"If a lucky drawer of the sweep money offered me a portion I'd take it, but I'd never demand it," replied Tom.
"I mean to get some of it anyhow," declared Bellshaw.
"Then if Barellan will start on those conditions," said Tom, "he can't be so bad. I think I'll risk it and wire to that effect. It will relieve his backers."
"Wire if you like, but don't say I gave you the information."
"Not willingly, but putting one thing with another I think I am justified in wiring that your horse's lameness is not so serious as at first supposed," answered Tom.
"Then you'll be misleading the public, as you have done many a time."
"I never mislead the public, knowingly," said Tom.
"Through ignorance of facts," sneered Bellshaw. "Put it that way."
"You're not making a bed of roses for yourself by going on in this way," said Jerry. "You'll smart for it if you don't mind."
"You've been on the spree ever since you've been here," remarked Bellshaw. "I wonder what your boss would say if he knew."
"You can tell him if you wish. I fancy you'd get your change," retorted Jerry.
Turning to Leigh, Bellshaw said, "I've had enough of this talk. You let me know by Saturday what you are going to do, or I'll act as I said I would."
He left them and walked out of the office.
"The atmosphere's a bit purer now he's gone," said Tom. "Isn't he a bounder?"
"He is. I've a good mind to rub it into him next week. He's a good figure to caricature," answered Jerry.
"Let him alone. Don't waste your talent on him," said Nick.
"I'd better turn my attention to you, and call it 'The Philanthropist'," suggested Jerry smiling.
Nick laughed. He knew to what Jerry alluded.
"I've issued a challenge," he said, "or rather I am about to do so; you can wire it to the 'Life' if you wish to."
"No, something more exciting. I'll wager two thousand pounds no one can produce a horse that will throw Glen Leigh in a quarter of an hour. There are conditions of course; it must be a throw, no lying down, and rolling over him, and so on."
"By Jove, that's plucky," said Tom. "He thinks a lot of your riding, Leigh."
"I do. He's the best roughrider in Australia, and that's saying a lot," affirmed Nick.
"We'll draw up the conditions," said Tom, "and I'll forward them."