ay off practical jokes upon the others. But these jests
were strictly confined to our own little set, for my four friends were
most careful and anxious that my dangerous accomplishment should not
become known to outsiders.

"And now follows the consequence which you have no doubt foreseen. My
debts, though small, were accumulating, and I saw no prospect of being
able to pay them. Then, one night, Jezzard made a proposition. We had
been playing bridge at his rooms, and once more my ill luck had caused
me to increase my debt. I scribbled out an IOU, and pushed it across the
table to Jezzard, who picked it up with a very wry face, and pocketed
it.

"'Look here, Ted,' he said presently, 'this paper is all very well, but,
you know, I can't pay my debts with it. My creditors demand hard cash.'

"'I'm very sorry,' I replied, 'but I can't help it.'

"'Yes, you can,' said he, 'and I'll tell you how.' He then propounded a
scheme which I at first rejected with indignation, but which, when the
others backed him up, I at last allowed myself to be talked into, and
actually put into execution. I contrived, by taking advantage of the
carelessness of some of my superiors at the bank, to get possession of
some blank cheque forms, which I filled up with small amounts--not more
than two or three pounds--and signed with careful imitations of the
signatures of some of our clients. Jezzard got some stamps made for
stamping on the account numbers, and when this had been done I handed
over to him the whole collection of forged cheques in settlement of my
debts to all of my four companions.

"The cheques were duly presented--by whom I do not know; and although,
to my dismay, the modest sums for which I had drawn them had been
skilfully altered into quite considerable amounts, they were all paid
without demur excepting one. That one, which had been altered from three
pounds to thirty-nine, was drawn upon an account which was already
slightly overdrawn. The cashier became suspicious; the cheque was
impounded, and the client communicated with. Then, of course, the mine
exploded. Not only was this particular forgery detected, but inquiries
were set afoot which soon brought to light the others. Presently
circumstances, which I need not describe, threw some suspicion on me. I
at once lost my nerve, and finally made a full confession.

"The inevitable prosecution followed. It was not conducted vindictively.
Still, I had actually committed the for