rm can strike much," smiled his mother,
yet she was pleased at Jerry's earnestness.

Three days later Jerry was off, valise in hand. He had bid good-bye to
Harry and Blumpo, telling them he was going to New York on some private
business for his father. His mother saw him to the train and kissed him
affectionately.

"Take good care of yourself, Jerry," she said. "And remember, New York is
an entirely different place from Lakeview or Rockpoint, and you must have
your eyes and ears open to avoid trouble."

"I'll take care of myself, don't worry mother," and two minutes later the
train came along and he was off.

Yet it must be confessed that our hero felt just a bit strange as he
settled back in the cushioned seat, with his valise beside him. He was
going over two hundred miles from home and among total strangers.

"I suppose it will be different from knocking around Lakeview, Rockpoint
or even Long Lake," he mused. "I'll have to brace up and watch myself, or
they'll take me for a regular greeny."

As the train moved on, Jerry revolved the situation in his mind. He knew
he would arrive in the metropolis late in the afternoon, and determined to
seek a boarding-house first of all, knowing it would be useless to hunt
for any trace of Alexander Slocum after office hours.

At last the run through green fields and small towns and cities came to an
end, and the train ran into the Grand Central Depot at Forty-second
Street, and Jerry alighted in a crowd and made his way to the street.

"Cab! coupe! This way for the Central Hotel! Evening paper! Sun or
World!"

A hundred cries seemed to start up all in an instant, making Jerry's ears
ring. The rattle of the carts and trucks on the pavement was also new, and
for the moment, the Lakeview boy did not know which way to turn.

"Carry yer baggage?" queried a bare-foot boy, and almost caught his valise
from his hand. But the young oarsman pulled it back and shook his head,
and got out of the crowd as quickly as he could, starting eastward for he
had heard that the cheaper boarding houses lay in that direction.

It was not long before the boy came to several places which displayed the
sign, Boarding. But the first two were too elegant, and Jerry passed them
without stopping. Then came a third, and ascending the steps Jerry rang
the bell.

An elderly lady answered the summons, a sharp-faced woman with powdered
hair.

"You take boarders here?" queried Jerry.

"We do, young m