“Oh, I’m going to, now,” said Archie.  “I was very homesick and discouraged last night, but since I’ve met you I seem to have received a new impetus, and I’m ready to make a new beginning.”

So Archie and the policeman parted friends.

“Come around to the station to-night if you want a bed, and you shall be cared for,” said the officer, as he turned around the corner into the busy street, where he was lost in the crowd.

Archie walked down the street, hardly knowing what to do first.  He didn’t feel like answering any more advertisements in the newspapers, and he decided to go into a few stores and ask for work.  He was about to do this when he saw before him the magnificent building of the New York Enterprise.  It was a truly beautiful structure, rising fifteen stories above the ground, and surmounted with an artistic tower, which could be seen from almost any part of the city.  The home of the city’s greatest daily, it looked as if it were always welcoming strangers to the metropolis, and Archie felt an irresistible impulse to enter.  Everything connected with a newspaper had for him the greatest fascination, and he knew he would enjoy seeing through this wonderful building, which was almost wholly occupied by the departments of the Enterprise.  So he entered the door, and passed from one floor to another, finally arriving at the highest floor of all, where were located the editorial rooms of the Evening Enterprise.  All at once a new plan entered Archie’s fertile brain.  Why shouldn’t he be able to get something to do on a newspaper?  It had always been his greatest ambition to become a reporter, and here, although he didn’t think the editor would take him in that capacity, he thought he might get some sort of work. in which he could work himself up.

There upon the door were the magic words:  “Editor of the Evening enterprise.  No Admittance.”  Archie opened the door and entered.  He knew it would be useless to send in his name.  It was best to see the editor at once, and without ceremony.  He was seated before a large desk, which was littered with papers of every description, and he was a very pleasant person in appearance.  Archie stood hesitating near the door, and remained there a minute or two before the editor looked up.

“Well, my boy, what is it?”

Archie took courage.

“I—­ I want to be a reporter, sir, and I thought it would do no harm to ask you for such a position, anyhow.”

The distinguished journalist wheeled about in his chair.

“What!” he exclaimed, “you want to be a reporter.  Why, my dear boy, how old are you?”

“I’ll be eighteen my next birthday,” said Archie, “and, sir, I’ve had some experiences in the last two weeks, which make me feel as if I were about five years older than I really am.  I’ve been through some very trying experiences, sir.”