He soon had the papers he and Paul wanted, and then the pair separated, and our hero hurried over to his old stand on Broadway.
His clothing had suffered considerably from the encounter with the bully and, though he brushed himself off as best he could, he felt that he made far from a handsome appearance.
"I must look better than this before I call on Miss Horton," he mused. "If I don't, she'll take me for a regular tramp."
He wondered if there would be anything in the newspapers about the robbery in Fifth Avenue, and snatched a few moments to scan several sheets. But not a word appeared.
"I guess they are too high-toned to let it get into print," he reasoned. "Well, it's a good thing. I guess it would almost kill Miss Gertrude to see it in the papers."
When Nelson got back to the lunch-room he found business was poor, and he expected to see Sam Pepper ill-humored in consequence. On the contrary, however, Pepper was all smiles, and even hummed a tune to himself as he waited on his customers.
"Something has happened to tickle him," thought the boy. "Or else he's got a new plan on hand."
"How is the sick friend—any better?" he asked Pepper.
"Much better, Nelson. And what do you think? He's loaned me money to turn this place into a first-class café. Don't you think that will pay better than a common lunch-room?"
"I don't know. I'd rather be in the lunch business than running a saloon."