Behind Donal lay a world of dreams into which he dared not turn and look, yet from which he could scarce avert his eyes.
He was nearing the foot of the hill when he stumbled and almost fell, but recovered himself with the agility of a mountaineer, and the unpleasant knowledge that the sole of one of his shoes was all but off.
Never had he left home for college that his father had not made personal inspection of his shoes to see that they were fit for the journey, but on this departure they had been forgotten.

He sat down and took off the failing equipment.

It was too far gone to do anything temporary with it; and of discomforts a loose sole to one's shoe in walking is of the worst.

The only thing was to take off the other shoe and both stockings and go barefoot.

He tied all together with a piece of string, made them fast to his deerskin knapsack, and resumed his walk.