By this time, of course, the babies had been tucked in bed. The Deacon had taken them into the dining car and feasted them with all the inexhaustible luxuries for which these cars on the Michigan Central R. R. are so famous.
Then, the colored porter having made up their beds, they were soon fast asleep and dreaming of the treat in store for the morrow.
The Deacon, however, was determined at least that his grown-up friends should lose none of the beauties of the trip, and so he insisted that Mr. and Mrs. Trevellyan should remain up until they had crossed the famous Detroit River. The night was a beautiful one, and they were amply rewarded by witnessing one of the most thoroughly picturesque pieces of scenery in the world. The entire train was placed on one of the immense ferry steamers, and the landing shortly afterwards made at Windsor, a picturesque and quaint little town on the Canadian side of the river. At this point commences the Canada Southern Division of the Michigan Central Railroad, famous alike for the magnificence of its equipment and smoothness of track. Here our friends, so to speak, turned in, and it was only a few minutes before every one on board was fast asleep.
The next thing was the morning sun and Niagara Falls. The run had been made from Chicago in the remarkable time of fifteen hours.
"Oh, how good of you, Deacon Fitney," said little Adele a short while later, as, standing on the platform at Falls View Station, she gazed with rapture at the Falls in all their splendor. "How good of you to bring us to such a nice place, and by such a delightful road."
And little Adele had reason to so express herself, for, standing where she was, at Falls View Station, she was able to command the most awe-inspiring and lovely view of the Falls to be obtained anywhere.
"I am glad you like it," said the Deacon, with a smile; "but you must not credit me with too much goodness, for I could hardly have brought you by any other way. The Michigan Central road is the only direct road running to the Falls, and you could hardly expect that I could take you there by any line which is not entirely the best."
Mr. and Mrs. Trevellyan heartily joined Adele in her expressions of thanks to the Deacon, and more than endorsed every word he had said in praise of the wonderful Michigan Central Limited Express.
The conductor then called "all aboard," and the train again started on its way, and very shortly crossed the Niagara River over the magnificent steel Cantilever bridge which the Michigan Central people have just erected at this point.
"This is the great Cantilever bridge you have heard so much about," said the Deacon to little May. "It is the greatest scientific engineering effort of the age, and it is well worth visiting Niagara, if only to see it. With Niagara Falls and the Cantilever bridge the Michigan Central people are able to show their passengers the greatest work of nature and of man to be found in the country."