“So that he may make restitution,” urged Miss Penny.

“Yes, that’s what he says,” said Charles, in a tone that showed no slightest tincture of conviction.  “What would you do,” he asked, looking up at Graeme, “if you were in my place?”

Graeme filled his pipe thoughtfully.

“Let us look at it quietly all round,” he said, and lit up and puffed away contemplatively.

“From what he says,”—­checking off his points on his fingers,—­“if you don’t assist him, he may be taken, and the—­the unpleasantness of the situation be thereby increased....  I do not see that his punishment would help anyone—­except maybe as a deterrent, and that is problematical....  I gather from this, as you do, that he has funds awaiting him somewhere....  You have no great faith in his promises—­”

“None,” growled Charles.

“And I presume, as a business man, you would count a bird in the hand worth several in the bush—­in other words, you would sooner have what he has stowed away—­somewhere, than what he hopes to make some time—­”

“Sight sooner!”

“Then, I should say, offer him such assistance as he needs to get away, and, if you can see your way to it, a bit to live on afterwards, on condition of his placing in your hands everything he has got stowed away, so that you can pass it on to the receiver.”

Charles shook his head.  “I couldn’t trust him.”

“Then there’s only one thing to do if he agrees, and that is to go with him and bring the property back with you.”

Charles groaned.  “It may mean the Argentine.  Spain’s no place for investments these days.”

“It’s rough on you, old man, but it’s the best I can think of,” said Graeme.

“And supposing he tells me to go hang?”

“Then,” said Graeme, with a shrug, “I don’t see that you can help him.  I have no personal feeling against him whatever, but I cannot see how you can help him except on some such lines as I’ve indicated.  How does it strike you, Meg?”

But Margaret shook her head.  “I feel very much as you do.  If he is caught and punished it will only add to Mrs. Pixley’s and Charles’s trouble, and benefit nobody.  But he is very obstinate.  He has evidently planned out his future.  I doubt if he’ll turn from it.”

“And you, Hennie?” asked Graeme.

“I think you should help him if you possibly can.  It’s horrible to think of him hiding there and in fear of being caught—­”

“Helping him in any case is against the law—­”

“Blood is thicker than water,” said Hennie Penny earnestly.

“—­But if some present benefit was to come to his creditors I should consider it right to do it, not otherwise.”

“Suppose you go across, and see him, and talk it over with him, Mr. Pixley?” said Hennie Penny.

“I suppose that’s the only thing to be done,” groaned Charles.  “How do you get there?”

“The Courier would call here by arrangement—­up at the Eperquerie,” said Graeme.  “She can’t come in, of course.  It means lying out in a small boat and waiting for her.  What do you say to us all going?  In fact, unless we do, how are we going to explain Charles’s going to Mrs. Pixley?”