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MATLAB® for
page i
Engineering
Applications

William J. Palm III

University of Rhode Island
 page ii

MATLAB® FOR ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS

Published by McGraw Hill LLC, 1325 Avenue of the Americas, New York,
NY 10019. Copyright ©2023 by McGraw Hill LLC. All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America. No part of this publication may be
reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a
database or retrieval system, without the prior written consent of McGraw
Hill LLC, including, but not limited to, in any network or other electronic
storage or transmission, or broadcast for distance learning.

Some ancillaries, including electronic and print components, may not be

available to customers outside the United States.

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 LCR 27 26 25 24 23 22

ISBN 978-1-265-13919-3
MHID 1-265-13919-9

Cover Image: ©Getty Images/iStockphoto

All credits appearing on page or at the end of the book are considered to be
an extension of the copyright page.

The Internet addresses listed in the text were accurate at the time of
publication. The inclusion of a website does not indicate an endorsement by
the authors or McGraw Hill LLC, and McGraw Hill LLC does not
guarantee the accuracy of the information presented at these sites.
mheducation.com/highered
To my sisters, Linda and Chris, and to my parents, page iii

Lillian and William

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR page iv

William J. Palm III is Emeritus Professor of Mechanical Engineering at

the University of Rhode Island. In 1966 he received a B.S. from Loyola
College in Baltimore, and in 1971 a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and
Astronautical Sciences from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
During his 44 years as a faculty member, he taught 19 courses. One of
these is a freshman MATLAB course, which he helped develop. He has
authored eight textbooks dealing with modeling and simulation, system
dynamics, control systems, and MATLAB. These include System Dynamics,
4th ed. (McGraw Hill, 2021). He wrote a chapter on control systems in the
Mechanical Engineers’ Handbook, 3rd ed. (M. Kutz, ed., Wiley, 2016), and
was a special contributor to the fifth editions of Statics and Dynamics, both
by J. L. Meriam and L. G. Kraige (Wiley, 2002).
Professor Palm’s research and industrial experience are in control
systems, robotics, vibrations, and system modeling. He was the Director of
the Robotics Research Center at the University of Rhode Island from 1985
to 1993, and is the coholder of a patent for a robot hand. He served as
Acting Department Chair from 2002 to 2003. His industrial experience is in
automated manufacturing; modeling and simulation of naval systems,
including underwater vehicles and tracking systems; and design of control
systems for underwater-vehicle engine-test facilities.
 CONTENTS page v

Numbered Examples vii

Preface ix

CHAPTER 1
An Overview of MATLAB® 3
1.1 MATLAB Interactive Sessions 4
1.2 The Toolstrip 17
1.3 Built-In Functions, Arrays, and Plots 18
1.4 Working with Files 24
1.5 The MATLAB Help System 32
1.6 Problem-Solving Methodologies 35
1.7 Summary 42
Problems 43

CHAPTER 2
Numeric, Cell, and Structure Arrays 51
2.1 One- and Two-Dimensional Numeric Arrays 52
2.2 Multidimensional Numeric Arrays 61
2.3 Element-by-Element Operations 62
2.4 Matrix Operations 72
2.5 Polynomial Operations Using Arrays 91
2.6 Cell Arrays 96
2.7 Structure Arrays 98
2.8 Summary 102
Problems 103

CHAPTER 3
Functions 121
3.1 Elementary Mathematical Functions 121
3.2 User-Defined Functions 128
3.3 Additional Function Types 143
3.4 File Functions 158
3.5 Summary 160
Problems 161

CHAPTER 4
Programming with MATLAB 169
4.1 Program Design and Development 170
4.2 Relational Operators and Logical Variables 177
4.3 Logical Operators and Functions 179
4.4 Conditional Statements 186
4.5 for Loops 194
4.6 while Loops 206
4.7 The switch Structure 212
4.8 Debugging MATLAB Programs 214
4.9 Additional Examples and Applications 217
4.10 Summary 231
Problems 232

CHAPTER 5
Advanced Plotting 251
5.1 xy Plotting Functions 251
5.2 Additional Commands and Plot Types 261
5.3 Interactive Plotting in MATLAB 278
5.4 Three-Dimensional Plots 280
5.5 Summary 286
Problems 287

CHAPTER 6
Model Building and Regression 299
6.1 Function Discovery 299
6.2 Regression 310
6.3 The Basic Fitting Interface 326
6.4 Summary 329
Problems 330

7
page vi
CHAPTER
Statistics, Probability, and Interpolation 341
7.1 Statistics and Histograms 342
7.2 The Normal Distribution 346
7.3 Random Number Generation 352
7.4 Interpolation 361
7.5 Summary 370
Problems 370

CHAPTER 8
Linear Algebraic Equations 379
8.1 Matrix Methods for Linear Equations 380
8.2 The Left-Division Method 383
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8.3 Underdetermined Systems 389
8.4 Overdetermined Systems 398
8.5 A General Solution Program 402
8.6 Summary 404
Problems 405

CHAPTER 9
Numerical Methods for Calculus and Differential Equations
419
9.1 Numerical Integration 420
9.2 Numerical Differentiation 428
9.3 First-Order Differential Equations 431
9.4 Higher-Order Differential Equations 439
9.5 Special Methods for Linear Equations 445
9.6 Summary 458
Problems 459

CHAPTER 10
Simulink 471
10.1 Simulation Diagrams 472
10.2 Introduction to Simulink 473
10.3 Linear State-Variable Models 478
10.4 Piecewise-Linear Models 481
10.5 Transfer-Function Models 487
10.6 Nonlinear State-Variable Models 489
10.7 Subsystems 491
10.8 Dead Time in Models 496
10.9 Simulation of a Nonlinear Vehicle Suspension Model 499
10.10 Control Systems and Hardware-in-the-Loop Testing 503
10.11 Summary 513
Problems 514

CHAPTER 11
Symbolic Processing with MATLAB 525
11.1 Symbolic Expressions and Algebra 527
11.2 Algebraic and Transcendental Equations 536
11.3 Calculus 543
11.4 Differential Equations 555
11.5 Laplace Transforms 562
11.6 Symbolic Linear Algebra 570
11.7 Summary 575
Problems 576

CHAPTER 12
Projects with Matlab 589
12.1 MATLAB Mobile 590
12.2 Programming Game Projects in MATLAB 595
12.3 The MATLAB App Designer 600

APPENDIX A
Guide to Commands and Functions in This Text 603

APPENDIX B
Animation and Sound in MATLAB 615

APPENDIX C
References 626
APPENDIX D
Formatted Output in MATLAB 627
Answers to Selected Problems 631
Index 634
Numbered Examples page vii

Number and Topic

CHAPTER ONE
1.1–1 Volume of a Circular Cylinder
1.6–1 Piston Motion
CHAPTER TWO
2.3–1 Vectors and Displacement
2.3–2 Aortic Pressure Model
2.3–3 Transportation Route Analysis
2.3–4 Current and Power Dissipation in Resistors
2.3–5 A Batch Distillation Process
2.4–1 Miles Traveled
2.4–2 Height versus Velocity
2.4–3 Manufacturing Cost Analysis
2.4–4 Product Cost Analysis
2.4–5 Force Analysis of a 3-Bar Simple Truss
2.4–6 Circuit with Three Resistances
2.4–7 Production Planning
2.4–8 Force Analysis of a Bolt
2.4–9 Computing Forces and Moments on a Tower
2.5–1 Earthquake-Resistant Building Design
2.6–1 An Environment Database
2.7–1 A Student Database
CHAPTER THREE
3.2–1 Minimum Cost Design of a Water Tower
3.2–2 Optimization of an Irrigation Channel
3.3–1 Extra Parameters in fzero and fminbnd
3.3–2 An Intercept Course
3.3–3 Topping the Green Monster
3.3–4 Speed Estimation from Sonar Measurements
3.4–1 Creating a Data File and Loading It into a Variable
CHAPTER FOUR
4.3–1 Height and Speed of a Projectile
4.5–1 Series Calculation with a for Loop
4.5–2 Plotting with a for Loop
4.5–3 Analyzing Trajectories
4.5–4 Motion in One Dimension
4.5–5 Data Sorting
4.6–1 Series Calculation with a while Loop
4.6–2 Growth of a Bank Account
4.6–3 Structural Analysis
4.7–1 Using the switch Structure for Calendar Calculations
4.9–1 A Pursuit Curve
4.9–2 Flight of an Instrumented Rocket
4.9–3 Time to Reach a Specified Height
4.9–4 A College Enrollment Model: Part I
4.9–5 A College Enrollment Model: Part II
CHAPTER FIVE
5.1–1 Plotting Trajectories
5.2–1 Fishing Near an International Boundary
5.2–2 Plotting Orbits
CHAPTER SIX
6.1–1 Speed Estimation from Sonar Measurements
6.1–2 Temperature Dynamics
6.1–3 Hydraulic Resistance
6.1–4 A Cantilever Beam Model
6.2–1 Effect of Polynomial Degree

6.2–2 Estimation of Traffic Flow page viii

6.2–3 Modeling Bacteria Growth
6.2–4 Breaking Strength and Alloy Composition
6.2–5 Response of a Biomedical Instrument
6.2–6 Fitting the Logistic Model
CHAPTER SEVEN
7.1–1 Breaking Strength of Thread
7.2–1 Mean and Standard Deviation of Heights
7.2–2 Estimation of Height Distribution
7.3–1 Statistical Analysis and Manufacturing Tolerances
7.3–2 A Random Walk with Drift
CHAPTER EIGHT
8.1–1 The Matrix Inverse Method
8.2–1 Left-Division Method with Three Unknowns
8.2–2 Calculation of Cable Tension
8.2–3 An Electric Resistance Network
8.2–4 Ethanol Production
8.3–1 An Underdetermined Set with Three Equations and Three
Unknowns
8.3–2 A Statically Indeterminate Problem
8.3–3 Three Equations in Three Unknowns
8.3–4 Production Planning
8.3–5 Traffic Engineering
8.4–1 The Least-Squares Method
8.4–2 An Overdetermined Set
CHAPTER NINE
9.1–1 Velocity from an Accelerometer
9.1–2 Evaluation of Fresnel’s Cosine Integral
9.1–3 Double Integral over a Nonrectangular Region
9.3–1 Response of an RC Circuit
9.3–2 Liquid Height in a Spherical Tank
9.4–1 Pursuit Equations
9.4–2 A Nonlinear Pendulum Model
9.5–1 Trapezoidal Profile for a DC Motor
CHAPTER TEN
10.2–1 Simulink Solution of y ˙ = −10y + f(t)
10.3–1 Simulink Model of a Two-Mass Suspension System
10.4–1 Simulink Model of a Rocket-Propelled Sled
10.4–2 Model of a Relay-Controlled Motor
10.5–1 Response with a Dead Zone
10.6–1 Model of a Nonlinear Pendulum
CHAPTER ELEVEN
11.2–1 Intersection of Two Circles
11.2–2 Positioning a Robot Arm
11.3–1 Topping the Green Monster
 PREFACE page ix

F
ormerly used mainly by specialists in signal processing and numerical
analysis, MATLAB® has achieved widespread and enthusiastic
acceptance throughout the engineering community. Many engineering
schools require a course based entirely or in part on MATLAB early in the
curriculum. MATLAB is programmable and has the same logical,
relational, conditional, and loop structures as other programming languages.
Thus it can be used to teach programming principles. In most engineering
schools, MATLAB is the principal computational tool used throughout the
curriculum. In some technical specialties, such as signal processing and
control systems, it is the standard software package for analysis and design.
The popularity of MATLAB is partly due to its long history, and thus it is
well developed and well tested. People trust its answers. Its popularity is
also due to its user interface, which provides an easy-to-use interactive
environment that includes extensive numerical computation and
visualization capabilities. Its compactness is a big advantage. For example,
you can solve a set of many linear algebraic equations with just three lines
of code, a feat that is impossible with traditional programming languages.
MATLAB is also extensible; currently more than 30 “toolboxes” in various
application areas can be used with MATLAB to add new commands and
capabilities.
MATLAB is available for a number of operating systems. It is
compatible across all these platforms, which enables users to share their
programs, insights, and ideas. This text is based on release R2021a of the
software. This includes MATLAB version 9.10. Some of the material in
Chapter 9 is based on the Control System toolbox, Version 10.10. Chapter
10 is based on Version 10.3 of Simulink®, and Chapter 11 is based on
Version 8.7 of the Symbolic Math toolbox.

TEXT OBJECTIVES AND PREREQUISITES

This text is intended as a stand-alone introduction to MATLAB. It can be
used in an introductory course, as a self-study text, or as a supplementary
text. The text’s material is based on the author’s experience in teaching a
required two-credit semester course devoted to MATLAB for engineering
freshmen. In addition, the text can serve as a reference for later use. The
text’s many tables and its referencing system in an appendix have been
designed with this purpose in mind. A secondary objective is to introduce
and reinforce the use of problem-solving methodology as practiced by the
engineering profession in general and as applied to the use of computers to
solve problems in particular. This methodology is introduced in Chapter 1.

The reader is assumed to have some knowledge of algebra and page x

trigonometry; knowledge of calculus is not required for the first eight
chapters. Some knowledge of high school chemistry and physics, primarily
simple electric circuits, and basic statics and dynamics, is required to
understand some of the examples.

TEXT ORGANIZATION
In addition to updating material from the previous edition to include new
features, new functions, and changes in syntax and function names, the text
incorporates the many suggestions made by reviewers and other users.
More examples and homework problems have been added.
The text consists of 12 chapters. The first five chapters constitute a basic
course in MATLAB. The remaining seven chapters are independent of each
other and cover more advanced applications of MATLAB, the Control
Systems toolbox, Simulink, and the Symbolic Math toolbox.
Chapter 1 gives an overview of MATLAB features, including its
windows and menu structures. It also introduces the problem-solving
methodology.
Chapter 2 introduces the concept of an array, which is the fundamental
data element in MATLAB, and describes how to use numeric arrays, cell
arrays, and structure arrays for basic mathematical operations.
Chapter 3 discusses the use of functions and files. MATLAB has an
extensive number of built-in math functions, and users can define their own
functions and save them as a file for reuse.
Chapter 4 introduces programming with MATLAB and covers relational
and logical operators, conditional statements, for and while loops, and the
switch structure.
Chapter 5 deals with two- and three-dimensional plotting. It first
establishes standards for professional-looking, useful plots. In the author’s
experience, beginning students are not aware of these standards, so they are
emphasized. The chapter then covers MATLAB commands for producing
different types of plots and for controlling their appearance. The Live
Editor, which is a major addition to MATLAB, is covered in Section 5.1.
Chapter 6 covers function discovery, which uses data plots to discover a
mathematical description of the data and is a useful tool for model building.
It is a common application of plotting, and a separate section is devoted to
this topic. The chapter also treats polynomial and multiple linear regression
as part of its modeling coverage.
Chapter 7 reviews basic statistics and probability and shows how to use
MATLAB to generate histograms, perform calculations with the normal
distribution, and create random number simulations. The chapter concludes
with linear and cubic spline interpolation.
Chapter 8 covers the solution of linear algebraic equations, which arise in
applications in all fields of engineering. This coverage establishes the
terminology and some important concepts required to use the computer
methods properly. The chapter then shows how to use MATLAB to solve
underdetermined and overdetermined systems of linear equations.

Chapter 9 covers numerical methods for calculus and differential page xi

equations. Numerical integration and differentiation methods are
treated. Ordinary differential equation solvers in the core MATLAB
program are covered, as well as the linear system solvers in the Control
System toolbox. For those readers not familiar with differential equations,
this chapter provides some background for Chapter 10.
Chapter 10 introduces Simulink, which is a graphical interface for
building simulations of dynamic systems. Simulink has increased in
popularity and has seen increased use in industry. The MathWorks provides
Simulink support packages for computer hardware such as LEGO©
MINDSTORMS©, Arduino©, and Raspberry Pi©, which are popular with
researchers and hobbyists for controlling drones and robots. These packages
let you develop and simulate algorithms that run standalone on the
supported hardware. They include a library of Simulink blocks for
configuring and accessing the hardware’s sensors, actuators, and
Visit https://ebookmass.com today to explore
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Exploring the Variety of Random
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"I did pay it back."
"No, you didn't."
"Yes, I did. I—I give it to Sam one day to give to yer."
By the look on his face Nelson knew that the bully was falsifying.
"Sam never told me, and I guess he would if it was so. Now let me
go."
"I want dat dollar first."
"You shan't have it."
Nelson had scarcely spoken when Billy Darnley made a sudden
clutch for the pocket of his vest.
Much dilapidated, the pocket gave way easily; and in a twinkle the
bully was running up the street with five dollars in bills and a bit of
cloth clutched tightly in his dirty fist.
"Hi! stop!" cried Nelson, but instead of heeding the demand, the
bully only ran the faster. Soon he passed around a corner and down
a side street leading to the East River.
Nelson was an excellent runner, and, papers under his arm, he lost
no time in making after the thief. Thus block after block was passed,
until pursued and pursuer were but a short distance from one of the
ferry entrances.
A boat was on the point of leaving, and without waiting to obtain a
ferry ticket, Billy Darnley slipped in among the trucks going aboard.
A gate-keeper tried in vain to catch him, and then came back and
shut the gate, just as Nelson reached it.
"Open the gate!" cried Nelson, so out of breath he could scarcely
utter the words. "Open the gate, quick!"
"Go around to the other entrance," replied the gate-keeper, and then
added, "Are you after that other newsboy?"
"I am. He stole five dollars from me."
"Five dollars! That's a good one. You never had five dollars in your
life. You can't get a free ride on any such fairy tale as that. You go
around and buy a ticket, or I'll call a policeman."
In despair Nelson looked through the high, slatted gate and saw that
the gates on the ferryboat were already down. A bell jangled, and
the big paddle wheels began to revolve. In another moment the
boat had left the slip and was on its way to Brooklyn.
"He's gone—and the five dollars is gone, too!" groaned Nelson, and
his heart sank. He knew that it would be useless to attempt to follow
the bully. Billy would keep out of sight so long as the money lasted.
When it was spent he would re-appear in New York and deny
everything, and to prove that he was a thief would be next to
impossible, for, so far as Nelson knew, nobody had seen the money
taken.
He had now but fifty cents left, and a stock of papers worth half a
dollar more, if sold. With a heavy heart he walked away from the
ferryhouse in the direction from whence he had come.
Nelson had scarcely taken his stand at the corner again when a
young lady, very stylishly dressed, came out of a neighboring store,
looked at him, and smiled.
"Did you catch him?" she asked sweetly.
"Who, miss; the big boy who stole my money?" questioned Nelson
quickly.
"Yes."
"No, ma'am; he got away, on a Brooklyn ferryboat."
"And how much did he steal from you?"
"Five dollars."
"Why, I didn't think—that is, five dollars is a nice sum for a newsboy,
isn't it?"
"Yes, ma'am; but I was saving up for a new suit of clothes."
"And he got away from you? Too bad! I wish I could help you, but
unfortunately I have spent all of my money but this." She held out a
quarter. "Will you accept it?"
Nelson looked at her, and something compelled him to draw back.
"Excuse me—but I'd rather not," he stammered. "Much obliged, just
the same."
"You had better take the money," went on the young lady, whose
name was Gertrude Horton. But Nelson would not listen to it, and so
she had to place the piece in her purse again. Then she entered the
coach standing near and was driven rapidly away. The newsboy
gazed after the coach curiously.
"What a lot of money it must take to keep up such style!" he
thought. "Those folks spend more in a week, I guess, than some
folks on the East Side spend in a year. I don't wonder Sam is always
growling about not being rich—after he's been out among the
wealthy people he knows. I must say I'd like to be rich myself, just
for once, to see how it feels."
Long before noon Nelson's stock of newspapers was exhausted.
Without going to Sam Pepper's restaurant for lunch he stopped at a
small stand on a side street, where he obtained several crullers and
a cup of coffee for five cents. His scanty meal over he purchased a
supply of evening papers and set to work to sell these, with the
result, by nightfall, that all were gone, and he was thirty-five cents
richer.
Sam Pepper's place on the East Side was half a dozen steps below
the pavement, in a semi-basement, which was narrow and low and
suffering greatly for a thorough cleaning. In the front was a small
show window, filled with pies and vegetables, and behind this eight
or ten tables for diners. To one side was a lunch counter for those
who were in a hurry, and at the back was a small bar. The cooking
was done in a shed in the rear, and beside this shed were two rooms
which Nelson and Sam Pepper called their home.
The whole place was so uninviting it is a wonder that Sam Pepper
had any trade at all. But his prices were low, and this was a large
attraction to those whose purses were slim. Besides this Sam never
interfered with those who came to patronize him, and it may as well
be stated here that many a crime was concocted at those tables,
without the police of the metropolis being the wiser. To Sam it made
no difference if his customer was the worst criminal on the East Side
so long as he paid his way.
"We've all got to live," he would say. "The world owes every man a
living, and if he can't git it one way he must git it in another."
The secret of Sam Pepper's looseness of morals was the fact that he
had seen better days, and his coming down in the world had caused
him to become more and more reckless. At the present time money
was tight with him, and he was fast approaching that point when, as
we shall soon see, he would be fit for any desperate deed.
 CHAPTER III.
SAM PEPPER'S RESORT.

"Well, how have you done to-day?" asked Sam Pepper, when Nelson
entered the lunch-room and came to the rear, where Pepper stood
mixing some liquors.
"Oh, I sold quite a few papers," answered Nelson.
"How many?"
"Over a hundred."
"Then I guess you made over a dollar?"
"I did."
"That's more than I've made to-day," growled Pepper. "Business is
growing worse and worse."
Nelson knew that he must have made more than a dollar, but he did
not say anything on the point. He saw that Sam Pepper was in an
ugly mood.
"It seems to me you ought to begin paying something for your
keep," went on the lunch-room keeper, after he had returned from
serving the drinks he had been mixing.
"All right, I'm willing," said Nelson readily. "But I don't get much
from here now, remember."
"It's not my fault if you are not here at dinner time. Plenty of eating
going to waste."
"I am not going to eat other folks' left-overs," said the newsboy,
remembering the offer made to him several days before.
"Those left-overs are good enough for the likes of you, Nelson. Don't
git high-toned before you can afford it."
"What do you want me to pay?"
"You ought to pay me at least five dollars a week," growled Sam
Pepper, after a crafty look into the boy's face.
"Five dollars a week!" ejaculated Nelson in surprise. "Why, I don't
make it, excepting when business is good."
"Well, it's got to be five dollars a week after this."
"I can get board at other places for three."
"You won't go to no other place. You'll stay here, and if you make a
dollar or more a day you'll pay me the five dollars."
"But who will buy me any clothes?"
"Aint that suit good enough?"
"No, it's not. I was saving up to buy another suit, but Billy Darnley
stole five dollars of the savings from me this morning," went on
Nelson bitterly.
"Stole five dollars from you? I don't believe you."
"It's true."
"Then you ought to lose the money, seeing that you didn't pass it
over to me," grumbled Sam Pepper. "After this, you let me save your
money for you."
At this point some customers came in, and Sam had to wait on
them. Seeing this, the newsboy passed around the bar and into the
two rooms which he and Pepper called home. They were gloomy
and foul-smelling, but the newsboy did not mind this, for he was
used to the surroundings. Yet his heart was heavy, as he threw
himself into a dilapidated chair and gave himself up to his thoughts.
The new suit of clothes seemed further off than ever, for, if he must
pay Sam Pepper five dollars a week for his board, it would be utterly
impossible for him to save a cent. The extra money would be
needed to buy fresh papers each day.
"It isn't fair!" he muttered. "It isn't fair, and I won't stand it! I'll run
away first; that's what I'll do!"
Running away was no new idea, but, as before, he thought of the
past and of what Sam Pepper might have locked up in his breast.
No, it would not do to go away. He must unlock the mystery of the
past first.
"I'll question Sam to-night, and I'll make him tell something," he
said.
The resolve had hardly crossed his mind when Pepper opened the
door with a bang, as it flew back against the wall.
"Come out here and help me," he snarled. "There is plenty of work
to do. The kitchen woman has left me in the lurch. Throw off your
coat and git into that dishpan, and be lively about it."
Without a word, Nelson did as bidden. He had washed dishes before,
and though the pile beside him was by no means small, he soon
made away with them. Then Pepper set him to polishing up the
knives, forks, and spoons, and this task took until it was time to
close for the night.
After the lunch-room had been locked up, and most of the lights put
out, Sam Pepper went to the bar and mixed himself an extra-large
glass of liquor. This was his "nightcap," as he called it, and usually,
after drinking it, he would retire.
To-night, however, after consuming the liquor, he went into one of
the back rooms and got out his best coat and his hat.
"I'm going out an hour or so," he said. "You keep good watch while
I'm away."
"All right," answered Nelson. He was disappointed at not being able
to question Pepper, but saw there was no help for it. Soon the man
was gone, and Nelson was left alone. Pepper had locked the street
door and taken the key with him.
The day's work had made Nelson tired, but he was in no humor for
sleeping, and tumbled and tossed for a long while after lying down
upon his hard couch. He thought of the stout gentleman, of the big
newsboy who had robbed him, and of the kind young lady who had
offered him assistance. For some reason he could not get the young
lady out of his mind, and he half wished he might see her again.
Then his thoughts came back to himself. Who was he, and how had
he come into Sam Pepper's care? Surely the man must know all
about the past. What could Pepper be hiding from him?
At last he fell asleep, and did not rouse up until early morning. Sam
Pepper was just returning, and a glance showed that the man was
more than half under the influence of liquor.
"It's a good game," muttered Pepper to himself, as he stumbled
around, preparing to retire, "A good game, and it will make me rich.
And Nelson shall help me, too."
"Help you at what?" asked the newsboy sleepily.
"Never mind now, you go to sleep," answered Pepper sharply.
He pitched himself on his bed and was soon snoring lustily, and
seeing this Nelson did not attempt to disturb him. He slept soundly
for the rest of the night, and by six o'clock was outdoors and on his
way to get his supply of morning papers.
Pepper had warned him to come back by eleven o'clock, to go at the
dishes again, for the kitchen woman was not coming back. This
made him cautious about investing in newspapers. However, trade
proved brisk, and by ten o'clock he had sold out, and cleared sixty
cents.
"I won't buy any more papers until after dinner," he said to himself.
"I'll walk down to the ferry and see if I can find out anything about
Billy Darnley."
At the ferry there was the usual rush of passengers, the noise of the
heavy trucks coming and going, and the shrill cries of the newsboys.
Nelson stopped near the ferryhouse to view the scene.
Hardly had he paused when his attention was attracted to a quarrel
between a large newsboy and a small one. The larger lad was
shaking his fist in the face of the smaller.
"You keep away from dis corner, Paul Randall!" said the big newsboy.
"If yer don't I'll fix yer, remember dat!"
"I have as much right here as you, Len Snocks!" replied the little
fellow.
"Yer aint got no right here at all!" blustered Len Snocks. "Dis is my
spot, see?"
"You didn't pay for it."
"Don't yer talk back ter me!" howled Len Snocks, and catching the
little lad's stock of papers he threw them down in the mud of the
street. "Now clear out, or I'll t'row you down de same way," he went
on.
The scene made Nelson's blood boil. He recognized both boys, and
knew that Paul Randall helped support a mother who was half blind.
Len Snocks was a bully belonging to the crowd with whom Billy
Darnley associated.
Rushing across the roadway, Nelson caught Len Snocks by the arm
and held him tightly.
"You big brute!" he cried. "Why don't you tackle a fellow your own
size?"
"Oh, Nelson, he has spoiled my papers!" sobbed Paul, running to
save what was left of the stock.
"Lemme go!" snarled Len Snocks. "Lemme go, do yer hear?"
"You must give Paul clean papers for the dirty ones," returned
Nelson firmly.
"I won't do it!"
"I'll make you do it."
"Make me?" roared Len. "I'd like to see you try it."
In a twinkle Nelson placed one foot behind the bully. Then he gave
the big newsboy a shove which landed him flat on his back. On the
instant he was down on top of Len.
"How many papers are dirty, Paul?" he asked.
"Two Suns, a World, and a Journal," was the quick answer.
"Take 'em out of Len's pile."
"Lemme up, or I'll kill you!" howled the bully, and struggled to arise.
But Nelson was master of the situation. He continued to hold Len
down, and did not let go until Paul had the papers he wished. Then
he leaped up, squared off on the defensive, and awaited the
outcome of the encounter. Paul lost no time in placing himself
behind his newly found champion.
 CHAPTER IV.
DOWN AT THE FERRY.

Len Snocks' eyes flashed dangerously when he confronted Nelson.

For a long time he had had matters all his own way around the
ferryhouse, and the only boys who were allowed to sell papers there
besides himself were such as would toady to him and help him sell
his over-supply when trade was dull with him. Often he made the
lads pay him five or ten cents for selling papers there, when trade
was extra lively.
Paul Randall had no father, and his mother being half blind and quite
feeble, the lad felt that every cent he earned must be brought home.
Consequently he refused to give Len anything, and this made the big
newsboy come to the conclusion that Paul must be driven to seek
sales elsewhere. In matters of business newsboys are often as
scheming and unfair as are certain men in higher walks of life.
Money is everything to them, and they will do almost anything to
obtain it.
"Wot do yer mean by t'rowin' me down?" cried Len, as he doubled
up his grimy fists, which had not seen soap or water for many a day.
"You know what I mean, Len Snocks," retorted Nelson. "Paul has as
much right to sell papers here as you have."
"No, he haint!"
"I say he has, and he'll sell papers here, too, and you shan't stop
him."
"Won't I?"
"If you try it, you'll run against me again, remember that."
"I've a good mind to give you a lickin' fer t'rowin' me down,"
blustered Len, but he made no effort to begin the chastisement.
"If you want to fight, I'm here now," answered Nelson calmly. He
understood fully that Len was as much of a coward as he was of a
bully.
Len looked around, to see if there was anybody at hand to give him
assistance. But all the boys were small, and he felt they could not do
much against Nelson, who was known to be strong.
"Yer want to make me lose me trade," he muttered. "I'll fight yer
when de rush is over." And he moved toward the ferry entrance.
"All right, I'll be ready for you any time," called Nelson after him.
"And, remember, leave Paul alone after this."
"Oh, Nelson, how good you are!" cried Paul impulsively. "I don't
know what he wouldn't have done to me if you hadn't come up."
"If he tackles you again let me know, Paul."
"I will."
"How is your mother?"
"She isn't much better. She can just get around our rooms, and
that's all."
"Can she see?"
"Not much. The landlord said she ought to go to the hospital and
have her eyes operated on, but she doesn't want to go and leave
me."
"But maybe it would be best for her, Paul."
"Well, I'm willing, Nelson. But how is it you aint selling papers to-
day?" went on Paul curiously.
"I've sold out. What have you got left?" Our hero surveyed the
stock. "Phew! Eighteen! That's a lot."
"Len kept chasing me, so I couldn't sell much," answered the little
boy, with a look of concern on his pale face.
"Give me ten of them," said Nelson, and took that number. "Now you
go over there and I'll stay around here. We ought to get rid of 'em
between us."
"Good for you, Nelson!" cried Paul, and his face brightened.
Soon both were at it, crying their wares with the other boys. Len
Snocks saw the move, and scowled more than ever, but did not dare
to interfere. In half an hour the papers were all sold, and our hero
turned the money over to Paul.
"You ought to have something for selling the ten," said the little
fellow.
"Never mind; you keep the money, Paul. You'll need it, I know."
"Thank you."
"By the way, have you seen anything of Billy Darnley since yesterday
noon?"
"I saw him about two hours ago."
"Here?"
"Yes, he came off the boat from Brooklyn."
"I'm sorry I missed him. Do you know where he went?"
"Went to get some papers, I think. He stopped to talk to Len Snocks
for a few minutes."
"Humph! Did he give Len anything?"
"I think he gave him a quarter."
"I'm sorry I missed him. He stole five dollars from me yesterday—
nearly all I had saved up."
"Oh, Nelson! He ought to be arrested."
"It wouldn't do any good. The police wouldn't believe me, and I
haven't any witnesses, excepting a young lady I don't know."
Len Snocks was leaving the vicinity, and now Nelson hastened after
him. Soon he ranged up beside the big newsboy.
"Len, I want to ask you a question."
"Wot do you want now?" growled Len.
"Where did Billy Darnley go after he came off the ferry?"
At this question a crafty look came into Len Snocks' eyes.
"Find out fer yerself—I haint answerin' questions," he growled.
"Billy stole some of my money yesterday."
"Dat aint none o' my affair, is it?"
"I suppose not. But he gave some of it to you?"
"Didn't give me a cent."
"He was seen to give you money."
"Ha! has dat Paul Randall been a-blabbin'?" cried Len savagely. "I'll
fix him, if he has!"
"You let Paul alone, or it will be the worse for you. Then you won't
tell me where Billy went?"
"I don't know. He didn't tell me nuthin'."
Len Snocks would say no more, and satisfied that it would be time
lost to question him further. Nelson hurried on and made his way
back to the lunch-room.
He was somewhat late, and as soon as he entered Sam Pepper
began to storm at him. The man was in a worse humor than ever,
and lashed our hero with his tongue every time he entered the
kitchen.
"Here I am a-breaking my back to make a living, and everything
going wrong!" he muttered. "You ought to have been here an hour
ago. I wanted some more meat from the butcher shop and two
dozen more of pies. I think I'll shut up the place at the end of the
week. An honest man can't git along, no matter how hard he tries.
Now look out, or you'll smash those plates and glasses, and that'll be
more money out of my pocket. Hang the lunch business, anyway!"
But his troubles were not yet at an end. In his ill humor he served a
customer with a steak that was both tough and half burnt. The
customer refused to pay for the meat, and a quarrel ensued which
ended in a fight. Two tables were overturned and the crockery
smashed before the troublesome customer was ejected, and, in the
meantime, several other customers slipped out without paying.
"It's no use, Nelson; I'm going to give it up," growled Sam Pepper,
when it was after two o'clock, and the run of midday trade had come
to an end. "There are easier ways to make a living than by running a
lunch-room."
"Last night you spoke about a good game to make you rich,"
answered Nelson curiously, "What did you mean by that?"
"When did I say that?"
"When you came in and went to bed."
"I don't remember it."
"Well, you said it, and you said something about getting me to help
you."
"Did I say anything else?" asked Pepper in some alarm.
"No."
The man drew a breath of relief.
"I must have been a bit off in my head, Nelson. You see I met some
old friends, and they treated to champagne—and I'm not used to
that any more. They make an easy living, they do."
"Perhaps they can help you to something better."
"They won't have to help me—if I've a mind to work as they work."
"What do they do?"
"Oh, they work on the principle that the world owes them a living,
and they are bound to have it."
"Of course they don't beg?"
At this Sam Pepper burst into a loud laugh.
"You're not so green as all that, Nelson."
"Well, what do they do then?" persisted the boy.
"Oh, a number of things! One runs a mail-order business. He is
advertising two things just now. One is a steel engraving of
Washington, indorsed by the government as a true picture of the
first President, mounted on cardboard, all ready for framing, for fifty
cents, and the other is a complete sewing machine for one dollar."
"How can he sell a sewing machine for a dollar?"
"When some fool sends on a dollar for the machine he sends him a
needle, and when another fool sends fifty cents for the steel
engraving he sends him a postage stamp picture of Washington
stuck on a bit of cardboard."
"Oh!"
"He's smart, and the law can't get hold of him," went on Sam
Pepper. "Another of the men is selling tips on the races. If his
customer wins he gets a percentage. He gets one fool to bet one
way and another fool to bet the other way, and no matter which
wins he gets his share of the prize."
"I should think he would have a job, looking for fools," said the
newsboy. "Folks ought to know better."
"The world is full of people who want to get something for nothing,
and these men know it. But they don't make much of a pile. That's
got to be made in another way."
"What way?"
"There are lots of ways, Nelson; some good and some bad. Ever
been down in Wall Street?"
"Yes, but I don't know anything of the business there."
"Folks down there gamble in stocks and bonds, and such like.
Sometimes they squeeze a poor man out of everything he's got, but
they do it so as the law can't touch 'em—and there's where they
have the advantage over an East Side gambler, who runs the risk of
being arrested if his victim squeals. But Wall Street aint any better
than the East Side, for all that."
"Some nice gentlemen in Wall Street, though," said Nelson
reflectively.
"A high hat don't make an honest man, Nelson; you ought to know
that by this time. They are all thieves and swindlers, and an honest
man has no show against 'em. If you want to be rich, you've got to
be like 'em!" went on Sam Pepper, bringing his fist down on the
table at which he sat. "You can't make anything bein' honest."
To this the newsboy remained silent. He had heard such talk before,
so he was not as much shocked as he might otherwise have been.
"I guess I'll go out and sell some evening papers," he said, after a
pause, during which Sam Pepper seemed to sink into deep thought.
"No, I don't want you to go out; I want to have a talk with you,"
answered Pepper. "There won't be no business for an hour or two,
and I'll lock the door, so nobody can interrupt us. It's got to come
sooner or later, and it might as well come now."
 CHAPTER V.
NELSON SPEAKS HIS MIND.

Locking the front door to the lunch-room, Pepper came to the rear
of the place, poured himself a glass of liquor and tossed it off, and
then sank in a chair by the last table.
"Sit down, Nelson," he said.
The boy sat down and gazed curiously at the man before him.
Instinctively 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 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 helping 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," faltered Nelson. "What was his
name?"
"I can't tell you that."
"Is he dead?"
"Yes; he died when you was a little kid not more than three years
old. We both lived in another city then—I won't tell you where. Your
father was shot while entering a house to rob a man who had once
robbed him when he was in business. Your father died in a hospital,
and I was with him. Your mother was dead, and he didn't know what
to do with you. I said I'd take you, and he made me promise to go
to sea first and then to another city and bring you up the best I
could. He didn't want you to know your name, and so I got to calling
you Nelson after the English admiral, and you can sign yourself
Nelson Pepper after this, if you want to."
"Then you won't tell me where I came from?"
"No; excepting that it was a good many miles from here. It wouldn't
do any good to rake up old scores. If your father hadn't died of the
shot, he would have been sent to prison for ten or fifteen years."
"What was the name of the man who shot him?"
"It won't do you any good to know that, either—he's dead and gone,
too."
There was a pause, and the newsboy gave something like an inward
groan. The revelation that Pepper had made was truly a shocking
one, and the boy was so dazed and bewildered he could scarcely
think. His father a burglar, and shot down while in the act of
committing a robbery! What a degradation!
"I've told you all this for a purpose," went on the man. "Now I've got
some more to tell you, if you'll promise to keep your mouth shut."
"What else is there?"
"Will you keep silent if I tell you?"
"Yes."
"And do you promise not to say a word of what I have just told
you?"
"Why should I—it wouldn't be anything to my credit," answered
Nelson.
"But I want you to promise."
"All right; I promise."
"That's good. I know if you give your word you'll keep it. Now, I've
got a plan in my head to square accounts, so to speak, and git rich
at the same time."
"What plan?"
"Well, you see, it's like this: There's a rich gent lives up near Central
Park. I won't give you his name, but I don't mind telling you that
he's a distant relative of the fellow who shot your father, and he
used to help that other man in his dealings against your father. I
don't know as he remembers your father now, but he's a man you
ought to get square on, anyway."
"How?"
"I'm coming to that, my boy. This man is old and feeble and has
something of an office in his library at home. There is a safe in the
library, but it's old-fashioned and can easily be opened. In that safe
the old man keeps thousands of dollars all the time, for it's too much
for him to go back and forth to the bank, and he aint the one to
trust anybody else."
Sam Pepper paused suggestively and looked Nelson full in the eyes.
Then he began to whistle softly to himself.
"Do you mean that you think I ought to rob that safe?" questioned
our hero.
"You won't have to do the job alone, lad; I'll be on hand to help
you."
"But I—I never stole anything in my life."
"It won't be stealing, exactly. That man owes you something. If it
hadn't been for him and his relative your father might have been rich
and never got into any burglary. I have looked the ground over, and
the job will be dead easy. There is a back alley and an iron fence
that both of us can climb over without half trying. Then I can git a
diamond cutter for the window glass, and the rest will be just as
easy as wink."
"And if you are caught, what then?"
"We won't git caught, Nelson. The old man has only a niece living
with him, a girl of seventeen or eighteen, and an old housekeeper
who is half deaf. The rest of the help comes in the morning and
leaves after supper."
There was another pause. Nelson sank beside the table, with his
face in his hands. Suddenly he looked at Sam Pepper again.
"Did you say that man had robbed my father—I mean the man who
shot him?"
"Sure he did, Nelson."
"Then perhaps my father wasn't a burglar, after all. Perhaps he was
entering the house to get evidence against the man."
"No, he went in to—er—well, to steal, if you must have it straight."
"Sam Pepper, I don't believe you!"
"Nelson!"
"I don't believe you, so there! You won't tell me my name, or where
I came from, or anything, and you are only trying to make out my
father was a thief so as to get me to turn thief, too."
"I've told you the truth, lad."
"And I repeat I don't believe you. What is more, I won't help you in
your plans of robbery. I've been honest so far, and I mean to remain
honest. You ought to be ashamed of yourself for trying to make me
a thief."
The newsboy had risen to his feet and, as he spoke, his face glowed
with earnestness. Now Sam Pepper sprang up, his features full of
baffled passion.
"How dare you talk to me, you miserable pup?" he roared. "I've a
good mind to thrash you well for this! Haven't I clothed and fed you
for years? And this is what I git for it! I've told you the truth about
yourself, only I didn't paint your father as black as I might, not
wishing to hurt your feelings. He was a burglar, and before he was
shot he served two sentences in prison."
"I don't believe it—and I never will," retorted Nelson, but with
quivering lips. "Where was this? Tell me, and I'll soon find out if it is
true."
"I won't tell you a thing more—unless you promise to help me as
you should."
"I won't help you—and that's the end of it."
"You owe me something for keeping you all these years."
"I don't believe you would have kept me if you weren't paid for it."
"I never received a cent—not a penny. You've got to pay me back
somehow."
"Well, I am not going to do it by stealing," answered Nelson
doggedly.
"Then how are you going to do it?"
"I don't know yet."
"I'm going to give this place up soon, and of course the living rooms
will go, too."
"I can find another place to live."
"You want to git out of paying me that five dollars a week, don't
you?" sneered Pepper.
"I can't pay five dollars. But I'll pay what I can. How much do you
think I owe you?"
"A good deal—seeing that I've kept you ten years or longer."
"Didn't my father leave anything?"
"About forty dollars—not enough to keep you three months."
"He hadn't any property?"
"Nothing."
"Well, as I said before, I'll do what I can—when I am able."
"And you won't help me to——" Pepper paused.
"I won't steal—I'll starve first," returned Nelson, and taking up his
hat, he unlocked the door, and walked away from the lunch-room.
 CHAPTER VI.
A BOOK AGENT'S TRIALS.

When Nelson left the lunch-room he scarcely knew what he was

doing. The conversation which had occurred had been an important
one, but his head was in such a whirl that just now he could make
little or nothing out of it.
He had no desire to sell papers,—indeed, he had no desire to do
anything,—and all he did was to walk up the street and keep on
walking until he was well uptown. Then he began to cross the city in
the direction of Broadway.
At last he began to "cool off" a bit, and then he went over all that
had been said with care. As he did this he became more and more
convinced that Sam Pepper had not told him the truth concerning his
parent.
"He is holding something back," he told himself. "And he has some
object in doing it. He shall never make me a thief, and some day I'll
force him to tell his secret."
"Hullo, Nelson! what brings you up here?"
The question was asked by a young man who carried a flat bag in
his hand. The man was an agent for books, and the boy had met
him many times before.
"Oh, I just came up for a walk," answered our hero. "How is
business, Van Pelt?"
"Poor," answered George Van Pelt, as he set down his bag, which
was heavy. "Haven't made but half a dollar so far to-day."
"That's no better than selling newspapers."
"I don't suppose it is, and you don't have to carry around such a bag
as this, either. But I would have made more to-day if a customer
hadn't tripped me up."
"How was that?"
"There was a young gent living near Central Park named Homer
Bulson, wanted me to get certain French books for him. I got the
books, but when I went to deliver them he refused to take them,
saying they were not what he had ordered."
"Were they?"
"They were. I could make him take them, according to law, but to
sue a man is expensive. But now I've got the books on my hands,
and they cost me over three dollars."
"Can't you sell them to somebody else?"
"I hardly think so. You see, they are books on poisons, and there
isn't much call for that sort of thing."
"Poisons! What did he want to do with them?"
"He said when he ordered them, that he was studying to be a
doctor, and was going to make poisons a specialty."
"It's a shame you can't make him take the books."
"So it is. I suppose I could make him take them, if I wanted to
create a row. But I can't do that. I haven't the cheek."
"I'd make him take them, if I was in your place. Anyway, I'd tell him
I was going to sue him if he didn't pay up. Perhaps that might scare
him."
"I was thinking something of doing so. Do you really think it might
make him come down?"
"I know some folks hate to think they are going to be sued. And if
he lives in a fine house he must be pretty high-toned."
"Oh, he is! He's a young bachelor, and lives in fine style, directly
opposite the home of his rich uncle."
"Then I'd try him again, before I'd give up."
"I will. Do you want to come along?" went on George Van Pelt, who
hated a quarrel.
"I might as well. I'm not doing much just now," answered Nelson.
"Of course you haven't given up selling papers?" went on George
Van Pelt, as the two walked along.
"No. But I wish I could get something better to do."
"That's hard these times, Nelson. How much a day can you make at
it?"
"From seventy-five cents to a dollar and a quarter. Sometimes I
make a dollar and a half, but that's not often."
"The books used to bring me in from three to five dollars a day. But
the department stores cut the prices now, and soon the whole book-
agent business will be ruined."
"What will you go into then?"
"I don't know. If I had the money I'd start a newsstand—for papers
and books, too."
"That would pay, if you could get hold of the right corner," said our
hero, with interest.
"I know of a good corner on Third Avenue. The man who keeps it
now is old and wants to sell out."
"What does he want for the stand?"
"A hundred dollars. Of course the stock isn't worth it, but the
business is."
"That depends on what he takes in a day."
"He averages seventy-five dollars a week. But it would be more, if he
was able to get around and attend to it."
"A hundred dollars a week would mean about thirty dollars profit,"
said Nelson, who was quick at figures. "How much is the rent?"
"Five dollars a week."
"That would leave twenty-five dollars for the stand-keeper. Does he
have a boy?"
"Yes, and pays him three dollars a week."
"Maybe we could buy the stand together, Van Pelt. You know all
about books, and I know about the newspapers. We ought to make
a go of it."
"That's so, but——" The book agent looked rather dubiously at our
hero's clothes. "How about the cash?"
"We might save it somehow. I'm saving up for a suit now."
"You need the suit."
"I expected to get it in a few days. But Billy Darnley robbed me of
five dollars, so I've got to wait a bit."
"Well, if we could raise that money we might buy out the stand and
try our luck," continued George Van Pelt, after a thoughtful pause. "I
think we'd get along. How much have you."
"Only a dollar or two now."
"I've got fifteen dollars, and about ten dollars' worth of books."
"Couldn't we get the man to trust us for the stand?"
"He said he might trust me for half the amount he asks, but fifty
dollars would have to be a cash payment."
"We'll raise it somehow!" cried Nelson enthusiastically. The idea of
owning a half interest in a regular stand appealed to him strongly. In
his eyes the proprietor of such a stand was a regular man of
business.
The pair hurried on, and at length reached the vicinity of Central
Park, and Van Pelt pointed out the house in which the rich young
man who had refused to take the books lived.
"Perhaps he won't let me in," he said.
"Wait—somebody is coming out of the house," returned our hero.
"It's Mr. Bulson himself," said George Van Pelt.
He hurried forward, followed by Nelson, and the pair met the young
man on the steps of his bachelor abode.
Homer Bulson was a tall, slim young fellow, with light hair and blue
eyes. His face was somewhat weak, but in his eyes was a look full of
scheming cunning. He was faultlessly dressed in the latest fashion,
wore a silk hat, and carried a gold-headed cane.
"Mr. Bulson, I must see you about these books," said George Van
Pelt, coming to a halt on the steps of the stone porch.
"I told you before that I did not wish to be bothered," answered the
young man coldly.
"But you ordered the books, sir."
"I will not discuss the matter with you. Go away, and if you bother
me again I shall call a policeman."
"My friend hasn't done anything wrong," put in Nelson boldly. "You
ordered some books from him, and you ought to pay for 'em."
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