“I don’t know about that. I’ll test him by asking him which he would rather have, a quarter or a dollar.”
Inspector Ward laughed.
Nick Carter was serious.
Perhaps Benny the Bum was not so blind as he would have people believe. He probably was like the majority of his calling, a fraud.
“I’m going to talk to him,” said Nick, as he crossed the road.
“Hello, Benny!”
Nick spoke in tones that an ordinarily deaf man could hear. The tramp answered at once: “Well, what do you want?”
“I’ve got a charitable friend with me who will pay you well if you will tell him what mark to put on his gate so the other tramps will see it and keep out.”
The beggar gave a hoarse chuckle. “Maybe he owns a bank; if he does, he can pay me well.”
“No, he don’t,” Nick replied, “but he will give you ten dollars if you will tell him.”