The Adventures of a Boy Reporter | Page 4

grounds, waiting to
get some work to do. Archie Dunn got the first job, being selected to
carry water for the elephant because he was stronger than any of the
others. But the rest were given something to do, and when the day was
over they had all seen the circus, and went to bed happy, to dream of
the great trip to be taken by the Hut Club on the next Saturday.
CHAPTER II
.
ARCHIE LONGS FOR A CHANGE IN SURROUNDINGS-- A TRIP
TO NEW YORK WITH UNCLE HENRY.
THE Hut Club went out on a picnic the next Saturday, and had a jolly
time. They camped upon an island in the middle of a shallow stream,
and while there made coffee and cooked their dinner, having brought
most of the necessary apparatus from the Hut. They fished a little, and
hunted for turtles in the water, and altogether had a good time, if
nothing exciting did occur. It was after nine o'clock at night when they
reached town again, footsore and weary, and Archie Dunn had hardly
entered the house before he was on the dining-room lounge, half-asleep.
His mother seemed to be out, and as he lay there he wondered how long
it would be before she came back. Archie truly loved his mother, but of
late he had often thought that he would like to leave home and go to the
famous city, where he felt sure he could get something to do. But he
disliked the idea of leaving his mother.
"I'm getting to be a big boy, now," he often said to himself, "and it's
time that I began to look out for myself. I'm nearly seventeen, and I
think I ought to be earning some money. This thing of belonging to Hut
Clubs and spending my time in going to picnics and to circuses ought

to stop. It's all right for boys, but I'm getting to be a man, now."
All these thoughts were flying through his mind when his mother came
in. "Oh, Archie," she exclaimed, "I've been so worried about you. I've
just been over to Mrs. Sullivan's to see if Dannie had come home, and
whether he had seen you. Wherever have you been?"
"We didn't think it would take so long to walk home," said Archie,
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
be was going to New