“I am sorry to say,” said old Chiswick, “that it cannot go on. I am feeling a little tired. I fear I must ask to be excused.”
“But there are seventy-seven of the boys waiting round the corner at this moment, Duke, to be introduced to you.”
“I fear I must disappoint them.”
“But in that case the deal would have to be off.”
“That is a matter for you and my nephew to discuss.”
The chappie seemed troubled.
“You really won’t meet the rest of them?”
“No!”
“Well, then, I guess we’ll be going.”
They went out, and there was a pretty solid silence. Then old Chiswick turned to Bicky—
“Well?”
Bicky didn’t seem to have anything to