition of the property in Pump Street, it might be held not inconsistent with political decorum and with the unutterable respect they entertained for his Majesty if they appeared in ordinary morning dress, without the costume decreed for them as Provosts. So it happened that the company appeared at that council in frock-coats and that the King himself limited his love of ceremony to appearing (after his not unusual manner), in evening dress with one order--in this case not the Garter, but the button of the Club of Old Clipper's Best Pals, a decoration obtained (with difficulty) from a halfpenny boy's paper. Thus also it happened that the only spot of colour in the room was Adam Wayne, who entered in great dignity with the great red robes and the great sword. "We have met," said Auberon, "to decide the most arduous of modern problems. May we be successful." And he sat down gravely. Buck turned his chair a little, and flung one leg over the other. "Your Majesty," he said, quite good-humouredly, "there is only one thing I can't understand, and that is why this affair is not settled in five minutes. Here's a small property which is worth a thousand to us and is not worth a hundred to any one else. We offer the thousand. It's not business-like, I know, for we ought to get it for less, and it's not reasonable and it's not fair on us, but I'm damned if I can see why it's difficult." "The difficulty may be very simply stated," said Wayne. "You may offer a million and it will be very difficult for you to get Pump Street." "But look here, Mr. Wayne," cried Barker, striking in with a kind of cold excitement. "Just look here. You've no right to take up a position like that. You've a right to stand out for a bigger price, but you aren't doing that. You're refusing what you and every sane man knows to be a splendid offer simply from malice or spite--it must be malice or spite. And that kind of thing is really criminal; it's against the public good. The King's Government would be justified in forcing you." With his lean fingers spread on the table, he stared anxiously at Wayne's face, which did not move. "In forcing you ... it would," he repeated. "It shall," said Buck, shortly, turning to the table with a jerk. "We have done our best to be decent." Wayne lifted his large eyes slowly. "Was it my Lord Buck," he inquired, "who said that the King of England 'shall' do something?" Buck flushed and said testily--