Jill had money and was engaged to be married to Sir Derek Underhill. But when she suddenly becomes penniless, she finds herself no longer engaged. Refusing to be beaten, she heads for New York, with a smile that betrays a tinge of recklessness, to join the chorus of "The Rose of America." Freddie Rooke was advancing towards him, the friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Like some loving dog, who, ordered home sneaks softly on through alleys and by-ways, peeping round corners and crouching behind lamp-posts, the faithful Freddie had followed him after all. And with him, to add the last touch to Derek's discomfiture, were those two inseparable allies of his, Ronny Devereux and Algy Martyn. "Well, old thing," said Freddie, patting Derek encouragingly on the shoulder, "here we are after all I know you told me not to roll round and so forth, but I knew you didn't mean it. I thought it over after you had left, and decided it would be a rotten trick not to cluster about you in your hour of need. I hope you don't mind Ronny and Algy breezing along too. The fact is, I was in the deuce of a funk--your jolly old mater always rather paralyses my nerve-centres, you know--so I roped them in.