With the New Year the young man came no more for week-ends, and the reason was well known.
The hunting-field is always a great place for gossip, for except at rare intervals there is little else to do. And with the Duke's hounds the gossip was about Mr. Silver.
The Union Bank of Brazil and Uruguay was known to be in difficulties, and Boy hunted alone.
"Where's your Life Guardsman?" asked the Duke.
"Guarding the Bank, I believe, your Grace."
The Duke grunted.
"Wants guarding from what I can hear of it," he blurted. "Tell him it's no good," he shouted. "Tell him to come out of it. It's no job for an honest man."
"What isn't?"
"Bankin'." He muttered to himself. "There's only one thing an honest man can do, that's land. Everything else you get dirty over. I'm not overclean myself, but I'm not as dirty as some of 'em."
Then there appeared paragraphs in the paper.