end of the conference he felt that he knew all that he would need to
know, so that he could start off without fear of not being able to
fulfil his mission. As far as Archie could understand it, his chief
instructions as to duty were to the effect that he must have as many
experiences as possible of as many different kinds, and that he must
write about them in a perfectly natural way, just as if he were
writing a letter to the folks at home. And he thought, of course, that
this would be very easy to do.

Mr. Van Bunting gave him a letter of credit for six hundred dollars,
which amount, he said, would probably be sufficient to pay his
expenses while he was in the Philippines, and he also gave him a
cheque for three hundred dollars, which was intended to pay the
expense of getting to Manila. "Of course," said Mr. Van Bunting, "you
can spend as much or as little of this as you please, and if you need
more, and we find that the venture is paying us, why, we will send it
on demand." Archie was so overcome with the knowledge that he
possessed nine hundred dollars, that he could hardly thank the editor
enough, and he made up his mind that he would spend as little as
possible of the sum, and bring back part of it to Mr. Van Bunting upon
his return. He couldn't imagine how it would be possible for him to
spend so much money, and he felt that, after some of his experiences
since he left home, he ought to be able to economise in many ways
where other reporters wouldn't know how to save at all.

When the two days were up Archie had made all his preparation, and was
ready to leave New York for Manila. He had sent a long letter home to
his mother, telling her of his great good fortune, and enclosing a
cheque for a hundred dollars, which she was to spend while he was
gone. He told her that he would send her more money from time to time,