"He said something about making connections for New York and the West. I fancy he and his wife went to New York." "Thank you," said Owen, and he and Dale walked away. Dale was much disappointed, but said nothing, for talking would not have mended the matter. "I suppose he was so upset he forgot all about us," said Owen. "I wonder what it was all about?" "Something wrong in business, most likely. These big dealers are always up to something new, and when a thing goes wrong they have to hustle to make it come out right." That night found them on the steamer bound down the river. This was a journey they had taken before, still it retained sufficient novelty to be pleasing, and they sat up until late watching the sights in the moonlight. The next day found them on the bosom of the Atlantic, and the morning following saw them in Boston. Here they managed to procure two cut-rate tickets for Buffalo from a broker, and less than an hour after they were on a train, being whirled westward to new fields of industry and fortune. CHAPTER XIX A TALK ON THE TRAIN The ride over the hills and through the valleys of New England, on the express train, was thoroughly enjoyed by Dale and Owen, and at Albany they stopped long enough to catch a flying glimpse of the State capital of New York. Then they boarded another train, and went whirling through the beautiful Mohawk Valley, westward, until, just eighteen hours after leaving the Hub, they rolled into the big depot at Buffalo, and found themselves in this most eastern city of the Great Lakes. "So much of the journey done," said Dale, as they walked from the depot, valises in hand. "We must have a look around here before we go any further," replied Owen. "We may never get to this city again." It was not long before they found themselves on the main street of the city. Almost the first thing they noticed was a trolley car marked Niagara Falls. "We must visit the Falls!" cried Dale. "We can't afford to miss that, anyhow!" And finding that the fare was a moderate one, they hopped on the car, and went spinning northward to this great Mecca of American tourists. They spent two hours at the Falls, visiting Goat Island and the Sisters, and also the Canadian shore, and then returned to Buffalo more than satisfied with the little side trip thus experienced. By consulting a local paper, they found that they could get a lake boat for Detroit that night, and also one in the morning. "Let us go in the morning, when we can see something," said Owen, and so it was agreed. With a stop at Cleveland, the journey from Buffalo to Detroit is about three hundred miles. The steamer was a commodious one, and the furnishings of the cabin and the dining room caused both of the young lumbermen to stare. "I must say I didn't expect to find anything quite as fine as this," declared Owen. "Why, it's quite as good as anything we have East."