Archie was dumbfounded.  Never before had he been among such a motley crowd, and his first impulse was to turn and run.  But on second thought he decided that it would be best to put on a bold face and walk up to the men.  This he did, and when he reached the fire the men jumped up and asked him who he was.  In a few words he told them his simple story, and they all laughed and sat down again about the fire, making a place for him.  “You’re one of us, then, laddie,” said the leader of the gang.  “We’re all soldiers of fortune, all dependent upon the generous public for our livelihood.  But we’re not goin’ to the city.  There’s nothin’ there for us, and our advice to you is for you to steer clear of the place, too.  Them police takes ye and throws ye into jail as quick as a wink, and there’s no chance of gettin’ anythink to eat at basement doors, neither.  They’re all on to us, there, laddie, and ye’d better stick to the country.”

This bit of advice was endorsed by the entire company, and it was in vain that Archie tried to make them understand that he was no ordinary tramp, walking about the country in search of an easy time.  He tried to tell them that he was going to the city to work, not to beg; but the leader, a big, dirty fellow, weighing two hundred pounds or over, said, “Never mind, laddie, we knows you’ve run away from home to get away from the folks, and we appreciates yer position.  If yer a mind to stand by us, we’ll stand by you, and see thet ye comes to no harm.”

On thinking things over, Archie decided that it was perhaps the wisest thing for him to appear to sympathise with the tramps, and make himself agreeable while with them.  He had undoubtedly run into a gang of the worst sort of vagabonds, and there was no way of getting away from there without arousing their suspicions.  So he partook of their slender meal, and joined in the general laughter when the leader, “Fattie Foy,” made some crude attempt at punning.  The meal was one to be remembered.  The coffee had been heated in an empty tomato can over the fire, and from its taste was evidently a combination of various collections made from the farmhouses round about.  Besides the coffee there was a various collection of sandwiches and bread and butter, and two pieces of cake.  One man had succeeded in striking a good house, and came back laden with pickles and crackers and cheese, which were probably the remains of some picnic basket.  Another fellow had brought some pieces of cold bacon, and these were warmed on sticks over the fire until they looked really appetising.  From some barn had come a half-dozen fresh eggs, and these were quickly boiled in a can of hot water, and made a very fair showing on the slab of granite which served as a table.

When everything was ready the provisions were equally divided among the crowd, and every one shared alike.  It made no difference how much more one man collected than another, it was always shared with the entire crowd.  Poor Archie found it almost impossible to eat, but the men insisted that he take something, so he did manage to swallow a few sips of coffee and eat a slice of bread and butter.  But as he looked about him at the dirty hands and faces, and the filthy garments of the tramps, he determined not to eat again while with them.