CHAPTER IX. A PAIR WELL MATCHED.
After leaving George Van Pelt Nelson felt more like working, and buying a large supply of evening papers he was soon hard at it, crying his wares as loudly as possible.
Business proved brisk, and by seven o'clock he had sold out. Then he went back to the lunch-room.
Sam Pepper met him with a scowl.
"Concluded to come back after all, eh?" he said. "Work piling up on me and nobody to help. Pitch in, quick, or I'll thrash you good; do you hear?"
The rest of the evening passed in almost utter silence between them. By ten o'clock the most of the lunch trade came to an end. At eleven Sam Pepper began to lock up.
"I'm going out," he said. "An old friend is sick. Maybe I won't be back till morning. Watch things good while I'm gone."
"Who is sick?" asked our hero.
"None of your business. You mind what I told you, and keep your mouth closed," growled the lunch-room keeper.
Nelson had noticed a heavy handbag lying in the corner of the back room, and now he saw Sam Pepper pick the bag up. As the man moved it, something inside struck together with a hard, metallic sound, as if the bag might contain tools.