"Sit down, Nelson," he said.

 

The boy sat down and gazed curiously¹ at the man before him. Instinctively² he realized that a crisis in his life was approaching. He felt that the old life was speedily to become a thing of the past.

 

"Nelson, aint you often wondered who you was?" went on Pepper.

 

"To be sure I have!" cried the boy. "But you will never tell me anything," he added bitterly.

 

"Well, I kept the secret for your own good, my boy."

 

"How?"

 

"When I came to New York and settled on the East Side I made up my mind to lead an honest[Pg 36] life and bring you up honestly. I did it, too; didn't I?"

 

"So far as I know, yes."

 

"I did it, but it was hard scratching, and you know it. Many were the times I didn't know how to turn myself, and if it hadn't been for some friends helping³ me, I would have gone under. Those friends were the only ones I ever knew. They weren't honest, but—well, we'll let that pass. They helped me, and I aint going back on 'em."

 

"But what about me?"

 

"I'm coming to that, Nelson. As I said before, I wanted to bring you up honestly; for your mother was honest, even if your father wasn't."

 

"My father!" ejaculated the newsboy. "What was he?"

 

"He was a good-hearted man, Nelson—a fine-hearted man, who did lots of good."

 

"But you said he wasn't honest."

 

"No, he wasn't, if you must know. He was a burglar, and made his living by taking from the rich what they didn't deserve to have. He was my friend, and he was one of the men who helped me when I lost all I had at the yacht races."

 

"But—but I don't understand," faltered⁴ Nelson. "What was his name?"

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