rs. But who do you think this
Pearson is? He is Mrs. Westmacott's brother."

"Really. What a singular thing! Well, I can see a likeness now that you
mention it. They have both the same hard type of face."

"She has been warning me against him--says he is the rankest pirate
in London. I hope that it is all right, boy, and that we may not find
ourselves in broken water."

Harold had turned a little pale as he heard Mrs. Westmacott's opinion of
his senior partner. It gave shape and substance to certain vague fears
and suspicions of his own which had been pushed back as often as they
obtruded themselves as being too monstrous and fantastic for belief.

"He is a well-known man in the City, dad," said he.

"Of course he is--of course he is. That is what I told her. They would
have found him out there if anything had been amiss with him. Bless you,
there's nothing so bitter as a family quarrel. Still it is just as well
that you have written about this affair, for we may as well have all
fair and aboveboard."

But Harold's letter to his partner was crossed by a letter from his
partner to Harold. It lay awaiting him upon the breakfast table next
morning, and it sent the heart into his mouth as he read it, and caused
him to spring up from his chair with a white face and staring eyes.

"My boy! My boy!"

"I am ruined, mother--ruined!" He stood gazing wildly in front of him,
while the sheet of paper fluttered down on the carpet. Then he dropped
back into the chair, and sank his face into his hands. His mother
had her arms round him in an instant, while the Admiral, with shaking
fingers, picked up the letter from the floor and adjusted his glasses to
read it.

"My DEAR DENVER," it ran. "By the time that this reaches you I shall
be out of the reach of yourself or of any one else who may desire an
interview. You need not search for me, for I assure you that this letter
is posted by a friend, and that you will have your trouble in vain if
you try to find me. I am sorry to leave you in such a tight place, but
one or other of us must be squeezed, and on the whole I prefer that
it should be you. You'll find nothing in the bank, and about L13,000
unaccounted for. I'm not sure that the best thing you can do is not to
realize what you can, and imitate your senior's example. If you act at
once you may get clean away. If not, it's not only that you must put up
your shutters, but I am afraid that this missing money could hardly be