“Then—–­what’s the answer?” demanded the peddler slowly.

“I know the answer,” said Tom confidently, “but it would be a shame to tell you, sir.”

“Just the same, I wish you would,” replied the peddler coaxingly.

“The answer,” replied Reade, “is that you have been cheated.”

“But it looks to me like a mean trick,” Dick went on.

“What am I going to do about it?” asked the peddler wonderingly.

“I don’t believe you can do anything about it, sir,” Prescott answered, “unless you are willing to sue the lawyer, or can make him agree to fair play.  But I certainly would drop in to see him and tell him that you expect just half of what he has so far collected.”

“I believe I’ll do that,” replied Peddler Hinman, judging from the address on the letter, that was his name.  “I don’t like to be made a fool of by any man—–­especially when I need money as badly as any other man on my route.”

Dick took a sweeping glance at the peddler’s shabby attire.  While, 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 of others, and especially at the success of unprincipled men he has had to deal with.”

“Do you know,” remarked Reade, gazing after the bent, huddled little figure, “I’ve a notion that there has been a lot in that poor fellow’s life that has been downright tragic.”

Tragic?  Without doubt!  Moreover, though Dick could not guess it, he and his friends were soon to be mixed up in the tragic side of Peddler Hinman’s life.

CHAPTER IV

PEDDLER HINMAN’S NEXT APPEARANCE