Once on West Street, Hal stood still, undecided what to do next. He did not know a soul in New York, did not know one street from another, but understood very well that it would be next to useless to try to obtain employment at this late hour.
As Hal stood meditating, the two men mentioned above brushed past him. The boy noticed them, and then almost mechanically followed the pair.
The men passed up Cortlandt Street until they came to the Sixth Avenue Elevated Railroad. Hal saw them mount the stairs on the opposite side of the street, and a minute after knew they had taken an uptown train.
"I suppose I'll never see them again," thought the youth.
But Hal was mistaken. The two men were to play a most important part in the youth's future life in the great metropolis.
Hal walked along under the elevated road until he came to Barclay Street. He passed several fruit stands and a queer little booth where coffee and cakes were sold.
The sight of the latter made him remember how hungry he was. He had not had anything to eat since early morning, and although he was accustomed to a very scanty fare at the poor-house, his stomach rebelled at this unusually long fast.
He counted up his money, and resolved to invest fifteen cents of it in a plate of pork and beans and some buttered cakes.
He entered a restaurant near the corner, and was soon served.
While Hal was eating he became interested in the conversation of several young men who stood near the counter, smoking.