NextdaybroughttheAdmiralachequeforL5,000fromMr.McAdam,andastampedagreementbywhichhemadeoverhispensionpaperstothespeculativeinvestor. Itwasnotuntilhehadsignedandsentitoffthatthefullsignificanceofallthathehaddonebrokeuponhim.Hehadsacrificedeverything.Hispensionwasgone. Hehadnothingsaveonlywhathecouldearn.Butthestoutoldheartneverquailed. HewaitedeagerlyforaletterfromtheSaintLawrenceShippingCompany,andinthemeanwhilehegavehislandlordaquarter’snotice. Hundredpoundayearhouseswouldinfuturebealuxurywhichhecouldnotaspireto. AsmalllodginginsomeinexpensivepartofLondonmustbethesubstituteforhisbreezyNorwoodvilla.Sobeit,then! Betterthatathousandfoldthanthathisnameshouldbeassociatedwithfailureanddisgrace. OnthatmorningHaroldDenverwastomeetthecreditorsofthefirm,andtoexplainthesituationtothem. Itwasahatefultask,adegradingtask,buthesethimselftodoitwithquietresolution. Athometheywaitedinintenseanxietytolearntheresultofthemeeting. Itwaslatebeforehereturned,haggardpale,likeamanwhohasdoneandsufferedmuch. “What’sthisboardinfrontofthehouse?”heasked. “Wearegoingtotryalittlechangeofscene,”saidtheAdmiral.“Thisplaceisneithertownnorcountry.Butnevermindthat,boy.TelluswhathappenedintheCity.” “Godhelpme!Mywretchedbusinessdrivingyououtofhouseandhome!” criedHarold,brokendownbythisfreshevidenceoftheeffectsofhismisfortunes. “Itiseasierformetomeetmycreditorsthantoseeyoutwosufferingsopatientlyformysake.” “Tut,tut!”criedtheAdmiral.“There’snosufferinginthematter. Motherwouldratherbenearthetheaters. That’satthebottomofit,isn’tit,mother? Youcomeandsitdownherebetweenusandtellusallaboutit.” Haroldsatdownwithalovinghandineachofhis. “It’snotsobadaswethought,”saidhe,“andyetitisbadenough. Ihaveabouttendaystofindthemoney,butIdon’tknowwhichwaytoturnforit. Pearson,however,lied,asusual,whenhespokeofL13,000.TheamountisnotquiteL7,000.” TheAdmiralclapedhishands.“Iknewweshouldweatheritafterall!Hurrahmyboy!Hip,hip,hip,hurrah!” Haroldgazedathiminsurprise,whiletheoldseamanwavedhisarmabovehisheadandbellowedoutthreestentoriancheers.“WhereamItogetseventhousandpoundsfrom,dad?”heasked. “Nevermind.Youspinyouryarn.” “Well,theywereverygoodandverykind,butofcoursetheymusthaveeithertheirmoneyortheirmoney’sworth. Theypassedavoteofsympathywithme,andagreedtowaittendaysbeforetheytookanyproceedings. Threeofthem,whoseclaimcametoL3,500,toldmethatifIwouldgivethemmypersonalI.O.U.,andpayinterestattherateoffivepercent,theiramountsmightstandoveraslongasIwished. ThatwouldbeachargeofL175uponmyincome,butwitheconomyIcouldmeetit,anditdiminishesthedebtbyone-half.” AgaintheAdmiralburstoutcheering. “Thereremains,therefore,aboutL3,200whichhastobefoundwithintendays.Nomanshalllosebyme. IgavethemmywordintheroomthatifIworkedmysouloutofmybodyeveryoneofthemshouldbepaid. Ishallnotspendapennyuponmyselfuntilitisdone.Butsomeofthemcan’twait. Theyarepoormenthemselves,andmusthavetheirmoney. TheyhaveissuedawarrantforPearson’sarrest. ButtheythinkthathehasgotawaytheStates.” “Thesemenshallhavetheirmoney,”saidtheAdmiral. “Yes,myboy,youdon’tknowtheresourcesofthefamily.Oneneverdoesknowuntilonetries.Whathaveyouyourselfnow?” “Ihaveaboutathousandpoundsinvested.” “Allright.AndIhaveaboutasmuchmore.There’sagoodstart.Now,mother,itisyourturn.Whatisthatlittlebitofpaperofyours?” Mrs.Denverunfoldedit,andplacedituponHarold’sknee. “Fivethousandpounds!”hegasped. “Ah,butmotherisnottheonlyrichone.Lookatthis!”AndtheAdmiralunfoldedhischeque,andplaceditupontheotherknee. Haroldgazedfromonetotheotherinbewilderment.“Tenthousandpounds!”hecried.“Goodheavens!wheredidthesecomefrom?” “Youwillnotworryanylonger,dear,”murmuredhismother,slippingherarmroundhim. Buthisquickeyehadcaughtthesignatureupononeofthecheques.“DoctorWalker!”hecried,flushing.“ThisisClara’sdoing.Oh,dad,wecannottakethismoney.Itwouldnotberightnorhonorable.” “No,boy,Iamgladyouthinkso.Itissomething,however,tohaveprovedone’sfriend,forarealgoodfriendheis. Itwashewhobroughtitin,thoughClarasenthim. Butthisothermoneywillbeenoughtocovereverything,anditisallmyown.” “Yourown?Wheredidyougetit,dad?” “Tut,tut!SeewhatitistohaveaCitymantodealwith.Itismyown,andfairlyearned,andthatisenough.” “Dearolddad!”Haroldsqueezedhisgnarledhand.“Andyou,mother! Youhaveliftedthetroublefrommyheart.Ifeelanotherman. Youhavesavedmyhonor,mygoodname,everything. Icannotoweyoumore,forIoweyoueverythingalready.” Sowhiletheautumnsunsetshoneruddilythroughthebroadwindowthesethreesattogetherhandinhand,withheartswhichweretoofulltospeak. Suddenlythesoftthuddingoftennisballswasheard,andMrs.Westmacottboundedintoviewuponthelawnwithbrandishedracketandshortskirtsflutteringinthebreeze. Thesightcameasarelieftotheirstrainednerves,andtheyburstallthreeintoaheartyfitoflaughter. “Sheisplayingwithhernephew,”saidHaroldatlast.“TheWalkershavenotcomeoutyet.Ithinkthatitwouldbewellifyouweretogivemethatcheque,mother,andIweretoreturnitinperson.” “Certainly,Harold.Ithinkitwouldbeverynice.” Hewentinthroughthegarden.ClaraandtheDoctorweresittingtogetherinthedining-room.Shesprangtoherfeetatthesightofhim. “Oh,Harold,Ihavebeenwaitingforyousoimpatiently,”shecried;“Isawyoupassthefrontwindowshalfanhourago.IwouldhavecomeinifIdared.Dotelluswhathashappened.” “Ihavecomeintothankyouboth.HowcanIrepayyouforyourkindness?Hereisyourcheque,Doctor.Ihavenotneededit.IfindthatIcanlaymyhandsonenoughtopaymycreditors.” “ThankGod!”saidClarafervently. “ThesumislessthanIthought,andourresourcesconsiderablymore.Wehavebeenabletodoitwithease.” “Withease!”TheDoctor’sbrowcloudedandhismannergrewcold.“Ithink,Harold,thatyouwoulddobettertotakethismoneyofmine,thantousethatwhichseemstoyoutobegainedwithease.” “Thankyou,sir.IfIborrowedfromanyoneitwouldbefromyou. Butmyfatherhasthisverysum,fivethousandpounds,and,asItellhim,IowehimsomuchthatIhavenocompunctionaboutowinghimmore.” “Nocompunction!Surelytherearesomesacrificeswhichasonshouldnotallowhisparentstomake.” “Sacrifices!Whatdoyoumean?” “Isitpossiblethatyoudonotknowhowthismoneyhasbeenobtained?” “Igiveyoumyword,DoctorWalker,thatIhavenoidea.Iaskedmyfather,butherefusedtotellme.” “Ithoughtnot,”saidtheDoctor,thegloomclearingfromhisbrow. “Iwassurethatyouwerenotamanwho,toclearyourselffromalittlemoneydifficulty,wouldsacrificethehappinessofyourmotherandthehealthofyourfather.” “Goodgracious!whatdoyoumean?” “Itisonlyrightthatyoushouldknow.Thatmoneyrepresentsthecommutationofyourfather’spension.Hehasreducedhimselftopoverty,andintendstogotoseaagaintoearnaliving.” “Itisthetruth.CharlesWestmacotthastoldIda.HewaswithhimintheCitywhenhetookhispoorpensionaboutfromdealertodealertryingtosellit.Hesucceededatlast,andhencethemoney.” “Hehassoldhispension!”criedHarold,withhishandstohisface.“Mydearolddadhassoldhispension!” Herushedfromtheroom,andburstwildlyintothepresenceofhisparentsoncemore.“Icannottakeit,father,”hecried.“Betterbankruptcythanthat.Oh,ifIhadonlyknownyourplan!Wemusthavebackthepension. Oh,mother,mother,howcouldyouthinkmecapableofsuchselfishness? Givemethecheque,dad,andIwillseethismanto-night,forIwouldsoonerdielikeadogintheditchthantouchapennyofthismoney.” 
