It made me feel very sad and homesick to see the other students preparing to leave and starting for home.

I not only had no money with which to go home, but I had none with which to go anywhere.
In some way, however, I had gotten hold of an extra, second-hand coat which I thought was a pretty valuable coat.

This I decided to sell, in order to get a little money for travelling expenses.

I had a good deal of boyish pride, and I tried to hide, as far as I could, from the other students the fact that I had no money and nowhere to go.

I made it known to a few people in the town of Hampton that I had this coat to sell, and, after a good deal of persuading, one coloured man promised to come to my room to look the coat over and consider the matter of buying it.
This cheered my drooping spirits considerably.