The special Pullman car for which their tickets called was named the Niagara and was placed half-way down the train. By the time they had found it and climbed aboard the bell was clanging, and a moment later the monster train started slowly out of the station, but gathered speed with every yard until it was tearing along at a rate of nearly sixty miles an hour.
The speed was a revelation to the boys, who had rarely traveled at a rate exceeding thirty miles an hour, and their faces were glued in fascination to the windows.
"Talk about traveling!" exclaimed Frank, gleefully.
"It isn't riding, it's flying," declared Sammy.
"I'd hate to be in front of it," observed Bob.
"Well, there'd be one comfort if it struck you," said Frank. "You'd never know what hit you."
"Back of the locomotive is plenty good enough for me," said George with a grin.
"Just suppose the thing should run off the track," suggested Frank with a half shiver.
"We won't suppose anything of the kind," said Bob. "We've got lots of pleasanter things than that to think about."
They made a pilgrimage through the great train, investigating every nook and corner with ever increasing interest and delight. To their young eager minds it was a revelation. The chief thing they regretted was that they could not climb over the tender and get into the cab with the fireman and engineer.