A comedy centred upon Hugo Cornish, who does his best to make ends meet as a somewhat strange man-about-town by doing odd jobs, and wherever possible sponging off others. His goal is simply to inherit millions of dollars from an equally bizarre individual, his Uncle Ned, who spends his time on a succession of hobbies. Together with Colonel Freddie Willis-Jevington, another hilarious character who has a fool-proof system for winning at roulette, Hugo finds himself beside the Californian 'death-bed' of his uncle. The two of them fantasize and plot to the point where their mind set becomes one of self-deception. Hugo also experiences serious romantic difficulties. All in all, a brilliant comic novel which will delight from cover to cover.