t. He looked down at his cigar and then
suddenly up again.

"Has that young idiot of a brother of yours been making a fool of
himself?" he asked.

"Cecil is never altogether out of trouble," Andrew answered drily. "He
seems to have taken bridge up with rather unfortunate results, and
there were some other debts which had to be paid, but we needn't talk
about those. The point is that we're jolly well hard up for a year or
two. He's got to work, and so have I. If it wasn't for looking after
him, I should go to Canada to-morrow."

"D----d young idiot!" the Duke muttered. "He's spent his own money and
yours too, I suppose. Never mind, the money's gone."

"It isn't only the money," Andrew interrupted. "The fact is, I'm not
altogether satisfied, as I told you before, with living just for sport.
I'm not a prejudiced person. I know that there are greater things in
the world, and I don't want to lose sight of them altogether. We De la
Bornes have contributed poets and soldiers and sailors and statesmen to
the history of our country, for many generations. I don't want to go
down to posterity as altogether a drone. Of course, I'm too late for
anything really worth doing. I know that just as well as you can tell
me. At the same time I want to do something, and I would rather not go
abroad, at any rate to stay. Can you suggest anything to me? I know
it's jolly difficult, but you were always one of those sort of fellows
who seem to see round the corner."

"Do you want a permanent job?" the Duke asked. "Or would a temporary
one fit you up for a time?"

"A temporary one would be all right, if it was in my line," Andrew
answered.

"We've got to send three delegates to a convention to be held at The
Hague in a fortnight's time, for the revision of the International
Fishing laws," the Duke remarked. "Could you take that on?"

"I should think so," Andrew answered. "I've been out with the men from
our part of the world since I was a child, and I know pretty well all
that there is to be known on our side about it. What is the convention
about?"

"There are at least a dozen points to be considered," the Duke
answered. "I'll send you the papers to any address you like, to-morrow.
They're at my office now in Downing Street. Look 'em through, and see
whether you think you could take it on. I have two men already
appointed, but they are both lawyers, and I wanted some one who knew
more about the practical side of it."

"I should thi