Over the first few years in the village Archie gained a reputation as a somewhat unreliable character: he was paid to fix the boiler in the local public house The Woolpack but after he supposedly repaired it became faulty and nearly released gas into the air; and he was also paid by Alan Turner to repair the motor on his car, but Archie ended up tampering with the brakes, nearly causing Alan to have an accident. However Nick Bates began to lead Archie astray and one evening they went joyriding in Hotton and ended up in the cells for a night. They also frequently caused trouble in The Woolpack, by winding up other customers and arguing over the prices that pub landlord Amos Brearly was selling the alcohol at. The trouble eventually ceased when Archie and Nick were warned by Amos, who threat