"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 changed much, then," said Kit. "We both attended the same boarding school, but nobody liked Ralph." "Was he much of a scholar?" "No; he dragged along in the lower half of the class." "Were you two good friends?" "We didn't quarrel, but we kept apart." "So his father wants to make a lawyer of him?" "Yes; I have had a letter from Smyrna in which I hear that my uncle has just bought Ralph a bicycle valued at a hundred and twenty-five dollars." "Money seems to be more plenty with him now than it used to be in his Glendale days. By the way would you like to see the place where your uncle used to live?"