"Oh, well, don't then," replied Norris coldly. "I only asked you out of kindness, being as you were a stranger."
And he turned his back on the boy and walked away.
Richard told Frank where he was to meet Pep, and added that if the stolen letters were forthcoming he would take them to Doc Linyard's before returning to the Massanets'.
At six o'clock the two quitted the store together and walked over to the Bowery. Pep was already waiting for Richard. He had a big bundle of evening papers under his arm, and seemed to have improved both his capital and his time.
"Here's de letters, mister," he said, holding out the two envelopes and the slip. "I'm sorry I got 'em dirty."
For his unwashed hands had left many marks upon the white paper.
Richard took the letters eagerly, and put them in an inside pocket.
"How have you done to-day?" he asked.
"First-rate. Had luck ever since yer started me. I'm worth sixty cents now. Say," he went on in a whisper, "I'm going to pay yer back that two dollars soon as I kin."
"And how is your father?"