of ignorant
lout, and who spends a whole day in a boat with him, to tell me when I
am lacking in courtesy."

Richmond laughed, put his hand to his mouth, threw back his head and
replied: "I go fishing, not for society, but for amusement; and, by
the way, I think it would do you good to go fishing, even with an
ignorant lout. You might learn something."

"Ah," McGlenn rejoined, "you have disclosed the source of much of your
information. You learn from the ignorant that you may confound the
wise."

Richmond put his hand to his mouth. "At some playful time," said he,
"I might seek to confound the wise, but I should never so far forget
myself as to make an experiment on you."

"Mr. Witherspoon," remarked McGlenn, "we will turn from this rude
barbarian and give our attention to Mr. Whittlesy, who knows all about
dogs."

"If he knows all about dogs," Henry replied, "he must be well
acquainted with some of the most prominent traits of man."

"I am not talking much to-day," said Whittlesy, ducking his head. "I
went fooling round the Board of Trade yesterday; and they got me, and
they got me good."

"How much did they catch you for, Whit?" McGlenn asked.

"I won't say, but they got me, and got me good, but never mind. Ill go
after 'em."

The man who had been asleep on the leather lounge got up, stretched
himself, looked about for a moment, and then, coming over to the
group, said: "What's all this bloody rot?" Seeing a stranger, he
added, by way of apology: "I thought this was the regular roasting
lay-out."

"Mr. Witherspoon," said Richmond, "let me introduce Mr. Mortimer, an
old member of the club;" and when the introduction had been
acknowledged, Richmond added: "Mortimer has just thought of something
mean to say and has come over to say it. He dozes himself full of
venom and then has to get rid of it."

"Our friend Richmond is about as truthful as he is complimentary,"
Mortimer replied.

"Yes," said Richmond, "but if I were no more complimentary than you
are truthful, I should have a slam for everybody."

"Oh, ho, ho, no," McGlenn cried, and Richmond shouted: "Oh, I have
been robbed."

Henry looked about for the cause of this commotion and saw a smiling
man, portly and impressive, coming toward them with a dignified mince
in his walk. And Mr. Flummers was introduced with half-humorous
ceremony. He had rather a pleasant expression of countenance, and men
who were well acquainted with him said that he had,