although he did not
take the threat of self-destruction very seriously--somehow he could
scarcely fancy George Kent in the role of a suicide--was sincerely
sorry for the boy. He did his best to comfort.

"There, there, George," he said, "we won't talk about killin' ourselves
yet awhile. Time enough to hop overboard when the last gun's fired, and
we haven't begun to take aim yet. Brace up, George. You'll get through
the breakers somehow."

"But, Cap'n Kendrick, I can't--I can't. I've got only a week or so left,
and I haven't got the money."

"Sshh! Sshh! Because you haven't got it now doesn't mean you won't have
it before the week's out--not necessarily it doesn't.... Humph! Let's
take an observation now, and get our bearin's, if we can. You've talked
this over with Egbert--with Phillips, of course. After all, he was the
fellow that got you into it. What does he say?"

It appeared that Mr. Phillips said little which was of immediate solace.
He professed confidence unbounded. C. M. was a good stock, it was going
higher, all they had to do was wait until it did.

"Yes," put in Sears, "that's good advice, maybe, but it's too much like
tellin' a man who can't swim to keep up till the tide goes out and he'll
be in shallow water. The trouble is neither that man nor you could keep
afloat so long. Is that all he said? He understands your position,
doesn't he, George?"

Yes, Mr. Phillips understood, but he could do nothing to help. He had no
money to lend--had practically nothing except the two one thousand
dollar bonds, and those were deposited as collateral with the brokers.

"Um--ye-es," drawled Kendrick. "Those bonds are interestin' of
themselves. We'll come to those pretty soon. But hasn't he got _any_
ready money? Seems as if he must have a little. Why, you paid him
sixteen hundred in cash and, accordin' to your story, he sent only
twelve hundred along with the bonds. He must have four hundred left, at
least. That is, unless he's been heavin' overboard more 'crumbs' that
you don't know about."

Kent knew nothing of his partner's resources beyond what the latter had
told him. And, at any rate, what good would four hundred be to him?
Unless he could raise eight hundred within the week----

"Yes, yes, yes, I know. But four hundred is half of eight hundred and
seems to me if I was in his shoes and had been responsible for gettin'
you into a clove hitch like this I'd do what I could to get you out. And
he couldn't--or