“He is and he is not,” said Scanlan, half querulously. “He likes a safe thing,—do you understand?” and he gave a most significant wink as he spoke.
“Oh, then he's close about money matters?” said Massingbred.
“Not exactly that. He 's wasteful and spendthrift, but he'd go to the world's end to do a knowing thing; you 've seen men of that kind?”
“Scores of them,” replied Jack; “and they were always the easiest fellows to be duped!”
“Exactly my own experience,” said Scanlan, delighted to find his opinions confirmed in such a quarter. “Now, young Martin would give five hundred pounds for a horse to win a fifty pound cup. Don't you know what I mean?”
“Perfectly,” said Massingbred, with an approving smile.
“Nobody knows the sums he has drawn since he went away,” exclaimed Scanlan, who was momentarily growing more and more confidential.
“There 's a deal of high play in India; perhaps he gambles,” said Jack, carelessly.
A significant wink and nod gave the answer.
“Well, well,” added he, after a pause, “he 'll not mend matters by coming back again.”