"Indirectly, yes. You see, Craft and I have been friends for a good many years, we have exchanged confidences, and have matured plans together. I am pretty well acquainted with the history of his successes and his failures."
"Then it will please you to know that he is pretty certain to meet with success in the Burnham suit."
"Yes? I am quite delighted to hear it:—
"Glad to know that wit and pluck
Bring their owner such good-luck.
"But, between you and me, the old gentleman has brought some faculties to bear on this case besides wit and pluck."
"Ah, indeed?"
"Yes, indeed! You see, I knew all about this matter up to the time the boy ran away. To tell the truth, the old man didn't treat the lad just right, and I gave the little fellow a pointer on getting off. Old Simon hasn't been so friendly to me since, for some reason.
"Strange what trifles oft will tend
To cool the friendship of a friend.
"In fact, I was not aware that the boy had been found, until I heard that fact from his own lips one day last fall, in Wilkesbarre. We met by a happy chance, and I entertained him on account of old acquaintance's sake."
In a moment the story of Ralph's adventure in Wilkesbarre returned to Sharpman, and he recognized Rhyming Joe as the person who had swindled the lad out of his money. He looked at the young man sternly, and said:—