ed," he said, on dropping into his chair. "And
what a row I did have with Mr. Andrew V. Shanley!"

"You mean about that property?" queried Nat, looking up from his work at
a side desk.

"Yes. I have sold the property and got my commissions, amounting to four
thousand dollars in all. Shanley was as mad as a hornet."

"Did he mention Rufus Cameron?"

"No, but I did, and told him just what a dirty sneak the fellow was.
After that Shanley shut up pretty quick."

"Do you suppose Rufus Cameron can do anything more in the matter?"

"No. But he will have it in for you, Nat, I am afraid."

"Oh, I guess I can take care of myself," answered our hero, calmly.

"This Shanley has tried to trip me up several times," went on John
Garwell, leaning back in his office chair. "He tries to find out what I
am doing, and then he does his best to steal the business away from me."

"Maybe this will teach him a lesson."

"Possibly; but I am afraid not, Nat."

Several days passed, and Nat kept at work steadily. During that time he
received a letter from his uncle, in which Abner Balberry stated that he
had arrived home once more, and found everything on the farm all right.

"Uncle Abner isn't such a bad sort after all," thought Nat, "Only he
ought to drop some of his miserly habits. Perhaps, now that he is
married again, he will."

One day our hero had to go up to One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Street on
an errand.

"Take an elevated train," said his employer, and handed him the
necessary carfare.

It did not take Nat long to reach the elevated station. Purchasing a
ticket, he dropped it in the box, and walked out on the platform.

Only a few people were present, for it was the quiet hour of the
morning. Among the number was a thick-set, trampish-looking fellow, who
was smoking a short clay pipe. The man was more than half intoxicated,
and lurched from side to side as he walked along the platform.

"That fellow had better look out for himself," thought our hero. "If he
isn't careful, he may fall out on the tracks and get hurt."

As our hero had some time to wait for a train, he passed the man several
times. The face of the fellow looked familiar, and Nat wondered where he
had seen him before.

"I've certainly met him somewhere," thought the boy. "But where? I don't
think it was in New York."

Presently the elevated train came into sight and those on the platform
prepared to get aboard when it should stop for them.

The man