her startled at the unexpected turn
which affairs had taken. "He's a pickpocket."

The real culprit shrugged his shoulders. "You aint quite smart enough,
boy," he said.

"Has he taken anything of yours?" asked the policeman, who supposed Ben
to be what he was represented.

"No," said the pickpocket; "but he came near taking a money letter which
I have in my pocket."

Here, with astonishing effrontery, he displayed the letter which he had
stolen from Ben.

"That's _my_ letter," said Ben. "He took it from my pocket."

"A likely story," smiled the pickpocket, in serene superiority. "The
letter is for Mrs. Abercrombie, a friend of mine, and contains fifty
dollars. I incautiously wrote upon the envelope 'Money enclosed,' which
attracted the attention of this young vagabond, as I held it in my hand.
On replacing it in my pocket, he tried to get possession of it."

"That's a lie from beginning to end," exclaimed Ben, impetuously. "He's
tryin' to make me out a thief, when he's one himself."

"Well, what is your story?" asked the policeman, who, however, had
already decided in his own mind that Ben was the guilty party.

"I was ridin' in the Fourth Avenue cars along side of this man," said
Ben, "when he put his hand in my pocket, and took out the letter that
he's just showed you. I jumped out after him, and asked him to give it
back, when he fetched me a lick in the face."

"Do you mean to say that a ragamuffin like you had fifty dollars?"
demanded the thief.

"No," said Ben, "the money wasn't mine. I was carryin' it up to Mrs.
Abercrombie, who lives on Madison Avenue."

"It's a likely story that a ragamuffin like you would be trusted with so
much money."

"If you don't believe it," said Ben, "go to Mr. Abercrombie's office in
Wall Street. Mr. Sampson gave it to me only a few minutes ago. If he
says he didn't, just carry me to the station-house as quick as you want
to."

This confident assertion of Ben's put matters in rather a different
light. It seemed straightforward, and the reference might easily prove
which was the real culprit. The pickpocket saw that the officer wavered,
and rejoined hastily, "You must expect the officer's a fool to believe
your ridiculous story."

"It's not so ridiculous," answered the policeman, scrutinizing the
speaker with sudden suspicion. "I am not sure but the boy is right."

"I'm willing to let the matter drop," said the pickpocket,
magnanimously; "as he didn't succeed in get