Mr. Vanderbilt is Ed Wuncler II's assistant. He doesn't seem very willing about his job, implying that he once lost a nice house to Ed II. While Wuncler is scamming/extorting Robert Freeman, Vanderbilt chastises Freeman for his stupidity, and he recommends that he and his grandsons should take the opportunity to leave Woodcrest, even fake their deaths if they have to. Vanderbilt makes a bet with Wuncler that Robert wouldn't be dumb enough to sell himself into slavery to Wuncler; a bet that Vanderbilt loses.