til he tried. But the boys had
fixed a secret cord which, when pulled, shifted the bar inside, and
every boy was sworn not to betray the existence of the cord.

The day set for the circus came nearer and nearer, and the boys began
to be anxious for fear the schools would not close, so that they could
attend. But the superintendent finally announced that they would; so
early on the eventful day the entire club was on the grounds, waiting
to get some work to do. Archie Dunn got the first job, being selected
to carry water for the elephant because he was stronger than any of the
others. But the rest were given something to do, and when the day was
over they had all seen the circus, and went to bed happy, to dream of
the great trip to be taken by the Hut Club on the next Saturday.

CHAPTER II.

ARCHIE LONGS FOR A CHANGE IN SURROUNDINGS--A TRIP TO NEW YORK WITH UNCLE
HENRY.

THE Hut Club went out on a picnic the next Saturday, and had a jolly
time. They camped upon an island in the middle of a shallow stream, and
while there made coffee and cooked their dinner, having brought most of
the necessary apparatus from the Hut. They fished a little, and hunted
for turtles in the water, and altogether had a good time, if nothing
exciting did occur. It was after nine o'clock at night when they reached
town again, footsore and weary, and Archie Dunn had hardly entered the
house before he was on the dining-room lounge, half-asleep. His mother
seemed to be out, and as he lay there he wondered how long it would be
before she came back. Archie truly loved his mother, but of late he
had often thought that he would like to leave home and go to the famous
city, where he felt sure he could get something to do. But he disliked
the idea of leaving his mother.

"I'm getting to be a big boy, now," he often said to himself, "and it's
time that I began to look out for myself. I'm nearly seventeen, and I
think I ought to be earning some money. This thing of belonging to Hut
Clubs and spending my time in going to picnics and to circuses ought to
stop. It's all right for boys, but I'm getting to be a man, now."

All these thoughts were flying through his mind when his mother came in.
"Oh, Archie," she exclaimed, "I've been so worried about you. I've just
been over to Mrs. Sullivan's to see if Dannie had come home, and whether
he had seen you. Wherever have you been?"

"We didn't think it would take so long to walk home," said Archie,