did not raise his eyes, but had no doubt as
to the man's identity.

It was the other who opened the conversation, coming out of the gorse on
to the track.

"That's an ugly bit of wire," he said. "Now how did that get there, I
wonder?"

"Spider spun it, I guess," answered the young man laconically.

"What!" laughed the other. "Gossamer is it?"

"Yes," said Silver. "And not bad gossamer at that." He looked up
suddenly. "Where did you get it from?--the same place you bought the
mallet in Brighton?"

The tout swaggered across the green.

"See here, Silver," he said. "None of that. You're not in the position
to come it over me now you've joined the great company of
gentlemen-adventurers. There's nothing in it since the Bank broke. We
both stand together on the common quicksands of economic insecurity."

Silver wound up the wire.

"Common quicksands of economic insecurity is good," he said
deliberately. "Distinctly good."

"Yes," replied the other. "I learned it at Oxford, where I learned a lot
besides. Or to put it straight, we're both naked men now--stripped to
the world. And I'm as good a man as you are."

Silver dropped the wire and advanced leisurely.

"Are you?" he said. "I doubt it. But we'll soon see."

The fat man produced a mallet from behind his back.

"No ---- nonsense," he snarled.

"I thought you said we were both naked men," replied Silver, folding his
arms.

"Never mind what I said," the other answered. "Keep your ---- distance,
or I'll puddle you into a pulp."

Jim regarded the other with admiring eyes.

"You learned more at Oxford than I did," he said. "Learned to express
yourself at least. If I'd that command of language I'd be in the pulpit
or in Parliament to-morrow."

There was the sound of a horse's feet behind them.

Boy was walking Four-Pound-the-Second toward them.

"Good morning, Miss Woodburn," called Joses cheerily. "So _you're_ up
to-day."

"Yes," said the girl.

"Going to take him for a spin?"

Boy did not answer.

"Mr. Joses has been doing the spinning this morning," interposed Silver
urbanely, holding up the wire.

"Oh," said the fat man. "I'll leave him to spin his yarn, Miss Woodburn.
But don't you believe all he says. You'll hear the truth when I bring
the case into court. He'll want all the money _you_ can win him by the
time I've done with him."

He disappeared down the hillside.

The girl came close and leaned down over the shoulder of the great
h