"Oh, papa, what do you think? That country boy I saw in your office has got into trouble."
"Do you mean your cousin Benjamin?"
"I suppose he is my cousin," said Clarence, reluctantly, "but I don't care about knowing him for a relation. I saw him on Broadway in charge of a policeman."
"Are you sure of this?" said Mr. Walton, much surprised.
"Yes; I knew him well enough by his clothes."
Clarence then gave an account of his meeting Ben.
"Did you speak to him?" asked his father.
"Mercy, no! Percy Van Dyke was with me. I wouldn't for a hundred dollars have him know that I had a cousin arrested, and such a countryfied-looking cousin, too."
"I think Benjamin would be a good-looking boy if he were well dressed," said Mr. Walton.
"I don't," said Clarence, decidedly.