"About Geoff Fleming?--what about Fleming?'
"I'm afraid--well, Phil, the truth is that I'm afraid that Geoff's a hopeless case."
Mr. Philpotts was once more busying himself with the papers which were on the side table.
"What do you mean?"
"As you know, he and I have been very thick in our time, and when he came a cropper it was I who suggested that we who were at school with him might have a whip round among ourselves to get the old chap a fresh start elsewhere. You all of you behaved like bricks, and when I told him what you had done, poor Geoff was quite knocked over. He promised voluntarily that he would never touch a card again, or make another bet, until he had paid you fellows off with thumping interest. Well, he doesn't seem to have kept his promise long."
"How do you know he hasn't?"
"I've heard from Deecie."
"From Deecie?--where's Fleming?"
"In Ceylon--they'd both got there before Deecie's letter left."
"In Ceylon!" exclaimed Mr. Philpotts excitedly, staring hard at Mr. Osborne. "You are sure he isn't back in town?"