to me," said the Bibliomaniac. "Who are the
De Boodles, and for what do they owe your friend Reginald Squandercash
money?"

"The De Boodles," explained the Idiot, "are what is known as Climbers,
and Reginald Squandercash is a Booster."

"A what?" cried the Bibliomaniac.

"A Booster," said the Idiot. "There are several Boosters in the 400. For
a consideration they will boost wealthy Climbers into Society. The
Climbers are people like the De Boodles, who have suddenly come into
great wealth, and who wish to be in it with others of great wealth who
are also of high social position. They don't know how to do the trick,
so they seek out some Booster like Reggie, strike a bargain with him,
and he steers 'em up against the 'Among Those Present' Game until
finally you find the De Boodles have a social cinch."

"Do you mean to say that Society tolerates such a business as that?"
demanded the Bibliomaniac.

"Tolerates?" laughed the Idiot. "What a word to use! Tolerates? Why,
Society encourages, because Society shares the benefits. Take this
especial vacation of mine. Society had two five-o'clock teas, four of
the swellest dinners you ever sat down to, a cotillion where the favors
were of solid silver and real ostrich feathers, a whole day's clam-bake
on Reggie's steam yacht, with automobile runs and coaching trips galore.
Nobody ever declines one of Reggie's invitations, because what he has
from a Society point of view is the best the market affords. Why, the
floral decorations alone at the _Fete Champetre_ he gave in honor of the
De Boodles at his villa last Thursday night must have cost $5,000, and
everything was on the same scale. I don't believe a cent less than
$7,500 was burned up in the fire-works, and every lady present received
a souvenir of the occasion that cost at least $100."

"Your story doesn't quite hold together," said Mr. Brief. "If your
friend Reggie has a villa and a steam yacht, and automobiles and
coaches, and gives _fetes champetres_ that cost fifteen or twenty
thousand dollars, I don't see why he has to make himself a Booster of
inferior people who want to get into Society. What does he gain by it?
It surely isn't sport to do a thing like that, and I should think he'd
find it a dreadful bore."

"The man must live," said the Idiot. "He boosts for a living."

"When he has the wealth of Monte Cristo at his command?" demanded Mr.
Brief.

"Reggie hasn't a cent to his name," said the Idiot. "I've alre