"
"I'll go right down with you."
"Shall I go, too?" put in Frank hesitatingly. "I'll go willingly if
you want me."
"I dunno," replied Pep slowly. "Dad don't want no visitors. I was only
going to get Mr. Dare. But I reckon you can come. Dad won't know de
difference. He ain't right here."
And the street urchin tapped his forehead significantly.
Rushing upstairs, Frank got out a basket and filled it with a number
of things that Mrs. Massanet and Mattie had prepared. He was down again
in a moment, and then the three, guided by Pep, hurried off.
It was far down on the east side, through streets that are narrow,
dirty and notorious for crimes of all kinds, that the boy led them.
"'Tain't no nice walk to take," he said, "and you're dressed too good
to go through here after dark. If you come ag'in put on yer old clo'es;
da won't notice you so much."
"I'm glad that your sister isn't along," said Richard to Frank, with
a shudder. "I never dreamed of a place as wretched as this."
"Mattie knows how bad it is," returned Frank. "In her mission class
she has several children from the Italian quarter, and that's every
bit as bad as this."
"Here we are," remarked Pep, as they came to a narrow court. "Dis is
my street. Da calls it de Fryin' Pan, 'cause one of de houses took
fire last year and ten people were burnt up.
Pages:
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161