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hest and reply in a clear and manly voice that I have gone out； you know not where。 May I rely on your benevolent neutrality； Bayliss？〃
〃Very good； Mr。 James。〃
〃I think I will go and sit in my father's den。 A man may lie hid there with some success as a rule。〃
Jimmy heaved himself painfully off the sofa； blinked； and set out for the den； where his father； in a deep arm…chair； was smoking a restful pipe and reading the portions of the daily papers which did not deal with the game of cricket。
Mr。 Crocker's den was a small room at the back of the house。 It was not luxurious； and it looked out onto a blank wall； but it was the spot he liked best in all that vast pile which had once echoed to the tread of titled shoes； for； as he sometimes observed to his son； it had the distinction of being the only room on the ground floor where a fellow could move without stubbing his toe on a countess or an honourable。 In this peaceful backwater he could smoke a pipe； put his feet up； take off his coat； and generally indulge in that liberty and pursuit of happiness to which the Constitution entitles a free…born American。 Nobody ever came there except Jimmy and himself。
He did not suspend his reading at his son's entrance。 He muttered a wele through the clouds； but he did not raise his eyes。 Jimmy took the other arm…chair； and began to smoke silently。 It was the unwritten law of the den that soothing silence rather than aimless chatter should prevail。 It was not until a quarter of an hour had passed that Mr。 Crocker dropped his paper and spoke。
〃Say； Jimmy； I want to talk to you。〃
〃Say on。 You have our ear。〃
〃Seriously。〃
〃Continuealways； however； keeping before you the fact that I am a sick man。 Last night was a wild night on the moors； dad。〃
〃It's about your stepmother。 She was talking at breakfast about you。 She's sore at you for giving Spike Dillon lunch at the Carlton。 You oughtn't to have taken him there； Jimmy。 That's what got her goat。 She was there with a bunch of swells and they had to sit and listen to Spike talking about his half…scissors hook。〃
〃What's their kick against Spike's half…scissors hook？ It's a darned good one。〃
〃She said she was going to speak to you about it。 I thought I'd let you know。〃
〃Thanks； dad。 But was that all？〃
〃All。〃
〃All that she was going to speak to me about？ Sure there was nothing else？〃
〃She didn't say anything about anything else。〃
〃Then she DOESN'T know！ Fine！〃
Mr。 Crocker's feet came down from the mantelpiece with a crash。
〃Jimmy！ You haven't been raising Cain again？〃
〃No； no； dad。 Nothing serious。 High…spirited Young Patrician stuff； the sort of thing that's expected of a fellow in my position。〃
Mr。 Crocker was not to be forted。
〃Jimmy； you've got to pull up。 Honest； you have。 I don't care for myself。 I like to see a boy having a good time。 But your stepmother says you're apt to queer us with the people up top； the way you're going on。 Lord knows I wouldn't care if things were different； but I'll tell you exactly how I stand。 I didn't get wise till this morning。 Your stepmother sprang it on me suddenly。 I've often wondered what all this stuff was about； this living in London and trailing the swells。 I couldn't think what was your stepmother's idea。 Now I know。 Jimmy； she's trying to get them to make me a peer！〃
〃What！〃
〃Just that。 And she says〃
〃But； dad； this is rich！ This is edy of a high order！ A peer！ Good Heavens； if it es off； what shall I be？ This title business is all so plicated。 I know I should have to change my name to Hon。 Rollo Cholmondeley or the Hon。 Aubrey Marjoribanks； but what I want to know is which？ I want to be prepared for the worst。〃
〃And you see； Jimmy； these people up top； the guys who arrange the giving of titles； are keeping an eye on you； because you would have the title after me and naturally they don't want to get stung。 I gathered all that from your stepmother。 Say； Jimmy； I'm not asking a lot of you； but there is just one thing you can do for me without putting yourself out too much。〃
〃I'll do it； dad； if it kills me。 Slip me the info！〃
〃Your stepmother's friend Lady Corstorphine's nephew 。 。 。〃
〃It's not the sort of story to ask a man with a headache to follow。 I hope it gets simpler as it goes along。〃
〃Your stepmother wants you to be a good fellow and make friends with this boy。 You see； his father is in right with the Premier and has the biggest kind of a pull when it es to handing out titles。〃
〃Is that all you want？ Leave it to me。 Inside of a week I'll be playing kiss…in…the…ring with him。 The whole force of my sunny personality shall be directed towards making him love me。 What's his name？〃
〃Lord Percy Whipple。〃
Jimmy's pipe fell with a clatter。
〃Dad； pull yourself together！ Reflect！ You know you don't seriously mean Lord Percy Whipple。〃
〃Eh？〃
Jimmy laid a soothing hand on his father's shoulder。
〃Dad； prepare yourself for the big laugh。 This is where you throw your head back and roar with honest mirth。 I met Lord Percy Whipple last night at the Six Hundred Club。 Words ensued。 I fell upon Percy and beat his block off！ How it started； except that we both wanted the same table； I couldn't say。 'Why； that I cannot tell；' said he； 'but 'twas a famous victory！' If I had known； dad； nothing would have induced me to lay a hand upon Perce； save in the way of kindness； but； not even knowing who he was； it would appear from contemporary accounts of the affair that I just naturally sailed in and expunged the poor； dear boy！〃
The stunning nature of this information had much the same effect on Mr。 Crocker as the announcement of his ruin has upon the Good Old Man in melodrama。 He sat clutching the arms of his chair and staring into space； saying nothing。 Dismay was written upon his anguished countenance。
His collapse sobered Jimmy。 For the first time he perceived that the situation had another side than the humorous one which had appealed to him。 He had anticipated that Mr。 Crocker； who as a general thing shared his notions of what was funny and could be relied on to laugh in the right place； would have been struck； like himself； by the odd and pleasing coincidence of his having picked on for purposes of assault and battery the one young man with whom his stepmother wished him to form a firm and lasting friendship。 He perceived now that his father was seriously upset。 Neither Jimmy nor Mr。 Crocker possessed a demonstrative nature； but there had always existed between them the deepest affection。 Jimmy loved his father as he loved nobody else in the world； and the thought of having hurt him was like a physical pain。 His laughter died away and he set himself with a sinking heart to try to undo the effect of his words。
〃I'm awfully sorry； dad。 I had no idea you would care。 I wouldn't have done a fool thing like that for a million dollars if I'd known。 Isn't there anything I can do？ Gee whiz！ I'll go right round to Percy now and apologise。 I'll lick his boots。 Don't you worry； dad。 I'll make it all right。〃
The whirl of words roused Mr。 Crocker from his thoughts。
〃It doesn't matter； Jimmy。 Don't worry yourself。 It's only a little unfortunate； because our stepmother says she won't think of our going back to America till these people here have given me a title。 She wants to put one over on her sister。 That's all that's troubling me； the thought that this affair will set us back； this Lord Percy being in so strong with the guys who give the titles。 I guess it will mean my staying on here for a while longer； and I'd liked to have seen another ball…game。 Jimmy； do you know they call baseball Rounders in this country； and children play it with a soft ball！〃
Jimmy was striding up and down the little room。 Remorse had him in its grip。
〃What a damned fool I am！〃
〃Never mind； Jimmy。 It's unfortunate； but it wasn't your fault。 You couldn't know。〃
〃It was my fault。 Nobody but a fool like me would go about beating people up。 But don't worry； dad。 It's going to be all right。 I'll fix it。 I'm going right round to this fellow Percy now to make things all right。 I won't e back till I've squared him。 Don't you bother yourself about it any longer； dad。 It's going to be all right。〃
CHAPTER VI
JIMMY ABANDONS PICCADILLY
JIMMY removed himself sorrowfully from the doorstep of the Duke of Devizes' house in Cleveland Row。 His mission had been a failure。 In answer to his request to be permitted to see Lord Percy Whipple； the butler had replied that Lord Percy was confined to his bed and was seeing nobody。 He eyed Jimmy； on receiving his name； with an interest which he failed to conceal； for he too； like Bayliss； had read and heartily enjoyed Bill Blake's spirited version of the affair of last night which had appeared in the Daily Sun。 Indeed； he had clipped the report out and had been engaged in pasting it in an album when the bell rang。
In face of this repulse； Jimmy's campaign broke down。 He was at a loss to know what to do next。 He ebbed away from the Duke's front door like an army that has made an unsuccessful frontal attack on an impregnable fortress。 He could hardly force his way in and search for Lord Percy。
He walked along Pall Mall； deep in thought。 It was