noon
He lay awake a long time that night , looking out of his window at the bright star that had for many a year peeped in through the window of his little room , and in some way cheered him by its twinkling ; he laid many plans for the immediate future , and somehow just the thought of the smile upon the careworn face of his little mother seemed an inspiration , urging him to greater efforts . Thus he pictured the day when he would be successful in business , and when want would no longer confront them at the door ; when he could surround this dear one with all the comforts and perhaps some of the luxuries that other women delighted in , and with such noble ambitions soothing him Dick finally fell asleep . Immediately after breakfast on the following morning Dick started out upon his search for employment . He did not know how far he might have to tramp in scouring the surrounding country , and so asked his mother to let him put him up a `` snack '' which would help to tide him over the noon hour , if he happened to be at a distance from home . As he turned and looking back waved his hand to her just as he had always done since the first day he went to school , she felt that it was hard indeed that her boy should have to be thrown on the world to make a living when others among his schoolmates had pleasant homes , and well-to-do parents to care for them . But Dick never allowed himself to look at things in that way ; he felt within him the spirit to do and dare that leads to success if persisted in , and he was grimly determined not to allow himself feel any discouragement even should he meet with failure right and left . He had heard just the preceding day that the miller down the river road was looking for a boy to assist him , since his son was sick , and it was toward the quaint old mill , driven by water from the little river , that he first of all turned his steps .