But where the story of Mother Cockleshell left off, that of Mark Silver began, for the secretary had been connected with his employer almost from the days of Hearne's first exploits as Pine in London.

And Silver--who also charged for the blended fact and fiction which he supplied--freely related all he knew.
"Hearne came to London and called himself Hubert Pine," he stated frankly, and not hesitating to confess his own lowly origin.

"We met when I was starving as a toymaker in Whitechapel.

I invented some penny toys, which Pine put on the market for me.

They were successful and he made money.