l--at least, she can't have much besides. It depends on how you
look at a sum of money, whether it seems large or small."

Philip had no answer ready. He walked about the room angry and
miserable. Frank went on:

"If you had not lost your situation, you might have paid it yourself, in
time, I suppose. As it is you will have to fail too, or your creditor
must make up his mind to wait. Are there more of them?"

Frank asked the question coolly, as though it were a trifling matter
they were discussing, and his manner throughout the whole discussion
seemed intended, Philip thought, to exasperate him.

"And it is not like Frank, the least in the world," said he to himself,
as he uttered an exclamation at his words.

"However," repeated Frank, "it is only a drop in the bucket, as you
say."

Philip stood still and looked at him, vexation and astonishment
struggling with some other feeling, showing in his face.

"Frank," said he, "it isn't like you to hit a fellow when he is down."

"You need not be so very far down. I would not be down, if I were like
you and could do anything," said Frank, with something like a sob in his
voice.

"It is precious little I can do, even if I knew what were needed."

"Talk with Mr Caldwell."

"Mr Caldwell! The thought of him gives me a chill; and I don't suppose
he would talk with me. He hasn't a very high opinion of me,--in the way
of business, or in any way."

"He'd talk with you fast enough, if you would talk reasonably. Try him.
He wants some one to go to Q-- about the timber that has been lying
there some weeks now. Papa spoke about it too. It would have paid
well, if he had been able to attend to the sale of it himself. But he
has not perfect confidence in Donnelly the agent, and the time is
passing. It must be sold soon, and Mr Caldwell can't be everywhere. I
told him to send Davie Inglis, but he must not take him from the bank he
thinks; and, besides he is so young and so boyish-looking. You would do
quite as well, I dare say. At any rate, you would be better than no
one."

Philip looked as though he thought he was being "hit" again, but he said
nothing.

"One thing is certain," continued Frank, "if you are going to do any
good in our present fix, you can only do it by knuckling down to old
Caldwell. Nobody knows so much about papa's affairs as he does."

Whether Philip "knuckled down" to Mr Caldwell or not, he never told
Frank, but he did tell him that