noon
He slipped on an old coat , into the pocket of which he put his flashlight , some matches in an airtight box , his scout knife and a little bottle of antiseptic . Thus equipped , he felt natural and at home , and he looked as if he meant business . Putting the plush box into his pocket , he descended the stairs quietly and slipped into the street . He hurried now , for he wished to get into the city in time to catch the noon train for Catskill . At the end of Culver Street he turned into Williams Avenue and hurried along through its din and turmoil , and past its tawdry shops until he came to one which he had not seen in many a day . The sight of its dirty window , filled with a disorderly assortment of familiar articles , took him back to the old life in Barrel Alley and the days when his good-for-nothing father had sent him down here with odds and ends of clothing to be turned into money for supper or breakfast . It spoke well for the self-respect which Tom had gained that he walked past this place several times before he could muster the courage to enter .