He had made some boy friends, and he was four dollars
richer, Archie was sensible enough, too, to realise that his
experience would be a valuable one to him in the future. He knew now
what hard work was, at any rate.
The morning walk was delightful. The September weather was perfect,
and all along the road were fruit-trees laden with every sort of good
thing to eat a boy could wish for. And as the trees were on the public
thoroughfare, Archie did net hesitate to help himself freely as he
went along, so that he didn't require any meal at noon.
As night drew near, however, he began to wonder what he would do for a
bed, and the question became more important with every hour. He had
come to no towns since morning, and knew that he couldn't expect to
reach one of any size until the next day, anyhow. There were
farmhouses, of course, but after his experience of the past week the
lad felt that he would rather remain outdoors all night than risk
being thrown in with another Hiram Tinch. He didn't know enough of
farmers to know that few of them resemble Mr. Tinch in nature, and he
did what he thought was best in keeping away from farmhouses after
this.
It was five o'clock in the evening, and Archie was beginning to feel
very tired and hungry, when he came to the ruins of an old colonial
mansion, which lay far back from the road, surrounded by trees, and
almost hid with shrubbery.
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