indoors all day; but when his uncle had left the house he
decided that he couldn't possibly remain in this close room when so many
wonderful things were taking place outside. So he decided to walk up and
down the street, anyhow, and when he went out he felt like a prisoner
just escaped from a cell. But the noise was terrible, and there were a
great many wagons and trucks passing through the street. The greatest
crowd seemed to be on that cross street about two blocks away, so Archie
decided to go there, and see if there was anything new on that street.

He saw many wonderful things. There were cars running along without any
apparent motive power, there were thousands and thousands of people in
the streets, and the stores looked so handsome and interesting that he
simply couldn't resist going into one or two of them, just to see what
they were like. And when he had finished with one or two he could think
of no reason why he shouldn't go on up the street, where he was sure he
would find a great many more interesting things to see. So on and on
he went, until at last he was tired and hungry, and then, for the first
time, he was a little frightened, because he thought of all he had read
about people losing their way in the city, and not being able to find
their relatives again. But he was a brave boy, so he determined to make
an effort to find his way back without appealing to a policeman. And
after a time he was successful, and entered the queer old house in the
ancient street at just three o'clock in the afternoon. His uncle was
there waiting for him, and was nearly beside himself with apprehension.

"I was about to send out a general alarm for you, at the police
station," he said. "How did you happen to go away?"

"Oh, I was so very tired of staying in the house," said Archie, "and I
felt sure that I could find my way back without getting lost at all.
And to-morrow I'm sure I can get along all right, Uncle Henry, so you
needn't bother with me at all, unless you want to."

And it so happened that Mr. Kirk was very busy the next day, and would
have found it quite impossible to show Archie about. So it was fortunate
that he was able to go everywhere alone, or he would have had to return
home without seeing anything at all of the city.

As it was, he went here, there, and everywhere, and saw a great deal of
the city, the people, and the way in which they lived. The entire place
had a strange fascination for him, and all t