've arranged all that. He's my big
brother now, hey, Kenrick?"

"Why, certainly," I confirmed gravely, but with more inward merriment
over Trask's expression of countenance. Indeed, the possible
implication conveyed by the statement was calculated to evolve some
sensation all round. Even Brian looked puzzled for a moment, but only
for a moment.

"And when did you confer that supreme honour upon him, Iris?" he said.

"This afternoon. He's much too good a chap to go on mistering him,"
answered this impudent child, with a decisive nod of her pretty head.
"Anyhow, we're not going to do it, are we, Beryl?"

"I say, Iris, you're making me blush like the mischief, you know," I put
in. "Well, it's consoling to know that one's trumpeter isn't dead."

"Ha-ha-ha! May I ask, Miss Matterson, whether you are included in this
newly formed--ha--fraternity?" said Trask in his most asinine tones; but
then he was always a tactless fool.

"Call it the Confraternity of the Shipwrecked Mariners," said Brian,
possibly in order to save Beryl the trouble of answering the idiotic
question. And as though to render the diversion more complete still,
something between an exclamation and a groan escaped from the master of
the house at the other end of the table.

"Why, what is it, father?" cried Beryl, half starting up in alarm.

"Nothing, dear. Only this confounded rheumatism. Am all ache from head
to foot. Sharper twinge than usual--couldn't help singing out. Must
have caught a chill on top of it."

"Father, you must go to bed at once," said Beryl decisively. "Brian and
I will come and look after you."

"Well, I think I will. Good-night everybody. Trask, you'll excuse me."

Septimus Matterson was, as he said, anything but well, and his early
retirement rather put a damper on the evening from Trask's point of
view, especially as Beryl was out of the room looking after her father.
Moreover, Trask prided himself on his capacity for singing comic songs,
which he accompanied himself, and, to give the devil his due, uncommonly
well. But under the circumstances there was no demand for this form of
entertainment to-night, and it was rather earlier than usual when we
found ourselves alone together, he and I, for he had needed no pressure
to be induced to stay the night, and had been allotted a shakedown in
the same room with me.

Now, Trask was one of those men--of whom there are plenty, and women
too--who are entirely differen