seen the letters.
They're going to blow the thing up full of wind, and buy up all the
shares they can. Then when the thing's at the height, they sell, and
make thousands."

"Phew!" whistled the footman.

"S'pose we make a couple o' thou, a-piece; that's better than backing
horses."

"Yes; but could we?"

"Don't they, my lad? Isn't all this place run that way? Why shouldn't
we do it as well as them? They ain't so precious clever after all."

"Not as I see," said the younger man, contemptuously.

"Then what do you say? Shall we venture?"

"I'm on," said Arthur, eagerly. "How much does it want?"

"Two hundred a-piece. How much have you got?"

The footman gave him a curious look, and then said drily--

"Nothing at all."

"Why, you don't mean to say you've spent all we've made, Arthur?"

"Every penny. Haven't you?"

The butler was silent, and frowned; but his companion followed up his
question.

"Well, why don't you answer a fellow?"

"I haven't exactly spent it, Orthur," said the butler at last, coughing
to clear his voice.

"Well, what have you done with it?"

"'Orses."

"Without saying a word to me?"

"Well, I didn't know I was bound to tell you everything, Orthur."

"Well, I did; and it serves you right. If you'd gone by my advice and
taken my tips you'd ha' won."

"Yes, it was a mistake," said the butler, humbly. "I was tempted to
have just one little flutter on my own account, Orthur."

"Well, don't you do it again. That's worse than giving the gals
presents, old man. Then I suppose it will have to be your uncle again?"

"Yes, Orthur; but it's a pity we couldn't manage about a key for that
door."

"Ah! it is; but it ain't to be done, only with a big hammer and wedges,
I'm afraid. I'm trying still, though, to get a key made, and it may
turn up trumps. Never mind; raise something on what you can take."

"But it won't be enough, my boy."

"Never mind; let's do what we can. A little's more than none. Half a
loaf's better than no bread, old man."

"Very well, my boy; I'll take what I can to-night."

"I say, you're sure this'll turn out all right?"

"Certain. It's as safe as safe. I'll make him let me have a little
more--put something else up--and then we'll take all the shares we can
get."

"And about selling out at the right time?"

"You leave that to me," said the butler, smiling confidently. "Look
here."

He took out a letter and held it to his companion, wh