onaire's son a little of
his wealth.

CHAPTER VII

A SHARPER FOILED

Through Hamilton Corners the big car shot, its progress watched by
throngs who had heard of Dick's trip. His conduct was commented on in
various ways.

"Good land!" exclaimed Hank Darby. "If I had the money that spendthrift
will get rid of before he gets back here I could make my fortune. All I
need is a little capital and I'd be rich inside of a week. I have a
great scheme on."

"Ain't goin' t' buy any more soap, be ye, Hank?" asked Porter Heavydale,
a little, thin, wisp of a man, who was fully as lazy as Hank, but who
made no secret of it. "Guess you had some slip-up there."

"Oh, that--that was an accident, such as is liable to happen to any
business man," and Hank carefully whittled a stick until there was
nothing left of it.

"Wa'al, a fool an' his money is soon parted, the proverb says,"
commented Porter. "Give Dick rope enough an' he'll come t' th' end of it
sooner or later."

"Dick's no fool," retorted Hank. "But I do hate to see him spend money."

"Hasn't he a right to it, father?" asked Henry, always ready to come to
Dick's defense. "It's his, and I'm sure he has been kind enough to me.
Why, he loaned me fifty dollars the other day."

"He did! Land sakes, where is it now, Henry? If I knowed that I could
have made a deal with it. Git it for me right away."

"I can't," replied Henry. "I bought some old iron with it and I'm
waiting for a raise in the market. Besides, it's only a loan."

"He'll never miss it," said Mr. Darby. "Good land! I wished I a-knowed
you had it! I could 'a' bought some oil well stock. It's awful cheap
now."

"Yes, an' it would be a heap sight cheaper after you'd bought it," put
in Porter with a laugh.

New York was reached by those in the touring car at nightfall, and Dick
registered himself and his friends at one of the finest hotels, the
manager of which his father knew. The boys had adjoining rooms in the
best part of the big building, and "Bricktop," Frank and Walter were so
excited over the beautifully fitted-up apartments that they could do
nothing but stare about.

"Oh, they're not so bad," remarked Simon, in a patronizing tone when
appealed to by "Bricktop," who demanded to know if this wasn't "the best
ever." Simon had never been in such a fine hotel, but he wanted to
pretend he was used to the luxuries. Guy followed his crony's example
and affected to sneer at the accommodations.

"