“I always stop down-town,” explained Uncle Henry, “because I am near to the great wholesale establishments.  It is central to the retail stores, too, and to many of the places of interest.”

When they were settled in their room, Uncle Henry explained that he would have to be away most of this first day, but that to-morrow he would take Archie out and show him the sights.  So Archie expected to remain indoors all day; but when his uncle had left the house he decided that he couldn’t possibly remain in this close room when so many wonderful things were taking place outside.  So he decided to walk up and down the street, anyhow, and when he went out he felt like a prisoner just escaped from a cell.  But the noise was terrible, and there were a great many wagons and trucks passing through the street.  The greatest crowd seemed to be on that cross street about two blocks away, so Archie decided to go there, and see if there was anything new on that street.

He saw many wonderful things.  There were cars running along without any apparent motive power, there were thousands and thousands of people in the streets, and the stores looked so handsome and interesting that he simply couldn’t resist going into one or two of them, just to see what they were like.  And when he had finished with one or two he could think of no reason why he shouldn’t go on up the street, where he was sure he would find a great many more interesting things to see.  So on and on he went, until at last he was tired and hungry, and then, for the first time, he was a little frightened, because he thought of all he had read about people losing their way in the city, and not being able to find their relatives again.  But he was a brave boy, so he determined to make an effort to find his way back without appealing to a policeman.  And after a time he was successful, and entered the queer old house in the ancient street at just three o’clock in the afternoon.  His uncle was there waiting for him, and was nearly beside himself with apprehension.

“I was about to send out a general alarm for you, at the police station,” he said.  “How did you happen to go away?”

“Oh, I was so very tired of staying in the house,” said Archie, “and I felt sure that I could find my way back without getting lost at all.  And to-morrow I’m sure I can get along all right, Uncle Henry, so you needn’t bother with me at all, unless you want to.”

And it so happened that Mr. Kirk was very busy the next day, and would have found it quite impossible to show Archie about.  So it was fortunate that he was able to go everywhere alone, or he would have had to return home without seeing anything at all of the city.