jumping up from the sofa, "but we were awfully tired, and we didn't come
very fast. I'm so sorry you were worried.

"And I'm as hungry as a bear, mother. Can't you find me something to
eat?"

"Yes, dear," said Mrs. Dunn, softly, "and when you've finished your
supper I have something for you. I won't give it to you now for fear you
won't be able to eat, but as soon as you have finished your meal, you
shall have it."

So Archie was obliged to eat his baked beans and brown bread and drink
his milk without knowing what was in store for him, and he hurried as
fast as he could, so that he could learn. When he had finished he went
into the sitting-room, and found his mother sitting with a letter spread
open upon her lap. "Uncle Henry has written me asking if you cannot go
with him to New York on Monday, for a couple of days. He is obliged to
go down there on business, and says he will be glad to take you along
and show you something of the wonderful city, for he knows you won't be
any trouble to him. Now I hardly know what to say, Archie. If I can feel
that you are behaving yourself properly, and are doing your best to be
as little trouble as possible, I am willing that you shall go."

"Oh, mother," cried Archie, "I'll promise anything. Only let me go this
once, and I'll promise to stay at home all the rest of the summer."

"All right, then," said Mrs. Dunn. "You shall go on the first train
Monday morning, and Uncle Henry will join you at Heddens Corner. Run
along to bed now."

Archie went up-stairs almost dumb with delight Was it really true that
he was to see the great city at last? He had heard some of the boys at
school telling what their fathers saw there, but he had never even hoped
that he would see it for himself so soon. Of course he had determined to
see it all some day, but that was to be far in the future. The lad
could hardly sleep for the joy of it all, and when he did finally
lose consciousness, it was only to dream of streets of gold, and great
buildings reaching to the skies.

Sunday passed slowly by. At Sunday school, Archie told the boys that
he was going to New York on the morrow, and from that moment he was the
hero of the class. The boys looked at him with wondering admiration, and
seemed scarcely able to realise that one of their number was to go so
far from home. The city was in reality little more than a hundred miles,
but to their boyish minds this distance seemed wonderfully great.

Early o