I 'll work hard , sir , ever so hard -- and I 'll grow . '' The fat , stubby man roared with laughter . What was grim earnest to poor Chester was a joke to him . `` No doubt you will , my boy , '' he said genially , `` but I 'm afraid you 'll hardly grow fast enough to suit us . Boys are n't like pigweed , you know . No , no , our boy must be a big , strapping fellow of eighteen or nineteen . He 'll have a deal of heavy lifting to do . '' Chester went out of the store with a queer choking in his throat . For one horrible moment he thought he was going to cry -- he , Chester Stephens , who had run away from home to do splendid things ! A nice ending that would be to his fine dreams ! He thrust his hands into his pockets and strode along the street , biting his lips fiercely . He would not cry -- no , he would not ! And he would find work ! Chester did not cry , but neither , alas , did he find work . He parted with ten cents of his precious hoard for more crackers , and he spend the night again in the lumber yard . Perhaps I 'll have better luck tomorrow , he thought hopefully . But it really seemed as if there were to be no luck for Chester except bad luck . Day after day passed and , although he tramped resolutely from street to street and visited every place that seemed to offer any chance , he could get no employment . In spite of his pluck , his heart began to fail him . At the end of a week Chester woke up among his lumber to a realization that he was at the end of his resources .
He had just five cents left out XXXXX the four dollars that were to have been the key to his fortune .
For after although among at into of that to with