"How much further have we to go ?" "Only a couple of blocks." But the "couple of blocks" proved to be five, and they had to make another turn or two.

Then they came to the side door of a building used as a lodging house and a pool and billiard parlor.

This resort was run by a man named Bill Fargo, a sport who had once had dealings with Shocker in a prize-fighting enterprise.
"He's got a room here--up on the third floor," said Shocker, as he saw Dave hesitate.

"Come on, I'll show you." He went ahead, up the somewhat dilapidated stairs, and Dave followed.

In the pool and billiard parlors below some men were laughing and talking, and clicking the ivory balls together, but upstairs it was silent, and nobody seemed to be around.
During the past few years of his life Dave had had a number of stirring adventures, and he was by no means as green as he had been when first he had set out for Oak Hall.