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 York on the morrow, and from that moment he was
the hero of the class. The boys looked at him with wondering
admiration, and seemed scarcely able to realise that one of their
number was to go so far from home. The city was in reality little more
than a hundred miles, but to their boyish minds this distance seemed
wonderfully great.

Early on Monday morning Archie was at the depot waiting for the train.
His mother was there to see him off, and there were tears in her eyes
at the thought of parting with her only child, if only for a day or
two. And Archie was radiant with delight at the glorious prospect
ahead of him. He walked nervously up and down the platform, and wished
frequently that it were not so early in the morning, so that some of
the boys might be there to see him off. Finally, the great hissing
locomotive drew up, with its long train of coaches, and Archie was
soon aboard, hurrying off to Heddens Corner and the city. In a few
minutes Uncle Henry was with him, a tall, fine-looking man, with an
air of business. Uncle Henry kept the general store at the Corner, and
was an important person in the neighbourhood. He was of some