Before Ben had time to prefer his charge, the pickpocket said glibly:--
"I caught him with his hand in my pocket," said the man. "He's a thieving young vagabond."
"That's a lie!" exclaimed Ben, rather startled at the unexpected turn which affairs had taken. "He's a pickpocket."
The real culprit shrugged his shoulders. "You aint quite smart enough, boy," he said.
"Has he taken anything of yours?" asked the policeman, who supposed Ben to be what he was represented.
"No," said the pickpocket; "but he came near taking a money letter which I have in my pocket."
Here, with astonishing effrontery, he displayed the letter which he had stolen from Ben.
"That's _my_ letter," said Ben. "He took it from my pocket."
"A likely story," smiled the pickpocket, in serene superiority. "The letter is for Mrs. Abercrombie, a friend of mine, and contains fifty dollars. I incautiously wrote upon the envelope 'Money enclosed,' which attracted the attention of this young vagabond, as I held it in my hand. On replacing it in my pocket, he tried to get possession of it."
"That's a lie from beginning to end," exclaimed Ben, impetuously. "He's tryin' to make me out a thief, when he's one himself."
"Well, what is your story?" asked the policeman, who, however, had already decided in his own mind that Ben was the guilty party.
"I was ridin' in the Fourth Avenue cars along side of this man," said Ben, "when he put his hand in my pocket, and took out the letter that he's just showed you. I jumped out after him, and asked him to give it back, when he fetched me a lick in the face."
"Do you mean to say that a ragamuffin like you had fifty dollars?" demanded the thief.
"No," said Ben, "the money wasn't mine. I was carryin' it up to Mrs. Abercrombie, who lives on Madison Avenue."
"It's a likely story that a ragamuffin like you would be trusted with so much money."
"If you don't believe it," said Ben, "go to Mr. Abercrombie's office in Wall Street. Mr. Sampson gave it to me only a few minutes ago. If he says he didn't, just carry me to the station-house as quick as you want to."
This confident assertion of Ben's put matters in rather a different light. It seemed straightforward, and the reference might easily prove which was the real culprit. The pickpocket saw that the officer wavered, and rejoined hastily, "You must expect the officer's a fool to believe your ridiculous story."