Two Young Lumbermen by Edward Stratemeyer

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."

The stop at Cleveland was also full of interest, and the young lumbermen took a brief glance at the business portion of the town and the shipping. Lumber boats were everywhere in evidence, and these interested them as much as anything else.

"The lumber trade of the Lakes must be enormous," said Dale. "Just see those schooners and other craft -- how they are piled up! I never saw anything like it, even at Bangor."

So far the weather had proved fine, but as night came on a cold rain set in, which forced them to stay in the cabin, so they saw but little as the steamer turned into the Detroit River, and made the run up to the city of that name.

"Here we are at last! " exclaimed Owen, as they went ashore in a stream of people. "I guess the best thing we can do is to get out of the wet."

"Cab! Hack! Have a carriage, sir? " came from a dozen cabmen, as they pushed forward. "Carry your baggage, mister? " And Owen felt a boy of fifteen catch hold of his valise.

"No, I'll carry that myself," said Owen. "And I don't want a carriage," he went on, to the cabmen.

They were soon out of the jam, and on the way to a hotel that John Hoover had mentioned in his last letter. This was not far away, and soon they had secured a room and were retiring, worn out from the trip, but still happy and with hopes of the highest.

"I feel stiffer than if I'd been rollings logs all day," said Dale, as he leaped up the next morning. "How is it with you, Owen?"

"My head is dizzy from looking at so much," was the answer. "Feels like it did when I went to that moving-picture show that once came to Spogtown. The pictures quivered so much that I got to blinking with 'em, and the boys said I didn't stop the blinking for two days."

"Do you suppose your uncle is in town?"

"I'm sure I don't know. We can get breakfast, spruce up a bit, and then hunt up the offices of the lumber company he spoke about."