"Have you any means, or any way of making your expenses while you are
looking for work?" was the next question.

"No sir, I have no money, and only want to get work. I have a friend at the
next town whom I am quite certain would help me if I could only find him."

"Have you anything about you that you could sell if you got into a pinch?"
again asked the man.

"Not a thing unless it would be this," and he held up a pocket-knife, which
had been a gift of his mother's.

"If you will give me the knife I will give you your supper and a ticket to
the next station," tactfully proposed the man, not wishing to make Austin
feel like a beggar.

Accepting the offer he was taken to a little restaurant and given a good
supper, and before it had grown much later he had a ticket and was aboard
the train bound for the town where his friend was at work. Austin had taken
opportunity while waiting for the train to change his clothes, and he now
presented a much better appearance than when he was sitting by the little
box-car fire.

When Austin left the train it was dark, and had been for some time. He had
been so tired as the train bounded along that he hardly sensed his
position. Dimly he had wondered where he would sleep that night. Now he
stood for a moment on the little station platform wondering what he should
do next. He did not know where to find his friend and was not certain he
was here at all. This had been his only hope of finding work, and now he
realized it had been a very forlorn one. Since he was here he must find the