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V

           Andthereflectionthatamanwhohadconfessedtoreceivingthatverymorningapresumablylargesumofmoneywasnotlikelytospringuponhimademandforasmallloanputhimentirelyathiseaseagain.Therehadcomealongpauseintheirtalk,however,andnotknowinghowtobeginagain,hegrowledoutsoberly,“Weoldfellowsoughttotakearestnow.”

           “Thebestthingforsomeofuswouldbetodieattheoar,”CaptainWhalleysaidnegligently.

           “Come,now.Aren’tyouabittiredbythistimeofthewholeshow?”mutteredtheothersullenly.

           “Areyou?”

           CaptainEliottwas.Infernallytired.Heonlyhungontohisberthsolonginordertogethispensiononthehighestscalebeforehewenthome.Itwouldbenobetterthanpoverty,anyhow;still,itwastheonlythingbetweenhimandtheworkhouse.Andhehadafamily.Threegirls,asWhalleyknew.Hegave“Harry,oldboy,”tounderstandthatthesethreegirlswereasourceofthegreatestanxietyandworrytohim.Enoughtodriveamandistracted.

           “Why?Whathavetheybeendoingnow?”askedCaptainWhalleywithasortofamusedabsent-mindedness.

           “Doing!Doingnothing.That’sjustit.Lawn-tennisandsillynovelsfrommorningtonight....”

           Ifoneofthematleasthadbeenaboy.Butallthree!And,asill-luckwouldhaveit,theredidnotseemtobeanydecentyoungfellowsleftintheworld.Whenhelookedaroundintheclubhesawonlyalotofconceitedpopinjaystooselfishtothinkofmakingagoodwomanhappy.Extremeindigencestaredhiminthefacewithallthatcrowdtokeepathome.

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