"Then I trust you get an opening soon—if I cannot use you," concluded Mr. Ruggles.
Robert wrote out his name in his best style, and added the address of his boarding house. The handwriting pleased the map-publisher, but he put it on file without comment. Then the boy bowed himself out.
"What a nice man," he thought. "I like him even better than I do Mr. Gray."
He was pleased to think that, although there was no immediate opening for him, there might be one in the near future.
As Robert entered the outer office he looked around for the Englishman and the Canadian. They were nowhere to be seen.
"They are either in one of the other offices or they have gone," he said to himself. "I'd give a good deal to know just what they are up to. When I write to Mr. Marden I must tell him about the pair."
Once on the sidewalk the boy hardly knew how to turn. He had one more place on his list—that of a wholesale butcher, but the idea of working in a packing house did not please him.
"I don't believe it would suit me," he said to himself. "Especially if I had to work down by the stockyards."
Nevertheless, he was resolved not to remain idle if it could be helped, and so started out to find the address.