[CHAPTER IX]
While they were preparing for bed that night John took David into his confidence, in a measure, and asked his advice. He made no mention of the letter. David’s views were not encouraging.
“What you want to do,” he said, “is to retire into the extreme distance and rest upon your haunches. Every fellow has the inalienable right to get rid of his money as he bloody well pleases, and even a foster-mother has no business dictating, Johnnie. If I were Phil and you tried it with me I’d punch your old head for you.”
“But Phil hasn’t the right to spend money he hasn’t got,” answered John. “And that’s what it amounts to. Of course, it’s mostly his family’s fault. They’ve no business letting him think that there’s plenty of money when there isn’t——”
“Different from most fellows’ families,” growled David.
“Well, it’s my duty to interfere.”
“It’s your duty to mind your own affairs. Look here, has Phil owned up to you that he’s been losing his tin?”
“Not exactly. He acknowledges that he’s broke, but he hasn’t mentioned cards.”
“Then how are you going to speak to him about it? If you go to him and say ‘Look here, some one—I can’t tell you who—tells me that you’ve lost more money than is good for you at cards,’ he’ll simply get mightily insulted and won’t speak to you again until you apologize.”