nearly noon
Throwing out his hand to save himself , by chance , he caught the door of the firebox , and in a moment more was inside , crouching in the accumulated dirt , iron rust and ashes . At least the wind could not get at him here ; and leaning his back against the iron wall of his strange bed-room , tired and hungry , he fell asleep . The next morning Dick crawled from his rude lodging place stiff and sore , and after making his toilet as best he could , started again on his search for employment . It was nearly noon when he met a man who in answer to his inquiry said : `` I 'm out of a job myself , stranger , but I 've got a little money left ; you look hungry . '' Dick admitted that he had had no breakfast . `` Tell you what I 'll do , '' said the other . `` I ai n't got much , but we can go to a joint I know of where they set up a big free lunch .