as the real beginning of the fight; and he realized only too
keenly that his side in that fight was tremendously short of ammunition.
But he did not mean that his adversary should guess that fact, and with
the smiling serenity of absolute confidence he fired the opening gun.

"Egbert," he began--"you don't mind my callin' you Egbert? Knowin' you
as well as I do, it seems foolish to stand on ceremony, don't you think?
You don't mind?"

"Not at all. Charmed, I'm sure.... Well?"

"Well--yes. We've got a good many mutual friends--you and I, Egbert. One
of 'em is named George Kent. He's a great friend of both of us. Nice
boy, too."

At the mention of the name the Phillips hand, caressing the Phillips
mustache, paused momentarily. But it resumed operations almost at once.
Other than this there was no sign of perturbation on its owner's part.
He slowly shook his head.

"My _dear_ Captain Kendrick----" he drawled.

"Oh, call me Sears. _Don't_ be formal."

"My dear man, if it is possible for you to come to the point? Without
too great a strain on your--ah--intellect?"

"I'm comin', Egbert. Right abreast there now. George--our mutual
friend--is in trouble. He has used some money that he can't spare, used
it in a stock deal. I won't go into the particulars because you know 'em
just as well as I do. You got him into the trouble in the first place, I
understand. Now, to a man up a tree, as the boys say, it would seem as
if you ought to be the one to get him out. Particularly as you are his
very best friend. Don't you think so?"

Egbert sighed before answering, a sigh of utter weariness.

"And may I ask if _this_ is the--ah--point?" he inquired.

"Why, yes--I guess so. In a way."

"And you are acting as our young friend's representative? He has seen
fit to take you into his confidence concerning a matter which was
supposed to be a business secret between--ah--gentlemen?"

"I could see he was in trouble and I offered to do what I could to help.
Then he told me the whole thing."

"Indeed? A changeable youth. When I last heard him mention your name it
was not--pardon me--in a--shall we say strictly affectionate tone?"

"That so? Too bad. But we are all liable to be mistaken in our
judgments. Men--and women, too."

Again there was a slight pause; Egbert was regarding the speaker
intently. The latter's countenance was about as expressive as that of a
wooden idol, a good-natured one. Mr. Phillips glanced once more at the