we can get a carriage to drive us around."
The trolley car made good time and it was still daylight when Niagara was reached. Hackmen were numerous, and Dunston Porter soon engaged a turnout to take them around Goat Island and other points of interest. They could hear the roaring of the Falls plainly, and the sight of the great cataracts impressed them deeply. "Want to go down under the Falls?" asked Phil, as they were riding along.
"No, indeed!" answered Laura.
"We haven't time, anyway," answered Roger. "We've got to get back or we'll miss that train for Chicago, and that won't do, for our berths have been engaged ahead."
At the bridge leading to the Three Sisters Islands the whole party alighted, so as to get a better view of the upper rapids of the river. As they did so, a youth seated on a rock near by looked at them in amazement. Then of a sudden he slipped off the rock and dodged out of sight.
The youth was Nat Poole.
CHAPTER VI
NAT POOLE'S LITTLE GAME
It may not be out of place here to relate how Nat Poole happened to be at Niagara Falls, and how he chanced to have with him a man who was willing to do almost anything for the sake of a little money.
When Nat was placed aboard of the freight train by Dave and Phil he was in a great rage, yet powerless, for the time being, to help himself. The train moved so swiftly that he did not dare to jump off, and soon Crumville was left far behind.
As soon as he had cooled off for a little, Nat found out that he was very tired. He had been out the night before with some of the fast young men of the town, playing cards and pool, and had had but two hours' sleep in twenty-four. He found a pile of old bagging in one end of the freight car and sat down to rest. Presently his eyes closed, and before he knew it he was sound asleep. He continued to sleep during the stop at Jack's Junction, and he did not notice another party enter the freight car, nor did he notice the door being closed and locked.
When Nat awoke it was with a sense of pain. The other party in the car had stepped on his ankle. He gave a cry and this was answered by an exclamation of astonishment.
"Who are you?" asked Nat, sitting up and then leaping to his feet.
"I reckon I can ask the same question," returned the stranger.
"Are you a train hand?"
"Are you?"
"No."
"Neither am I."
There was a moment of silence after this, and then the unknown lit a match and held it close to Nat. Both gave a cry of astonishment.
"Hello! You are Nat Poole, the boy I met at Rally's Pool Parlors," said the stranger.
"Yes, and you are Tom Shocker, the traveling salesman."
"Right you are--but I'm not a traveling salesman any longer," answered Tom Shocker, and gave a short laugh.
"Why?" asked Nat.
"Lost my job."
"I suppose your boss found out that you were spending your time playing cards and pool," said Nat. "How did you make out after I left you?"
"Lost all I had. That's the reason I am stealing a ride on this freight," answered the man. "But what are you doing here?" he continued in curiosity.
In his own fashion Nat related how he had been attacked by two of his former school enemies, dragged to the car and thrown in. He added that he had been next to unconscious, and so was unable to fight off Dave and Phil. Then he asked how Tom Shocker happened to be on board.
"I got on at Jack's Junction," said the man. "I haven't got but fifty cents left and I thought I'd beat my way to Buffalo, where I think I can get some more cash. But I didn't think they'd lock the door of the car."
During the ride to Halock, Tom Shocker managed to learn a good deal about Nat and his trouble with Dave and the others, and he also learned that the youth had considerable spending-money with him. The car was opened at Halock and run off on a siding, and the pair got off.
"Let us take a trolley to Buffalo," said Shocker. "There we can get a room at a hotel--that is, if you'll put up the price."
"All right; I might as well go to Buffalo, now I am so close," answered Nat. "But I'll send word home first," he added, and this was done.
After resting at a hotel in Buffalo, Tom Shocker proposed a trip to Niagara Falls, Nat, of course, to pay the way.
"I'll pay you back some day," said Shocker, offhandedly. "When I strike another situation I'll have plenty of cash. And, in the meantime, if you want me to do anything for you, say the word. I am open for any proposition that you may offer."
On the way to the Falls, Tom Shocker told much about himself, and Nat learned that the fellow was one of those shiftless mortals who change from one situation to another. He had been a salesman on the road for five different concerns, had run a restaurant, a poolroom, and a moving-picture show, and had even been connected with a prize-fighting affair. He did not care what he did so long a it paid, and many of his transactions had been of the shady sort.
Nat did not enjoy the visit to the Falls as much as he had anticipated. He found Tom Shocker rather coarse, and the man wanted to drink whenever the opportunity afforded. From the rapids below the Falls the pair walked to Goat Island, and there Nat was on the point of giving Shocker the slip when he chanced to see Dave and the others of the party.
"What's the matter?" demanded Shocker, who stood close by, as he saw the money-lender's son dart out of sight behind the rocks.
"Do you see that boy?" demanded Nat, pointing with his hand.
"Yes."
"That is Dave Porter, the fellow who put me on the freight car. And over yonder is Phil Lawrence, the other chap."
"You don't say! What brings them here?"
"They are on their way out West, and I suppose they ran up here to see the sights. I--I wish I could do something to 'em!" added Nat, bitterly.
"Maybe you can," answered Tom Shocker, always open for action. "I'll tell you one thing," he continued, in a low tone. "If they had treated me as they treated you, I'd not let them off so easily."
"Will you help me, if I--er--try to fix that Dave Porter?" asked Nat. "He started it. I don't care so much about Lawrence."
"Sure I'll help you. Anything you say goes," answered Tom Shocker, readily. He thought he saw a chance of getting another dollar or two out of Nat.
The two walked behind some bushes and there talked the matter over for several minutes.
"Fargo's is the place to go to," said Shocker, presently. "I know we can trust him."
"Of course, I don't want to hurt Porter," said Nat, nervously. "I only want to scare him."
"Sure, I understand. We'll scare the wits out of him," returned Tom Shocker. "Now, let me see. I have it--we'll catch him on the bridge. His carriage is bound to come that way, to get off Goat Island."
Dave and his friends spent the best part of a quarter of an hour around the Three Sisters Islands and then returned to their carriage.
"Now we can go to the hotel and have dinner," said Dunston Porter. "And then we can take a local train back to Buffalo."
The carriage was just crossing the bridge that connects Goat Island with the city of Niagara Falls when a man stepped up and stopped the turnout. It was Tom Shocker.
"Excuse me, but I reckon this is the number, 176," he said. "Is