Somewhat against his will, Nat walked toward the end of the garden. He wished to escape from Mrs. Wadsworth and the others, but he was afraid Dave and Phil contemplated doing something disagreeable to him. Maybe they would give him a sound thrashing. "Don't you touch me--don't you dare!" he cried, when the barn was readied. "Remember, my father can have you locked up, Dave Porter!" "Well, don't forget what Professor Potts can do to you, Nat," answered Dave. "What are you going to do?" asked Phil, in an aside to his chum. Dave was trying to think. He had been half of a mind to lock Nat in the harness closet until the party was over--thus preventing him from making more trouble. Now, however, as he heard a locomotive whistle, a new thought struck him. "Come on down to the railroad tracks, Nat," he said. "What for?" "Maybe you can take a journey for your health--if the freight train stops at the water tank." "I--er--I don't understand." "You will--if the train stops--and I think it will." The three boys pushed off across the fields to where the railroad tracks were located. Here was the very spot where Dave had been picked up years before. Not far off was a water tank, where the locomotives usually stopped for their supply. A long freight train was just slowing down. Many of the cars were empty and the doors stood wide open. "Up you go, Nat!" cried Dave. "Me? Where?" "Into one of the empty cars. You are going to have a ride for your health." "Not much! Why, that train don't stop short of Jack's Junction, twelve miles from here!" "I know it. You can walk back--the exercise will do you good." "I--er--I don't want to go!" And Nat made as if to run away. But Dave and Phil held him. "But you are going!" cried Dave. "In you go!" He and Phil forced the money-lender's son toward one of the open cars. Still protesting, Nat was shoved up and through one of the open doors. The door on the other side was closed. He ran to it, but found it locked from the outside. "Hi, you let me off!" he cried, as the train gave a jerk and commenced to move. "Don't jump, you might hurt yourself!" cried Dave, and shoved the door shut. "Hope you have a pleasant journey!" called out Phil, merrily. "And a nice walk back!" added Dave. The freight train quickly gathered headway. Dave and Phil ran down by the side of the tracks. They saw Nat shove back the door about a foot and peer out. He did not dare to jump, and, seeing them, shook his fist wildly. "He's off!" cried the shipowner's son, and then commenced to laugh. "Dave, that was just all right! He's booked for quite a journey." "Twelve miles, or more, and he'll either have to wait for a train, and pay his fare back, or walk." "Exactly. And if the train hands catch him, maybe they'll give him the thrashing he deserves." "They'll hustle him off pretty lively, that's sure. Well, one thing is certain, he won't bother this party any more," added Dave. "Let us get back."