When he finished, Richard felt that he must have impressed him; that it was impossible that it should be otherwise, even though there were no special external signs of Blundel being greatly affected. He had thrust his hands into his pockets as before, and his hair stood on end as obstinately. "Well," he said, succinctly, "it _is_ a good story, and it's a big scheme." "And you?"--said Richard. "We are sure of your"-- Blundel took a hand out of his pocket and ran it over his upright hair, as if in a futile attempt at sweeping it down. "I'll tell you what I'll do," he said. "I'll see you day after to-morrow." "But"--exclaimed Richard, secretly aghast. Blundel ran over his hair again and returned his hand to his pocket. "Oh, yes," he answered. "I know all about that. You don't want to lose time, and you want to feel sure; but, you see, I want to feel sure, too. As I said, it's a big business; it's too big a business to assume the responsibility of all at once. _I'm_ not going to run any risks. I don't say you want me to run any; but, you know, you are an amateur, and there may be risks you don't realize. I'll see you again." In his character of amateur it was impossible for Richard to be importunate, but his temptations to commit the indiscretion were strong. A hundred things might happen in the course of two days; delay was more dangerous than anything else. The worst of it all was that he had really gained no reliable knowledge of the man himself and how it would be best to approach him. He had seen him throughout the interview just as he had seen him before it. Whether or not his sharpness was cunning and his bluntness a defence he had not been able to decide. "At any rate, he is cautious," he thought. "_How_ cautious it is for us to find out." When he left him Richard was in a fever of disappointment and perplexity, which, to his ease and pleasure-loving nature, was torment. "Confound it all!" he said. "Confound the thing from beginning to end! It will have to pay well to pay for this."