"I can't see how Dick has spent so much money; but how did he get it?"
"On notes that will mature when he's twenty-one. I found the man who cashed them, but he parted with the paper, and I canno' tell who holds it now."
"I've no doubt you tried to find out."
Mackellar's eyes twinkled.
"Ye may take that for granted. If there had been a weak spot in the man's affairs, I'd have made him tell."
There was silence for a minute. Andrew suspected that it was Staffer; but he did not think it was time to speak, and he knew that Mackellar would take him into his confidence when he saw fit.
"The fellow who really made the loan has some courage," he said presently.
"I'm thinking he kens the Johnstone character. Dick would no' disown his debts on the ground that he was under age; nor would ye, if your cousin died before he inherited."
"No," said Andrew. "Dick's debts must be met; but I would pay what he borrowed with reasonable interest, and nothing more."
"Ye're a true Johnstone," Mackellar remarked, with dry approval. "My opinion is that the lender's no' expecting ye to inherit."