isky?"

"No. He went away disappointed. I don't doubt, Ernest, that the gold piece
was one of yours. How did the fellow get in?"

"Through the window. I found it open when I woke up."

"You must have slept sound."

"I did. I slept an hour later than I generally do."

"Was anything else taken?"

"Not that I could discover."

"Do you mean to say that your uncle had but ten dollars?" asked Joe
incredulously.

"It was all he had in the trunk."

"I always thought him a rich man."

"He was not," said Ernest quietly.

"Was that all the money he had? He had the reputation of being a miser,
with hoards of gold hidden in or near the cabin."

"I know of one sum of money he had concealed, but it was not a large
amount."

"I'm glad you won't be left penniless, lad; did he own the cabin?" said
Luke.

"Nobody owned it," said Joe Marks. "It was built years ago by a man who
suddenly left it and went away, nobody knew where. It wasn't worth much,
and no one ever took the trouble to claim it. When your uncle came here he
found it empty and took possession of it, and there he has lived ever
since. So you'll have some money, Ernest?"

"Only a hundred dollars."

"What will you do? What are your plans?"

"I don't know. I haven't had time to think."

"I might find a place for you in the store. We wouldn't like to have you
go away."

"Thank you, Joe. You are very kind. But there's no chance for me around
here. I'll take the money and go somewhere. But first I must see Uncle
Peter buried. Will you help me?"

"To be sure we will. Was he your only relation?"

"He was not my relation at all."

"Why, you have always called him uncle."

"I supposed him to be my uncle, but yesterday he told me that he was only
a servant in my father's family, and that on my father's death he was
placed in charge of me."

"I reckon that's so. You didn't favor the old man at all. You look as if
you came from better stock."

"All the same I shall miss him," said Ernest sadly. "He was a good friend
to me."

"Did he tell you whether you had any kin?"

"Yes; I have a cousin of my father's living in New York State. He is a
rich man. He inherited the property that ought to have gone to my
father."

"How did that happen?"

"He prejudiced my grandfather against my father, and so the estate was
willed to him."

"The mean scoundrel!" exclaimed Luke indignantly. "I'd like to have him in
my hands for a few minutes; I'd give him a lesson."