Yet where would he begin, and on whom?
MacFarlane had just told him that Morris was away from home and would not be back for several days.

Peter was out of the question so far as his own means--or lack of means--was concerned, and he could not, of course, ask him to go into debt for a man who had never been his friend, especially when neither he nor Garry had any security to offer.
He finally decided to talk the whole matter over with MacFarlane and act on his advice.

The clear business head of his Chief cleared the situation as a north-west wind blows out a fog.
"Stay out of it, Jack," he exclaimed in a quick, positive voice that showed he had made up his mind long before Jack had finished his recital.

"Minott is a gambler, and so was his father before him.

He has got to take his lean with his fat.