"I think I can safely put him down as a bad egg."
Retracing his way down Broadway the boy at length crossed over to Grand
Street, and directed his steps towards the east side.
When he reached the Massanets' it was quarter past nine. Mattie let
him in, stating that her mother and her brother had not yet returned.
Frank had told her of the street urchin and the letters, and she was
anxious to hear about the result of Richard's visit to Doc Linyard's,
trusting it had been good.
Richard related the particulars. He did not mention Norris; and finally
the talk drifted around to Pep, the street urchin.
"I feel sorry for him," said Mattie Massanet. "We must find out where
he lives, and see if we can't do something for him and his sick father."
"I've been thinking of it," returned Richard. "He is very shy, and
wouldn't even tell me his last name. But perhaps when he sees that I
mean him no harm he'll grow more communicative."
"We might go down and see his father on a Sunday," went on Mattie. "I
suppose the neighborhood in which he lives isn't a very nice one to
visit at night."
"I'll ask him if we can come."
There was something about Mattie Massanet that Richard liked very much.
She was gentle as well as lively, and sympathetic as well as full of
fun.
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