d that pays me better than any
other employment I can get."

"But your father was a rich man, I always heard."

"I supposed so myself, till a short time since my uncle informed me that
I was penniless, and must learn a trade."

"But where did the money go, then? How does your uncle make a living?"

"He has my father's old place, and appears to have enough to support
himself and Ralph."

"Sit down here, young man! There is something strange about this. I want
to ask you a few questions."

"You are the man I want to see," said Kit. "I think myself there is some
mystery, and I would like to ask some questions about my uncle Stephen
from some one who knew him here. I suppose you knew him?"

"No one knew him better. Many is the time he has come to me for a loan.
He didn't always pay back the money, and I dare say he owes me still in
the neighborhood of fifty dollars."

"Was he poor then?"

"He was in very limited circumstances. He pretended to be in the
insurance business, and had a small office in the building near the
hotel, but if he made four hundred dollars a year in that way it was
more than any one supposed."

"Then," said Kit, puzzled, "how could he have lent my father ten
thousand dollars?"

"He lend you father ten thousand dollars, or anybody else ten thousand
dollars! Why, that is perfectly ridiculous. Who says he did?"

"He says so himself."

"To whom did he tell that fish story?"

"He told me. That is the way he explained his taking possession of the
property. That was only one loan. He said he lent father money at
various times, and had to take the estate in payment."

Kit's auditor gave a loud whistle.

"The man's a deeper and shrewder rascal than I had any idea of," he
said. "He is swindling you in the most barefaced manner."

"I am not very much surprised to hear it," said Kit. "I was not
satisfied that he was telling the truth. If you are correct, then, he
has wrongfully appropriated my father's money."

"There is not a doubt of it. Did he drive you from home?"

"About the same. He attempted to apprentice me to a blacksmith, while
his own son Ralph he means to send to college, and have him study law."

"I remember Ralph well, though he was a small boy when he left this
village. He was very unpopular among those of his own age. He was always
up to some mean act of mischief. He got my boy into trouble once in
school by charging him with something he had himself done."

"He hasn't ch