all agreeing that Archie should hold that office for ever, wherever he
was. And the meal was eaten in silence, for the announcement had thrown
a sort of chill over the proceedings. When they had finished, Archie
silently shook hands with each of the boys, who were dumb with
amazement, gathered up his skillet and coffee-pot, and went home through
the gate to the chicken-lot.

"I wonder what he's goin' to do," they all said, as in one breath, and
as there was seldom much fun in the club when Archie was absent, they
all went home in a few minutes, or down-town to watch the farmers, who
were in town to do their weekly buying.

When Archie reached home he went up-stairs to his little room, and began
to lay out a few things which he wanted to take with him, for he had
determined to start for New York this very night. Then he tied the
things up in a small bundle, and sat down to write a note to his mother.
When he had finished it, he pinned it up at the head of his cot, and
this is what it said:

"MY DARLING MOTHER:--Please don't worry about me, I'm bound to
come through all right, and if anything happens to me, I promise
that I will write to you immediately and let you know. I have the
ten dollars which I have saved, and if I don't get work at once I
will write to you for some more. Now, I am not doing this thing for
the sake of adventure, but because I am sure it is the best thing
for me, and I don't want you to worry at all. I shall write to you
often and let you know just what I'm doing, so don't worry, but be
a brave mother. I'm not going off this way as a sneak, but because
I want to avoid a 'scene.'

"Your loving

"ARCHIE."

And at three o'clock the next morning Archie Dunn got out of bed,
shouldered his bundle, and started off for the great city, which seemed
to be drawing him like a magnet.

CHAPTER IV.

WORKING ON A FARM TO EARN SOME MONEY--CRUEL TREATMENT.

WHEN daylight came, Archie was far out of the town walking quickly along
the southern road. He figured that he had walked nearly six miles in the
two hours since he had let himself out of the back door at home, and,
as he looked ahead, he planned that he would walk at least thirty miles
every day. Of course, he had never done much walking before, or he would
have known better than to have expected to accomplish so much in twelve
hours, bu