'There, again, a little elementary thought solves the conundrum for me. The fact that you are obliged to take such detailed precautions in order to get away from this area with a whole skin argues that you would be none the worse for the company and support of a person who, though he should not be the one to proclaim it, is a good shot with small arms and no worse afflicted with cowardice than most.' 'I see,' said Philipson, drily, glancing at the watch on his wrist. '_We_ are to benefit by the arrangement, eh?' 'To the extent I have indicated,' retorted Poyning, quite unabashed. 'My profit from the enterprise, on the other hand, will be co-equal with yours. The great wildernesses of earth, gentlemen, have always called to me, and those lands which you are going to visit beyond Chungking will answer very nicely, I've no doubt, to the description of a wilderness. I would go forth into it with you. If you gratify my ambition, there is _my_ half of our mutual gain.' Philipson looked at his watch again. 'No time to go into the matter now, anyway,' he said. 'You must catch to-night's train without fail. I will get ready the things you are to take, and Mirlees will tell you in the meantime what he wants done in Shanghai.' While Philipson was busy at a side table with pen and ink, I gave Poyning my instructions for the safeguarding of my slender properties. He listened quietly, repeated word for word what I had said, and tapped his forehead as a man might the lid of a cash-box after locking away valuable securities in it. 'Now, Poyning,' said our leader, returning to the middle of the room, 'here is money for your expenses and purchases, the note to my bank, the cheque, and my seal. I am also advancing you two hundred dollars out of your honorarium. That enough? Right. As to whether you join forces with us for good, I say nothing yet. I like the look of you and I like the sound of you, but I do not take you right into my concerns until I have some solid proof of your steel. Get away to Shanghai and bring off these commissions successfully, and I shall be open to admit that you are a man worth my while taking on a mission which, to say no more of it, will want men of no ordinary temper. Good luck and God be with you!' Poyning took his leave of us much in the grand manner, but as I looked at his face it seemed to me that underneath that mask of the exquisite there was something of shrewdness and sand that would go a long way and not be lightly turned back. He slid quietly downstairs and we heard no more of him. Soon after he had gone I went along to my bedroom--for I was dog-tired--leaving Philipson deep in thought and the contemplation of two fresh bottles of wine which he had had brought up.