bertie has grown a moustache, despite disapproval from jeeves. bertie's friend francis "bicky" bickersteth comes to bertie in search of advice. bertie asks jeeves to help. doubtful, bicky tells bertie that the manner is private, but bertie says that jeeves probably already knows all about it anyway, and indeed he does: bicky is in a dilemma since his uncle, the miserly duke of chiswick, who gives bicky an allowance on the condition that bicky improve himself financially, has decided to visit bicky. bicky, wishing to remain in new york, has been lying to his uncle about finding a business opportunity in the city.