No Admittance." Archie opened the door and entered. He
knew it would be useless to send in his name. It was best to see the
editor at once, and without ceremony. He was seated before a large
desk, which was littered with papers of every description, and he was
a very pleasant person in appearance. Archie stood hesitating near the
door, and remained there a minute or two before the editor looked up.
"Well, my boy, what is it?"
Archie took courage.
"I-- I want to be a reporter, sir, and I thought it would do no harm
to ask you for such a position, anyhow."
The distinguished journalist wheeled about in his chair.
"What!" he exclaimed, "you want to be a reporter. Why, my dear boy,
how old are you?"
"I'll be eighteen my next birthday," said Archie, "and, sir, I've had
some experiences in the last two weeks, which make me feel as if I
were about five years older than I really am. I've been through some
very trying experiences, sir."
The editor was interested at once. "Tell me what your experiences have
been," he said, and Archie began, and told him his whole story; how he
had left home to win fame and fortune, and how he had worked on the
farm for a week with Farmer Tinch; how he had been robbed the night he
stayed with the tramps in the ancient ruins, and how he had finally
reached the city. Then he told him of the night in the lodging-house,
of his dish-washing experience in the restaurant, and how he had been
taken from the street by a policeman the night before, and allowed to
sleep in the station-house.
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