“You appear,” he said, “to have acted in a thoroughly capable and praiseworthy manner.  The only point in your conduct which I would permit myself to criticise is your omission to slay the kid.  That, however, was due, I take it, to the fact that you were interrupted.  We will now proceed to examine the future.  I cannot see that it is altogether murky.  You have lost a good job, but there are others, equally good, for a man of your calibre.  New York is crammed with dyspeptic millionaires who need an efficient physical instructor to look after them.  Cheer up, Cuthbert, for the sun is still shining!”

Jerry Mitchell shook his head.  He refused to be comforted.

“It’s Miss Ann,” he said.  “What am I going to say to her?”

“What has she got to do with it?” asked Jimmy, interested.

For a moment Jerry hesitated, but the desire for sympathy and advice was too strong for him.  And after all there was no harm in confiding in a good comrade like Jimmy.

“It’s like this,” he said.  “Miss Ann and me had got it all fixed up to kidnap the kid!”

“What!”

“Say, I don’t mean ordinary kidnapping.  It’s this way.  Miss Ann come to me and we agree that the kid’s a pest that had ought to have some strong-arm keep him in order, so we decide to get him away to a friend of mine who keeps a dogs’ hospital down on Long Island.  Bud Smithers is the guy to handle that kid.  You ought to see him take hold of a dog that’s all grouch and ugliness and make it over into a dog that it’s a pleasure to have around.  I thought a few weeks with Bud was what the doctor ordered for Ogden, and Miss Ann guessed I was right, so we had it all framed.  And now this happens and balls everything up!  She can’t do nothing with a husky kid like that without me to help her.  And how am I going to help her if I’m not allowed in the house?”

Jimmy was conscious of a renewed admiration for a girl whom he had always considered a queen among women.  How rarely in this world did one find a girl who combined every feminine charm of mind and body with a resolute determination to raise Cain at the slightest provocation!

“What an absolutely corking idea!”

Jerry smirked modestly at the approbation, but returned instantly to his gloom.

“You get me now?  What am I to say to her?  She’ll be sore!”

“The problem,” Jimmy had begun, “is one which, as you suggest, presents certain—­” when there was a knock at the door and the head of the boarding-house’s maid-of-all-work popped in.

“Mr. Bayliss, is Mr. Mitchell—?  Oh, say, Mr. Mitchell, there’s a lady down below wants to see you.  Says her name’s Chester.”

Jerry looked at Jimmy appealingly.

“What’ll I do?”

“Do nothing,” said Jimmy, rising and reaching for his shoes.  “I’ll go down and see her.  I can explain for you.”

“It’s mighty good of you.”

“It will be a pleasure.  Rely on me.”