that it might not drop out.

"He was a curious fellow, and this is one of his odd ways of doing
things," he reasoned. "Well, the envelope will give me some hope, if
nothing else."

Nat had a map of the route in his possession, and he spent nearly the
whole day in watching the towns and villages through which the train
passed. At Albany came a long wait, and he walked out on the platform to
stretch his legs. Then the train went on its way down the shore of the
Hudson River, and about nine o'clock in the evening rolled into the
Grand Central Depot, at Forty-second Street, New York City.

The great station was a revelation to Nat, and when he got out on the
street, the lines of cabs, cars, and elevated trains made him stop short
in utter bewilderment.

"This is ten times worse than Cleveland or Buffalo," was his comment.
"What a racket on all sides! I wonder where all these folks are going?"

"Cab! coupe?" bawled a line of hackmen standing near. "Carry your
baggage?" came from a boy, and he caught hold of Nat's dress-suit case.

"Here, let go of that!" cried our hero, and shoved the boy to one side.

"Carry it for you anywhere you want to go," went on the street urchin.

"I can carry it myself."

After a struggle Nat found himself out of the crowd and on a distant
street corner. It was late, but the many street and shop lights made
the scene almost as bright as day.

He did not know where to go, and so continued to walk along until he
came to Sixth Avenue. Here he came to another halt.

"There is no sense in my walking myself to death to-night," he thought.
"I had better wait till morning for that--when I go in search of a job."

At that moment a boy of almost his own age stepped up to him with a
bundle of newspapers under his arm.

"Sporting extra?" he asked, holding out two evening papers. "All the
latest baseball and racing news."

"I don't want any paper," answered Nat. "But I wish you'd do me a
favor."

"What do you want?" demanded the other boy, promptly.

"I want to find a cheap but good boarding house. Do you know of any
around here?"

The New York boy looked Nat over critically. The examination, brief as
it was, appeared to satisfy him.

"Just come to the city?"

"Yes."

"Looking for work?"

"Yes."

"How much do you want to pay for board?"

"Not any more than I have to," answered Nat with a grin. "I'm not rich."

"I see. Well, mother takes boarders. It might be she would take you."