of course, the size of a man's bank account cannot be judged from
his wardrobe, Mr. Hinman had the appearance of needing money as
much as he declared. The horse, too, looked as though a generous
feed of oats would do him good.

"And to think of all the things I know about Squire Stark, too,"
murmured Mr. Hinman, apparently speaking to himself and not realizing
that his words carried to the boys' ears. "If he had a little
more judgment, Silas Stark would treat me with more fairness."

"I'm very sorry if I seemed too much amused," Tom apologized earnestly,
"but that letter, apart from its meaning to you, really is funny."

"I---I suppose so," assented Reuben Hinman sighing, and the far-away
look returning to his eyes. "But I---I need the money!"

"And both of us hope that you will get it, sir, the whole of your
half," said Dick Prescott heartily.

"Anyway, I'm much obliged to both of you boys," said the peddler.
"Giddap, Prince!"

Somehow, both boys thought that Reuben Hinman drooped more on
the seat of his wagon than before. He drove off slowly, evidently
doing a lot of hard thinking.

"Poor old man!" muttered Tom sympathetically.

"He looks a bit slow-witted," Prescott suggested. "I'm afraid
he has always been going through life wondering at the doings