So they answered him at first.

Later, they said it before he had a chance to ask.

Later still they merely shook their heads impatiently as soon as he came in sight.

After that he was ashamed to go any more.
He was down in the lowest depths of despair, now; for the harder Barrow tried to find work for him the more hopeless the possibilities seemed to grow.

At last he said to Barrow: "Look here.