ar 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