And now Archie found it hard to leave the dear little room in the quaint
old square, which was looking now just as when he saw it first. The
leaves in the trees were turning brown and gold, and Archie realised
that he had been away from home more than a year. "Oh, I must go back
soon," he said to himself, "or I shall simply die of homesickness."

In a couple of days he was installed as a member of the Depaw household,
and he soon felt at home there. Every one was very kind to him, he was
given a handsome room, and everything seemed almost perfect. One of the
best things about it all was that he had access to the fine library,
and he longed for the long winter evenings when he could devour the many
interesting books he saw there. He was soon initiated into his work, and
it was much easier than he had expected. Mr. Depaw, of course, started
him very gradually, so that he learned as he went along. Every morning
at eight o'clock he was in the library with Mr. Depaw, taking dictation,
and receiving instructions for the day. They remained together here
until ten o'clock, when Mr. Depaw either walked or drove to his office.
Archie always accompanied him, and took charge of some of the mail
there, attending to it during the morning. Then at noon he returned to
the house, where he spent the afternoon in writing the letters which had
been dictated in the morning, and in doing various things for Mr. Depaw.
The evenings he always had to himself, and he had no difficulty in
finding enough to do at home without going out. He almost invariably
passed the evenings in reading, but occasionally he was asked to
accompany the family to some musical event at the opera house, for they
had soon learned of his love for music.

In work and study the winter passed quickly and happily for Archie, who
now felt quite at ease amid his elegant surroundings. His only wish was
that he might go home, and as spring approached Mr. Depaw promised him
that he should have a short vacation. The suggestion of Mr. Depaw that
Archie's mother come to New York for a week was heartily accepted by
Archie, but when he wrote home Mrs. Dunn replied that she would rather
wait for Archie at home. She had never visited New York, and felt that
she wouldn't like it.

Bill Hickson came over very often from the navy yard, and was always a
welcome visitor at Mr. Depaw's office. He didn't seem to care for his
work in Brooklyn, however, and Archie finally requested a place f