The night before leaving he took a long farewell walk up Broadway.  Everything was bright with light, and there was, as usual, a great crowd of pleasure-seekers on the sidewalks.  It was all as fascinating as ever to Archie, and he felt sorry that he was to leave it so soon.  New York had begun to grow on him, as it grows on any one living there for any length of time, who is in a position to appreciate the city’s attractions.  He felt that he would almost rather be on Broadway than in the Philippines, but of course he forgot this feeling when he remembered the confidence which Mr. Van Bunting had reposed in him by sending him upon such an important mission.  So, after he had passed all the bright theatres and restaurants, he turned down a quiet side street and returned to his lodging, so that he might have a good night’s rest before starting on his long journey.

At seven in the morning he was up again, and at nine o’clock he was bidding farewell to his many friends in the editorial rooms of the Evening Enterprise.  Every one congratulated him upon his great good luck in getting such a chance to distinguish himself, and when they had done telling him that he had a great future before him, Archie felt happier than ever before in all his life.

The train left the Grand Central Station at one o’clock, and Mr. Jennings went with him to the station to see him well started upon the journey.  “You may be sure we are all much interested in you, Archie,” he said, as the train was leaving, “and we shall look forward anxiously to your safe return.”  These words made Archie very glad, for it cheered him to know that at least one of the editors liked him for himself as well as for what he could do.

The Southwestern Limited seemed to fairly fly along the banks of the beautiful Hudson, and everything was so delightful that Archie could scarcely believe that only a week or two before he had been walking along country roads, anxious to reach New York, that he might become an office boy.  Every thing in this train was as perfect as modern ingenuity could make it, and there was no lack of interesting things to be examined, when Archie tired of the landscape.  Then, when the train had been two hours out of New York, he discovered that the famous president of this great railway system was aboard, and, mustering up his courage, he determined to introduce himself.  He had long been anxious to see this famous after-dinner orator and statesman, and here was a chance which might not come soon again.  So he went back to the drawing-room, and found the great man to be quite as pleasant as he was interesting, and Archie was asked to seat himself and tell something about his experiences since leaving home.  Everything he said was listened to with great interest, and this distinguished wit seemed to find many of the adventures very funny indeed.  “You have certainly had some wonderful experiences,” he said, when Archie had finished, “and I can