"An enormous place--simply enormous! What do you think they pay in
rent?--three thousand eight hundred pounds a year! Could you believe
it? Three thousand eight hundred pounds! And how many people do you
think they employ? Now just guess, do; just make a shot at it!"

"How do I know? Two or three hundred, I dessay."

Christopher's face shone with triumph.

"One thousand--three hundred--and forty-two! Could you believe it?"

"Oh, I dessay," Polly replied, with her mouth full.

"Enormous, isn't it? Why, it's like a town in itself!"

Had his own name been Swettenham he could hardly have shown more
pride in these figures. When Polly inquired how much _they_ made a
year he was unable to reply with exactitude, but the mere thought of
what such a total must be all but overcame him. Personally he
profited by his connexion with the great firm to the extent of two
pounds a week, an advance of ten shillings on what he had hitherto
earned. And his prospects! Why, they were limitless. Once let a
fellow get into Swettenham's--

"You're not doing so bad for a single man," remarked Polly, with
facetious malice in her eye. "But it won't run to a supper like this
very often."

"Oh--well--not often, of course." His voice quavered into sudden