“Now we’ve got to settle up matters,” said Lambaire as they sat at breakfast. “The impertinence of that rascally friend of yours completely put the matter out of my mind yesterday----” “I’m awfully sorry about that business,” Sutton hastened to say. “It is just like Cynthia to get mixed up with a scoundrel like Amber. I assure you----” Lambaire waved away the eager protestations with a large smile. “My boy,” he said generously, “say no more about it. I exonerate you from all blame--don’t I, Whitey?” Whitey nodded with vigour. “I know Amber”--Lambaire tapped his bandaged head--“this is Amber.” “Good lord!” said the boy with wide-opened eyes, “you don’t mean that?” “I do,” said the other. “Last night, coming back to the hotel, I was set upon by Amber and half a dozen roughs--wasn’t I, Whitey?” “You was,” said Whitey, who at times rose superior to grammatical conventions. “But the police?” protested the young man energetically. “Surely you could lay him by the heels?” Lambaire shook his head with a pained smile. “The police are no good,” he said, “they’re all in the swim together--my dear boy, you’ve no idea of the corruption of the police force; I could tell you stories that would raise your hair.” He discoursed at some length on the iniquities of the constabulary. “Now let us get to business,” he said, passing back his plate. “Have you thought over my suggestion?” “I’ve given the matter a great deal of thought,” said Sutton. “I suppose there will be a contract and all that sort of thing?” “Oh, certainly,--I’m glad you asked. We were talking about that very thing this morning, weren’t we, Whitey?” Whitey nodded, and yawned furtively. “I’m afraid your sister is prejudiced against us,” Lambaire went on. “I regret this: it pains me a little. She is under the impression that we want to obtain possession of the plan she has. Nothing of the sort! We do not wish to see the plan. So far as we know, the river lies due north-west through the Alebi country. As a matter of fact,” said Lambaire in confidence, “we don’t expect that plan to be of very much use to you,--do we, Whitey?” “Yes,” said Whitey absently--“no, I mean.” “Our scheme is to send you out and give you an opportunity of verifying the route.” They spoke in this strain for the greater part of an hour, discussing equipment and costs, and the boy, transported on the breath of fancy to another life and another sphere, talked volubly, being almost incoherent in his delight. But still there were the objections of Cynthia Sutton to overcome. “A matter of little difficulty,” said the boy airily, and the two men did not urge the point, knowing that, so far from being a pebble on the path, to be lightly brushed aside, this girl, with her clear vision and sane judgment, was a very rock. Later in the morning, when they approached the house in Warwick Gardens, they did not share the assurance of the chattering young man who led the way.