This Harry ascertained after a while, but thus far had succeeded in obtaining the restitution of but a small portion of his hard-earned savings.

The second obstacle was a sudden depression in the shoe trade which threw him out of work.

More than most occupations the shoe business is liable to these sudden fluctuations and suspensions, and the most industrious and ambitious workman is often compelled to spend in his enforced weeks of idleness all that he had been able to save when employed, and thus at the end of the year finds himself, through no fault of his own, no better off than at the beginning.

Finding himself out of work, our hero visited other shoe establishments in the hope of employment.

But his search was in vain.