interest. He was very eager to
learn what school was like, and he hoped that as soon as they came
back from New York he would go to school every day as Nelson Baker
did.

Two or three blocks further on Harriet turned suddenly down a side
street.

"Now begin to look, Sunny," she admonished him. "See if you see a boy
that looks like the one who took your hat this morning. How old would
you say he was?"

"'Bout 'leven," returned Sunny Boy wisely. "He acted 'bout that,
anyway. Isn't that a cunning baby, Harriet?"

Harriet wasn't interested in babies just then. She was determined to
find that missing hat.

"That looks like him," Sunny pointed an accusing finger at a colored
boy leaning against a rickety porch railing.

At the same moment the boy saw them and started to run.

"We can't chase him," said Harriet. "He'll run up some alley. You stay
here on the sidewalk, and I'll ask if he lives in this house."

A little girl answered Harriet's knock. "Yes'm," she said, she knew
the boy.

"He don't live here--don't live nowhere," she volunteered. "He just
hangs around. His name is Pete."

"Well, there's no use in looking any further," announced Harriet,
rejoining Sunny Boy on the pavement. "Pete, if that's his name, won't
show up around here for several days now. And before that you'll be on
your way to New York."

CHAPTER III

OFF FOR NEW YORK

"Sunny Boy and I will go ahead and get the trunk checked," said Mr.
Horton, picking up the two suitcases that stood in the hall. "Where's
your hat? You haven't lost it again, have you?"

Sunny Boy dashed under the table and picked up his new hat.

"It's all right," he assured his father anxiously. "It just fell off
when I wasn't looking. Mother bought it yesterday. Does it do for New
York, Daddy?"

"I don't see why not," replied Mr. Horton, smiling. "All through,
Olive? Sure you and Harriet can lock up all right?"

Mrs. Horton came into the hall, pencil and pad in hand. It was the day
for leaving--Sunny Boy had been afraid that it would never come--and
they were almost on the way to New York. The train would leave
Centronia Union Station in an hour.

"I'm finishing the list of things I want Harriet to remember,"
explained Mrs. Horton. "Sunny, dear, did you say good-bye to her? All
right then, run along with Daddy. And I'll meet you at the south
entrance not later than a quarter of ten."

Sunny Boy and Daddy took the street car, and Sunny was so blissfull