t that boy alone, you skunk, you!"

As he spoke, he seized the man by the collar and jerked him to his feet.

"What does all this mean?" he asked, turning from one to the other.

"This boy has robbed me of one hundred and fifty dollars," said the man,
glibly. "I fell in with him in the Boston cars, and he relieved me of a
roll of bills which I had drawn from a bank in Boston."

"What have you got to say to this?" asked the Western man, turning to
Herbert, who was now on his feet.

"Only this," answered Herbert, "that it is a lie. It was I who drew
the money from the Merchants' Bank in Boston. This man saw me cash the
check, followed me, and offered to come here with me, when I asked him
for directions."

"That's a likely story!" sneered the young man. "My friend here is too
sharp to believe it."

"Don't call me your friend!" said the Western man, bluntly. "I'm more
than half convinced you're a scamp."

"I don't propose to stay here and be insulted. Let the boy give me my
money, and I won't have him arrested."

"Don't be in too much of a hurry, young man! I want to see about this
thing. What bank did you draw the money from?"

"From the Merchants' Bank--the boy has got things reversed. He saw me
draw it, inveigled himself into my confidence, and picked my pocket."

"Look here--stop right there! Your story doesn't hang together!" said
the tall Westerner, holding up his finger. "You said you met this boy in
a horse car."

"We came over together in a Charlestown horse car," said the rogue,
abashed.

"You've given yourself away. Now make yourself scarce! Scoot!"

The rascal looked in the face of the tall, resolute man from the
West, and thought it prudent to obey. He started to descend, but a
well-planted kick accelerated his progress, and he fell down several
steps, bruising his knees.

"Thank you, sir!" said Herbert, gratefully. "It was lucky you came up
just as you did. The rascal had got his hand on the money."

"He is a miserable scamp!" answered Herbert's new friend. "If there'd
been a police-man handy, I'd have given him in charge. I've come clear
from Wisconsin to see where Warren fell, but I didn't expect to come
across such a critter as that on Bunker Hill."

Herbert pointed out to his new friend the objects in view, repeating
the information he had so recently acquired. Then, feeling that he could
spare no more time, he descended the stairs and jumped on board a horse
car bound for Boston.