"Yer jokin'!" he gasped.
"No, I'm not."
"Then if I had ten cents I'd go and buy some morning papers—I could sell 'em yet—and take de money home."
"All of it?"
"Yes, sir. Every cent."
Richard felt in his pocket. He had just sixteen cents in change.
"Here is the ten cents," he said, handing it out. "And here is six cents. I want you to buy something to eat for that."
Slowly Pep took the money. He did not know but he might be dreaming.
"Thank you, mister, you—you're good to me," he said in a low tone.
"I'm in a hurry now," went on Richard, "otherwise I'd talk to you some more. I want to find out how you get along and how your father makes out. You can trust me."