He was indeed offered a position in a drug store up town at three dollars a week, but there were two objections to accepting it. The small pay would not more than half defray the expenses of their little household, and, besides, the hours would be very long.
Resolving to leave no means untried, Rupert decided to remain out till five o'clock. Perhaps something might turn up for him at the last moment. He was walking in front of the Metropolitan Hotel when a boy hailed him in evident surprise.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
"Why shouldn't I be all right, George?" asked Rupert, in great surprise.
"I thought you had broken your leg."
"Who told you such nonsense?"
"There was a slip of paper brought to your mother early this afternoon, saying that you had been run over by a horse car, and had been carried into a drug store near Thirtieth Street."
Rupert was amazed.
"Who brought the paper?"
"A messenger boy."