"They are very poor," answered the boy, in a sorrowful tone.
"Doesn't your father work?"
"Yes, he works for Mr. Lorimer, on Third Avenue."
Rupert's attention was aroused. This Lorimer, as the reader has already been told, was his father's former partner, and, as Rupert believed, the cause of his failure.
"If your father has a position I should think he would be able to support his family."
"Mr. Lorimer only pays him five dollars a week," explained the boy.
"Only five dollars a week!" repeated Rupert, in amazement. "Doesn't he pay more to his other salesmen?"
"Yes, but he knew father was poor, so he told him he must work for that or leave the store."
Rupert was not altogether surprised to hear this, as he knew that Lorimer was a mean man who had no consideration for the poor.