The boys were allowed to do pretty much as they pleased while they remained, for, as they were to leave so soon, Mr.Winters could not find it in his heart to raise any objections to the plans they proposed for their amusement.

Besides, he knew that Archie was in good hands, for Frank was a boy of excellent habits, and possessed sufficient moral courage to say _no_, when tempted to do wrong; and, as he had great influence over his cousin, Mr.Winters knew their conduct would be such as he could approve.
At length, one morning, when they went on board the receiving-ship to report as usual, they were ordered to present themselves at the depot at two o'clock that afternoon, with their bags and hammocks, in readiness to take the train for the West.

The boys were a good deal disappointed when they heard this, for the idea of serving out their year on the Mississippi River was not an agreeable one.

They had hoped to be ordered to the coast.
But, as Archie remarked, it was "too late to back out," and they were obliged to submit.

When Archie came to bid farewell to his parents, he found it to be a much more difficult task than he had expected.