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diff --git a/28654-8.txt b/28654-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fd9ecea --- /dev/null +++ b/28654-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9273 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Dave Porter and the Runaways, by Edward Stratemeyer + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Dave Porter and the Runaways + Last Days at Oak Hall + +Author: Edward Stratemeyer + +Illustrator: H. Richard Boehm + +Release Date: May 1, 2009 [EBook #28654] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DAVE PORTER AND THE RUNAWAYS *** + + + + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + +[Illustration: HE SAW AN ARM AND A HEAD COME UP.--_Page 240._] + + + + +Dave Porter Series + +DAVE PORTER + +AND THE RUNAWAYS + +OR + +LAST DAYS AT OAK HALL + +BY + +EDWARD STRATEMEYER + +Author of "Dave Porter at Oak Hall," "The Lakeport Series," +"Old Glory Series," "Pan-American Series," etc. + +ILLUSTRATED BY H. RICHARD BOEHM + +BOSTON + +LOTHROP LEE & SHEPARD CO. + + + + +Published, March, 1913 + +Copyright, 1913, by Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co. + +All Rights Reserved + +Dave Porter and the Runaways + +Norwood Press + +Berwick & Smith Co. + +Norwood, Mass. + +U.S.A. + + + + +PREFACE + +"Dave Porter and the Runaways" is a complete story in itself, but +forms the ninth volume of a line issued under the general title of +"Dave Porter Series." + +In the first volume of this series, entitled "Dave Porter at Oak +Hall," the reader was introduced to a typical American lad, and the +particulars were given of his doings at an up-to-date boarding +school. + +There was a cloud over Dave's parentage, and in order to solve the +mystery of his identity he took a long voyage over the ocean, as +related in the second volume, called "Dave Porter in the South Seas." +Then he came back to his schoolmates, as told of in "Dave Porter's +Return to School," and then took a long trip to Norway, to hunt up his +father, the particulars of which are given in "Dave Porter in the Far +North." + +Having settled the matter of his identity to his satisfaction, our +hero came back to Oak Hall and had a number of strenuous contests, +related in detail in "Dave Porter and His Classmates." Following this +came the summer vacation, and the youth made a trip West, the +happenings of which are set down in "Dave Porter at Star Ranch." + +When Dave returned to Oak Hall once more he found the school rivalries +as bitter as ever, and what these led to has been related in "Dave +Porter and His Rivals." His enemies tried hard to do our hero much +injury, but he exposed them and they were forced to flee, to escape +the consequences of their actions. + +The winter holidays found Dave homeward bound. He had anticipated some +jolly times among his relatives and friends, but a robbery upset all +his plans, and, almost before he knew it, he found himself bound +southward, as related in "Dave Porter on Cave Island." On the island +he had many adventures out of the ordinary, and he came home more of a +hero than ever, having saved Mr. Wadsworth, his benefactor, from +ruin. + +In the present story Dave is back once again at school. There are some +queer happenings, and then some lads run away. How Dave proved his +common sense, and brought the runaways back, I leave for the pages +which follow to tell. I trust the reading of this volume will do all +my young friends good. + + Edward Stratemeyer. + _February_ 1, 1913. + + + + +CONTENTS + + CHAPTER PAGE + I. Dave and His Chums 1 + II. A Glimpse at the Past 11 + III. A Talk of the Future 21 + IV. Mr. Job Haskers's Doings 31 + V. At Oak Hall Once More 41 + VI. Phil Shows His Stubbornness 52 + VII. Phil and Ben Make a Move 62 + VIII. An Unusual Compact 72 + IX. The King of Sumatra 82 + X. Nat Poole Wants to Know 91 + XI. Bonfire Night at the Hall 101 + XII. Plans for a Spread 111 + XIII. The Cabin on the Island 121 + XIV. The Bandanna Handkerchief 131 + XV. At the Hotel 141 + XVI. The Blowing up of the Bridge 151 + XVII. A Serious Accusation 161 + XVIII. The Meeting on the Road 171 + XIX. Looking for the Runaways 181 + XX. The Wild Man Again 190 + XXI. Something of a Clew 200 + XXII. After the Runaways 210 + XXIII. At the Camp 220 + XXIV. Out in the Storm 230 + XXV. Perils of the Flood 239 + XXVI. Back to the School 249 + XXVII. The Trail Through the Woods 259 + XXVIII. The Capture of the Wild Man 268 + XXIX. A Bit of Evidence 278 + XXX. The Exposure--Good-By to Oak Hall 287 + + + + +DAVE PORTER AND THE RUNAWAYS + +CHAPTER I + +DAVE AND HIS CHUMS + + +"I say, Dave, here's an odd piece of news." + +"An odd piece of news, Roger? What about?" + +"A wild man in the woods back of Oak Hall," answered Roger Morr, who +held a letter in his hand. "Queerest thing you ever heard of." + +"I should say it was, if it's about a wild man," returned Dave Porter. +"Who sent that letter?" + +"Shadow Hamilton." + +"Maybe it's another one of Shadow's innumerable yarns," suggested +Dave, with a faint smile. "If he can't tell them by word of mouth, he +writes them down." + +"What has Shadow got to say about the wild man?" asked Phil Lawrence, +looking up from the suit-case he was packing. "Has he been trying to +clean out Oak Hall, or anything like that?" + +"No, not exactly," returned Roger, turning back to the letter, which +he had not yet finished. "He keeps in the woods, so Shadow says, and +scares everybody who comes that way." + +"How does he scare them?" asked Dave, pausing in the act of stowing a +suit of clothing in a trunk. + +"Shadow writes that he and Lazy were out walking one day and the wild +man came after them with a big club. He wears long hair and a long +beard, and his clothes are in tatters." + +"What did they do?" questioned Phil. + +"They ran back towards the school. The wild man followed 'em as far as +the bridge over the brook, and then jumped into the bushes and +disappeared." + +"Humph!" muttered Phil. "Is that all?" + +"Oh, no! The day before that, Chip Macklin and two other of the +smaller boys went out, along the river, and the wild man came after +them and shoved Chip into the water. He yelled to them never to come +near him again. The other fellows ran away, and as soon as Chip could +get out of the water he went after 'em. Then, three days later, Doctor +Clay sent out Mr. Dale and Horsehair, the driver, to look into the +matter, and the wild man met them at the bridge and threw mud balls at +'em. One mud ball hit the teacher in the arm, and one struck Horsehair +in the nose and made it bleed. Horsehair was afraid to go on, because +the wild man jumped around and shouted so furiously. Mr. Dale tried to +catch him, but he ran away." + +"Poor chap! He must be crazy," was Dave's comment. "He ought to be +taken care of by the authorities." + +"Yes, but they can't catch him," continued Roger. "They have tried +half a dozen ways, but he slips 'em every time." + +"Who is he?" asked Dave, as he continued to pack his trunk. + +"Nobody has the least idea, so Shadow writes." + +"Say, that will give us something to do--when we get back to Oak +Hall!" cried Phil. "We'll organize a posse to round up the wild man!" + +"I think we'll have plenty of other things to do when we get to +school, Phil," remarked Dave. "Just remember that we have lost a lot +of time from our lessons, and if we want to make up what we have +missed, and graduate from Oak Hall with honor, we've got to buckle +down and study." + +"Oh, I know that," answered Phil, and gave a little sigh. "Just the +same, I'm going to have a try at the wild man--if he comes my way." + +"So am I," cried Roger. "And Dave will try with us; won't you, old +man?" And Roger caught his chum affectionately by the shoulder. "You +are the fellow to solve mysteries!" + +Dave was about to answer when there came a knock on the bedroom door. +He opened it to find himself confronted by a middle-aged lady, who was +smiling but anxious. + +"How are you getting along, boys?" she asked. + +"First-rate, Mrs. Wadsworth," answered Roger. "We'll soon be finished +now." + +"Are the girls getting anxious?" questioned Dave. + +"Say, what do you think?" burst out Phil. "We are going back to Oak +Hall to capture a wild man who----" + +"Phil!" burst out both Dave and Roger, and the other youth stopped +short in confusion. + +"A wild man?" cried the lady of the house, in consternation. "Oh, +Dave, I hope----" + +"Oh, don't let him worry you, Mrs. Wadsworth," responded Dave, +quickly. "There is a wild man up there, but I don't think he will +bother us any, and we've got too much to do to hunt for him." And the +lad gave his chum a look that said as plainly as words: "What did you +want to mention it for?" + +"Oh--I--er--I was only fooling," stammered Phil. "Of course, if there +is a wild man he won't come near us. Tell the girls we'll be ready in +five minutes--at least I will," he added, and resumed his packing. + +"Can I do anything for you?" asked the lady. + +"You might try to find my striped cap," answered Dave. "I can't seem +to locate it." + +"It is in the library--I saw it a while ago, Dave." + +"And my baseball bat--the new one with the black handle." + +"That is in the back hall, in a corner. How about your books?" + +"I've got all of them. Send Laura with the bat and cap, will you, +please?" + +"Yes;" and Mrs. Wadsworth hurried off, anxious to be of all the +assistance possible. + +"Say, that was a bad break for me," murmured Phil, as the door closed, +and before Dave or Roger could speak. "I didn't want to worry her, +Dave. I'm sorry I mentioned the wild man." + +"And the man may be caught before we get back to Oak Hall," said +Roger. He crossed the room and peered into a closet. "Has anybody seen +my baseball shoes?" + +"You left those at the Hall, Roger," answered Dave. + +"Did I? All right, then. I came away in such a hurry I can't remember +what I took and what I didn't." + +"I guess we've got about everything now," resumed Dave, looking +around the bedroom. He glanced at his watch. "Ten minutes to twelve. +We are to have lunch at a quarter past, and start at one, sharp." + +"Provided the auto is ready," interposed Phil. + +"It will be--trust my Uncle Dunston for that," answered Dave. "My, but +isn't it jolly to think we are going back to school in the auto +instead of by train!" + +"Yes, and to think that the girls and your uncle are going with us!" +added Roger. + +"Dave, look out for Roger, he's got his eye on Laura!" said Phil, +slyly. + +"Oh, you give us a rest, Phil Lawrence!" burst out Roger, growing red. +"I guess you've got an eye on her yourself." + +"Poor me! Poor me!" murmured Phil, as if talking to himself. "Roger +will talk to nobody but Laura, and Dave will see and hear and think of +nobody but Jessie, and I'll be left in the cold! Oh, what a cruel +world this is! If only--wow!" and Phil's pretended musings came to a +sudden end, as Dave shied a pair of rolled-up socks at him and Roger +followed with a pillow. In another instant a mimic battle was on, with +pillows and various articles of clothing for ammunition. Then came +another knock on the door and Laura Porter appeared, with a baseball +bat in one hand and her brother's cap in the other. + +"Oh dear me!" she cried, and then stopped short, for a red sweater, +thrown by Roger at Phil, had missed its aim and landed on her head. + +"I beg your pardon, Laura, really I do!" gasped Roger, as he sprang +forward and took the sweater from its resting-place. "I--I didn't mean +that for you." + +"Oh, Roger, of course you did!" cried Phil, with a twinkle in his eye. +"That's the way he salutes girls always, Laura." + +"Is this the way you are packing up?" demanded Dave's sister, with a +little smile, while poor Roger grew redder than ever. + +"Oh, we were only waiting for you to bring my things, Laura," answered +her brother, coolly. "We'll be ready in three minutes and a half by +the factory whistles." + +"Say, what is this I hear about a wild man?" continued Laura, as she +sat down on a chair Roger shoved towards her. "You've made Mrs. +Wadsworth and Jessie all excited over it." + +"Oh, it isn't anything," burst out Phil, quickly. "I made a mistake +even to mention it." + +"She came down and told Jessie and me that she was afraid you'd have +more trouble, when you got back to school. As if you haven't had +troubles enough already!" And Laura looked affectionately at her +brother, and then at his chums. + +"Oh, this won't amount to anything, Laura," said Dave. "So tell Mrs. +Wadsworth and Jessie not to worry about it." + +"But I want to know what it means?" demanded the sister; and in the +end Dave and his chums had to relate what they knew about the wild +man. As they finished the girl shook her head doubtfully. + +"I don't like that a bit," she said. "I am sure you'll get mixed up +with that wild man somehow. Why, he might attack you and try to kill +you!" + +"We'll be on our guard--when we go near the woods," answered Roger. + +"You had better not go alone," insisted the girl. + +"We seldom travel alone," said her brother. "Generally Roger, Phil, +and I are together, and very often some of the other fellows are with +us. But don't you worry, Laura, and tell Jessie and her mother it will +be all right." + +"And there is another thing to be careful about, Dave," went on Laura, +as she prepared to leave. + +"What is that?" + +"Be careful of how you treat Nat Poole." + +"Why, what do you mean?" cried Dave, and then he added quickly, as he +saw that his sister had something on her mind: "What has happened +now?" + +"I don't know exactly, Dave. But I got word through Ben Basswood's +cousin that Nat had told Ben he wasn't going to let you ride over him +this term. I think Nat is jealous because you were so successful in +that trip to Cave Island." + +"Did you learn of anything Nat intended to do?" questioned Roger, +curiously. + +"No, excepting that he said he wasn't going to play second fiddle to +your crowd any longer. He tried to get into a quarrel with Ben, but +Ben would have nothing to do with him." + +"Did Nat go back to the Hall when it opened?" asked Phil. + +"Yes, the same day Ben went back." + +"I am not afraid of Nat Poole," declared Dave, stoutly. "He is a +bully, always was, and I suppose he always will be. I tried to do him +a favor the last time I saw him--but he doesn't seem to have +appreciated it." + +"Laura!" called a musical voice, from the stair landing. + +"Coming, Jessie!" answered Laura. "Now you boys, hurry--lunch will be +served in a few minutes;" and she left the room. + +"So Nat Poole wants to make more trouble, eh?" mused Dave, as he +resumed packing. "What a chap he is! Why can't he be decent and mind +his own business?" + +"Because he isn't that breed, that's why," answered Phil. "He hates to +see another fellow become popular. Dave, you take my advice and watch +him, when we get back to school." + +"I'll do it," answered Dave, thoughtfully. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +A GLIMPSE AT THE PAST + + +"Everything ready?" + +"Yes, so far as I know." + +"Then we are off! Good-by, everybody!" + +"Good-by! Take care of yourself, Dave!" + +"I will!" + +There was a tooting of an automobile horn, a chorus of cries and +cheers, a waving of caps, and then the big touring car that had been +drawn up in front of the Wadsworth mansion rolled from the piazza +steps through the spacious grounds; and Dave Porter and his chums were +once more on their way to boarding school. + +To those who have read the previous volumes of this line of stories +Dave Porter will need no special introduction. For the benefit of new +readers allow me to state that Dave was a wideawake American lad, now +well along in his school years. + +When a small child our hero had been found one day, walking along the +railroad tracks near the town of Crumville. He could tell nothing +about himself, and as nobody came to claim him, he was taken to the +local poorhouse, where he remained a number of years. Then he was +bound out to a broken-down college professor named Caspar Potts, who +was farming for his health. The professor did what he could for the +lad, but soon got into difficulties with a mean money-lender named +Aaron Poole, and would have lost his farm had it not been for +something out of the ordinary happening. + +On the outskirts of the town lived a wealthy jewelry manufacturer, +Oliver Wadsworth. Mr. Wadsworth had a daughter named Jessie, and one +day, through an explosion of an automobile tank, the little miss was +in danger of being burned to death, when Dave came to her assistance. +This so pleased the Wadsworths that they came not only to the boy's +aid but also helped Caspar Potts. + +"The lad shall go to boarding school and get a good education," said +Oliver Wadsworth. And how Dave was sent off has already been related +in the first book of this series, entitled "Dave Porter at Oak Hall." +At the school he made many warm friends, including Roger Morr, the son +of a United States senator; Phil Lawrence, the offspring of a wealthy +shipowner; Buster Beggs, who was fat as he was jolly, and Maurice, +otherwise "Shadow" Hamilton, who would rather spin yarns than eat. He +also made some enemies, not the least of whom were Gus Plum, a great +bully, and Nat Poole, son of the money-lender already mentioned. Plum +had since reformed, but Nat was as overbearing and dictatorial as +ever. + +The great cloud resting over Dave in those days was the question of +his identity, and when some of his enemies spoke of him as "that +poorhouse nobody" he resolved to find out who he really was. Getting a +strange clew, he set forth on his travels, as described in "Dave +Porter in the South Seas," where he found his uncle, Dunston Porter. +Then he came back to Oak Hall, as told of in "Dave Porter's Return to +School," and next went to the Land of the Midnight Sun, as set forth +in "Dave Porter in the Far North," where he was gladdened by a +long-hoped-for meeting with his father. + +"They can't say I'm a poorhouse nobody now," he told himself, and went +back to Oak Hall once again, as set forth in "Dave Porter and His +Classmates." Here he made more friends than ever, but he likewise made +enemies, the most bitter of the latter being one Link Merwell, the son +of a ranch-owner of the West. Merwell did his best to get Dave into +trouble, but in the end was exposed and had to leave the school. + +Vacation time was now at hand, and through Laura Porter, our hero's +newly-found sister, Dave and his chums were invited to visit some of +Laura's friends in the Far West. Laura Porter and Jessie Wadsworth +went along; and what a grand time the young folks had can be realized +by reading "Dave Porter at Star Ranch." The boys went hunting and +fishing, and learned to do some broncho-riding, and they likewise fell +in with Link Merwell again and showed that bully up in his true +colors. + +"Back to the grind now!" said Dave, after the vacation was over, and +back he did go, to Oak Hall, as told of in "Dave Porter and His +Rivals." That term was a lively one, for some lads came there from +another school, and they, led by Nat Poole, tried to run matters to +suit themselves. But when the newcomers lost an important football +contest, Oak Hall woke up to the true condition of affairs, and Dave +and his chums quickly regained their places on the eleven, and then +won a grand victory. During this time Link Merwell, in company with +another bad boy named Nick Jasniff, became a student at Rockville +Military Academy, a rival institution of learning. Both bullies did +their best to make trouble for our hero, but, as before, he exposed +them, and this time they had to flee to escape arrest. + +When the Christmas holidays came around Dave went back to Crumville, +where he and his family and old Caspar Potts now lived with the +Wadsworths. At that time Mr. Wadsworth had at his jewelry works some +rare diamonds, waiting to be reset. Directly after Christmas came a +startling robbery. The diamonds were gone, and it was learned by Dave +that if they were not recovered, not only would Mr. Wadsworth be +ruined, but that his own father and his uncle would be seriously +crippled financially, as they had gone on a bond for the return of the +gems. + +At first, clews to the robbers were scarce, but soon Dave made a queer +discovery, and followed this up by another, as set forth in the volume +preceding this, entitled, "Dave Porter on Cave Island." He and his +chums became satisfied that Link Merwell and Nick Jasniff had +committed the theft, and they followed the evil pair, first to Florida +and then to Cave Island, so named because of the numerous caverns it +contained. The evil-doers were caught and the diamonds recovered, but, +at the last moment, Link Merwell managed to escape. + +"Let him go," said Dave. "He acts as if he wanted to turn over a new +leaf." + +"I am glad it wasn't Jasniff," returned Phil. "He is the worse of the +pair." + +"Right you are," agreed Roger. + +The senator's son and Phil had accompanied Dave to Crumville, and all +had received a warm reception at the hands of those who were waiting +for them. Mr. Wadsworth was delighted to get back the jewels, and +thanked Dave over and over again for what he had done. Dave's father +and his uncle were also happy, and as for Laura, she had to hug her +brother over and over again. Jessie wanted to hug him, too, but her +maidenly modesty prevented this, but she gave Dave a look and a hand +squeeze that meant a good deal, for our hero was her hero, too, and +always had been. + +The boys knew they had to go back to Oak Hall, but the older folks had +insisted that they rest up a bit, after their traveling. So they +"rested" by going skating and sleigh-riding for the last time that +season, taking the girls along. + +"I've got an idea," said Dave's uncle, one morning, after the snow had +cleared away. "The roads are so fine just now, what is to prevent my +taking you to Oak Hall in the touring car? We can make it in a day, I +think." + +"Grand!" shouted Dave. + +"Just the thing!" added Phil. + +"Couldn't be better," supplemented Roger. + +"You can ship your baggage on by express," went on Dunston Porter, +"and then we'll have room enough to take Laura and Jessie, if they +want to go along." + +"Fine!" burst out Roger, so quickly that it made Phil wink, and then +the senator's son grew red. "Isn't it all right?" he demanded. + +"Sure thing," responded the shipowner's son. + +The matter was talked over; and that night it was arranged that the +two girls should go along on the trip, returning later to Crumville +with Mr. Porter. Not to tire Laura and Jessie too much, it was decided +to leave after lunch the next day, stopping over night at Ryeport, and +finishing the trip to Oak Hall the morning following. + +"If only the good weather holds out," said Roger, wistfully. And then +he added suddenly: "Who is going to sit in front with your uncle, +Dave?" + +"Why, you are, of course," broke in Phil, with a grin. + +"Why--er--I----" stammered the senator's son. + +"Now, Phil, you know you said you'd like that seat," broke in Dave. +"He's only fooling you, Roger." And then Roger looked quite satisfied, +for, it might as well be confessed, Roger and Laura were very friendly +and liked greatly to be in each other's company. The senator's son had +a manly regard for Dave's sister--the same kind of a feeling that our +hero had for dear little Jessie. + +The trunks and suit-cases had been shipped off, and the big +six-cylinder car--a new machine belonging to the Porters--had been +brought around, with Dunston Porter at the wheel, for the old hunter +and traveler had taken a strong liking to autoing. The girls and boys +had piled in, after much handshaking and some kisses, and now the car +was rolling out of the grounds, leaving Mr. and Mrs. Wadsworth, Dave's +father, and old Caspar Potts standing on the piazza, waving the +travelers adieu. + +"Take care of yourself, my boy!" shouted Mr. Porter. + +"I will, Dad!" called back Dave. "You take it easy till I get back," +he added, for he knew that his parent had been working hard of late. + +"I hate to see Dave go--he is so full of life and good cheer," +murmured Mrs. Wadsworth, with a sigh. + +"Best lad in the world," added her husband. + +"Yes, yes! The very best!" came in a quavering voice from old Caspar +Potts, and the tears stood in his glistening eyes. + +"I trust he comes through this year at Oak Hall all right," resumed +Mr. Porter, as, the automobile having disappeared, those left behind +reentered the house. "He wishes to graduate, you know." + +"Don't you think he'll come through?" asked the manufacturer, +quickly. + +"I'm not sure about it. He has lost so much time--on that trip he and +the others took--you know." + +"That is true." + +"Oh, Davy will come through, never fear!" cried Caspar Potts. "I know +the lad. If he makes up his mind--well, it's as good as done," and he +nodded his whitened head several times. To the old college professor +who knew him so well, there was no youth quite so clever and manly as +Dave Porter. + +In the meantime the big touring car was leaving Crumville rapidly +behind. On the front seat, beside Mr. Porter, sat Phil, waving an Oak +Hall banner and cracking all kinds of jokes. In the back were the two +girls with Dave and Roger. All were well bundled up, for the air, +though clear, was still cold. + +"Here is where we make fifty miles an hour!" cried the shipowner's +son, gayly. + +"Oh, Phil!" burst out Laura. "Fifty miles an hour! Uncle Dunston, +don't you dare----" + +"Phil is fooling," interrupted her uncle. + +"That's it--I made a mistake--we are to go at sixty miles an hour, +just as soon as we pass the next chicken coop. We won't dare do it +before, for fear of blowing the coop over. We----" + +"Why not make it seventy-five miles while you are at it," broke in +Dave. "Nothing like going the limit." And at this there was a general +laugh. + +"There is a bad turn ahead," said Dunston Porter, a minute later. +"They have torn up part of the road around the hill. We'll have to +take it pretty slowly." + +The touring car crept up the hill, past several heaps of dirt, and +then started to come down on the other side. Here there was a sharp +curve, with heavy bushes on both sides. Mr. Porter blew the horn loud +and long, to warn anybody ahead that he was coming. + +"Look out!" yelled Phil, suddenly. But the warning was not necessary, +for Dunston Porter saw the danger and so did the others. A horse and +buggy were just ahead on the torn-up highway, going in the same +direction as themselves. The horse was prancing and rearing and the +driver was sawing at the lines in an effort to quiet the steed. It +looked as if there might be a collision. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +A TALK OF THE FUTURE + + +The girls screamed and the boys uttered various cries and words of +advice. Dave leaned forward, to jam on the hand-brake, but his uncle +was ahead of him in the action. The foot-brake was already down, and +from the rear wheels came a shrill squeaking, as the bands gripped the +hubs. But the hill was a steep one and the big touring car, well +laden, continued to move downward, although but slowly. + +"Keep over! Keep over to the right!" yelled Dunston Porter, to the +driver of the buggy. But the man was fully as excited as his horse, +and he continued to saw on the reins, until the turnout occupied the +very center of the narrow and torn-up highway. + +It was a time of peril, and a man less used to critical moments than +Dunston Porter might have lost his head completely. But this old +traveler and hunter, who had faced grizzly bears in the West and lions +in Africa, managed to keep cool. He saw a chance to pass on the right +of the turnout ahead, and like a flash he let go on the two brakes +and turned on a little power. Forward bounded the big car, the right +wheels on the very edge of a water-gully. The left mud-guards scraped +the buggy, and the man driving it uttered a yell of fright. Then the +touring car went on, to come to a halt at the bottom of the hill, a +short distance away. + +"Hello!" exclaimed Dave, as he looked back at the turnout that had +caused the trouble. "It's Mr. Poole!" + +"You mean Nat's father?" queried Phil. + +"Yes." + +"Hi, you! What do you mean by running into me?" stormed the +money-lender, savagely, as he presently managed to get his steed under +control and came down beside the touring car. + +"What do you mean by blocking the road, Mr. Poole?" returned Dunston +Porter, coldly. + +"I didn't block the road!" + +"You certainly did. If we had run into you, it would have been your +fault." + +"Nonsense! You passed me on the wrong side." + +"Because you didn't give me room to pass on the other side." + +"And your horn scared my horse." + +"I don't see how that is my fault. Your horse ought to be used to +auto-horns by this time." + +"You've scraped all the paint off my carriage, and I had it painted +only last week," went on the money-lender, warming up. "It's an +outrage how you auto fellows think you own the whole road!" + +"I won't discuss the matter now, Mr. Poole," answered Dunston Porter, +stiffly. "I think it was your fault entirely. But if you think +otherwise, come and see me when I get back from this trip, which will +be in four days." And without waiting for more words, Dave's uncle +started up the touring car, and Aaron Poole was soon left far behind. + +"If he isn't a peach!" murmured Roger, slangily. "It's easy to see +where Nat gets his meanness from. He is simply a chip off the old +block." + +"He's a pretty big chip," returned Phil, dryly. + +"I don't see how he can blame us," said Dave. "We simply couldn't pass +him on the left. If we had tried, we'd have gone in the ditch sure. +And the scraping we did to his buggy amounts to next to nothing." + +"I am not afraid of what he'll do," said Dunston Porter. "A couple of +dollars will fix up those scratches, and if he is so close-fisted I'll +foot the bill. But I'll give him a piece of my mind for blocking the +road." + +"But his horse was frightened, Uncle Dunston," said Laura. + +"A little, yes, but if Poole hadn't got scared himself he might have +drawn closer to the side of the road. I think he was more frightened +than the horse." + +"He certainly was," declared Phil. "When we scraped the buggy his face +got as white as chalk, and he almost dropped the lines." + +"He'll hate all of us worse than ever for this," was Dave's comment. + +"I am not afraid of him," answered the uncle. + +On and on sped the big touring car, and soon the stirring incident on +the road was, for the time being, forgotten. Crumville had been left +far behind, and now they passed through one pretty village after +another. On the broad, level stretches Dunston Porter allowed the boys +to "spell" him at the wheel, for each knew how to run an automobile. + +"Twenty miles more to Ryeport!" cried Dave, as they came to a +crossroads and read a signboard. + +"And it's just half-past five," added the senator's son, consulting +his watch. "We'll get there in plenty of time to wash up and have a +fine dinner." + +"And, say, maybe we won't do a thing to that table!" murmured Phil, +smacking his lips. + +"Oh, you boys are always hungry," was Jessie's comment. + +"Well, you know, we've got to grow," answered Phil, with a grin. + +"I think I'll enjoy eating after such a long ride," said Laura. "The +fresh air certainly does give one an appetite." + +"I think I'll order bread and milk for all hands," remarked Dunston +Porter, with a sly smile. + +"Bread and milk!" murmured Jessie, in dismay. + +"Sure. It's famous for your complexion." + +"A juicy steak for mine!" cried Dave. "Steak, and vegetables, and +salad, and pudding or pie." + +"Well, I guess that will do for me, too," said his uncle, simply. "You +see, I suppose I'll have to eat to keep you company," and he smiled +again. + +"Uncle Dunston, what a tease you are!" murmured Laura. "Your appetite +is just as good as that of any of the boys." + +Dave was at the wheel, and he sent the touring car along the smooth +highway at a speed of twenty miles an hour. He would have liked to +drive faster, but his uncle would not permit this. + +"The law says twenty miles an hour, and I believe in obeying the law," +said Dunston Porter. "Besides, you can never tell what may happen, and +it is best to have your car under control." + +The truth of the latter remark was demonstrated less than five +minutes later, when they came to another crossroads. Without warning +of any kind, a racing car came rushing swiftly from one direction and +a coach from the other. Dave could not cross ahead of the racing car, +and the approach of the coach from the opposite direction cut him off +from turning with the car. So all that was left to do was to jam on +both brakes, which he did, and then, as the racing car shot past, he +released the wheels and went on, just ahead of the coach. But it was a +narrow escape all around, and the girls and Roger leaped to their feet +in alarm. + +"Phew! see them streak along!" was Phil's comment, gazing after the +racing car, which was fast disappearing in a cloud of dust. + +"They ought to be arrested!" was Laura's comment. "Why, we might have +been smashed up!" + +"Good work, Davy!" cried Dunston Porter. "You did just the right +thing." + +"Even if that coach driver is shaking his fist at us, eh?" answered +Dave, and he bobbed his head in the direction of the coach, which had +hauled up but was now going on. + +"If you had been going a little faster it would have been all up with +us," said Phil, with a grave shake of his head. + +"Let me take the wheel now," said Dunston Porter, quietly, and Dave +slid out of the driving-seat willingly enough, for the excitement had +left him somewhat limp. + +Half-past six found them in Ryeport, and a few minutes later they +rolled up to the National Hotel, and the girls and boys got out, while +Mr. Porter took the car around to the garage. They had sent word ahead +for rooms, and all soon felt at home. The girls had a fine apartment +on the second floor, front, with Dunston Porter next to them, and the +three boys in a big room across the hallway. + +When the young people assembled in the dining-room, after brushing and +washing up, a surprise awaited them. They had a table to themselves, +ordered by Dunston Porter, and decorated with a big bouquet of roses +and carnations. A full course dinner was served. + +"Oh, this is lovely!" cried Jessie, as she caught sight of the +flowers. + +"Just grand, Uncle Dunston!" added Laura. And then she added, in a +lower voice: "If there wasn't such a crowd, I'd give you a big hug for +this!" + +"And so would I," added Jessie. + +"All right, that's one you owe me, girls, remember that," answered the +old hunter and traveler. + +They spent over an hour at the table, enjoying the bountiful spread +provided, and telling stories and jokes. The boys were in their +element, and kept the girls laughing almost constantly. + +"We'll be back to the grind day after to-morrow, so we had better make +the best of it," was the way Dave expressed himself. + +After the meal, Dunston Porter went out to give directions concerning +the touring car, and Phil accompanied him. This left our hero and +Roger alone with the two girls. They sought out the hotel parlor, +which they found deserted, and Dave and Jessie walked to the far end, +where there was an alcove, while Roger and Laura went to the piano. + +"Dave, won't it be hard work to go back to the grind, as you call it?" +questioned Jessie, as both stood looking out of the window. + +"In a way, yes, but it's what a fellow has got to expect, Jessie," he +returned. "A chap can't get an education without working for it." + +"I trust you pass with high honors," the girl went on, with a hopeful +look into his face. + +"I'll try my best. Of course, I've lost some time--going to Cave +Island and all that. Maybe I'll flunk." + +"Oh, Dave, that would be--be----" Jessie could not go on. + +"As soon as I get back I'm going to buckle down, and get to be a +regular greasy grind, as they call 'em. I've made up my mind to one +thing I'm afraid the others won't like." + +"What's that?" + +"I'm going to cut the baseball nine, if I can. It takes too much time +from our studies." + +"Won't that be easy?" + +"I don't know. I made quite a record, you know. Maybe the crowd will +insist on it that I play. Of course, I don't want to see Oak Hall lose +any games. But I guess they'll have players enough--with all the new +students coming in." + +"And if you do graduate, Dave, what then?" asked Jessie, after a +pause. This question had been on her mind a long time, but she had +hesitated about asking it. + +"To tell the honest truth, Jessie, I don't know," answered Dave, very +slowly. "I've thought and thought, but I can't seem to hit the right +thing. Your father and Professor Potts seem to think I ought to go to +college, and I rather incline that way myself. But then I think of +going to some technical institution, and of taking up civil +engineering, or mining, or something like that. Uncle Dunston knew a +young fellow who became a civil engineer and went to South America and +laid out a railroad across the Andes Mountains, and he knew another +young fellow who took up mining and made a big thing of a mine in +Montana. That sort of thing appeals to me, and it appeals to Dad, +too." + +"But it would take you so far from home, Dave!" and Jessie caught hold +of his arm as she spoke, as if afraid he was going to leave that +minute. + +"I know it, but--er--but--would you care, Jessie?" he stammered. + +"Care? Of course, I'd care!" she replied, and suddenly began to blush. +"We'd all care." + +"But would you care very much?" he insisted, lowering his voice. +"Because, if you would, I'd tell you something." + +"What would you tell me?" she asked. + +"The young fellow who went to South America as a civil engineer took +his wife with him." + +"Oh, Dave!" and for the moment Jessie turned her head away. + +"If I went so far off, I'd want somebody with me, Jessie. A fellow +would be awfully lonely otherwise." + +"I--I suppose that would be so." + +"If you thought enough of a fellow, would you go to South America, or +Montana, or Africa with him?" And Dave looked Jessie full in the +face. + +"I'd go to the end of the world with him," she answered, with sudden +boldness. + +Then Mr. Porter and Phil came back, and the conversation became +general. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +MR. JOB HASKERS'S DOINGS + + +"And now for Oak Hall!" + +It was Dave who uttered the words, the next morning, after a good +night's rest and an early breakfast. The big touring car had been +brought around by Dunston Porter, and the young folks had climbed in +and stowed away the limited baggage they carried. All felt in +excellent spirits, and Dave was particularly gay. What Jessie had said +the evening before, and the way she had said it, still hung in his +mind. She was a splendid girl, and if it was in him to do it, he was +going to make himself worthy of her. He was still young, so he did not +dwell long over these things, but his regard for her was entirely +proper, and likely to make him do his best in his endeavors. + +Phil had asked for permission to run the car for a while and took the +wheel as soon as Ryeport was left behind. The shipowner's son knew how +to handle an automobile almost as well as any of them, but he had one +fault, which was, that he did not steer out of the way of sharp +stones and like things calculated to bring on punctures and +blow-outs. + +"My, what a glorious morning!" exclaimed Laura, as they bowled along +over the smooth roads. + +"Couldn't be better," answered Roger. "Wish we were going on all day!" +he added. + +"So do I," added Dave. They expected to reach Oakdale by noon, get +dinner there, and then run up to the school. + +"Not too fast, Phil," warned Mr. Porter, as the shipowner's son "let +her out a bit," as he expressed it. "You don't know what sort of a +road you've got beyond the turn." + +"We'll soon be coming to some roads we know," answered Phil. "Those we +used to travel on our bicycles." + +They passed through several towns and villages. Then they reached a +crossroads, and here some men and a steam roller were at work, and the +road was closed. One of the workmen motioned for them to take the road +on the left. + +"Must be a road around," said Dunston Porter. "It doesn't look very +good, but you can try it. Shall I take the wheel?" + +"Oh, I can run the car easily enough," answered Phil. + +For half a mile they went on without trouble, through a rolling +country where the scenery was very fine. Then they reached a point +where the road was full of loose stones. + +"Be careful!" cried Mr. Porter. + +They rolled on, past a pretty farmhouse and some barns. They were just +on the point of making another turn when there came a sudden bang! +from under the car, and the turnout swayed to one side of the road. +Phil threw out the clutch and put on the brakes, and they came to a +standstill. Then the driver shut off the engine. + +"What is the matter?" queried Jessie. + +"A blow-out, I guess," answered Dave. "We'll soon see." + +Dunston Porter and the boys got down to the ground and made an +examination. The shoe of the rear left wheel had been badly cut by the +sharp stones and the inner tube had been blown out through the cut. + +"We'll have to put on one of the other shoes," said Mr. Porter. They +carried two with them, besides half a dozen inner tubes. + +"All right, here is where we get to work!" cried Dave. "Somebody time +us, please," and he started in by getting off his coat and cuffs and +donning a working jumper. His uncle quickly followed suit, while Phil +and Roger got out the lifting-jack and some tools. + +The girls stood watching the proceedings for a while and then strolled +back towards the farmhouse. The boys and Mr. Porter became so +engrossed in putting on a new inner tube and a shoe that they did not +notice their absence. The new shoe fitted the rim of the wheel rather +tightly and they had all they could do to get it into place. + +"Phew! this is work and no mistake!" murmured Roger. "I wonder why +they can't get tires that won't blow out or go down." + +"Maybe some day they will have them," answered Dunston Porter. + +"I reckon this is all my fault," put in Phil, ruefully. "I must have +gone over some extra sharp stone, and it cut like a knife." + +"Oh, such accidents are liable to happen to anybody," answered Dave. +He looked at his watch. "Twenty-five minutes, and we haven't blown it +up yet! No record job this time." + +"Thank fortune we've got a patent pump to do the pumping for us," +remarked his uncle. Pumping tires by hand he found a very disagreeable +task. + +At last the shoe and tube were in place and the pump was set in +motion. Dave watched the gauge, and when it was high enough he shut +off the air. The tools were put away, and they were ready to go on +again. + +"The girls went back to that farmhouse," said the senator's son, +pointing to a small cottage. + +"Let us run back and pick them up, and wash our hands at the well." + +Once in front of the house, Dunston Porter, who was at the wheel, +sounded the horn. At the same time the boys made for the well, which +stood between the house and one of the barns. + +"Maybe the girls went inside," remarked Dave, as he looked in vain for +them. + +"Must be somewhere around," returned Phil. + +All washed up, using soap and towels carried in the car. Then Dave +went to the door of the farmhouse and knocked. In answer to the +summons Laura appeared. + +"Oh, Dave, come in!" she cried. "I want you to meet the lady here." + +Wondering what his sister wanted, our hero stepped into the +sitting-room, which was small and plainly but neatly furnished. In a +rocking-chair sat an elderly woman, pale and careworn. + +"Mrs. Breen, this is my brother," said Laura. "And these are his +school chums," she added, nodding towards Phil and Roger. + +"How do you do, boys?" said the woman, in a thin, trembling voice. + +"We just told her we were bound for Oak Hall," said Jessie, who was +also present. "And she says she knows somebody there." + +"She knows Mr. Job Haskers," finished Laura. + +"Mr. Haskers!" repeated Dave, mentioning the name of one of the +teachers--a dictatorial individual nobody liked, and who was allowed +to keep his position mainly because of his abilities as an instructor. +The chums had had more than one dispute with Job Haskers, and all +wished that he would leave the school. + +"Yes, yes, I know him," answered Mrs. Breen, nodding her head gravely +and thoughtfully. "He is a great scholar--a very great scholar," and +she nodded again. She was not well and her mind did not appear to be +overly bright. She lived alone in the cottage, a neighboring farmer +taking care of her few acres of ground for her. + +"Dave, come here," whispered Laura, and led her brother to a corner of +the room. "Mrs. Breen tells me that Mr. Haskers owes her money--that +he used to board with her and that he borrowed some--and she says he +writes that he can't pay her because he gets so little salary, and +that sometimes he has to wait a long while himself." + +"How much is it?" asked Dave, with interest. He remembered how +close-fisted Job Haskers had been on more than one occasion. + +"Nearly two hundred dollars, so she says." + +"He ought to be able to pay that, Laura. I think he gets a fair +salary--in fact, I am sure of it--and I am also pretty sure that +Doctor Clay doesn't keep him waiting for his money." + +"It is too bad! She looks so helpless and so much in need," murmured +the girl. + +"I'll find out about this," answered Dave. + +He sat down, as did the others, and soon had the elderly lady telling +her story in detail. It was not very long. Job Haskers had boarded +with her one summer, just before obtaining his position at Oak Hall, +and he owed her sixty dollars for this. During the time he had spent +with her he had spoken of a school-book he was going to publish that +would bring him in much money, and she had loaned him a hundred and +twenty-five dollars for this. But she had never seen the school-book, +nor had he ever paid back a cent. His plea, when she had written to +him, had been that his pay was poor and that he had to wait a long +time to get money, and that his publishers had not yet gotten around +to selling his book. + +"I never heard of any book he got out," said Roger. "And I think I +would hear if there was such a book." + +"That's so," added Phil. "Old Haskers would be so proud of it he would +want everybody to know." + +"It is certainly a shame he doesn't pay this lady, if he has the +money," was Dunston Porter's comment. "Did he give you a note?" he +asked of Mrs. Breen. + +"He wrote out some kind of a paper and was going to give it to me. But +I never got it." + +"He's a swindler, that's what he is!" murmured Phil, wrathfully. + +"It looks that way," answered Dave, in an equally low tone. + +"He knows this lady is next to helpless and he intends to do her out +of the money!" + +"He ought to be sued," exclaimed Roger. + +"You have no note, or other writing about the money?" questioned Mr. +Porter. + +"I have his letters," answered the elderly lady. "They are in the +bureau yonder." And she pointed to an ancient chest of drawers. + +"Shall I get them?" asked Jessie, for she saw that it was a task for +the old lady to move around. + +"If you will, my dear. I am so stiff it is hard to get up." + +Both girls went to the chest of drawers and brought out a small box of +letters. Mrs. Breen put on her glasses and fumbled them over and +brought forth three communications which were, as the boys recognized, +in Job Haskers's well-known jerky handwriting. She passed them over to +be read, and all present perused them with interest. + +The contents, however, were disappointing, especially to the boys and +Dunston Porter, who had hoped to find something by which legally to +hold the school-teacher. Not once did Job Haskers mention that he owed +Mrs. Breen any money. He simply stated that he regretted he could do +nothing for her, that times were hard, and that his income was limited +and hard to get. He said as little as possible, and the tone of the +communications showed that he hoped he would hear no more from the old +lady who had done what she could to aid him. + +"I think this is the limit!" said Dave to his uncle. "Don't you think +he ought to be sued?" + +"I don't know about suing him, Dave; but I think this ought to be put +in a lawyer's hands." + +"He makes money enough to pay this lady," said Phil. "Say, I've a good +mind to give him a piece of my mind!" he added, hotly. + +"I'll look into this when I come back this way," said Dunston Porter, +after a little more talk. "Perhaps I can get one of our lawyers to +prod this Haskers a little, and also state the case to Doctor Clay." + +"Oh, will you do that, Uncle Dunston?" cried Laura, brightening, for +she, as well as all of the others, felt sorry for Mrs. Breen, who +seemed so poor, old, and lonesome. + +"Yes, I'll do it. And now we had better be on our way,--if we want to +reach Oakdale by noon," went on Mr. Porter. + +The boys went out, followed by Jessie. Laura lingered, to whisper +something in her uncle's ear. Dunston Porter nodded, and then Laura +joined the others. + +"Mrs. Breen, I will be back in a day or two, to see you about this +money affair," said Mr. Porter, when he and the old lady were alone. +"In the meantime, as you were so kind as to take the young ladies in +while we were mending our machine, allow me to make you a little +present," and as he finished he placed a five-dollar bill in her lap. + +"Oh!" she cried, taking up the banknote. "Why, it's five dollars! I--I +can't really take all that money!" + +"Oh, yes, you can," said Mr. Porter, smiling. "Use it as you see fit, +and remember that I'll be back, and we'll do what we can to get that +money from Mr. Haskers." + +"You are very, very kind!" murmured the old lady, and tears stood in +her eyes. The past winter had been a severe one for her, and she had +had a hard struggle to get along. + +"Good-by!" shouted the girls and boys to her, and she waved her hand +to them. Then the automobile started off once more, in the direction +of Oakdale. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +AT OAK HALL ONCE MORE + + +"Hurrah! here we are at Oakdale at last!" + +"Old town looks natural, doesn't it?" + +"So it does, Roger. See any of the fellows?" + +"Not yet, Dave. But we are sure to meet somebody, even if it is a +school-day," went on the senator's son. + +"Uncle Dunston, let me take the auto around to the hotel," said our +hero. "I know the streets better than you do. We have to make several +turns." + +"All right, Dave," was the ready answer, and Dunston Porter arose and +allowed his nephew to crowd into the driver's seat. + +The run to the town in the vicinity of which Oak Hall was located had +been made without further incident. On the way the party had talked +over Mrs. Breen's affairs, and Dunston Porter had promised to take the +matter up, through his lawyer. + +"I think it best that our names don't appear in the case," said he. +"Otherwise, Mr. Haskers might not treat you so well during the term." + +"He never treats us well, anyway," grumbled Phil. "But you are right, +don't mention our names." + +On this late winter day the town looked rather dreary, but the young +folks were in high spirits, and Dave, with a grand flourish, ran the +car up to one of the best hotels the place afforded. As before, word +had been sent ahead that they were coming, and the host of the resort +came out to meet them. + +"We'll have dinner ready inside of quarter of an hour," he said. "Come +in and make yourselves at home." + +The repast was fully as good as the dinner served at Ryeport, and +everybody enjoyed it greatly. + +"And now for the Hall!" cried Dave. + +"Glad to leave us?" asked Jessie, half-reproachfully. + +"You know better than to ask such a question," he replied. "But if we +have got to get back to the grind, why, we might as well do it." + +"And I'm a bit anxious to see how the old place looks," added the +senator's son. + +"Dave, you can run the car to the Hall, if you wish," said Mr. Porter, +feeling sure the youth would like to do that very thing. + +"All right." + +The touring automobile was brought around, and they were just getting +in when there came a sudden hail from across the way. + +"Hello, there, everybody!" + +"It's Dave Porter, and Roger, and Phil!" said somebody else. + +"Why, how are you, Shadow!" cried our hero. "And how are you, Buster?" +he added, as Maurice Hamilton and Buster Beggs came across the road to +greet them. + +"Fine!" puffed Buster, who was very fat and jolly. "Only Shadow has +been walking the feet off of me!" And then the stout youth shook hands +all around. + +"Now, just to hear that!" cried Shadow, as he, too, shook hands. "Why, +all we did was to walk from the Hall to here." + +"And up one street and down another for half an hour," burst in +Buster. + +"Say, that puts me in mind of a story!" cried Shadow, who was noted +for his yarn-spinning weakness. "Once two men started to walk----" + +"Stow it!" came from three of the other lads in concert. + +"It's too early yet to tell stories, Shadow," said Dave, with a smile. +"You can tell them to-night. Tell us now, is there anything new at the +Hall?" + +"There sure is." + +"What?" asked Phil and Roger. + +"The wild man." + +"Oh, has he turned up again?" asked the girls, with interest. + +"Twice--yesterday morning and this morning," said Buster. + +"He didn't turn up at all, Buster," interposed Shadow. "When you start +to tell a story, why don't you tell it straight?" + +"Oh, you tell it," grumbled the fat boy. "You have that sort of thing +down to a science." + +"There isn't very much to tell," went on Shadow Hamilton. "He left his +mark, that's all." + +"Left his mark?" queried Dave. + +"That's it--wide, blue marks. He must have about a ton of blue +chalk." + +"Say, Shadow, you are talking in riddles," burst out the shipowner's +son. "Give it to us in plain United States, can't you?" + +"Sure I can. Well, this wild man visited the school yesterday morning +and this morning, before anybody was up. The first time he went into +the big classroom and took some books, and the next time he visited +the kitchen and pantry and took some grub--I beg the ladies' pardon--I +should have said food--a ham, a chicken, and some doughnuts." + +"And the blue chalk----?" queried Mr. Porter. + +"I was coming to that. In the classroom he left his mark--a big +circle, with a cross inside, in blue chalk." + +"And how do you know that is the mark of the wild man?" asked Laura. + +"Oh, we found that out some time ago," answered Shadow. "He seems to +have a mania for blue chalk, and even puts it on his face sometimes, +and he chalks down that circle with the cross wherever he goes." + +"Then, if he does that, why can't they trail him down?" asked Dave. + +"Because he is like a flea--when you try to put your hands on him he +isn't there," answered Shadow. "And say, that puts me in mind of +another story. Once three boys were----" + +"That will do, Shadow!" cried Roger. "About the wild man is enough for +the present." + +"Have they any idea who he is?" asked Dunston Porter. + +"Not the slightest," answered Buster. "And they don't know where he +keeps himself, although it must be in the woods near the school." + +"Oh, Dave, I hope he doesn't harm anybody!" cried Jessie, with a +shiver. + +"Are you boys ready to go back to the Hall?" asked Dunston Porter. + +"I am," responded Buster, readily. + +"So am I," added the story-teller of the school. + +"Then we'll take you along, provided you don't mind being crowded." + +"We won't mind, if the young ladies won't," returned the fat youth. + +"Oh, come in by all means!" cried Laura. + +"We'll make room somehow," added Jessie. + +A minute later the big car started on the way to Oak Hall, with Dave +at the wheel and his uncle beside him. + +"Looks familiar, doesn't it?" called out Roger, as they spun along the +turnpike. + +"It certainly does!" answered Roger, and then he added, "What do you +say to the old school song?" + +"Fine!" came back the answer, and then the senator's son commenced a +song they all knew well, which was sung to the tune of "Auld Lang +Syne." The girls knew the song, too, and readily joined in. + + "Oak Hall we never shall forget, + No matter where we roam; + It is the very best of schools, + To us it's just like home! + Then give three cheers, and let them ring + Throughout this world so wide, + To let the people know that we + Elect to here abide!" + +Loud and clear over the cool air sounded the song, and it was sung +several times. Then, just as the car rolled into the grounds of the +school, the boys gave one of the Hall yells, and Dave honked the horn +of the automobile loud and long. + +"Hello! It's the Porter crowd!" + +"Welcome to our city!" + +"How about Cave Island, Dave! Did you bring it with you?" + +"Heard you caught Jasniff and Merwell, Roger. Good for you!" + +"Say, Phil, you're as sunburnt as if you'd been to the seashore for a +summer." + +So the talk ran on as half a dozen students flocked up to the car. The +afternoon session was over, and despite the chilliness many lads were +out on the campus. Many knew the girls--having met them at some +athletic games and at a commencement--and those that did not were glad +of a chance for an introduction. + +"I am real glad to see you back, boys," said Doctor Hasmer Clay, the +head of the institution, as he appeared and shook hands. "Glad to see +you, Mr. Porter, and also the young ladies," he added. "So you came +all the way by automobile, eh? It must have been a delightful trip." + +"It was," answered Dave's uncle. + +All went inside, and the visitors were permitted to accompany Dave and +his chums to their dormitory. The boys' baggage had already arrived, +so it did not take the lads long to settle down. + +"And now we'll have to start back," said Dunston Porter, a little +later. "Dave, take good care of yourself, and make a good record." + +"I'll do my best, Uncle Dunston." + +"And don't let that wild man get you," added Jessie, as she took his +hand and allowed him to hold her own, perhaps longer than was +necessary. + +"And don't forget to write," put in his sister. + +"Oh, I'll not forget that!" answered Dave, with a smile, both to his +sister and to the girl whom he regarded so warmly. + +It was a trying moment--this parting--but it was soon over, and, with +Dunston Porter at the wheel, and the girls and boys waving their +hands, the touring car left the Oak Hall grounds, on its return +journey to Crumville. + +"Well, here we are, as the pug dog said to the looking-glass, when he +walked behind it to look for himself," remarked Phil, dropping into a +chair. + +"I suppose it will take us a few days to get settled down," answered +Dave, resting on the top of a table. "I don't feel much like unpacking +yet, do you?" + +"No, let us wait until to-night or to-morrow," returned Roger, +dropping on one of the beds. He was still thinking of how clear and +deep Laura's eyes had appeared when she had said good-by to him. + +"I really hope you will not be homesick," said a girlish voice, and +Bertram Vane, one of the students, appeared from the next room and sat +down on a chair. "Homesickness is such an awfully cruel thing, don't +you know." + +"No homesickness here, Polly," answered Dave. "I guess we are just +tired out, that's all. We've done a lot of traveling since we left Oak +Hall." + +"So I understand. Wasn't it dreadful that Jasniff and Merwell should +prove such villains!" went on the girlish student. "Weren't you really +afraid to--er--to touch them?" + +"Not much!" cried Phil. "I am only sorry Merwell got away." + +"But you got the diamonds, I heard?" put in Sam Day, who was another +of the chums. + +"We did." + +At that moment came musical sounds from another room near by--the +sounds of somebody strumming on a guitar. + +"Hello, there's Luke Watson!" cried Roger. "Hi, come in with that +guitar and give us a tune, Luke!" he called out. + +"Thought I might cheer you up," said Luke, appearing. "How would you +like me to play 'The Girl I Left Behind Me,' or something like that?" + +"Make it 'Oh, Those Eyes So Tender!'" suggested Buster. + +"Or else that beautiful ditty called, 'He Loved, But Had to Leave +Her,'" suggested Shadow. "Say, that puts me in mind of a story," he +went on. "This is true, too, though you may not believe it. A young +man went to call on his best girl and took a bouquet of flowers along. +The bouquet was done up in several thicknesses of tissue paper. Some +of his friends who were jokers got hold of that bouquet and fixed it +up for him. He gave it to the girl, and when she took off the tissue +paper what do you suppose she found? A bunch of celery and some soup +greens! He was so fussed up he didn't know what to say, and he got out +in a hurry." + +"Hurrah for the chaps who fixed up the bouquet!" cried Phil. "But +start up, Luke. Something in which we can all join." + +"But not too loud," cautioned Roger. "Old Haskers might not like----" + +"Oh, hang old Haskers!" interrupted Phil. "He can't----" + +"Sh-sh!" came from Dave, suddenly, and silence fell on the group of +boys. All turned towards the doorway leading to the hall. There, on +the threshold, stood the instructor just mentioned, Mr. Job Haskers. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +PHIL SHOWS HIS STUBBORNNESS + + +Not one of the boys knew how to act or what to say. All wondered if +Job Haskers had heard his name mentioned. + +If the ill-natured instructor had heard, he made no mention of it. He +looked sharply about the apartment and waved his hand to Luke. + +"Watson, how many times have I told you that you make too much noise +with your musical instruments?" he said, harshly. "You disturb the +students who wish to study." + +"I thought this was the recreation hour, Mr. Haskers," answered the +lad, who loved to play the guitar and banjo. + +"True, but I think we get altogether too much of your music," growled +the instructor. He turned to Dave, Roger, and Phil. "So you are back +at last. It is high time, if you wish to go on with your regular +classes." + +"We told Doctor Clay that we would make up what we have missed, Mr. +Haskers," answered Dave, in a gentle tone, for he knew how easy it +was to start a quarrel with the man before him. As Phil had once said, +Job Haskers was always walking around "with a chip on his shoulder." + +"And how soon will you make up the lessons in my class?" demanded the +instructor. + +"I think I can do it inside of ten days or two weeks." + +"That won't suit me, Porter. You'll have to do better. I'll give each +of you just a week--one week, understand? If you can't make the +lessons up in that time I'll have to drop you to the next lower +class." + +"Oh, Mr. Haskers!" burst out Roger. He knew what that meant only too +well. They would not have a chance to graduate that coming June. + +"I'll not argue the point, Morr. I'll give you a week, starting +to-morrow. When you come to the classroom I will show you just what +you have to make up." Job Haskers looked around the room. "Now, then, +remember, I want less noise here." And so speaking, he turned on his +heel and walked away. + +For a moment there was silence, as the boys looked at each other and +listened to the sounds of Mr. Haskers's retreating footsteps. Then +Phil made a face and punched one of the bed pillows, savagely. + +"Now, wouldn't that make a saint turn in his grave?" he remarked. +"Isn't he the real, kind, generous soul!" + +"He ought to be ducked in the river!" was Buster's comment. "Why, how +can anybody make up the lessons you've missed in a week? It's absurd! +Say, do you know what I'd do if I were you? I'd complain to the +doctor." + +"So would I," added Sam Day. "Two weeks would be short enough." + +"I'll not complain to the doctor," returned Phil. "But I know what I +will do," he added, quickly, as though struck by a sudden idea. + +"What?" came from several. + +"Never mind what. But I'll wager he'll give us more time." + +"I guess I know what you think of doing," said Dave. "But take my +advice and don't, Phil." + +"Humph! I'll see about it, Dave. He isn't going to run such a thing as +this up my back without a kick," grumbled the shipowner's son. + +"Well, wait first and see if he doesn't change his mind, or if we +can't get through in the week," cautioned Dave. + +"What was Phil going to do?" questioned Luke, strumming lowly over the +strings of his guitar. + +"Oh, don't let's talk about it," cried Dave, before Roger could speak. +He did not wish the Mrs. Breen affair to become public property. +"Tell us about the wild man, and all the other things that have +happened here since we went away." + +"And you tell us all about Cave Island and those stolen jewels," said +Buster. + +Thereafter the conversation became general, Dave and his chums telling +of their quest of the Carwith diamonds, and the other students +relating the particulars of a feast they had had in one of the +dormitories, and of various efforts made to catch the so-called wild +man. + +"I don't believe he is what one would call a wild man," said Ben +Basswood, Dave's old chum from home, who had just come in from some +experiments in the school laboratory. "He is simple-minded and very +shy. He gets excited once in a while, like when he threw those +mud-balls." + +"Well, you ought to know," remarked Buster. "Ben is the only fellow +here who has talked to the man," he explained. + +"When was that, Ben?" questioned Dave. + +"That was when the man first appeared," answered the Crumville lad. "I +didn't find out until yesterday that he was the wild man, and then it +was because of that blue chalk he uses. I met him in the woods when I +was out during that last snow, looking for rabbits with my shotgun. I +came across him, sitting on a rock, looking at an old newspaper. He +had some of the blue chalk in his hand and had marked a circle with a +cross on the rock. He asked me where I was going, and told me to look +out and not shoot a star, and then he asked me if I used chalk for +powder, and said he could supply a superior brand of chalk cheap. I +thought at first that he was merely joking, but I didn't like the look +in his eyes, and then I made up my mind he was not right in his head, +and I left him. When I came back that way, an hour later, he was gone, +and I have never seen him since." + +"Where was this, Ben?" + +"Up in the woods, where the brook branches off by the two big rocks." + +"I know the spot!" cried Roger. "Say, maybe he hangs out around +there." + +"No, we hunted around there yesterday, but he wasn't to be seen. I +don't believe he has any settled place of abode, but just roams +through the woods." + +"Poor fellow! Somebody ought to catch him and place him in a +sanitarium," was Dave's comment. + +Various matters were talked over until the supper hour, and then the +boys filed down to the dining-hall. Here our hero met more of his +school chums, including Gus Plum, who had once been his enemy but who +was now quite friendly, and little Chip Macklin, who in days gone by +had been Plum's toady. + +"Very glad to see you back, Dave!" cried Gus. "And, say, you've +certainly made a hero of yourself," he added, warmly. + +"It was great, what you and Roger and Phil did," added Chip, in deep +admiration. + +Everybody was glad to see Dave back, and after supper it was all he +could do to get away from many of his friends. But he managed it at +last, and he, Roger, and Phil went upstairs, to put away their things +and get out their schoolbooks. + +"We have got to study and that is all there is to it," said Dave, +firmly. "Fun is one thing and getting ready to graduate is another. We +have got to get down to the grind, boys." + +"That's right," answered the senator's son. + +"But don't forget what old Haskers said," grumbled Phil. "He'll make +us sweat, just you wait and see!" + +"'Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof,'" quoted Dave. "I think +we can get through if we buckle down hard." + +"Supposing Mr. Dale and the other teachers pin us down as old Haskers +did?" demanded Phil. + +"They won't do it," declared our hero. "Take my word for it, Mr. Dale +will give us a month, if we want it. I know him. And the others will +do the same." + +"Well, maybe we can get through, if that's the case," said the +shipowner's son, slowly. "Just the same, I think old Haskers the +meanest man alive." + +The following morning, after a good night's rest, the boys went to +their various classes. As Dave had predicted, Mr. Dale, the head +teacher, treated them with all possible consideration, for he loved +boys and understood them thoroughly. The other teachers were likewise +very lenient. + +"Old Haskers is the one stumbling-block," said Roger. "Dave, maybe we +had better see Doctor Clay about him." + +"Not much!" cried Phil. "We've got a club we can use on Haskers. Why +not use it?" + +"You mean, go to him and tell him we know about that Mrs. Breen +affair, and that we will expose him if he doesn't let up on us, Phil?" +said Dave. + +"Yes." + +"Do you think that is a--well, a gentlemanly thing to do?" + +"It's what old Haskers would do, if he was in our place." + +"Perhaps. But I'd rather not do it. Let my uncle's lawyer try to +collect that money without our appearing in the case. We have had +trouble enough in the past with Haskers. Let us buckle in and study +up. I am sure we can get through," added Dave, earnestly. + +"All right," growled Phil; but his manner showed that he was not +satisfied. + +Two days went by, and the boys settled down to the regular routine of +the school. The lessons to be made up were exceedingly hard, and Dave +found he had to study almost constantly to do what was required of +him. + +"But I am going to make it!" he murmured, setting his teeth hard. "I +am not going to disappoint the folks at home." + +One afternoon the three chums had a very hard lesson in Latin to do. +It was a clear, sunshiny day and they had one of the windows wide open +to let in the fresh air. Dave and Roger were bending over their books +when they heard a sudden exclamation from Phil. + +"I'll be hanged if I'm going to do it!" + +And then of a sudden a Latin book was hurled across the room, to land +on a bureau, just missing the glass. + +"Hello!" cried Dave, raising his head. "What's wrong now?" + +"I'm not going to do it!" cried Phil, stretching himself. "It's an +outrage and I won't submit to it." + +"You mean this boning away for Haskers?" queried Roger. + +"Just that," answered the shipowner's son. "Why can't he treat us as +fairly as the other teachers did? It wouldn't hurt him a bit to give +us more time." + +"Phil, what's the use of talking it over again?" asked Dave. "I +thought we had settled it once for all." + +"No, I won't stand it, I tell you," cried Phil, stubbornly. "He can't +make a pack-mule of me." + +"Well, then, speak to the doctor about it," advised Roger. + +"I don't have to speak to the doctor," stormed Phil; and walking over +to a rack, he caught up his cap and marched from the room. + +"He is certainly in a bad humor," was Dave's comment. "I am afraid +he'll put his foot into it, Roger." + +"So am I. He's been aching to get back at old Haskers ever since he +put all this studying up to us." + +"Do you know, Ben is just as angry at Haskers as Phil is?" went on our +hero, after a pause, during which both had hoped that their close chum +would return. But Phil had stalked down the stairs and out of the +building. + +"Ben?" + +"Yes, so he told me this noon." + +"What about?" + +"Oh, Ben talked in class and old Haskers penalized him heavily--gave +him a lot of extra Latin to do. It nearly broke Ben up." + +"You told Ben about that Breen affair, didn't you?" + +"Yes." + +"Maybe he and Phil will both go to Haskers about it." + +"I hope not, Roger. I don't think it is just the right thing to do--to +use that as a club over Haskers to get him to let us off. I don't like +that kind of dealing." + +"Neither do I. But it's just what such a mean-spirited fellow as +Haskers deserves. He has never treated us squarely since we came here. +I think this school would be a good deal better off without him, even +if he is well educated." + +Dave heaved a deep sigh. He was on the point of replying, but changed +his mind. He took up his book again, and soon was trying his best to +study. Roger followed his example. + +But both boys made slow progress. Each was thinking about Phil. What +would be the outcome of their headstrong chum's actions? + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +PHIL AND BEN MAKE A MOVE +So far Dave and Nat Poole had not met face to face. Our hero had seen +the money-lender's son a number of times, but Nat had always been with +some of his cronies and had, apparently, not taken any notice. + +But on the morning following the conversation just recorded, the pair +came face to face in one of the narrow hallways. + +"Good-morning, Nat," said Dave, pleasantly. + +"Morning," grumbled the other student. He was about to pass Dave, but +suddenly changed his mind. "So you got back, eh?" + +"Yes, I've been back several days." + +"I heard that Link Merwell got away from you?" + +"That is true." + +"Humph! If I had the chance to nab him that you had, I'd not let him +get away." + +"We held Jasniff." + +"Maybe you let Merwell go on purpose," continued the money-lender's +son, shrewdly. + +"Not at all, Nat. He gave us the slip, clean and clear." + +"Humph!" Nat paused for a moment. "I got word from my dad that you +almost smashed him up on the road with your auto." + +"Hardly as bad as that." + +"He is going to make your uncle pay for the damage done." + +"It wasn't much." + +"It was enough. You want to be more careful with your car after this. +You auto fellows seem to think you own the whole road." + +"What about your motor-boat, Nat?" asked Dave. He remembered how the +money-lender's son had played more than one mean trick while running +the craft. + +"Oh, my boat is all right, Dave Porter!" sniffed Nat; and then he +moved on, with a scowl on his face. + +"The same old Nat," soliloquized our hero. "Too bad that he can't make +himself a bit more agreeable." + +That day was a particularly trying one in the classroom. The lessons +were unusually hard, and Dave had all he could do to pass, especially +in those studies presided over by Professor Haskers. Roger made one +miss in his Latin and poor Phil made several, while Ben Basswood's +recitation was a complete failure. + +As was usual with him, Job Haskers was exceedingly dictatorial, and +said some cutting things that brought the blood to Dave's face. + +"You must do much better than this, Porter and Morr," said the +professor. "Otherwise I shall have to place you in the next lower +class. You, Lawrence and Basswood, have failed so utterly that I will +have to take your cases under immediate consideration. The class is +dismissed." + +"The old bear!" growled Ben, under his breath. + +He looked inquiringly at Phil, and the latter nodded knowingly. + +Dave did not know what to do. He did not wish Phil and Ben to get into +further trouble, yet he did not know how to interfere. Besides, he was +suffering himself and hardly knew what to do on his own account. + +"This is the worst yet," cried Roger, as he and our hero came out of +the classroom side by side. + +"There go Phil and Ben," returned Dave. "Roger, they have got some +plan up their sleeve." + +"I believe you, Dave. I wish I knew what to do. Shall we go to Doctor +Clay?" + +"I've been thinking of that, Roger. But I hate to do it. I'd rather +fight my own battles." + +"So would I." + +"Let us wait until to-morrow and see if things don't take a turn for +the better." + +"All right, just as you say. But it's a shame, the way old Haskers +treats us," grumbled the senator's son. + +In the meantime Phil and Ben had gone on ahead. Both were exceeding +angry and consequently not in a frame of mind to use their best +judgment. + +"It's an outrage!" burst out the shipowner's son. "An outrage, Ben! I +am not going to stand for it!" + +"Well, I am with you, Phil," returned Ben. "But what can we do?" + +"You know what I spoke about last evening?" + +"Yes." + +"How about doing that?" + +"I am with you, if you are game." + +"Of course we may make old Haskers tearing mad." + +"We'll only face him with the truth, won't we?" + +"Yes." + +"Then, let us do it. And the sooner the better." + +"Yes, but we must see him alone." + +"Of course. I think we can manage it just before supper--when he goes +up to his room to fix up for the evening." + +The two chums talked the affair over for a long time. + +"I don't suppose Dave will like this," ventured Ben, presently. "What +do you think?" + +"He isn't hit as hard as we are," answered Phil, lamely. "If he +was--well, he might look at things in a different light." + +"That's so," answered Ben. But deep down in his heart he was afraid +that our hero would not altogether approve of what he and Phil +proposed to do. + +The boys took a walk, and purposely kept out of the way of Dave and +Roger. They did not return to the Hall until fifteen minutes before +the first bell for supper. Then they came in by a side entrance and +passed swiftly up the stairs and along the hallway to the room +occupied by Job Haskers. + +"Who is it?" asked the teacher, sharply, when Phil had knocked. + +"Mr. Haskers, it is Phil Lawrence," was the reply. "Ben Basswood is +with me. We wish to see you." + +"Ah, indeed!" said the teacher, coldly. "You come to me at an unusual +hour. You may see me to-morrow, before class." + +"Mr. Haskers, we wish very much to see you now," put in Ben. + +"We have got to see you," added Phil, warmly. + +There was no immediate reply to this. The boys heard Job Haskers +moving around the room and heard him shut a bureau. Then the door was +flung open. + +"You insist upon seeing me, eh?" demanded the professor, harshly. + +"We do, Mr. Haskers," returned Phil, boldly. + +"Very well, young gentlemen; step in." And Job Haskers glared at the +boys as he stood aside for them to enter. + +"We came to see you, sir, about those Latin lessons," went on Phil, +finding it just then difficult to speak. He realized that Job Haskers +was in no humor for being lenient. + +"Well?" shot out the professor. + +"We feel that we are not being treated fairly," put in Ben, believing +he should not make Phil do all the talking. + +"Not treated fairly? I believe I am the best judge of that, +Basswood." + +"Mr. Haskers, I hate to say it, but you are a hard-hearted man!" cried +out Phil, the door being closed, so that no outsider might hear. "You +are not giving us a fair chance. The other teachers have given me and +Dave Porter and Roger Morr several weeks in which to make up those +lessons we missed while we were away. You wish to give us only a +week." + +"And you didn't give me a fair chance to make up," added Ben. + +"See here, who is master here, you or I?" demanded Job Haskers, +drawing himself up. "Boys, you are impudent! I will not stand it!" + +"Yes, you will stand it," cried Phil, throwing caution to the winds. +"All we ask is a fair deal, and you have got to give it to us. We'll +make up those lessons, if you'll give us a fair amount of time. I +don't intend to be put in a lower class for nothing." + +"And I'm not going to stand it either," came from Ben. + +"Ha! this to me?" snarled Job Haskers. "Take care, or I'll have you +dismissed from the Hall!" + +"If you try it, it will be the worst day's work you ever did, Mr. +Haskers," warned the shipowner's son. + +"What, you threaten me?" + +"We are going to make you give us a fair chance, that is all. And if +you'll do that, we'll give you a fair chance." + +"Why, why--you--you----" The irate instructor knew not for the moment +how to proceed. + +"Mr. Haskers, I think you had better listen to me," pursued Phil. + +"I have listened to all I care to hear." + +"Oh, no, you haven't. There is much more--and you had better listen +closely--if you care at all for your reputation here at Oak Hall." + +The professor stared at the boy and grew a trifle pale. + +"Wha--what do you--er--mean by that, Lawrence?" + +"I hate very much to bring this subject up, Mr. Haskers, but you +practically compel me to do it. If you will only promise to give us a +fair chance to make up our lessons, I won't say a word about it." + +"Just what do you mean?" faltered the teacher. + +"I know something about your doings in the past--doings which are of +no credit to you. If you disgrace Ben and me by degrading us in +classes, we'll disgrace you by telling all we know." + +"And what do you know?" demanded Job Haskers, hastily. + +"We know a good deal," put in Ben. + +"All about your dealing with the poor widow, Mrs. Breen," added the +shipowner's son. "How you still owe her for board, and how you +borrowed money to publish a book that was never issued." + +"Who told you that?" cried Job Haskers, stepping back in +consternation. "Who told you that I had borrowed money from her, and +that I owed her for board?" + +"Never mind who told us," said Ben. "We know it is true." + +"And you went to that lawyer, eh?" stormed Professor Haskers. "You +got him to threaten a suit, didn't you? I got his letter only this +afternoon." + +"We went to no lawyer," answered Phil. + +"I know better! I see it all now! You want to get me into trouble--to +disgrace me here!" Job Haskers began to pace the floor. "It is--er--a +mistake. I meant to pay that lady but it--er--slipped my mind. And the +book has been issued, but the publishers have not--er--seen fit to +push it, that is why you and the world at large have not heard of +it." + +"Mr. Haskers, we haven't told anybody about this," went on Phil, +pointedly. "You can settle with that lawyer, whoever he may be,--and +we'll not say a word to anybody--that is, providing you'll give us a +fair chance in our lessons." + +"Ha! maybe you wish me to pass you without an examination," cried the +teacher, cunningly. + +"No, sir!" answered Phil, stoutly. + +"We simply ask for more time, that is all," added Ben. "We don't ask +any favor. We can make up the lessons if you will give us as much time +as the other teachers would give us." + +"You have not told anybody of this--this--er--affair of Mrs. Breen?" + +"No." + +"It is all a mistake, but I should not like it to get abroad. It would +hurt my reputation a great deal. I shall settle the matter in the +near future. I do not owe that lady as much as the lawyer says I +do,--but that is not your affair." Job Haskers continued to pace the +floor. "Now about your lessons," he continued, after a pause. "If +I--er--thought that I had really been too hard on you----" He paused. + +"You certainly have been hard," said Phil. + +"And if you really need more time----" + +"Give us two weeks more and we'll be all right," put in Ben. + +"And if--er--if I should decide to do that, you will--er----" + +"We'll make good--and keep our mouths shut," finished Phil. + +"Very well. I will think it over, young gentlemen, and let you know +to-morrow morning, before class. And in the meantime----" + +"We won't say a word to anybody," said Ben, with a little grin. + +"So be it;" and Job Haskers bowed. "There is the supper-bell. You may +go now. Come to me just before class to-morrow," he added; and then +the two students passed out of the room, and the teacher shut the door +after them. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +AN UNUSUAL COMPACT + + +"He'll do it--he is bound to do it!" cried Ben, as he and Phil hurried +down to the dining-room. + +"I think so myself, Ben," answered the shipowner's son. But, for some +reason, he did not seem as joyful over the outcome of the interview as +might have been expected. + +"He won't dare let this news become public property," went on the +other student. "He is too afraid of public opinion." + +"Ben, he thinks we got that lawyer to take the case up." + +"You told him we hadn't." + +"But he didn't believe it--I could tell that by his manner. And, Ben, +do you know, after all, this looks to me as if we had, somehow, bribed +him to be easy on us," continued Phil, with added concern. + +"Oh, don't bother your head about that, Phil. We only asked for what +is fair, didn't we?" + +"Yes, but----" And then the shipowner's son did not finish, because +he did not know what to say. In some manner, Phil's conscience +troubled him, and he wondered what Dave and Roger would say when they +heard of what had occurred. + +During the meal that followed but little was said by any of the boys. +Once or twice our hero looked at Phil, but the latter avoided his +gaze. As soon as the repast was over, Phil rushed outside, followed by +Ben; and that was the last seen of the pair until it was time to go to +bed. + +"They have been up to something, that is certain," was the comment of +the senator's son. + +"Well, we can only wait and see what turns up," answered Dave, +thoughtfully. "I don't think I care to ask them." + +In the morning, when Dave got up he looked over to where Phil was in +the habit of sleeping. The bed was empty, and the shipowner's son was +gone. + +"Dressed half an hour ago," said another of the dormitory inmates. + +"Went off again with Ben, I'll wager," murmured Roger. Ben was in +another room, across the hallway, that term. + +Dave and Roger had been hard at work the evening before, doing their +best to make up the lessons they had missed while away from the +school. They doubted if Phil and Ben had studied at all. With +considerable curiosity they awaited the opening of the morning +classes, to see what might happen. They felt that something was "in +the air." + +Just before the last bell rang Phil and Ben appeared, their faces +wreathed in smiles. + +"It's all right, fellows!" cried the shipowner's son, merrily. "It's +all right!" + +"Now we can take our time making up those missed lessons," added Ben. + +"You went to old Haskers?" queried Roger. + +"We sure did," answered the shipowner's son. + +"And told him about----" began our hero. + +"Never mind what we told him, Dave," interrupted Phil. "We did tell +him that we wanted to make up the lessons but couldn't do it in the +time he had allotted. He argued it, at first, but now he has agreed to +give us the same time Mr. Dale did, three weeks." + +"Good!" exclaimed Roger. + +"You, or all of us?" asked our hero. + +"All of us. I think he'll speak to you at recess--he said he would." + +"What did he say when you--when you mentioned Mrs. Breen?" asked +Roger. + +"Hush, somebody might hear you!" returned Phil, in a whisper. "We have +promised to keep that quiet." + +"But the poor woman----" began Dave. + +"Will get her money, never fear. A lawyer has already written about +it, and old Haskers says he will pay up. He claims it is all a +mistake. But he doesn't want anybody at Oak Hall to get wind of it." + +There was no time to say more, and evidently neither Phil nor Ben felt +in the humor to discuss the affair. The early morning lesson proceeded +as usual, but it was noticed that Professor Haskers was much subdued +in his manner towards the students. + +"Porter and Morr, I wish to speak to you at recess," said he, coming +down to where the two lads sat. "Kindly remain here." + +When the other students had left the classroom the instructor came to +our hero and his chum and motioned for them to follow him to a private +room close by. + +"I wish to speak to you about the lessons you are to make up," said +Job Haskers, after clearing his throat several times. "I understand +that you want more time." + +"We would like to have more time, yes," answered Dave, briefly, and +looking the teacher full in the face. + +"Can you do the lessons in three weeks?" + +"Yes, Mr. Haskers," said Dave, and Roger nodded his head. + +"Then you can take that much time. But, remember, I shall expect you +to--to--er--to make up the lessons." + +"Yes, sir," came from both students. + +"If you need more time--or any assistance--possibly I can arrange it," +went on Job Haskers, eagerly. + +"Thank you, if you give me three weeks I am sure I can make up the +lessons to your satisfaction, Mr. Haskers," came from our hero. + +"And so can I," added the senator's son. "Anyway, I'll try my level +best." + +"Very well, then, we will let it stand that way." There was a pause +and the instructor bit his lip several times. "By the way, +I--er--understand that there is a very unpleasant rumor going around +concerning me," he proceeded. "It is all a mistake which I shall try +to clear up without delay. I trust that you will not attempt +to--er--to circulate that rumor any further." + +"Mr. Haskers, do you mean about that affair with Mrs. Breen?" demanded +Dave, bluntly. + +"Yes. I have already explained to Lawrence and Basswood that it is a +mistake, and that the widow will be paid all that is due her. But if +this should--er--be mentioned here----" The teacher stopped short and +looked sharply at Dave and Roger. + +"Mr. Haskers, let us understand each other," answered Dave, quickly. +"I have no desire whatever to get you or anybody else into trouble. +Nor do I want to ask you for any favors. I think we are justly +entitled to more time in which to make up those lessons, and now that +you have granted that time, I shall do my best to make good. As for +that Mrs. Breen affair, I think that poor old lady ought to have her +money. I understand some lawyer is going to try to collect it for her. +Well, if you settle the matter I shall feel very glad; and you can +rest assured that I will not say a word about the matter to anybody in +this school, or anywhere else." + +"You--er--you give me your word on that, Porter?" demanded the +instructor, eagerly. + +"I do." + +"And you, Morr?" + +"Yes, sir," answered the senator's son. + +"Who else is there who knows about this--er--unpleasant affair?" + +"Phil Lawrence and Ben Basswood," answered Roger. + +"No other students?" + +"Not that I know of." + +"Very well, then." Job Haskers drew a breath of relief. "See that you +keep your word. And about the lessons--if three weeks are not long +enough, I may--er--be able to give you a little more time." + +"That time will be enough," replied Dave. + +"We'll make it with ease," added Roger. + +"Then that is settled, and you may go," and so speaking, Job Haskers +left the room. The two boys followed him, and went out on the campus. + +"How did you make out?" questioned Phil, as he ran up to them. + +"We got our time," answered Roger. + +"But let me tell you one thing," said Dave. "After this Haskers is +going to hate us worse than ever." + +"I don't see why," declared the shipowner's son. "I think we are +letting him off mighty easy." + +"He feels as if he had been forced into doing what we want," went on +Dave. "I think he looks at it as if you had used that Mrs. Breen +incident as a club over him." + +"Well, it was a club in one sense, Dave." + +"I know it, Phil, and, although I am glad we have won out and gotten +that extra time, still I am sorry that you and Ben went to him as you +did." + +"Humph! did you think I was going to sit still and be put back into a +lower class?" + +"Maybe it might have been better if you had gone to Doctor Clay." + +"I don't think so," replied Phil, shortly; and then the school-bell +rang again and all the boys had to go to their next classes. + +In spite of the cloud that thus hung over the affair, every one of +the chums was glad of the extra time in which to make up the lost +lessons. Not one of them had to grind away as hard as before, and Dave +took a little time off, in which to send a letter to his father and +another to Jessie. + +The next day was warm and pleasant and, after school-hours, Roger +proposed to Dave that they take a walk up the woods road back of the +school. + +"All right, a walk in the woods will do us good," was the answer. +"Shall we ask some of the others?" + +"If you wish," and in the end Phil went along, and also Buster Beggs +and Gus Plum. + +"My, but I had a run-in with old Haskers this afternoon," said the +stout youth. "I came close to carrying the matter to the doctor." + +"What was it about?" questioned Dave. + +"Oh, nothing at all, to my way of thinking. I went to the library to +get a book and he accused me of wasting my class time. He was very +ugly. I won't stand for much more of it," grumbled Buster. + +Dave said no more, but he and Roger exchanged glances. Evidently the +irate instructor was going to "take it out of somebody," as the saying +goes. + +The boys walked on and on, along the road, until Oak Hall was left far +behind. Soon Buster forgot his troubles, and the crowd were chatting +gayly of many things. + +"Call for candidates for the baseball team next Saturday," announced +Gus Plum. "I hope we get up a team this year that knocks the spots out +of Rockville Military Academy and all the other institutions we cross +bats with." + +"Are you going to try for the nine this term, Gus?" questioned Dave. + +"Sure! Why not? You'll try, won't you?" went on the big youth, in +surprise. + +"No, I've decided not to go into athletics this term, Gus. I want to +give all my time to my studies." + +"Yes, but the nine needs you, Dave!" put in Buster. "I heard some of +the fellows talking about it only yesterday. They had you slated for +your old position." + +"Well, if Gus wants to play, he can fill the box," answered Dave. + +"But we need more than one pitcher," insisted Buster. + +"There are plenty of new students coming along. I hear Thomas is a +good one, and so is Ennis." + +"I'm not going to play, either," said Roger. "I want to graduate with +all the honors possible." + +"How about you, Phil?" + +"I--I think I'll play," answered the shipowner's son, rather lamely. +"I'll see about it later." + +"Well, I don't want to neglect my studies," said Gus Plum. "But I have +done some hard work this winter and so I am pretty well ahead. I +didn't lose time going to Cave Island, you know," he added, with a +smile. + +"Well, it was worth it--losing that time," answered Dave. "It saved +Mr. Wadsworth from ruin, and that's a good deal." + +"If the baseball nine----" commenced Buster, and then broke off short. +"What was that?" he demanded, as a cry from a distance broke on the +ears of all. + +"It's a woman's voice!" cried Dave, quickly. "She is calling for help! +Come on and see what is the matter!" And he started off on a run, with +his school chums at his heels. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE KING OF SUMATRA + + +The boys had been traveling along a broad highway that ran to a town +on the other side of the woods. The trees were thick and so were the +bushes, with here and there a big rock, covered with the dead vines of +the summer previous. + +At one point some distance ahead was an old stone house, standing +where another road ran in the direction of the river. This house had +not been inhabited for years, and the doors and windows were gone, and +the falling of the chimney had smashed in a large portion of the +sloping roof. + +It was from in front of the old house that the cries for assistance +came, and now the boys heard two voices, both somewhat girlish in +tones. + +"Oh, let me go! Please, let me go!" came, wildly. + +"You have no right to touch us!" was added, in another voice. + +"What's the matter?" called out Dave, as loudly as he could. But in +his mind there had already flashed an inkling of what was going on. +For some time past the wild man of that locality had not shown +himself. Now, perhaps, he was again at his old tricks. + +"Oh, make him go away!" screamed a girlish voice, and then, as our +hero made a turn of the road, he caught sight of two girls standing +near the old stone house. Back of them was another figure, that of a +tall, powerful man, but this figure disappeared as if by magic, behind +the ancient building. + +"Why, Miss Rockwell!" exclaimed Dave, as he recognized a young lady +from town whom he knew well. "And you, too, Miss Feversham! What is +the matter?" + +"That man--the wild man!" panted Vera Rockwell. "He--he--stopped us!" + +"He wanted our purses!" added Mary Feversham, the other young lady. + +"Where is he?" asked Roger and Phil, in a breath. + +"He just ran behind the house--I saw him," answered Dave. "Did he hurt +you any?" he went on, anxiously, for he and Vera and Mary were good +friends. + +"No, but he--he scared us so!" + +"Let us go after him!" put in Phil, quickly. He had taken Mary +Feversham out a number of times and the two were well acquainted. +"Come on!" and he started around the house. + +All of the others were not slow to follow. Behind the building they +came upon a mass of weeds and bushes and in their midst the remains of +an old well, long since caved in. What had once been a path led to the +side road before mentioned. + +"That's the way he must have gone--down the side road!" cried the +shipowner's son. + +"Supposing we see if we can catch him?" suggested Dave. "But somebody +ought to go back, and stay with the girls," he added thoughtfully. + +"I'll go back," answered Phil. He was only too glad of a chance to +talk to Mary, not having seen her for a long time. + +"If that fellow comes back, whistle for us," advised Roger. + +Dave was already on the side road with Buster and Gus beside him, and +the senator's son quickly followed. + +"Don't go too fast or I--I can't ke--keep up with you!" panted +Buster. + +"Do you see anything of him, Dave?" queried Roger. + +"Not yet, but there is a turn just ahead. When we make that we'll be +able to see almost to the river." + +All of the students sped on, the stout lad doing his best to keep up +with the others. They reached the turn with Dave a step or two in +advance. + +"There he is!" + +"I see him! Say, he's wild-looking enough!" + +"He is making for the river!" + +"We ought to be able to catch him. We are four to one." + +Dave and Roger pressed forward with increased speed and poor Buster +fell somewhat behind. + +"I'm coming as fa--fast as I ca--can!" blurted out the fat youth. "Go +on--I'll get there sooner or later!" + +"Pick up a stick, if you see one," cried Dave, to Roger and Gus. "We +may have a hot fight on our hands. That man ought to be in jail, or in +an asylum." + +As they sped along, the three kept their eyes open and each presently +armed himself with a fair-sized club. The wild man was running like a +deer, pausing occasionally to turn and brandish his long arms at them +savagely. They could see that his clothing was in tatters and that his +hair and beard were long and unkempt. + +"Hi! stop!" called out Dave, although he had but little hope of +causing the man to halt. "We want to talk to you." + +"Go back! Beware! Go back, or it will be the worse for you!" called +the wild man. "Leave the King of Sumatra alone!" + +"The King of Sumatra?" repeated Roger. "Say, he's crazy sure enough, +to imagine himself that!" + +The boys continued after the wild man and urged him to stop. But +instead of heeding them, he ran on the faster. + +"He's an athlete, when it comes to running," remarked Dave, as he +tried in vain to get closer to the man. + +"They say crazy people are always strong," answered the senator's +son. + +"I've go--got to gi--give up!" panted Gus, and came to a halt. +"Go--got a pa--pain in my side!" And he put his hand over his hip. + +"All right, we'll manage alone!" cried Roger. "I don't think we can +catch that fellow anyway," he added, half under his breath. + +Another turn of the woodland road brought the Leming River into plain +view, at a point where the stream was both wide and deep. The wild man +kept sprinting along and it was impossible for the boys to draw any +closer to him. + +"Shall we threaten to shoot him if he won't stop?" asked Roger. +Neither of the lads carried firearms. + +[Illustration: "STOP!" CRIED DAVE.--_Page 87._] + +"No, he might do some shooting on his own account,--if he is armed. +Come on, he may fall, or something like that." + +Inside of three minutes more the wild man gained the shore of the +river and disappeared around a point of rocks and brushwood. + +"Be careful, Dave," warned Roger. "He may spring out at you with a +club." + +"I've got my eyes open," was the ready reply. + +Both advanced with caution, and soon came up to the nearest of the +rocks. With clubs ready for use, the two youths continued to move +forward. Then they came to a sudden halt. The wild man was no longer +in sight. What had become of him? + +"Maybe he ran into the woods," suggested Roger. + +"Perhaps, but--hark!" And our hero held up his hand. From a distance +came a scraping sound, like something sliding over a rock. + +"Look!" called out the senator's son. "He's got a boat! There he +goes!" + +Dave turned in the direction pointed out by his chum. Both saw a small +rowboat sweep out from under some brushwood. In it stood the wild man, +using an oar as a pole on the rocks. + +"Stop!" cried Dave. "Stop, or you may be sorry for it." + +"You can't catch the King of Sumatra!" yelled the wild man, and +flourished his arms and made a hideous face at them. Then he sat down +on the middle seat of the craft, placed the oars in the rowlocks, and +commenced to row rapidly down the stream. + +"Well, that's the end of the chase," remarked Dave, in some disgust. + +"That's right, since we haven't any boat," returned Roger. "Wonder +where he got that craft? I don't think he bought it." + +"It isn't likely. Probably he saw it somewhere along the river and +simply appropriated it." And this proved to be true. + +The boys watched the wild man until a bend of the stream hid rower and +craft from view. Then they turned back in the direction of the old +stone house. + +"Did you get him?" demanded Buster, who was waiting with Gus at the +point where he had dropped out of the race. + +"No," answered Roger, and told why. + +"He sure is a cute one," went on the stout youth. "Say, if they don't +catch him soon, he'll have this whole neighborhood scared to death." + +The students soon reached the old house. Here they found the two girls +and Phil, the latter with a heavy stick in his hand, ready for any +emergency. The girls had calmed down a little, but were still much +agitated. + +"We were to come home in my uncle's carriage," said Mary Feversham. +"But the horse got a lame foot and so we decided to walk. We had heard +of the wild man, but did not think we would meet him. Oh, it was +dreadful!" + +"He didn't hurt you, did he?" asked Dave. + +"Oh, no, but he frightened us so! He danced around us and caught us by +the arms, and he wanted us to give him money! Oh, it was dreadful!" + +"He ought to be in an asylum," said Dave. And then he and Roger +related how the wild man had escaped. + +"I sha'n't go out alone again," said Vera Rockwell. "That is, not +until that man is captured." + +"We'll take you both home," said Phil, promptly, looking at Mary. + +"But we don't want to keep you from what you were going to do," said +Vera. + +"Oh, we were only out for a walk," replied Dave. "We'll walk to town +with you. Maybe we'll hear something more of this strange fellow." + +All turned back on the road that led close to Oak Hall, and after +discussing the wild man from various points of view, the conversation +turned to other matters. The girls told of what they had been doing +during the past holidays and asked the boys about themselves. + +"I heard that that horrid Jasniff is under arrest," said Vera to +Dave. "I am glad of it. It is a pity that Merwell got away." + +"Perhaps," answered our hero. "But, somehow, I sometimes think that +Link Merwell will turn over a new leaf." + +Vera looked back, to make sure that none of the others were near. + +"Just like Mr. Plum, I suppose you mean," she whispered. "Oh, it was +splendid, what you did for him, Dave!" + +"Oh, I didn't do much for Gus." + +"My brother thinks you did. He heard the whole story. It was brave and +noble of you, it was indeed!" And Vera's face showed her earnestness. + +"Well, Gus has turned out a nice fellow. I wish Merwell would turn out +as good." + +"But he helped to take those jewels." + +"That is true--and that will always be a black mark against him," said +Dave, soberly. + +Soon all reached the outskirts of Oakdale and there, at one of the +corners, the boys left the girls. + +"Pretty late!" cried Gus Plum, consulting the watch he carried. "We'll +have to hike back lively, if we don't want to be marked up for +tardiness." + +"We can get an excuse, if we tell about the wild man," said Buster. +"I've hurried all I'm going to." + +"We'll certainly have a yarn to spin when we get back to the school," +was Phil's comment. + +At the entrance to the campus the boys, who were a little late, met +the first assistant to Doctor Clay. As my old readers know Mr. Dale +was as pleasant as Job Haskers was disagreeable. + +"Had a fine walk, boys?" he asked, with a smile. + +"We had an adventure," answered Dave, and then he and his chums told +what it was. + +"Well! well! that wild man again," mused the instructor. "This is +getting truly serious. I was hoping he would leave this neighborhood. +And so he calls himself the King of Sumatra? That is strange." + +"It certainly is strange," answered Dave. + +But how strange, our hero was still to find out. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +NAT POOLE WANTS TO KNOW + + +That evening Dave was on his way to the school library, to consult a +certain work of reference, when he ran into another student who +suddenly grasped him by the shoulder. It was rather dark where the +pair confronted each other, and for the instant our hero did not +recognize the fellow. + +"What do you want?" + +"I want to speak to you for a minute, Dave Porter," said the other, in +a voice that trembled a trifle. + +"Oh, it's you, Nat," answered Dave, as he recognized the son of the +Crumville money-lender. "What do you want?" He rather imagined that +the youth wished to pick another quarrel with him. + +"I--I want to talk in private with you," returned Nat, and looked +around, to see if anybody else was near. + +"What about?" + +"You were out walking this afternoon and met that wild man, so I +heard." + +"That is true." + +"You tried to catch him, didn't you?" + +"Yes, Roger Morr, Buster Beggs, Gus Plum, and I did our best to collar +him, but he was too fast for us. He ran down to the river, got into a +rowboat, and rowed away." + +"So I heard. And I heard something else," continued the boy from +Crumville. "When you called to the man to stop he answered back, +didn't he?" + +"Yes." + +"Will you please tell me what he said?" And Nat's voice had an eager +ring in it. + +"He told us to beware and go back, or we'd get into trouble." + +"Didn't he say something more than that?" + +"Oh, yes, a great deal more." + +"He called himself something, didn't he?" + +"Yes. Look here, Nat, what is this to you? Why are you so interested?" +queried Dave, for he could easily perceive that the other youth was +more than ordinarily anxious to know the particulars of what had +occurred. + +"I--I--want to--er--know, that's all. Did he call himself anything?" + +"Yes; he thinks he is the King of Sumatra." + +"He called himself that?" asked Nat, with increased excitement. + +"Yes, two or three times. But see here, Nat----" + +"Will you please tell me how he looked? Was he tall and rather thin?" + +"Yes." + +"And what kind of hair did he have?" + +"Brownish-red, as near as I could make out, and very long. And he had +rather a long beard and a large nose," went on our hero. + +At this brief but accurate description of the wild man, Nat Poole +paled a trifle and uttered something of a gasp. + +"Whe--where did he go?" he faltered. + +"He rowed down the river just as fast as he could. I don't know how +far he went, for the bend hid him from view," answered our hero. "Say, +Nat, do you think you know that man?" + +"Why--er--know him? Of course I don't know him," was the stammered-out +reply. "But I--I think--maybe--I've met him." And then, to avoid +further questioning, Nat Poole hurried away. Our hero could do nothing +but stare after him. + +"That is mighty queer," mused Dave, as he turned into the library to +consult the reference book. "If Nat doesn't know the man, why was he +so anxious? He acted scared to death when I said the fellow called +himself the King of Sumatra." + +Dave remained in the school library for a half an hour and then joined +Phil, Roger, and the others in Dormitory Number Twelve. He found the +students discussing a talk Roger had had with Nat Poole only a few +minutes before. + +"Nat called me out in the hallway," said the senator's son. "He wanted +to know all about that wild man, and he wanted to make dead certain +that he had called himself the King of Sumatra." + +"That is certainly queer--on top of what happened to me," said Dave, +and told of the interview he had had. + +"Well, this is a puzzle," declared Phil, slowly. "What do you make of +it, Dave?" + +"I think Nat imagines he knows the wild man." + +"That's the way it looks to me," added the senator's son. + +"Say, you don't suppose that wild man has anything to do with the +fellows Nat used to train with--Jasniff, Merwell, and that crowd?" +questioned Buster. + +"It's possible, but I don't think so," returned our hero. "He is +surely a crazy individual, and as nobody around here seems to know +him, he must be a stranger to these parts." + +"But what would make Nat so interested?" asked little Chip Macklin. + +"Give it up," answered Roger. + +"Maybe he has something to tell, but won't tell it to us," ventured +Phil. "He may go right to the doctor." + +But if Nat Poole went to the master of Oak Hall, or to anybody else at +that institution, the boys did not hear of it. He asked no more +questions about the wild man, and when any of our friends came near +him he immediately walked away, thus avoiding an interview. + +The proposed meeting of the athletic committee of Oak Hall was held on +Saturday afternoon in the gymnasium and was well attended. An even +twenty names had been put up for the regular baseball nine of the +institution. Of these names, fifteen belonged to old students and five +were those of newcomers to Oak Hall. As he had said he would do, Gus +Plum had handed in his name, and so had Sam Day and some of our other +friends. But Dave, Phil, and Roger were conspicuous by their absence. + +"See here, Porter, you're going to play, aren't you?" asked the former +manager. + +"No," answered Dave, quietly but firmly. + +"Why not?" + +"Well, in the first place, I have too many back lessons to make up, +and in the second place, I hope to graduate this coming June, and I +want to make a record for myself, if possible." + +"But you can do that and play on the nine, too," urged the manager. + +"I don't think so. I'd like to play," continued our hero, wistfully, +"but I don't see how I can." + +"This isn't fair, Porter. We really need you." + +"Oh, it isn't as bad as that," returned Dave, with a faint smile. +"You've got Gus Plum to pitch, and some of the others. There are +plenty of good ball-players here this term." + +"I don't know about that," answered the manager, with a grave shake of +his head. "I wish you'd come in." + +"Not this year," said Dave; and then the two separated. + +Phil and Roger were likewise urged to try for the nine, but they +followed Dave's example. Then a tentative nine was formed, with Gus +Plum as pitcher, and also a "scrub" nine, with one of the newcomers to +Oak Hall in the box. Practice was to start on Wednesday afternoon of +the following week. + +"Too bad we couldn't take part," sighed the shipowner's son. "I'd like +to wallop the Rockville Military Academy fellows just once more!" + +"Well, we can't have everything," answered Dave. "I want to graduate +with the highest possible honors, and that means plenty of hard +boning." + +"And a fellow can't bone and play ball, too," added Roger. + +"We might--if old Haskers would be easy on us," murmured the +shipowner's son. + +"Now, see here, Phil," said Dave, almost sternly. "Don't ask Haskers +for any more favors. He has done all that can reasonably be expected +of him." + +"All right, just as you say," grumbled Phil. But his manner showed +that he was not altogether satisfied. + +A week went by, and Dave and his chums applied themselves diligently +to their studies. During that time nothing more was heard of the wild +man, and the excitement concerning that strange individual again died +down. But the folks living in the vicinity of the woods back of Oak +Hall were on their guard, and it was seldom that women and children +went out alone. + +The boys were doing very well in their studies, and Dave received warm +words of encouragement from Andrew Dale. He had made up nearly all the +back lessons imposed upon him by Job Haskers, and that dictatorial +teacher could not help but be satisfied over the showing made. Roger +was also doing well, and poor Phil was the only one who was backward, +although not enough to cause alarm. + +"I'll get there, but it comes hard," said the shipowner's son. "I +should have asked old Haskers for more time." + +"Don't you do it," answered Dave. "Come, I'll help you all I can." +Which he did. + +One day there came a letter to our hero which gave him great +satisfaction. He read it carefully, and then hastened off to +communicate the news to Phil, Roger, and Ben. + +"It's a letter from my Uncle Dunston," he explained to his chums. "If +you will remember, he said he would hire a lawyer to take up that Mrs. +Breen case against Professor Haskers." + +"What does he say?" asked Roger, quickly. + +"I will read it to you," answered Dave, and read the following: + + "You will be glad to learn that Mr. Loveland, one of our lawyers, + has gotten a settlement for Mrs. Breen out of your teacher, Mr. + Haskers. He had quite a time of it, Haskers declaring that he did + not owe as much as the widow said he did. The lawyer said he would + sue for the full amount, and then Haskers came to see him. Mr. + Loveland says the teacher wanted to learn who had hired him to + stir the matter up, and mentioned some students' names. But the + lawyer gave him no satisfaction at all, and at last Haskers paid + up in full, took his receipt, and got out. I instructed Mr. + Loveland to put his charges for services on our bill, so Mrs. + Breen will get the entire amount collected. I am going to take it + to her in person, and see to it that it is wisely invested for her + benefit." + +"Good!" cried the senator's son. "That will help the old lady a great +deal." + +"Say, I'll bet old Haskers was sore when he forked over that money," +was Ben's comment. "No wonder he's been looking like a thundercloud +lately." + +"Yes, and he'd let out on us--if he dared," said Phil. "But he doesn't +dare." + +"Don't be too sure of that, Phil," said Dave, seriously. "There is no +telling what he will do--later on, when he thinks this affair has +blown over." + +"Humph! I am not afraid of him," declared Phil, recklessly. + +"If he tries any of his games we'll expose him," added Ben. + +"Better go slow," advised Roger. He, too, felt that Job Haskers might +become very vindictive. + +Spring was now at hand, and a week later came the first baseball game +of the season. It was a contest with Esmore Academy from Daytonville +and held on the Oak Hall grounds. Quite a crowd was present, including +some of the town folks. Gus Plum was in the pitcher's box for the +Hall, and Sam Day was on first base, and Chip Macklin on third. + +"I hope we win!" cried Dave. + +"I hope you do," answered Vera Rockwell, who was present with some +other girls. "But why are you not playing?" she went on. + +"Not this term," said our hero, with a smile, and then he spoke of his +studies. + +"I suppose it is noble of you to give up this way," she said. +"But--I'd like to see you play." + +The contest proved a well-fought one, and was won by Oak Hall by a +score of eight runs to five. At the conclusion there was a great +cheering for the victors. + +"This means bonfires to-night!" cried Roger, as the gathering broke +up. + +"Yes, and a grand good time!" added Buster Beggs. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +BONFIRE NIGHT AT THE HALL + + +It was certainly a night long to be remembered in the annals of Oak +Hall,--and for more reasons than one. + +At the start, several bonfires were lit along the bank of the river, +and around these the students congregated, to dance and sing songs, +and "cut up" generally. None of the teachers were present, and it was +given out that the lads might enjoy themselves within reasonable +bounds until ten o'clock. + +"Let's form a grand march!" cried Gus Plum. "Every man with a torch!" + +"Yes, but don't set anything on fire," cautioned Roger. + +"Say, that puts me in mind of a story," came from Shadow. "A fellow +went into a powder shop to buy some ammunition. He was smoking a pipe, +and the proprietor----" + +"Whoop! Hurrah for Shadow!" yelled somebody from the rear, and the +next instant the story-teller of the Hall found himself up on a pile +of barrels which had not yet been set on fire. + +"Now then, tell your yarns to everybody!" came the cry. + +"Speak loud, Shadow!" + +"Give us all the details." + +"Tell us the story about the old man and the elephant." + +"No, give us that about the old maid and the mouse." + +"Let us hear about the fellow who was shipwrecked on the Rocky +Mountains." + +"Or about how the fellow who couldn't swim fell into a flour barrel." + +"Say, what do you take me for?" roared Shadow. "I don't know any story +about the Rocky Mountains, or a flour barrel either. If you want to +hear----" + +"Sure we do!" + +"That's the very yarn we've been waiting for!" + +"Say, Shadow, won't you please tell it into a phonograph, so I can +grind it out to my grandfather when I get home?" + +"Is that the story that starts on a foggy night, at noon?" + +"No, this one starts on a dusty day in the middle of the Atlantic." + +"Say, if you fellows want me to tell a story, say so!" grumbled +Shadow. "Otherwise I'm going to get down." + +"No! no! Tell your best yarn, Shadow." + +"All right, then. Once two men went into a shoe store----" + +"Wow! That's fifty years old!" + +"I heard that when a child, at my grandson's knee." + +"Tell us something about smoke, Shadow!" + +"And fire. I love to hear about a fire. It's so warm and----" + +"Hi! let me get down! Do you want to burn me up?" yelled the +story-teller of the school, suddenly, as, chancing to glance down, he +saw that the barrels were on fire. "Let me down, I say!" And he made a +leap from the barrels into the midst of the crowd. + +Shadow landed on the shoulders of Nat Poole, and both went down and +rolled over. In a spirit of play some of the students near by covered +the rolling pair with shavings and straw. Shadow took this in good +part and merely laughed as he arose, but the money-lender's son was +angry. + +"Hi, who threw those dirty shavings all over me?" he bawled. "I don't +like it." + +"Don't mind a little bath like that, Nat!" called one of the +students. + +"But I do mind it. The shavings are full of dirt, and so is the straw. +The dirt is all over me." + +"Never mind, you can have a free bath, Nat," said another. + +"I'll lend you a cake of soap," added a third. + +"I don't want any of your soap!" growled the money-lender's son. "Say, +the whole crowd of you make me sick!" he added, and walked off, in +great disgust. + +"Phew! but he's touchy," was the comment of one of the students. "I +guess he thinks he's better than the rest of us." + +"Let's give him another dose," came the suggestion, from the rear of +the crowd. + +"Shavings?" + +"Yes, and straw, too. Put some down his neck!" + +"Right you are!" + +Fully a dozen students quickly provided themselves with shavings and +straw, both far from clean, and made after Nat, who was walking up the +river-front in the direction of the boathouse. + +Before the money-lender's son could do anything to defend himself, he +found himself seized from behind and hurled to the ground. + +"Now then, give it to him good!" cried a voice, and in a twinkling a +shower of shavings, straw, and dirt descended upon poor Nat, covering +him from head to foot. + +"Hi! let up!" spluttered the victim, trying to dodge the avalanche. +But instead of heeding his pleadings the other students proceeded to +ram a quantity of the stuff into his ears and down his collar. Nat +squirmed and yelled, but it did little good. + +"Now then, you are initiated into the Order of Straw and Shavings!" +cried one merry student. + +"Just you wait, I'll get square, see if I don't," howled Nat, as he +arose. Then he commenced to twist his neck, to free himself from the +ticklish straw and shavings. + +"Come on and have a good time, old sport!" howled one of his +tormentors; and then off the crowd ran in the direction of the +bonfires, leaving Nat more disgusted than ever. + +"I'll fix them, just wait and see if I don't!" stormed the +money-lender's son to himself, and then hurried to the Hall, to clean +up and make himself comfortable. + +In the meantime the march around the campus had begun, each student +carrying a torch of some kind. There was a great singing. + +"Be careful of the fire," warned Mr. Dale, as he came out. "Doctor +Clay says you must be careful." + +"We'll take care!" was the cry. + +The marching at an end, some of the boys ran for the stables and +presently returned with Jackson Lemond, the driver of the school +carryall, commonly called Horsehair, because of the hairs which clung +to his clothing. + +"Come on, Horsehair, join us in having a good time." + +"Give us a speech, Horsehair!" + +"Tell us all you know about the Wars of the Roses." + +"Or how Hannibal crossed the Delaware and defeated the Turks at the +Alamo." + +"I can't make no speech," pleaded the carryall driver. "Just you let +me go, please!" + +"If you can't make a speech, sing," suggested another. "Give us Yankee +Doodle in the key of J minor." + +"Or that beautiful lullaby entitled, 'You Never Miss Your Purse Until +You Have to Walk Home.' Give us that in nine flats, will you?" + +"I tell you I can't make a speech and I can't sing!" shouted out the +driver for the school, desperately. + +"How sad! Can't speechify and can't sing! All right, then, let it go, +and give us a dance." + +"That's the talk! A real Japanese jig in five-quarter time." + +There was a rush, and in a twinkling poor Horsehair was boosted to the +top of a big packing-case, that had been hauled to the spot as fuel +for one of the bonfires. + +"The stage!" announced one of the students, with a wave of his hand. +"The World-Renowned Horsehairsky will perform his celebrated Dance of +the Hop Scotch. Get your opera glasses ready." + +"What's the admission fee?" + +"Two pins and a big green apple." + +"I can't dance--I ain't never danced in my life!" pleaded the victim. +"You let me go. I've got to take care o' my hosses." + +While he was speaking Buster Beggs had come up behind Horsehair and +placed something attached to a dark string on the box, between the +driver's feet. It was an imitation snake, made of rubber and colored +up to look very natural. + +"Oh my, look at the snake!" yelled several, in pretended alarm. + +"Where? where?" yelled Horsehair. + +"There, right between your feet! He's going to bite you on the leg!" + +"Take care, that's a rattler sure!" + +"If he bites you, Horsehair, you'll be a dead man!" + +"Take him off! Take him off!" bawled the carryall driver, and in +terror he made a wild leap from the packing-box and landed directly on +the shoulders of two of the students. Then he dropped to the ground, +rolled over, got up, and ran as fast as his legs could carry him in +the direction of the stables. A wild laugh followed him, but to this +he paid no attention. + +"Well, we are certainly having a night of it," remarked Dave, after +the fun had quieted down for a moment. He spoke to Roger. + +"Where is Phil?" asked the senator's son. + +"Went off with Ben, I think." + +"Where to?" + +"I don't know." + +"It's queer how much they keep together lately; isn't it?" continued +Roger. + +"Oh, I don't know. Of course that affair with Haskers may have +something to do with it," answered our hero, slowly. + +"I wish Haskers would leave this school, Dave." + +"Oh, it won't make much difference to us, if we graduate, whether he +stays or not." + +"I know that. But, somehow, I don't think he is a good man to have +here, even if he is a learned instructor. He never enters into the +school spirit, as Mr. Dale does." + +"Well, we can't all be alike." + +"Would you keep him, if you were in Doctor Clay's shoes?" + +"I hardly think so. Certainly not if I could find another teacher +equally good." + +The boys walked on until they found themselves at the last bonfire of +the line, close to where the school grounds came to an end. Here was +a hedge, and beyond were the woods reaching up from the river. + +"Nobody down by this bonfire," remarked Dave. "Say, this is careless +work," he added. "The wind might shift and set the woods on fire." + +"I didn't think they'd start a fire so far from the others," answered +his chum. + +"Let us kick it into the water," suggested our hero, and this they +started to do, when, unexpectedly, a voice hailed them, and they saw a +student sitting in a tree that grew in the hedge which separated the +campus from the woods. + +"Let that fire alone!" the youth called, angrily. + +"Why, it's Nat Poole!" exclaimed Roger, in a low voice. "Whatever is +he doing in that tree?" + +"I am sure I don't know," returned Dave. + +"Is he alone?" + +"He seems to be." + +"Do you hear what I say?" went on the money-lender's son. "Leave that +fire alone." + +"Did you build it?" asked Dave. + +"I did, and I want you to leave it alone." + +"All right, Nat, if you say so," answered Roger. "We thought it had +been abandoned and that it might set fire to the woods." + +To this Nat Poole did not reply. Plainly he was annoyed at being +discovered in his present position. Dave and Roger looked around, to +see if anybody else was in the vicinity, and then, turning, walked in +the direction of the other bonfires. + +"What do you make of that, Dave?" asked the senator's son, presently. + +"It looked to me as if Nat was waiting or watching for somebody, +Roger." + +"So it did. The question is, Who was it?" + +"I don't know. But I've got something of an idea." + +"Some of the students?" + +"No. That wild man." + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +PLANS FOR A SPREAD + + +"That wild man?" exclaimed the senator's son, stopping short to stare +at Dave. + +"Yes." + +"How do you make that out?" + +"Because I think Nat is interested in the fellow, although just how I +won't pretend to say. But you'll remember how excited he got when he +found out that the wild man called himself the King of Sumatra." + +"Oh, I see. You think he knows the fellow and thought that the bonfire +might attract him to the place." + +"Yes. I've heard it said that crazy folks were sometimes attracted by +the sight of fire. Maybe Nat has heard the same and wants to see if it +will work in the case of this man." + +"Shall we go back and see what happens?" suggested Roger. + +Dave mused for a moment. + +"Would it be just right to play the spy, Roger?" + +"Well, this isn't playing the spy in the ordinary sense of the term, +Dave. That wild man ought to be locked up." + +"But it may not be the wild man he is looking for." + +"Oh, let us go back a little while, anyway," urged the senator's son. + +They retraced their steps until within fifty feet of the bonfire and +then walked to the shelter of the hedge. They thought they had not +been seen, but they were mistaken. + +"Humph! so you think you are going to spy on me, after all!" cried a +voice, and Nat Poole came towards them, with a deep frown on his +face. + +"It's rather queer you are in the tree," answered Roger, somewhat +sharply. + +"It's my affair, not yours, Roger Morr!" roared the money-lender's +son. Then, without another word, he walked to the bonfire, kicked the +blazing sticks into the river, and strode off in the direction of the +Hall. + +"He's good and mad," was Roger's comment. + +"And we didn't learn anything, after all," added our hero. + +Dave and his chum rejoined the merry throng at the other bonfires. But +the celebration in honor of the baseball victory was practically at an +end, and a little later the students retired, to skylark a little in +the dormitories, and then settle down for the night. + +A week passed, and Dave stuck to his studies as persistently as ever. +During that time he sent off several letters, and received a number in +return, including one from Jessie, which he treasured very highly and +which he did not show to his chums. + +"Here is news of Link Merwell," said Luke Watson, one day, as he came +along with a letter. "It's from a friend of mine who knows Merwell. He +says he saw Link in Quebec, Canada, at one of the little French hotels +in the lower town." + +"What was Merwell doing?" questioned Dave, with interest. + +"Nothing much, so my friend writes. He says Link was dressed in a blue +suit and wore blue glasses, and he thought his hair was dyed." + +"Evidently doing what he could to disguise himself," was Phil's +comment. + +"My friend writes that he saw Merwell only one evening. The next day +he was missing. He made inquiries and says he was at the hotel under +the name of V. A. Smith, of Albany, New York." + +"He does not dare to travel around under his own name," remarked +Shadow. "Say, that puts me in mind of a story," he went on, +brightening up. "Once a chap changed his name, because----" + +"Say, cut it out," interrupted Phil. "We want to hear about Merwell." + +"There isn't any more to tell," said Luke. "My friend tried to find +out where he had gone but couldn't." + +"He must be having a lonely time of it--trying to keep out of the +hands of the law," murmured Dave. + +"And maybe he hasn't much money," said Buster. "His father may have +shut down on him." + +Gus Plum listened to all this conversation without saying a word. But +down in his heart the former bully of Oak Hall was glad that he had +cut away from Merwell and Jasniff, and turned over a new leaf, and he +resolved then and there that, come what might, he would never again +turn aside from the path of right and honor. + +"Say, why don't you listen to my story?" pleaded Shadow, and then +related a somewhat rambling tale of a man who had changed his name +and, later on, lost some property because of it. + +Another day slipped by and it was one of particular interest to Dave +and Roger, for in the morning they made up the last of the back +lessons imposed upon them by Job Haskers. They had done exceedingly +well, but the harsh teacher gave them little credit. Phil and Ben had +still three days' work, but Professor Haskers said nothing of this. + +"He doesn't dare," declared the shipowner's son. + +"That's right," chuckled Ben. "We could give him a good black eye +before this whole school if we wanted to." + +Dave had already finished up the back lessons for the other teachers, +so he was now free to spend his time on what was ahead of him. He was +as enthusiastic as ever to make a record for himself, and pitched in +with a will, and his enthusiasm was caught by Roger, who also resolved +to do his best. + +"Whoop! hurrah! What do you think of this?" came from Phil, late one +afternoon, after the mail had been distributed. "Somebody hold me +down! I guess I'm going to fly! Or maybe I'm only dreaming!" And he +began to caper around gayly. + +"What is it all about, Phil?" asked Dave. "Hit your funny-bone?" + +"Money, boys, money! That's what it is about," replied the shipowner's +son. "I've got five thousand dollars, all my own!" + +"Five thousand dollars!" gasped Buster. + +"All your own?" queried Gus Plum. + +"Where did you get it?" asked another. + +"Why, it's this way," answered Phil, when he could calm down a +little. "About two years ago a great-uncle of mine died, leaving +considerable money. He was interested in various enterprises and his +death brought on legal complications and some litigation. He left his +money to a lot of heirs, including myself. My father and I never +thought we'd get anything--thought the lawyers and courts would +swallow it all. But now it seems that it has been settled, and yours +truly gets five thousand dollars in cash." + +"When do you get it, Phil, right away?" asked Buster. + +"Well,--er--I, of course, don't get it until I am of age. It's to go +in the bank." + +"Oh!" + +"Won't you get any of it until then?" asked Shadow. "Your dad might +let you have a little, just to celebrate----" + +"That's just it--just what he has done!" cried Phil. "I've got---- But +wait," cried the shipowner's son, interrupting himself. "I'll plan +this thing out. You shall all be my guests later on," he added, +mysteriously. + +"Will you give a spread?" asked Chip Macklin. + +"Don't ask questions, only wait," returned Phil. And that was all he +would say on the point, although he talked freely about his +inheritance. + +The next morning Phil and Ben were seen in earnest conversation, and +that afternoon the two boys left the school as soon as they could get +away, bound on an errand to Oakdale. + +"We ought to get a dandy spread for a dollar or a dollar and a half a +head," said Phil, as they hurried along. "And twelve at a dollar and a +half will be only eighteen dollars." + +"The music will cost something," said Ben. + +"Yes, I'm counting on two pieces, a harp and a violin, for ten +dollars. That's the price Professor Smuller charges." + +The boys were bound for the Oakdale Union House, a new hotel which had +just been opened by a man named Jason Sparr. It was a nice resort, +without a bar, and catered to the better class of people, including +the students at Oak Hall and at the Military Academy. + +The boys found the hotel proprietor glad to see them, and willing to +set any kind of a spread that they were able to pay for. Trade was not +yet brisk, and Jason Sparr said he would do his best to serve them. He +was a smooth, oily man, and a fellow who wanted all that was coming to +him. + +"I can set you an elegant table for eighteen dollars for twelve," said +he. "I'll give you oysters, fish, two kinds of meat, several +vegetables, salad, ice-cream, coffee, and also nuts, cake, olives, +celery, and other fixings." + +"That's the talk!" cried Phil, enthusiastically. "Just make a nice +spread of it, and you can have all our trade in the future." + +"You'll be well pleased," answered Jason Sparr. + +"Can we have a private dining-room?" + +"To be sure--the blue room over yonder," and the hotel man showed the +boys the apartment. + +"I want some flowers, too," said Phil. "You can put two dollars' worth +of roses on the table." + +"Very well--that will make an even twenty dollars." + +"When do you want me to pay?" + +"Such spreads are usually paid for in advance," answered Jason Sparr, +shrewdly. He did not intend to take any chances with schoolboys. + +"All right, here is your money," answered the shipowner's son, and +brought forth one of the two crisp twenty-dollar bills his father had +mailed to him, with the good news of his fortune. + +"Tell him about the music," suggested Ben. + +"Oh, yes, I thought I'd have Professor Smuller furnish some +music--harp and violin." + +"Fine! They can sit in the alcove, and we'll put some of our palms +around them," returned Jason Sparr. + +"Remember, this is for next Saturday night, seven o'clock sharp," said +Phil. + +"I've got it down," returned the hotel proprietor, as he wrote in his +book. + +"And don't say anything to anybody about it. I want to surprise my +friends." + +"Very well, mum's the word," and the hotel man looked very wise and +knowing. + +Leaving the place, Phil and Ben sought out the home of Professor +Smuller, a violinist, who, with a friend who played the harp, often +furnished music for dances and other occasions. + +"Yes, yes, I can furnish music," said the violinist. "Just tell me +what you want." Business was slow and he was glad to get any sort of +an engagement. + +The matter was explained, and the professor promised to be on hand and +bring the harpist with him. He said he could play anything the +students desired, including the well-known school songs. He would fill +the engagement for the boys for eight dollars, although his regular +price was ten. But he would have to have cash in advance. + +Again Phil paid out his money, and then, the business concluded, he +and Ben left the professor's home and hurried along the road leading +to Oak Hall. + +"Have you made up your list yet?" asked Ben, when nearing the school. + +"Not quite. I'll have Dave and Roger and Shadow and Buster, of course. +I'll have to leave out some fellows, but that can't be helped. I +can't afford a spread for the whole school." + +"Of course you can't." + +"I think I'll have Luke and Sam, and maybe Gus and Chip." + +As the boys drew closer to the school Ben had to stop to fix his shoe. +Both sat down on some rocks, at a turn in the road. They were about to +go on again when somebody made the turn of the road, coming from the +town. It was Nat Poole. + +"Hello! you been to town?" cried Ben, good-naturedly. + +"Yes," answered the money-lender's son. "Haven't I a right to go if I +want to?" he added, and then hurried on ahead of them. + +"Rather peppery," mused Ben. "Say, Phil, there is one fellow you won't +invite, and I know it." + +"Right you are, Ben," was the ready answer. "All I ask of Nat Poole +is, that he leave me alone." + +But Nat was not to leave Phil alone, as events were quickly to prove. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE CABIN ON THE ISLAND + + +"Dave, come on out for a row. You haven't been on the river this +year." + +It was Gus Plum who spoke. He was out in one of the craft belonging to +Oak Hall, and hailed our hero as the latter was strolling along the +river-bank. + +"All right, Gus!" Dave cried, cheerily. "I don't know but that a try +at the oars will do me good, after the hard studying I've been +doing." + +"You are bound to get a high-water mark this term, aren't you?" went +on Gus Plum, as he brought the rowboat up to the dock, so that Dave +might get in. + +"I'd like to graduate with honor, yes." + +"What are you going to do after you leave here, Dave?" went on the big +youth, as the two rowed up the river. + +"I don't know yet. Have you made up your mind?" + +"Oh, I think I'll go into business, but I am not sure." + +"You won't try for college?" + +"No. You see, I don't make much of a fist at learning, so what's the +use? But I love business--buying and selling things." + +The two boys continued at the oars until the vicinity of Oak Hall was +left far behind. + +"If we only had a power-boat we might run up to Squirrel Island," +remarked Gus. + +"Perhaps Nat Poole will lend you his motor-boat," suggested our hero, +with a little grin. + +"Humph! I'd not ask him," returned the big youth, promptly. "I am done +with Nat Poole. I want to stick to my new friends." And the former +bully of the school fairly beamed on Dave, who had done so much to +make him reform. + +"Have you seen the motor-boat this season, Gus?" + +"Yes, Nat got it out two days ago. I think he is on the river now." + +The boys rowed on, until they came to a bend where there was something +of a cove. As they rounded the point they heard the steady put-put! of +a gasoline engine not far off. + +"There is Nat's craft now!" cried our hero, and pointed ahead. + +"He's all alone," was Plum's comment. "He can't have many friends +these days, or he'd have some of them along." + +"I'd hate to be without friends, Gus, shouldn't you?" + +"Yes, indeed! But it's Nat's own fault. If he'd only drop his +important airs and be more sociable, he'd get along all right." + +On and on rowed the two students. It was a clear, balmy day, and they +hated to return to the school until it was absolutely necessary. + +"Let us row around Smith Island," suggested our hero, mentioning a +small place in the middle of the stream, so named after a farmer who +owned it. It was a rocky and somewhat barren spot, and seldom visited +by anybody but fishermen. + +"All right, but we want to beware of the rocks," cautioned the big +youth. + +The rowboat was headed up the stream, and soon they came in sight of +the island. On one side were a number of bushes, overhanging the +river. + +"Hello! look there!" cried Dave, a few minutes later, and pointed to +the bushes. + +"What do you see?" + +"A motor-boat. I think it is Nat Poole's." + +"Is that so? What brought him here?" questioned Gus, with interest. + +"I am sure I don't know. But it's his boat, I am sure of that," went +on Dave, after another look at the craft. + +"See anything of Nat?" + +"No, the boat is empty." + +"Let us row in a little closer and see what he is doing," suggested +Gus. + +"He'll say we were spying on him." + +"Humph! Haven't we as much right as he has to visit the island?" + +"Of course." + +"Then what is the use of keeping away? He may be waiting to play some +trick, or something like that." + +"Oh, I think not, Gus. Probably he just visited the island out of +curiosity. But I'll go in if you say so." + +Slowly, so as to avoid the many rocks in that vicinity, the two +students brought the rowboat close up to the motor-craft. They looked +into the bushes and along the rocks beyond, but saw nothing of Nat. + +"Shall we call to him?" asked Gus. + +"What for? I don't want to see him." + +"Neither do I. His boat is tied good and fast. He must expect to stay +on the island quite a while." + +The two boys rowed on, past the motor-boat. Then, as they turned a +point of rocks, Dave gave a start. + +"Well, of all things!" + +"What is it, Dave?" + +"Look yonder--in between those bushes!" + +"Why, it's a rowboat." + +"Exactly, Gus, and do you see how it is painted, drab with blue +stripes?" + +"Of course--a pretty ugly boat, I think." + +"Gus, that is the very rowboat used by that wild man--the one he was +in when he got away from us that day!" + +"Do you really mean it?" gasped the big boy, staring hard at the +craft. + +"I certainly do--I'd know that boat in a hundred. I never saw another +just like it." + +"If that's the case, maybe the wild man is on the island!" + +"Just what I was thinking," answered Dave. "And I was thinking, too, +that----" He stopped short. + +"What?" + +"Don't you remember how Nat was so anxious to know all about the wild +man? And how upset he seemed to be when he heard that the fellow +called himself the King of Sumatra?" + +"Yes, I remember that. Do you think he came here to find the man?" +demanded Gus, quickly. + +"It looks so to me." + +"My gracious, Dave, I think you are right! Say, there is something +mysterious about all this!" cried Gus. + +"Exactly." + +"Let us go ashore by all means and see what Nat is up to," urged the +big youth. + +Dave was more than willing, now that he had discovered the rowboat +used by the wild man. Perhaps this island was the home of that +mysterious individual. If so, what was the money-lender's son doing +there? Had he business with the strange creature? + +"Maybe we'd better not make any noise," suggested Gus, as the boat was +turned in to a convenient landing-place. To this Dave did not reply, +but they landed as silently as possible. Then the rowboat was hauled +up out of sight between the bushes. + +From the craft used by the wild man a rude path ran up from the shore +to the rocks beyond. A short distance from the shore the boys saw the +marks of a wet foot, coming from the direction where lay the +motor-boat. + +"That was made by Nat--he got his left foot wet," said Gus. + +"I think so myself," answered our hero. + +They followed the marks left by the wet foot over the rocks. They +headed for the upper end of the island, where there was a small grove +of straggly cedar trees. Here the marks faded away completely. + +"Well, we know he came this way, anyhow," remarked Gus. "He can't be +very far off, for the island isn't very big." + +"I see a rude log cabin!" exclaimed Dave, and pointed through the +cedars. "Maybe that is where the wild man lives." + +"If it is, we want to go slow, Dave. He may attack us." + +"But what of Nat, if he is there?" + +"He may know the man and have some influence over him." + +"I hardly think anybody could have any influence over that man. He is +as crazy as can be, and not to be trusted." + +The two youths approached the old log cabin slowly, keeping as much as +possible in the shelter of the trees. Nobody was in sight, nor did any +sound reach their ears. + +Presently the students found themselves within fifty feet of the +cabin, the door of which stood half open. Each looked at the other. + +"I'm going ahead," said Dave, resolutely. He and his companion had +provided themselves with sticks, and Gus had also picked up two +stones. + +"Oh! oh! oh!" came of a sudden, to their startled ears. "Oh dear me!" + +"It's Nat!" ejaculated Dave. "Something has happened to him!" + +"Maybe the wild man attacked him," added Gus. + +"We'll soon see," cried Dave, and started forward on a run. + +Soon our hero was at the door of the cabin, which he pushed wide open. +Inside all was dark, for it was growing late, and the rude structure +boasted of but one small window, stuffed with cedar boughs to keep out +the wind. + +"Nat, where are you?" cried Dave, as his eyes sought to pierce the +semi-darkness. + +"Who--who is that calling me?" came, in surprise, from the center of +the cabin. + +"It is I--Dave Porter! Where are you, and what happened? Where is the +wild man?" + +"Oh, I'm caught fast--in a trap!" groaned the money-lender's son. "Oh, +help me out! My ankle is almost broken!" + +"But the wild man--?" queried Gus, who was close behind our hero. + +"I--I don't know where he is," gasped Nat. "Oh, say, won't you please +help me? My ankle is fast in a trap! Oh, how it hurts!" + +"Wasn't the wild man here?" asked Dave, as he got out his match-box to +strike a light. + +"No--at least, I haven't seen him." + +Dave soon had a match lit, and with it set fire to a cedar bough +placed in the rude fireplace of the cabin. By the glare of this light +he and Gus looked around them and at their fellow-student. + +The cabin was unfurnished excepting for a rude bench and a board +placed on some piles of stones for a table. In the fireplace were a +kettle and a frying-pan, and on the table the remains of a scanty meal +of crackers, eggs, and apples. A tin pail, half filled with water, was +also handy. + +When Dave and Gus turned their attention to Nat Poole they had to +stare in wonder. Nat sat on the floor, nursing a bruised ankle that +was caught fast between the jaws of an old-fashioned steel +animal-trap. The trap was chained to the floor, and the release chain +ran to a corner of the fireplace, several feet beyond the sufferer's +reach. + +"However did this happen?" asked Gus, although he and our hero could +easily guess the answer to the question. + +"Help me get loose first," groaned poor Nat. "This thing is sawing +down to the bone." + +Dave saw the release chain, which was held firm by a hook. Stepping +over, he unhooked it, and then it was an easy matter to pry the jaws +of the steel-trap apart. As soon as this was done, Nat rose slowly to +his feet, making a wry face as he did so. + +"I'll be lame for life--I know I will!" he groaned. "Oh dear, how it +hurts!" + +"You take care that you don't get blood-poisoning from it," warned +Gus. "When you get home wash it well, and put some peroxide of +hydrogen, or something like that on it." + +"Blood-poisoning! Oh dear!" and Nat gave another groan. + +"Shall we help you back to your boat?" asked Dave. + +"If you will." + +"Where is the wild man?" questioned Gus, looking around. + +"I don't know, and I don't care--just now," answered Nat Poole. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THE BANDANNA HANDKERCHIEF + + +Nat Poole could hardly walk on the injured leg, so Dave and Gus +supported him as the three left the rude cabin and headed for the +shore of the island. + +"Do you know where the wild man is?" repeated Gus, who had not been +satisfied by the reply given to the question before. + +"I do not," snapped the money-lender's son, with a touch of his former +tartness. "I haven't seen him." + +"But you know that cabin is where he lives," put in our hero. + +"I thought so--but I wasn't sure of it." + +"Did you see him come ashore, Nat?" + +"No--that is, not to-day. I saw him land here yesterday." + +"And that is what brought you here to-day?" remarked Gus. + +"Yes, if you must know," was the somewhat cold answer. + +"See here, Nat, do you know this wild man?" asked Dave, abruptly. + +"Me? Know him? How should I know him?" demanded the money-lender's +son, but his apparent astonishment did not, somehow, ring nor look +true. + +"That is what I wanted to find out." + +"I don't know him--at least, I don't think I do. I've never seen him +close enough to make sure. Maybe he's some fellow who belongs around +here. I wanted to find out about him--just as everybody else wants to +find out, that's all." + +"Want to have him caught and placed in an asylum?" asked Gus. + +"It's not my business to place him anywhere," cried Nat, hastily. "For +all we know, he may be harmless." + +"Not when he stops young ladies on the road and catches folks in +steel-traps," answered our hero, with a faint smile. + +"Well, that's right, too," grumbled the money-lender's son. "Maybe he +ought to be in an asylum." + +"I think he is on this island now," went on Dave. "His rowboat is +here, anyway." + +"Say, I'll tell you what we can do!" cried Gus. "Take his boat with +us! Then he can't get away, and we can send the authorities over here +to get him." + +"That's an idea, Gus!" cried Dave. "We'll do it." + +"Would that be fair to the man?" asked Nat. "He--er--he might starve +to death--or try to swim to shore and get drowned." + +"He can't starve to death in one night, and I don't think he'll drown +himself. The authorities can come over here early in the morning and +round him up, if he is here." + +"I--er--I don't think much of your plan," murmured Nat, and seemed +much disturbed. + +In about a quarter of an hour the boys reached the island shore, at +the spot where Nat's motor-boat was tied up. They helped him get in +and start up the engine. He had been told how they had come to the +island. + +"If you want to, you can tie your boat fast to the stern and ride back +with me," he said. + +"All right, Nat, we'll do it," answered Dave. "It is getting rather +late and it's a pretty stiff row to the school." + +The motor-craft was started up and sent along in the direction where +the boys had left the Oak Hall rowboat. Their course took them past +the spot where the wild man's boat had been tied up. + +"Why, look, it's gone!" cried Gus, standing up and pointing to the +place. + +"True enough," answered our hero. "He must have gone off in it while +we were up to the cabin." + +"He can't be very far away, Dave." + +The boys looked up and down the river, but could catch no trace of the +missing rowboat or the wild man. In the meantime, the motor-craft was +moving forward, where the other boat had been beached among the +bushes. + +"That is gone, too!" ejaculated Dave. "He has taken our boat!" + +"Oh, do you really think so?" asked Gus. He felt that he was +responsible for the craft, as he had taken it from the school +boathouse. + +"I certainly do think so," said Dave. "It was a neat trick to play." + +"It's a wonder he didn't take the motor-boat, too." + +"Maybe he didn't know how to run the boat and it was too heavy to +start without the engine." + +"I guess you are right!" came suddenly from Nat. "Look here!" + +He had stooped down to pick something up from the grating on the +motor-boat's bottom. If was a torn and dirty bandanna handkerchief. + +"The wild man's!" cried Dave. "I remember it." + +"I am glad he didn't get away with my boat," returned the +money-lender's son, drawing a deep breath. "I'll keep this +handkerchief to remember him by." + +"Is it marked in any way?" questioned our hero. "Perhaps it has his +name or initials on it." + +"Oh, I don't think so," returned Nat. "Let us hurry up and get back to +the school. If we are late, old Haskers will be after us." + +"Go on and run the boat as fast as you please, Nat," answered Dave. +"But I want to look at that handkerchief." + +Rather unwillingly, the money-lender's son passed the bandanna over. +It was now growing so dark that Dave could see but little. + +"Wait, I'll light a match," suggested Gus, and did so, and by the +protected but flickering flare our hero looked the handkerchief over. +In one corner there was a faint stamping. + +"Looks like 'Rossmore Sanitarium' to me," said Dave, slowly. "Or it +may be 'Bossmore' or 'Crossmore.' The beginning is too faded to be +sure." + +"Bossmore Sanitarium?" queried Nat, and then he became silent and +thoughtful. A little later he asked for the bandanna and placed it in +his pocket. + +The run in the motor-boat to the school dock did not take long. As +soon as Nat's craft was properly housed, Dave and Gus assisted the +money-lender's son up the walk and across the campus. + +"I suppose I've got to report the loss of the rowboat," said Gus, +ruefully. + +"It wasn't your fault, Gus," answered Dave. "I'll go with you to +Doctor Clay." + +"I can't go with my lame foot," put in Nat, and he hobbled up to his +dormitory, eyed by several curious students, who wanted to know how he +had gotten hurt. + +The boys found the master of Oak Hall getting ready for supper. He +looked at them inquiringly as they entered his study, in answer to his +invitation. + +"Well! well!" he exclaimed, after listening to their story. "This is +certainly odd! I trust Poole was not seriously hurt." + +"I think he was more scared than hurt," answered Dave. "The trap +scratched his ankle, that's all. I am sure it is not sprained or +broken." + +"But the rowboat----" put in Gus. "I didn't mean----" + +"Do not worry about that, Plum. It was not your fault. I am glad the +wild man did not harm you. I think you got off well. After this you +must be careful about how you go out after this remarkable creature." + +The master of the school then asked for more particulars of the +occurrence, and said he would notify the town authorities about the +loss of the rowboat, and ask that a general hunt take place for the +wild man. + +"They ought to be able to round him up sooner or later," he added. + +There was considerable excitement in the school when it was learned +that the wild man had been heard of again. The boys looked for the +strange individual and so did the town authorities and many farmers, +but nothing came of the search. Nat was called on to exhibit the +bandanna handkerchief and did so. Nobody could make out the first part +of the name on it, for the handkerchief showed a small hole where the +letters should be. + +"That is queer," said Dave, to Roger and Phil, when he heard of this. +"That handkerchief did not have a hole there when I looked at it." + +"Maybe Nat put the hole there," returned the senator's son. + +"Why would he do that?" questioned Phil. + +"So that nobody would know what the name of the sanitarium really was. +I believe with Dave that Nat knows the man, or knows about him, and is +trying to keep something a secret." + +"Hum! Maybe you are right," mused the shipowner's son. + +Phil had perfected all his arrangements for his spread at the hotel, +and his guests for that occasion had been duly invited and all had +accepted the invitation. It had been arranged with Mr. Dale that the +boys should drive to the hotel in the school carryall, and Horsehair +was to have his supper in town and, later on, bring them home. No +secret was made of the affair, for this was not necessary. + +"I am only sorry for one thing," said Phil to Dave. "That is that I +can't have the whole school there. But that would go beyond my +purse." + +"Well, you'll have enough, Phil, to insure a good time," answered our +hero. + +The night was clear, with numberless stars glittering in the heavens, +when the carryall drove around to the Hall door and the boys piled in. +All were in the best of humor, and they left the campus in a burst of +song. + +"I've been saving up for this!" cried Ben. "Haven't eaten a mouthful +for two days!" + +"Say, that puts me in mind of a story," cried Shadow. "Once a poor +street-boy was invited to a Sunday-school picnic. The ladies fed him +all he could hold and then some. At last, when he couldn't eat another +mouthful, and saw some cake and pie and ice-cream going to waste, what +do you suppose he said?" + +"Give it up, Shadow." + +"He said, 'Say, missus, please save it fer me, won't yer? I won't eat +fer a week, honest, an' then I'll come an' finish it all up fer +yer!'" + +"Good for the street-boy!" + +"Say, Phil, you won't have to save anything for me! I'll eat my share +right now!" + +"I've been in training for this feed!" + +"Shove the horses along, Horsehair; we don't want the soup to get +cold." + +"I'm a-shovin' 'em along," answered the carryall driver. "We'll git +there in plenty o' time." + +"Say, Phil, as far as I am concerned, you can have this affair pulled +off once a month," remarked Buster. + +"Make it once a week," piped in Chip Macklin. And then Luke Watson +commenced to sing a popular negro ditty and all joined lustily in the +chorus. + +On and on rattled the carryall until the lights of Oakdale shone in +the distance. The boys continued to sing, while one or two blew freely +on the tin horns they carried. Here and there somebody would come +rushing to a window, or door, to learn what was doing. + +"It's them Oak Hall boys!" cried one old farmer. "My, but they do have +high times!" + +"So they do," returned his wife. "But they are good boys," she added, +for some of them had once aided her in capturing a runaway bull. + +With a grand flourish the carryall swept around the last corner and +came to a halt in front of the hotel. Phil had hoped to see some extra +lights lit and was somewhat disappointed to see only the regular +lantern burning. + +"I told him to light up freely and he said he would," he whispered to +Dave. + +"Maybe he thought you meant the dining-room, Phil." + +The students piled out of the carryall and waited for Phil, as host, +to lead the way into the hotel. All marched up the steps and into the +broad hallway. There they were confronted by the hotel proprietor, who +came to meet them in his shirtsleeves. He looked completely +bewildered. + +"Well, we are here for that supper, Mr. Sparr!" cried Phil. "I hope +you are all ready for us!" + +The hotel man looked at the boys in amazement. His jaw dropped. Then +he gasped out the words: + +"Well, I'll be jiggered!" + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +AT THE HOTEL + + +At once Dave and all the other students who had come to the hotel with +Phil, expecting a fine spread, saw that something was wrong. They +looked questioningly at the shipowner's son and at the hotel +proprietor. + +"What's the matter?" demanded Phil, quickly. + +"Matter?" repeated Jason Sparr. "That's just exactly what I'd like to +know." + +"You--you are ready for us, aren't you?" went on Phil, with a sudden +catch in his voice. + +"Why should I be ready, when you called the whole thing off?" growled +the hotel man. "Fine way to do, I must say," he continued, with strong +anger in his voice. + +"Called the whole thing off?" repeated Phil. "Me?" + +"Yes, you!" shouted Jason Sparr. "And after we had everything in fine +shape, too! Say, don't you think my stuff is too good to send to the +Old Ladies' Home?" he demanded. + +"There must be some mistake here, Mr. Sparr," put in our hero. "Phil +didn't call this spread off. We are here for it, as you can see." + +"But he did call it off--this noon," returned the hotel proprietor. +"And he wasn't a bit nice about it, either. When I asked him what I +should do with the extras I had ordered he told me to do as I +pleased--send 'em to the Old Ladies' Home, or throw 'em away! He +didn't act a bit nice." + +"Say, you chump, you!" shouted Phil, growing suddenly angry. "I didn't +send you any word at all about calling it off. I----" + +"Don't you call me a chump, you young rascal!" shouted the hotel man, +in equal heat. "I got your message over the telephone----" + +"I never sent any," interrupted Phil. + +"It must be a trick," cried Roger. + +"Who played it?" queried another student. + +"Maybe this is the work of some of the Military Academy fellows." + +"Like as not." + +"But how did they learn that Phil was going to give the spread?" + +"Give it up." + +"Maybe some of our own fellows did it--some who didn't get an +invitation to attend," suggested Chip. + +"Would any one be so mean?" asked Buster. + +"Some of them might be," murmured Gus. + +"I didn't send you any word," went on Phil, in greater anger than +ever. + +"Well, I got word, and so did Professor Smuller. He was mad, too, +because he lost another job taking yours." + +"Why didn't you make sure the word was sent by Mr. Lawrence?" demanded +Ben. "You could have done that easily enough." + +"I didn't think that was necessary. This fellow said----" + +"I tell you I didn't send word!" shouted Phil, growing more angry +every instant. "You might have known it was a trick." + +"Of course, he might have known," added Ben. He lowered his voice. +"Say, Phil, if he doesn't give us the supper make him give your money +back." + +"Sure he's got to give me the money back," cried the shipowner's son. + +"See here, you can't bulldoze me!" cried the hotel proprietor. "I've +had trouble enough as it is. I got ready for this spread and then you +called it off, and you were mighty sassy about it, too. I've lost a +lot of money." + +A wordy war followed, lasting the best part of a half an hour. Through +this it was learned that the hotel man had prepared for the spread, +and so had the professor of music. Just after noon telephone messages +had come in, calling the whole affair off. Some hot words had passed +over the wire, and the hotel man was considerably ruffled. The party +talking to Jason Sparr had said that when the spread did come off it +would be held elsewhere--intimating that a better place than his hotel +could be found. + +"It's all some trick, to get my business away from me!" stormed the +hotel man. "I won't stand for it!" + +"I didn't send the messages, and I either want the spread or I want my +money back," declared Phil, stubbornly. And then more words followed, +until it looked as if there might be a fight. Finally, in a rage, +Jason Sparr ordered the students from his place. + +"All right, we'll go, but you haven't heard the end of this!" cried +Phil. + +"You'll catch it, for treating us so meanly," added Ben. + +"Don't you threaten me, or I'll have the law on you!" roared Jason +Sparr. + +"Perhaps I'll call on the law myself," answered Phil, and then, unable +to control himself, he shook his fist at the hotel man. Then all the +boys filed out of the place, some bystanders looking on in wonder. + +"Well, what do you think of this!" cried Gus, when outside. + +"Phil, I wouldn't say anything more just now--you are too excited," +said Dave, catching his chum by the arm. + +"Yes, but that fellow is as mean as--as dirt!" answered the +shipowner's son. + +"He hasn't any right to keep Phil's money," said one student. + +"Then the feast is called off, is it?" said Buster, with something +like a groan in his voice. + +"And somebody is going to have the laugh on us!" added Shadow. "Say, +this puts me in mind of a story," he added, brightening. "Once some +boys were going----" + +"Oh, stow it, Shadow!" + +"This is no time for stories!" + +"I'd rather go down to the cemetery and weep." + +"Nobody is going to have the laugh on me," cried Phil. "We'll get +something somewhere." + +"Right you are!" cried Dave. "I've got it!" he added. "Let us drive +over to Rockville and get something at the hotel there. I know the +proprietor and he's a nice man." + +"Better telephone to him first and make sure," suggested Roger. + +"I'll do it," said Phil. + +The carryall was brought around again and all piled in and drove down +to a drug store where there was a telephone booth. Into the booth +went Phil, to communicate with the hotel in Rockville. He came out +smiling. + +"It's all fixed up and I guess we'll have something this time," he +said. "But just wait; I'll fix that mean Jason Sparr, see if I +don't!" + +"It's quite a drive to Rockville," protested Horsehair, when they told +the driver what was wanted. + +"Never mind, it will do the horses good," cried Roger. "They are +getting too fat standing still." + +"Say, Phil," whispered Dave. "If you haven't got money enough along, I +can let you have some." + +"Good," was the whispered return. "I was going to speak of that, as +soon as I got a chance." + +The affair at the Oakdale hotel had put something of a damper on the +crowd, and all the talk was of how Jason Sparr had acted and who had +been mean enough to play such a trick. + +"Maybe it was Nat Poole," said Chip. + +"What makes you think that?" asked Phil. + +"Oh, he is mean enough for anything." + +"If Nat did this I'll--I'll mash him!" cried Phil, with energy. + +"Can't you find out?" asked Roger. + +"I'll try--but most likely the fellow who did it took care to cover up +his tracks. Sparr didn't know where the messages came from." + +On and on rolled the carryall, until the lights of Rockville appeared +in the distance. By this time all of the students were decidedly +hungry. They rolled up to the little hotel and those with horns gave a +couple of shrill blasts. + +This time there was a warm welcome by the host. He came out, bowing +and smiling. + +"Did the best I could for you, on such short notice," he said, as they +entered. "Next time, if you'll only give me a little more time----" + +"That's all right, let's have what you've got," cried Buster. He was +hungry enough to eat anything. + +They were ushered into what was usually the private dining-room of the +little hostelry. The table had been spread out and was tastefully +decorated with paper chrysanthemums, made by the hotel man's daughter. +A parlor-lamp and several others shed light on the scene. + +"This looks good!" murmured Roger. + +"Wait till you see what we get to eat," answered Sam. "It may be +slim--on such short notice." + +But he was agreeably mistaken, the spread was all that could be +desired. There were oysters on the half-shell, tomato soup, fried +chicken, mashed potatoes, lettuce salad, olives, and also coffee, pie, +and various cookies. It was served in home style, by the hotel man's +daughter and a hired girl. + +"Say, this is fine!" cried Buster, smacking his lips. + +"Better, maybe, than if we had stayed at the other place," added +Dave. + +"Only we haven't got the music," said Phil. He was glad that matters +had taken such a nice turn, but still angry over what had gone +before. + +As they had already lost so much time, the boys did not dare linger +too long over the spread. Horsehair was given something to eat in +another room, and then they set out on the return. Songs were sung and +jokes cracked, and Shadow was permitted to tell half a dozen of his +best stories. Yet, with it all, the edge had been taken off the +celebration, and Phil knew this as well as anybody, and was +correspondingly chagrined. + +"I'll make that man square up with me, see if I don't," he said to +Dave, as they arrived at the school. "I'm not going to lose all that +money." + +"Well, be careful of what you do, Phil," warned our hero. "Don't get +into a fight." + +The next day the shipowner's son sent out two sharp letters, one to +Jason Sparr and the other to Professor Smuller. He stated that he was +not responsible for the trip-up that had taken place, and demanded his +money be returned to him, otherwise he would put the matter in the +hands of the law. + +To these letters came speedy replies. The musical professor said he +was sorry a mistake had been made, and he returned the amount paid to +him, and he further stated that if he could discover who had played +the trick he would make that party settle up. + +"That's decent of him," said Phil. "I am going to send him back five +dollars for his trouble." And this he did, much to Professor Smuller's +satisfaction. + +The letter from Jason Sparr was entirely different. He berated Phil +for the stand taken, and stated that he would pay back nothing. He +added that he had learned how the crowd had gone to Rockville to dine, +and said he was satisfied that it was all a trick to get patronage +away from his hotel. He added that he had had trouble enough with +people from Oak Hall school and he wanted no more of it. + +"I guess I'll have to sue him," growled Phil, on showing the letter to +Dave and Roger. + +"I don't think I'd bother," answered Dave. "Put it down to Experience, +and let it go at that." + +"If you sued him it would cost as much as you'd get, and more," added +the senator's son. + +"Humph! I don't feel like swallowing it," growled Phil. "I'll get it +out of him somehow." + +"He must have lost something--if he got ready for the spread," said +Dave. + +"Oh, I don't think he lost much. He's a close one--to my way of +thinking," responded the shipowner's son. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +THE BLOWING UP OF THE BRIDGE + + +"Say, this is something fierce, Dave!" + +"I agree with you, Roger. I don't see how we are going to do such a +long lesson." + +"Old Haskers is getting worse and worse," growled Phil. "I think we +ought to report it to Doctor Clay." + +"Just what I think," came from Ben. "He keeps piling it on harder and +harder. I think he is trying to break us." + +"Break us?" queried our hero, looking up from his book. + +"Yes, make us miss entirely, you know." + +"Why should he want us to do that?" asked Roger. + +"Then we wouldn't be able to graduate this coming June." + +"Would he be mean enough to do that?" asked Dave. + +"I think he would be mean enough for anything," responded Phil. "Oh, I +am not going to stand it!" he cried. + +The boys had just come upstairs, after an extra hard session in their +Latin class. All were aroused over the treatment received at the hands +of Job Haskers. He had been harsh and dictatorial to the last degree, +and several times it had looked as if there might be an outbreak. + +The next day the outbreak came. Phil sprang up in class and denounced +the unreasonable teacher, and Ben followed. Then Dave and Roger took a +hand, and so did Buster and several others. + +"Sit down! Sit down!" cried Job Haskers, growing white in the face. +"Sit down, and keep quiet." + +"I won't keep quiet," answered the shipowner's son. "You are treating +us unfairly, Mr. Haskers, and I won't stand for it." + +"Neither will I," added Ben. + +"Sit down, I tell you!" stormed the instructor. + +But none of the students obeyed him, and in a minute more the room was +in an uproar. One of the under-teachers heard it, and quickly sent for +Doctor Clay. + +As the master of Oak Hall strode into the classroom there was a pause. +He mounted the platform and put up his hand, and soon all became +quiet. + +"Young gentlemen, be seated," he said, in his strict but kindly +fashion, and instantly every student sat down. Then he turned to the +teacher. "Mr. Haskers, what is the trouble?" he asked. + +"The trouble is that certain students will not learn their lessons," +answered Job Haskers, sourly. "I had to take them to task for it." + +"Who are those students?" + +"Lawrence, Basswood, Porter, Morr, Beggs----" + +"That will do for the present. Lawrence, stand up," ordered Doctor +Clay. + +Phil did as requested, and the eyes of the entire class were fastened +on the shipowner's son. + +"Now, Lawrence, what have you to say for yourself?" went on the +doctor. + +In a plain, straightforward manner, Phil told his side of the story. +Several times Job Haskers wanted to interrupt him, but Doctor Clay +would not permit this. Then Ben was questioned, and after that the +master of the school turned to Dave. + +"Is your complaint the same, Porter?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"And yours, Morr?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"What have you to say, Beggs?" + +"The same. The lessons lately have been altogether too hard--we simply +can't get through them. We never had such long lessons before." + +"I have given them only the regular lessons," put in Job Haskers. + +"Ahem! Let us go over them and see what can be done," responded the +doctor. "If the students are willing to work we do not want to +overburden them, Mr. Haskers." + +A discussion lasting over a quarter of an hour followed, and in the +end the lessons were cut down, much to the satisfaction of the whole +class, who felt like cheering the head of the school. The only person +who was not satisfied was Job Haskers. He was invited to go out with +the doctor to his private office, and came back some time later, +looking anything but happy. + +"I'll wager he got a calling down!" whispered Phil to Dave. "I hope he +did." + +He was right about the "calling down," as he expressed it. The master +of Oak Hall had spoken very plainly to the instructor, and given Job +Haskers to understand that he must get along better with the boys in +the future, and treat them with more consideration, or he would be +asked to resign from the staff of the school. + +Several days slipped by and during that time Dave paid close attention +to his lessons. He had also a theme to write on "The Future of Our +Country," and he devoted considerable time to this, hoping it would +receive at least honorable mention, even if it did not win the prize +offered for the best production. + +"Come on down to town!" cried Roger, one afternoon, as he rushed in, +"Big excitement on! Going to blow the railroad up!" + +"Blow the railroad up?" queried our hero. "What sort of a joke is +this, Roger?" + +"No joke, at all. You know the old stone bridge over the creek?" + +"Sure." + +"Well, the railroad wants to get rid of it and do it quickly, so they +can build another, so the contractors are going to blow the old bridge +up with dynamite at half-past four o'clock." + +"Let's go!" burst out Phil. "It will be a great sight--to see that old +bridge go up." + +"Right you are!" cried Ben. + +All the boys were enthusiastic, and in the end fully fifty students +got permission to go down to Oakdale to see the old stone bridge +destroyed. + +"None of you must go very close," warned Doctor Clay, "for dynamite is +powerful stuff--eight times more powerful than gunpowder." + +"We'll keep away, don't fear about that," answered several. + +"Dynamite isn't to be fooled with," added Dave. + +"Say, that puts me in mind of a story!" cried Shadow. "A Dutch laborer +working on the railroad was much annoyed by the other laborers coming +along and knocking his stiff old derby hat over his eyes. At last he +got good and mad and when he saw a chance, he stole a stick of +dynamite from the shanty where it was kept. He stuck the dynamite in +his hat and then went around to the other laborers. 'Now, chust hit +dot hat vonce again of you dare!' he said." + +"And nobody dared," added Roger, as a general laugh went up. + +"I once saw a fellow take a stick of dynamite and burn it like a +torch," remarked Ben. "It gave me a cold chill to see him do it." + +"And it didn't explode?" queried Roger. + +"No. But I heard afterwards that if he had struck it ever so lightly, +it might have blown us all as high as a kite." + +"It sure is great stuff," remarked Phil. "Say," he went on suddenly, +"I wish they were going to blow up old Sparr's hotel instead of the +bridge." + +"So do I," added Ben. "He's about as mean as they make 'em." + +"That man ought certainly to have something done to him," was Roger's +comment. + +"Well, he won't make a success of his hotel if he treats everybody as +he treated Phil," said Dave. + +"He doesn't deserve any success," growled the shipowner's son. + +When the students arrived in the vicinity of the old bridge they found +a large crowd assembled, including many acquaintances from Rockville +Military Academy, and people from the town. Red flags had been placed +around, and nobody was allowed to get very close to the old +structure. + +"There is where they have the dynamite stored," said Phil, pointing to +a shanty not far away. "See the sign?" + +"That's a good spot to steer clear of," returned Dave, with a grin. + +"Oh, I'm not afraid of the stuff," answered the shipowner's son. + +In the crowd of men and boys the students became more or less +separated. There was a great thrill when the word was passed that +everything was in readiness for the blowing up of the old bridge. + +"She's going!" cried Roger to Dave. + +Boom! came the dull, heavy roar, and the boys saw the stones of the +old bridge flying upward in all directions. The ground shook all +around them, and the water from the creek was splashed on high. A +great cloud of smoke and dust filled the air. Then came silence, +followed by a wild cheering from the younger element. + +"Certainly a great sight," was Dave's comment. + +"Too bad it didn't last longer," sighed Buster. + +"It wasn't quite as big as I thought it would be," said Luke. "I +thought some of the stones would fly about a mile high." + +"Good enough for a free exhibition," put in Gus. "Beats fireworks all +hollow." + +The boys walked down to the ruins of the old bridge and hung around +for the best part of a half an hour. Then, in groups of five or six, +they walked to town, to look around there before returning to Oak +Hall. Dave and his chums passed Jason Sparr's hotel. He was on the +veranda and scowled at them, and Phil and some of the others scowled +in return. + +"Have you done anything about that Sparr matter yet, Phil?" asked one +of the lads. + +"No; but I will soon, you wait and see," was the growled-out reply. + +On the main street of the town some of the boys separated, to do a +little shopping, and then some walked to the school, while others got +in the carryall that happened to be at hand. As a consequence some of +the students did not get back to Oak Hall until some time after the +supper hour. + +Dave was alone when he entered the dining-hall and he was surprised to +see that neither Phil nor Roger was present. Ben was also absent and +likewise Shadow. + +"Didn't some of them come in with you?" he asked of Buster. + +"Gus and Luke did," was the reply. "I don't know where the others +are." + +The meal was almost at an end when Phil, Ben, and Roger made their +appearance. They had but little to say, but Dave could see that +something was wrong. + +"Had another wrangle with Jason Sparr," explained Phil, after the +meal. "He followed me to one of the stores, and I told him just what I +thought of him." + +"And he threatened to have Phil arrested for defamation of character," +added Ben. + +"But he didn't dare to do it," declared the shipowner's son. + +"Better let him alone," advised Dave. "You'll gain nothing by keeping +in hot water over it, Phil." + +That night all of the boys had to study hard, and consequently they +retired to their dormitories early. The only exception was Polly Vane, +who had to go to Oakdale to meet a relative who would stop off but who +was going away again on the midnight train. + +The boys studied until ten o'clock and then retired. Dave was +completely tired out and his head had hardly touched the pillow when +he was sound asleep. + +He was awakened about two hours later by the sounds of excited +talking. He opened his eyes to behold Polly Vane standing in the +dormitory fully dressed, while Phil was sitting on the edge of the +bed, and Ben and Roger and some others were just rousing up. + +"What's going on?" Dave asked, sleepily. + +"A whole lot, if what Polly says is true," answered the shipowner's +son. + +"But it is true, upon my word!" cried the girlish student. "I heard +the explosion myself." + +"What explosion?" asked several. + +"An explosion in Oakdale, to-night," answered Polly. "Somebody tried +to dynamite Jason Sparr's hotel!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +A SERIOUS ACCUSATION + + +Instantly there was great excitement in the dormitory, and all of the +students crowded around Polly, to learn what he might have to say. + +"It was this way, don't you know," said the scholarly youth. "I went +to Oakdale to see my uncle, who stopped off on his trip from Portland +to St. Louis. He wanted to ask me about some family matters, and he +didn't have time to come to the Hall. I went down in the buggy----" + +"Oh, never mind that, Polly, tell about the explosion," interrupted +Roger. + +"Well, I had just seen my uncle to the midnight train and was getting +into the buggy to come back when I heard a low boom! coming from the +direction of Sparr's hotel. The station-master and I were the only +people around, and I asked him what the noise meant, but he said he +didn't know. Then he jumped into the buggy with me to find out. We +drove to the hotel, and there was excitement enough, I can tell you. +The girls and women folks were screaming wildly and Mr. Sparr and some +men were running around, not knowing what to do. Soon a crowd began to +collect, and then we found out that a wing of the building--where the +dining-room is--had been blown up. Some men from the railroad said it +had been done by dynamite--the kind used for blowing up that old +bridge." + +"Was anybody hurt?" asked Dave. + +"Nobody but an old man who was sleeping in the house next to the +addition. He got so scared he jumped from an upper window and sprained +his ankle. Oh, that dining-room is a sight, I can tell you! One end is +completely gone--the wall away from the main house--and all the tables +and chairs and ornaments smashed! And the roof is full of holes!" + +"How was it done?" questioned Gus. + +"The dynamite was placed at the side of the dining-room foundation, +according to the railroad men, and it was set off by some sort of +clockwork," answered Polly. + +"And who did it?" asked Shadow. + +"They don't know, yet. But Sparr suspects Phil. That is why I woke him +up as soon as I came in," continued the girlish student. + +"Suspects me!" exclaimed the shipowner's son. + +"Yes. He says you are the only one who would do such a thing--you and +the crowd who have been backing you up." + +"Well, I never!" + +"Maybe he means me, too," murmured Ben. + +"He does, and all the others in the crowd, too. He thinks it's a plot +to get square because he wouldn't give Phil his dinner money back." + +"I had nothing to do with it," declared Phil, stoutly. + +"Nor I," added Ben. + +"Well, I am sure I wasn't in it," said Dave. "I didn't dream of such a +thing." + +"Nor did I," added Roger and some others. + +The news soon spread through several dormitories, and the boys +discussed the startling happening in whispers. Phil was greatly +disturbed. + +"I didn't do it, but I know he'll try to fasten it on me," he told +Dave. He did not add that he had written to his father about the +affair of the feast and his parent had sent a warning letter back, +ordering his son to have nothing more to do with Jason Sparr. + +The next morning the news was all over the school. Nat Poole heard of +it, and he and some of his cronies declared it as their opinion that +Phil and some others were to blame. This brought on a fistic encounter +between Ben and the money-lender's son, and the latter got a black eye +in consequence. + +"You sha'n't say I did it--or had anything to do with it," said Ben, +when Nat backed away, having had enough of the battle. + +"Humph! just wait till the law has its say!" retorted Nat. "Then maybe +you'll get what is coming to you!" + +Some of the boys wanted to go to town--to see the damaged hotel--but +Doctor Clay would not permit this. In the meantime the wreckage was +being cleared away, and the authorities and Jason Sparr were doing +their best to locate the author or authors of the crime. + +Then came a great surprise, in the shape of a letter delivered in a +mysterious way to the hotel-keeper. He was seated in the hotel office +in the evening, talking to one of the town constables, when a missive +was hurled at him through an open window. He dodged at first, fearing +more dynamite, but when he saw it was only a letter, he picked it up +and turned it over. It was addressed to him and marked "Private and +Personal." + +"Wonder what this is?" he mused, and walked over to the light to read +the letter. It was written on a single sheet of paper, in lead pencil, +and evidently in a disguised hand. It contained but a few lines, as +follows: + + "If you want to catch the fellows who blew up your hotel have + these boys of Oak Hall school arrested at once, Philip Lawrence, + Benj. Basswood, David Porter, Roger Morr, and Joseph Beggs. They + were together when it was done, and one or more of them surely did + it. + + "One Who Knows." +The hotel-keeper read this letter several times and then stuffed it +into his pocket. Then he went into the next room and drew from a +drawer several things wrapped up in a newspaper. + +"I am going down to see the squire," he said, to the constable. "You +can come along, if you want to." + +"What was in the letter?" + +"The names of the rascals who blew up my hotel." + +"What! You don't mean it, Jason!" + +"Yes, I do." + +"Who sent the letter?" + +"That's a secret. But come on, we'll talk it over with Squire +Thompson. Ain't no time to waste." And then the hotel man went off to +interview the leading legal light of the town. + +The conference at the squire's office lasted the best part of two +hours. At this Jason Sparr produced the contents of the package, +several things picked up near the hotel at the time of the +explosion--a tan glove, somewhat worn, two iron rings, an empty paper +box marked, "L." in one corner, a whip handle, and a clock-like +contrivance which had been used to set off the dynamite. He told of +his trouble with Phil and his chums, of the threats made, and produced +the letter received so mysteriously. + +"Looks kind of plain to me, Squire," he said. "Don't you think so?" + +"It isn't for me to say," replied the squire, cautiously. "But if you +want to swear out warrants for those boys' arrest----" + +"Ain't I justified?" + +"Sure you are," put in the constable, who happened to be the squire's +brother-in-law. "I wouldn't waste no time on it." He thought he saw in +this a job for himself, with some fat fees. + +"If you have them arrested, you've got to prove your case," said +Squire Thompson, slowly. "It's a serious business, Sparr." + +"But this letter says they are guilty." + +"Lock 'em up and make 'em confess!" broke in the constable. "Give 'em +the third degree!" he added. He had read something of how city +criminals were occasionally treated and he wished to air his +knowledge. + +"I'll do it!" cried Jason Spar. "I'll show 'em they can't insult me +and take away my trade and then try to blow up my hotel! I'll have 'em +all locked up! Then we can examine 'em one by one, and get 'em +tangled up and make 'em confess." + +After much trouble, the warrants for the arrest of Phil, Ben, Dave, +Roger, and Buster were made out. The constable wanted to serve them at +once, but it was decided at the last moment to wait until the next +morning, to see if any new evidence regarding the crime might be +forthcoming. + +The constable went home, sworn to secrecy, but he had to tell his wife +and her sister of the affair, and the news got to the ears of a man +who boarded with them. This fellow, who was named Andy Prime, chanced +to know Dave quite well, our hero having once done him a favor. Early +in the morning Prime drove past the school, and seeing Dave on the +campus, hailed him. + +"Come over here, I want to tell you something, Porter," said Prime, +mysteriously. + +"What do you want?" asked Dave, good-naturedly. + +"Ride a bit with me, will you? I don't want nobody to hear us," went +on the man, lowering his voice. + +Wondering what was coming, Dave got up on the seat of the man's wagon +and they drove to the far end of the Oak Hall grounds. There Andy +Prime told of all he had learned. + +"Please don't say I told ye!" he pleaded. "It might git me in +trouble. But you did me a good turn onct an' I ain't forgot it." + +"Thank you, Prime, I won't tell who told me," answered Dave. + +"Thet old skinflint o' a Sparr deserved to have his buildin' blown +up." + +"Perhaps. But we didn't do it, I can assure you of that. If Mr. Sparr +has us arrested, he'll get in hot water," answered our hero; and then +he got out of the wagon and Andy Prime drove on. + +Dave at once carried the news to those immediately concerned. All were +very indignant, and some were scared. + +"Say, I won't stand for being arrested!" cried Phil, in horror. "It's +too much of a disgrace!" + +"My folks would never get over it," added Ben. + +"It would just about kill my mother, if I was locked up," came from +Buster. + +"Well, I'll stand it if I have to," said Roger. "But I'll make that +fellow suffer for it later!" he added, bitterly. + +All thoughts of going to school that morning were abandoned by the +five boys. They talked the situation over, and determined to go down +the road and await the arrival of the constable, Andy Prime having +said that Hickson would come by ten o'clock. + +"This is awful!" gasped Phil, shaking his head dolefully. "Say, Dave, +I can't stand it!" + +"Wait until we hear what the constable has to say." + +"He won't say anything--he'll just drag us to the Oakdale lockup!" put +in Ben. + +"I wonder what my dad will say to that, when he hears of it?" murmured +Roger. "The newspapers are bound to make a spread of it. 'Son of a U. +S. Senator Jailed for Blowing Up a Hotel!' or something like that. Oh, +it makes me sick!" + +Plainly the majority of the students were very nervous. The only one +who kept calm was Dave, and even he was much disturbed. All walked +along the road, keeping a sharp eye out for the appearance of Paul +Hickson. + +"Here he comes!" cried Phil, as a covered wagon came along the road, +driven by the keeper of the Oakdale jail. On the front seat beside the +driver were the constable and Jason Sparr. + +"Hi, you boys!" shouted the constable, as the wagon came closer. "I +want to see you!" + +"What do you want?" demanded Dave, stepping to the front. + +"We want you, for one!" cried the hotel-keeper. "Be careful, Hickson, +that none of 'em get away!" he added. + +"I don't know one from tudder," said the constable, doubtfully. + +"This is just the bunch we are after, unless I am mistaken," went on +the hotel man. "That is Lawrence there, and Basswood, and this is +Porter, and I think that is Morr," and he pointed to the various +students. + +"Good enough. Boys, in the name of the law, I call on you to halt," +declared the constable, pompously. + +"Mr. Sparr, what does this mean?" demanded Dave. + +"It means that I am going to have the whole bunch of you arrested!" +shouted the hotel man, harshly. "You blew up my hotel, and I can prove +it! I've got the evidence against every one of you! I am going to have +you arrested right now and sent to prison!" And he shook his fist at +the boys. + +"The evidence against us?" faltered Phil. + +"Yes, sir, the plain, clear evidence," went on the hotel-keeper, +dramatically. "I've got you just where I want you. I am going to send +every one of you to prison for five or ten years!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +THE MEETING ON THE ROAD + + +There was an intense silence, following the announcement of Jason +Sparr that he intended to send Dave and his chums to prison for +attempting to blow up the hotel. In the meantime the hotel man and the +constable got down from the seat of the covered wagon. + +"I've got the warrants fer the arrest, boys," said Constable Hickson, +somewhat importantly. + +"Mr. Sparr, I'd like a word with you," said Dave, as calmly as he +could speak under the circumstances. + +"I ain't got no more to say than I've said," returned Jason Sparr, +stubbornly. "You done it, and I can prove it! The constable is going +to do his duty and arrest you!" + +"Dave, I--I won't stand for it!" whispered Phil, hoarsely. "It's +terrible! I--I can't stand it!" And he began to back away. + +"Hi, there! stop!" yelled the hotel man. "Stop him, Hickson! Don't let +him get away!" + +"You sha'n't arrest me for nothing!" cried the shipowner's son, and +like a flash he turned around and started off on a run. + +"Come back here, Phil!" called out Dave. "Come back! You are making a +mistake by running away!" + +But Phil did not hear, nor did Ben and Buster, who had also taken to +their heels. Roger ran a few steps, then halted, and came back to our +hero's side. + +"You are right, Dave," he said. "It's best to face the music." + +Phil, Ben, and Buster had turned towards Oak Hall. Phil was in the +lead, but the others soon caught up to him. + +"Wha--what are you go--going to d--do?" panted Ben. + +"I'm not going to let them arrest me!" answered Phil. "I didn't do it, +and I'm not going to jail." + +"Let us hide until we can get our folks to help us," suggested Buster. +The thought of going to a lockup filled him with dread. + +"I'm going to notify my folks, too," said Ben. + +"The trouble is, I don't know where my folks are just now," came from +the shipowner's son. "My father went on a trip on one of his vessels +and mother is visiting relatives." + +The boys had kept on running on the road. But now, as they saw the +constable after them, they turned and dashed into a side-path leading +to the river. + +"A motor-boat!" cried Ben, a few seconds later. + +"It's the Kingsley boat," added Buster. "I know Tom will let us use +it--he said I could do it once. Let us go across in it." + +All leaped on board, and Ben started up the engine while Buster took +the wheel. There came a put! put! as the fly-wheel was turned over, +and the little craft, which belonged to a boy living on the +river-bank, headed out into the Leming River. + +In the meantime, while Constable Hickson was running after the +fugitives, Jason Sparr and the driver of the covered wagon confronted +Dave and Roger. + +"Don't you try to run!" bawled the hotel-keeper. + +"I'm armed," added the keeper of the town lockup, suggestively. + +"I don't intend to run, Mr. Sparr," answered Dave. + +"Why should we run, since we have done nothing wrong?" added the +senator's son. He tried to follow Dave's example and remain calm, but +he was tremendously disturbed. + +"Did those three fellows do it alone?" queried the hotel man, +eagerly. "If they did, you had better confess to it, and clear +yourselves." + +"None of us are guilty," answered Dave. + +"I know better." + +"You do not. Since we didn't do it, Mr. Sparr, I don't see how you can +prove that we did,--unless you have manufactured some evidence against +us," went on our hero, pointedly, a new idea coming into his head. + +"I ain't manufactured no evidence!" bawled Jason Sparr. "Didn't that +young rascal of a Lawrence say he'd get square with me, and didn't all +of you say the same? Wasn't you down to the blowing up of the bridge, +right where they had all that dynamite stored? Wasn't some of the +dynamite sticks stolen? Didn't you fellows come right by the hotel +afterwards? Wasn't the blowing up done by clockwork, made to go off +hours after it was set? You can't tell me! You are guilty. Besides, I +got other evidence--I got a letter," added the hotel-keeper, +shrewdly. + +"A letter? About us?" + +Jason Sparr nodded. + +"Saying we were guilty?" + +"Yes." + +"Who wrote it?" + +"Never mind that. You're guilty, and you know it. Just wait till +Hickson comes back with them others and I'll show you a thing or +two," continued the hotel man, harshly. + +"Mr. Sparr, I said I wanted to talk to you, and I do want to," said +Dave, after a pause. "You will find it to your advantage to listen to +me. You have got this whole thing settled in your own mind, but you +are dead wrong. You intend to have us locked up for something we +didn't do. To have us locked up will blacken our characters and +blacken the reputation of Oak Hall. My folks are respectable people, +and so are the folks of the other boys. Do you think they will stand +for this sort of thing? And do you think Doctor Clay will stand for +it? If you do, you are greatly mistaken. If you have us arrested on +this charge, which is absolutely false, I'll get my folks to sue you +for false imprisonment and defamation of character, and I know the +other fellows will do the same. And you can rest assured that the +charges against you will be pushed to the limits of the law." + +At this plain talk Jason Sparr's jaw dropped. Several times he was on +the point of interrupting, but thought better of it. + +"Well, now--er----" he stammered when Dave had finished. + +"My father is a United States senator," said Roger. "You don't suppose +he will let a matter like this pass unnoticed? If you do anything to +besmirch our family name, you'll take the consequences." + +"Your father is a United States senator?" faltered Jason Sparr. + +"He is, and Dave's father is a rich man, and so is Phil Lawrence's +father. Of course, our money has nothing to do with it, excepting that +it will enable us to stand up for our rights in the courts, and get +able lawyers to defend us. We are innocent of all wrongdoing. If +anybody is in the wrong it is you, for you cheated Phil Lawrence out +of the money he advanced to you for that spread we were to have at +your hotel." + +"Cheated him!" cried the hotel-keeper. + +"That is what it amounted to, for you took his money and gave him +nothing in return." + +"He called the spread off----" + +"He did not, and we can prove it," said Dave, following up what he +thought looked like an advantage. "Why, if he wanted to do it, Phil +could have you locked up for swindling." + +"What, me? Locked up?" cried the hotel man. + +"Certainly. Why not? It's as reasonable as your charge against +us--more reasonable, in fact, for you kept his money and gave him +nothing in return," went on our hero, warmly. + +"Well, now what do you know about that?" grumbled Jason Sparr, turning +to the driver of the covered wagon. But the lockup man merely +shrugged his shoulders. Privately he was of the opinion that the boys +were not such rascals as had been pictured. + +"If those fellows wasn't guilty, why did they run away?" continued +Jason Sparr, after an awkward pause. + +"Because you scared them," responded Roger. "I would have run away +myself if it hadn't been for Dave." + +"Humph!" + +All looked along the road. Constable Hickson had disappeared, having +followed the runaways down to the river. Presently he came back, out +of breath from his exertions. + +"Did you get 'em?" queried the hotel-keeper, eagerly. + +"No, they got away in a motor-boat." + +"A motor-boat!" repeated Dave and Roger, and looked at each other in +astonishment. + +"Yes, went up the river out of sight," said Paul Hickson. "Too bad! +But we've got two of 'em, anyway," he added, looking at our hero and +the senator's son. + +"I wanted Lawrence more than I did the others," grumbled Jason Sparr. +He was doing some deep thinking and his face showed that he was much +disturbed. + +"Mr. Sparr, just remember what I said," remarked Dave, pointedly. "If +you go ahead, take my word for it, it will cost you dear." + +"Say, Hickson, we'll drop this matter for the present," said the +hotel-keeper, in a low tone. + +"Drop it?" ejaculated the constable. "Ain't you goin' to have these +two took up?" + +"Not just now. I--er--I want to get more evidence first, if I can. We +can get them any time we want them." + +"But who is going to pay me for my trouble? I've got them warrants to +serve right in my pocket, and----" + +"I'll fix that up with you," answered the hotel man, in a whisper. +"Come on. We can come back later." And then the hotel man said +something to the driver of the wagon. The latter merely nodded and got +back to his seat. Jason Sparr climbed up beside him, and the constable +slowly followed. + +"I don't understand----" went on the constable; but Jason Sparr merely +pinched his arm, and he stopped short. + +"Just remember, this ain't settled yet!" cried the hotel-keeper, to +Dave and Roger. "I'm going to look into it a bit deeper before I make +a move, that's all. I know some of you done it, and I'll have you in +prison for it yet, see if I don't!" And he shook his head grimly; and +then the covered wagon was turned around, and the three men drove off +in the direction of Oakdale. + +"Oh, Dave, do you think they'll come back?" cried Roger, when the men +were out of hearing. + +"There is no telling what they will do, Roger. But you can make up +your mind to one thing--Sparr won't come back until he has more +evidence than he has at present." + +"But how can he get evidence? Surely you don't think Phil and the +others guilty, even if they did run away." + +"No, I think Phil and the others are as innocent as we are. But I +can't understand some things. Somebody used that dynamite and somebody +wrote a letter to Sparr about us. The question is, Who was it?" + +"Could it be Nat Poole?" + +"I don't think Nat would be bad enough to try to blow up a hotel." + +"It certainly was an awful thing to do." Roger drew a long breath. +"What shall we do now, go back to school?" + +"We might as well. If we don't, old Haskers will be after us again." + +"Do you think Phil and the others will come back?" + +"Why not? As soon as they have time to think it over they'll realize +it is best to face the music," answered Dave. + +He and Roger returned to Oak Hall. They had missed one class, but +fortunately that was one presided over by Mr. Dale, and he readily +excused them when they said they had had some personal matters of +importance to attend to, and would explain later. + +"It is bound to come out, sooner or later," said Dave to his chum. "So +we might as well take Doctor Clay and Mr. Dale into our confidence." + +"I suppose you are right," answered the senator's son. Nevertheless, +he heaved a deep sigh, as he thought of what might be the outcome of +the trouble. What if, after all, Jason Sparr should concoct some sort +of evidence against them and send them all to prison? + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +LOOKING FOR THE RUNAWAYS + + +When Dave and Roger went to the midday meal in the dining-room they +looked all over for Phil, Ben, and Buster, but the three were not in +sight. + +"Dave, they haven't come back yet." + +"So I see," returned our hero, and he was much disturbed. He ate +sparingly, and the senator's son also had but little appetite for the +meal. + +"Say, what's become of those chaps?" questioned Shadow. + +"I'll tell you later," answered Dave. "Don't say anything now--and +tell the others to keep quiet, too." + +But such a happening could not be kept quiet, and soon it was +whispered around that Phil, Ben, and Buster were missing. This +presently got to the ears of Andrew Dale, and the head assistant +teacher sought out Dave for an explanation. + +"I understand you went out with Lawrence, Basswood, and Beggs this +morning, Porter," said the teacher. "They are not yet back. Do you +know where they went?" + +"They went off in a motor-boat, that is all I know about that part of +it, Mr. Dale. Roger Morr and I would like to speak to you and Doctor +Clay in private. It is very important," went on our hero. + +"Very well. Come at once to the office and I will call the doctor." + +A little later found the two youths in the office with Doctor Clay and +his head assistant. There, as briefly as he could, Dave told his +story, and Roger corroborated what was said. The head of the school +was deeply interested and not a little alarmed. + +"This is certainly serious," he declared, with a grave shake of his +head. "It reflects not only on you but on this school. I must look +into this at once." And then he asked many questions, and Andrew Dale +did the same. + +"Running away makes it look bad for Lawrence, Beggs, and Basswood," +remarked Mr. Dale. "They should have stood their ground, as Morr and +Porter did." + +"That hotel man and the constable probably scared them so they did not +know what they were doing," returned Doctor Clay. He turned to the +boys. "You have no idea where they went?" + +"No, sir, excepting that they went up the river in the Kingsley +motor-boat. They know Tom Kingsley quite well and he lets them use the +boat once in a while." + +"Do you think you could find them, if I let you off to do so?" + +"We could try, sir." + +"Then you may go at once. Tell them it was very foolish to run away, +and urge them to come back at once," added Doctor Clay. + +A little more conversation followed, and then Dave and Roger left the +office and started on the search for the runaways. + +"We ought to have a motor-boat ourselves, to follow them up the +river--that is, if they went any distance," said the senator's son. + +"We might try to borrow one, Roger." + +"Not Nat Poole's--he wouldn't lend it to us." + +"I know that." + +The two students walked to the river and looked up and down the +stream. A rowboat and a sailboat were in sight, but that was all. + +"There is Jack Laplow in his sloop," cried Dave, mentioning a riverman +they knew. "The wind is blowing up the stream. Maybe he'll take us +along." + +They hailed the riverman, who made a living by doing all sorts of jobs +on the stream. He did not have much to do just then and readily +agreed, for a small amount, to take them up the river and bring them +back. + +"We want to find some fellows who are in the Kingsley motor-boat," +explained Dave. "Have you seen anything of them?" + +The riverman had not, but said he would help to watch out for the +lads. Dave and Roger hopped aboard the sloop, and soon the little +craft was standing up the Leming River, with Jack Laplow at the +tiller. + +It was a warm, clear day, and had the boys not been distressed in +mind, they would have enjoyed the sail immensely. But as it was, they +were very sober, so much so in fact that the old riverman at length +remarked: + +"What's wrong--somebody hurt, or are ye going to a funeral?" + +"No funeral," answered Dave, with a forced laugh. "But we are in a +hurry to find those three fellows." + +"Well, I don't see no motor-boat yet," answered Jack Laplow. + +"One thing is certain: if it went up the river it's got to come down," +said Roger. + +"They may get out and send it back," answered our hero. + +"But, Dave, surely you don't think----" But Dave put up his hand for +silence and nodded in the direction of the boatman; and the senator's +son said no more. + +A mile and a half were covered, and they were just passing one of the +many islands in the river, when Jack Laplow gave a shout. + +"There is the motor-boat now!" + +"Boat ahoy!" shouted Dave, and then, as they drew closer, he saw that +it was really the Kingsley craft. He was chagrined to see that only a +man was on board, a fellow who was running the boat very slowly. + +"Where are those boys who were aboard?" demanded our hero, as the +motor-boat came closer. + +"Is this your boat?" asked the man on board, in return. + +"No, but my friends were on that boat. Where are they?" + +"Left the boat at Snog's Point, and hired me to bring her back. I +don't know much about motor-boats, so I'm running kind o' slow," +explained the man. + +"Snog's Point?" repeated Roger. "Where were they going?" + +"Don't ask me, for I don't know. They was in a tremenjous hurry, I +know that. It's all right, ain't it?" went on the man, quickly. + +"Oh, yes, it was all right," answered Dave. And then they allowed the +man to go on his way. + +[Illustration: "THERE IS THE MOTOR-BOAT NOW!"--_Page 186_.] + +"Want to go up to Snog's Point?" asked the man of the sloop. + +"Yes,--and as quickly as you can get there," replied Dave. + +As the wind was in the right direction, it did not take long. The +Point was a rocky cliff with a stretch of sand at its base. Here the +boys jumped ashore. + +"Want me to wait for you?" asked the riverman. + +"Wait for half an hour," said Dave. "Then, if we are not back, you can +go back;" and so it was arranged. + +In the sand our hero and Roger could plainly see the marks of the +motor-boat and many footprints. They followed the footprints to a road +leading through a stretch of woods, and then came out on a highway +leading to Barrelton. + +"The town is about half a mile from here. Wonder if they went there?" +mused Roger. + +"Maybe we can learn something at the nearest farmhouse," suggested +Dave. + +They hurried on, and presently reached a farmhouse set close to the +road, with a barn on the other side. At a grindstone a tall, thin boy +was sharpening a sickle. + +"Yes, I saw them fellers," he drawled, when asked about the runaways. +"They was walking to town to beat the cars. I thought they must be in +one o' them cross-country races, or something like that." + +"Come on!" cried Dave to his chum. Then he turned back suddenly. "Do +you know anything about the trains from Barrelton?" + +"Ain't many trains from there," answered the youth at the grindstone. + +"But do you know what there are?" + +"There's a train north jest about due now." + +"And what is next?" + +"A train south a leetle after four o'clock. An' the freight goes +through at seven." + +"Hurry, Roger!" cried Dave. + +"Do you think they'd take a train, Dave?" + +"I don't know--I hope not." + +The two boys set off on a run, taking it easy at first, so as not to +get winded. They passed a number of farms and presently came in sight +of Barrelton, so called because of the barrel factory located there. +From a distance they had heard the whistle of a locomotive, and knew +that the north-bound train had stopped at the station and gone on. + +"There is the station!" cried Dave, pointing up the railroad tracks. +They continued to run and did not stop until they gained the platform. +Here they met the ticket agent. + +"The train just went, didn't it?" asked Dave, and as the agent +nodded, he went on: "Did three young fellows like ourselves get on?" + +"If they did, I didn't see 'em," answered the man. + +"Oh!" cried Roger, "maybe they didn't take the train, after all." + +"Let us hope so." + +Somewhat out of breath, the two boys tramped around Barrelton, looking +for Phil and the others, and asking about them. But nobody appeared to +have seen the runaways, and not a trace of them was to be found +anywhere. + +"All we can do is to get something to eat and take the other train for +Oakdale," said Roger, after they had satisfied themselves that the +runaways were nowhere in that vicinity. The walking around had made +him hungry. + +They procured some pie and milk at a little stand near the station, +and shortly after four o'clock took the way train for Oakdale and +walked to the school. They went directly to the doctor's office. The +master of Oak Hall listened patiently to what they had to tell. + +"I am sorry you did not find them," he said, gravely. "It was very +foolish of them to run away, very. I trust they will come back of +their own accord soon." + +"Will you see Mr. Sparr about the matter?" asked Dave. + +"Yes, Porter. And I wish you and Morr to go with me." + +The interview took place that evening, the boys and the doctor driving +down to the hotel after supper. Jason Sparr treated the master of the +Hall politely but said very little. + +"When I make my next move I'll have a lawyer," he said. "I know +somebody tried to blow up my hotel, and I think it was some of your +boys--that Lawrence boy especially. But I ain't going to have 'em +arrested until I can prove it." + +"Very well," answered Doctor Clay. "And in the meantime, you had +better keep quiet, or you may have a suit for damages on hand." + +On the day following there was something of a sensation. The weekly +newspaper issued in a nearby town came out with a thrilling account of +the dynamiting of the dining-room of the hotel. In the account +appeared the following: + + "There is strong evidence pointing to the fact that the outrageous + deed was perpetrated by some schoolboys who held a grudge against + Mr. Sparr. They are known to have been present at the blowing up + of the old stone bridge, and were seen near the shanty where the + sticks of dynamite were kept, and one boy of the town says he saw + a young man coming from the shanty with something in his hand. Mr. + Sparr has the authorities at work and is piling up his evidence, + and the arrest of the rascally schoolboys may be hourly expected. + It is said that some of the boys have run away, but the + authorities have an idea where they can be located. The town + committee is thinking of offering a reward for the capture and + conviction of the rascals. For the safety of our citizens, the + Weekly Globe-Leader hopes the evil-doers will soon be + apprehended." + +No names were mentioned in this account, but everybody in Oakdale and +vicinity knew that the boys of Oak Hall were alluded to, and there was +much talk over what might be done. Doctor Clay felt the disgrace +keenly, and Dave and Roger were equally affected. + +"What are we going to do, Dave?" asked the senator's son. + +"I don't know," returned our hero. "But we've got to do something, +that's certain." + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +THE WILD MAN AGAIN + + +"Roger, I have an idea!" + +"What is it, Dave?" + +"I may be mistaken, but I've been thinking that perhaps that wild man +did the blowing up at the hotel." + +"What makes you think that?" questioned the senator's son, putting +down the book he had been trying to study. + +A day had passed after the events recorded in the last chapter, and so +far no word had come in concerning Phil and the other runaways. Doctor +Clay had sent for a private detective to assist in locating them and +also to try, if possible, to clear up the mystery concerning the hotel +affair. + +"Well, in the first place, it would be just like a crazy man to do +such a thing, wouldn't it?" + +"Perhaps." + +"In the second place, I have heard that the wild man was seen around +when the bridge was blown up." + +"Is that so? Who saw him?" + +"Mr. Tyson, the farmer who lives near the bridge." + +"Why didn't he try to capture the fellow?" + +"He did, but in the excitement of the blowing up the wild man slipped +him. And that isn't all. Mr. Tyson saw him coming from the vicinity of +that shanty where the dynamite was kept." + +"Say, that is certainly interesting!" cried the senator's son. "When +did you learn all this?" + +"Less than an hour ago. Mr. Tyson brought some vegetables to the +school and I had a talk with him." + +"Did he think the wild man blew up the hotel?" + +"No, he didn't connect the two." + +"Hum! What do you think of doing about it?" + +"I hardly know. I wish we could round up the wild man." + +"Plenty of folks wish that." + +"I think he hangs out somewhere along the river, or on one of the +islands." + +"Maybe Nat Poole knows." + +"I hardly think so--although I am sure Nat wants to find the +fellow--why, I can't imagine." + +During those trying days, Job Haskers was as harsh and dictatorial to +Dave and Roger as ever, and several times he passed sneering remarks +about those who were missing. + +"You may think as you please, Doctor Clay," said he to the master of +the Hall. "I feel sure in my mind that Lawrence and those other boys +are guilty. I do not think Mr. Sparr would accuse them if he was not +pretty sure of his ground." + +"Well, he has not dared to have those warrants served," replied the +doctor, dryly. + +"Because he is afraid there will be a great deal of money used in the +case to fight him." + +"Mr. Haskers, do you stand up for Mr. Sparr? I thought you had had +some difficulty yourself with him once?" + +"That was but a small affair. I think he is perfectly honest and that +he wants to do what is right." + +"Possibly. But he did not treat Lawrence very fairly in the matter of +that dinner that was ordered." + +"That was a mistake, and Mr. Sparr lost as much as he got. Yes, I +think those boys guilty, and in the end you will find out that I am +right," added Job Haskers as he went off, smiling grimly to himself, +as if it was a pleasure to him to have the boys thus accused. + +The next morning came another surprise. On getting up Dave noticed +that something was missing from the dormitory. Phil's suit-case was +gone, likewise a portion of his clothing, and also the valises of Ben +and Buster, and part of their outfits. + +"Well, this beats the Dutch!" exclaimed Roger, on learning the news. +"Who took them, do you suppose?" + +"Don't ask me, Roger." + +"Maybe they came themselves and got them," suggested Sam. + +"If they did, wouldn't we hear them?" asked Gus. + +"Talk about a mysterious disappearance," cried Shadow. "Say, this puts +me in mind of a story. Once some fellows----" + +"Oh, stow it, Shadow!" cried the senator's son. "Let's get busy and +try to find out what this means. Maybe they are back at the school." + +All of the boys dressed hastily and took a look around. But they could +find no trace of the runaways. Yet the traveling-bags and the clothing +were certainly gone. + +"If I didn't know better, I'd say the place was haunted!" cried Luke. + +"Oh, don't say that!" exclaimed Polly Vane, looking scared. "I don't +wish to see any ghosts." + +Doctor Clay was informed of what had occurred, and he had another +search conducted. But it was all to no purpose--the things were +missing, and that was all there was to it. + +It may well be imagined that with so much going on it was next to +impossible for Dave and Roger to study. Yet they did their best, not +wishing to drop behind again as they had during the trip to Cave +Island. Job Haskers did not let up on them, and many a time they +wished he would leave Oak Hall and that they might never see him +again. + +One afternoon Roger came to Dave in great haste and beckoned for him +to come outside. + +"I think we had better follow Nat Poole," said the senator's son. "I +think there is something in the wind." + +"What makes you think that?" + +"Nat has been packing a valise and he has put in the strangest +things--some clothing, some bottles of medicine, some rope, and a +thing that looks like a crown made of brass." + +"A crown made of brass? Oh, Roger, maybe that wild man--who calls +himself the King of Sumatra----" + +"That's the idea, Dave, I see you've caught on. Come on, before Nat +gets away from us." + +Our hero needed no further urging, and soon he and Roger were on their +way to the gymnasium, where the senator's son had, by pure accident, +seen Nat Poole packing the things mentioned in his handbag. + +As they approached, they saw the money-lender's son trundle out a +bicycle he owned and mount it, swinging his valise over his shoulder +by a strap. He looked back to see if he was being observed, but Dave +and Roger were on guard and quickly dove out of sight behind some +bushes. + +"We'll have to follow on our own wheels," said Dave. + +Their old bicycles were still in the gymnasium. They were not in very +good condition, but the tires were air-tight and that was enough. +Without delay, they trundled the machines out, and leaping into the +saddles, pedaled after Nat. + +The course of the money-lender's son was along the river road, and he +followed this for the best part of a mile. Then he branched off on a +side-road leading to what were known as the Chester Hills. It was hard +work pushing the machine up the hills, but Nat kept at it steadily, +and Dave and Roger followed. Strange to say, the money-lender's son +did not once look back after leaving the school. Evidently he was of +the opinion that nobody had observed his departure, or, if so, had +taken no particular notice of it. + +From the top of one of the hills, Nat struck off on another side-road, +leading to a little valley. Here was a brook, and at a point where it +widened out, a small and really beautiful island. In the center of the +island a cabin had been built by some sportsman, and a rustic bridge +connected the resort with the shore. + +Reaching the rustic bridge, Nat dismounted, and with his valise still +over his shoulder, walked towards the cabin. As he did this Dave and +Roger came quite close and they, too, dismounted, keeping in the +shelter of some trees near by. + +"Stop! I command you, in the name of the King of Sumatra, to stop!" + +The call came from the cabin, and a second later the wild man +appeared. He was clad in a blue pair of trousers and over his shoulder +was thrown a big red blanket. On his head rested a crown made of a tin +pail cut into sharp points. + +"I salute you, King of Sumatra!" called out Nat, making a low bow. + +"Ha! it is my servant that speaks," said the wild man. "Bow low, bow, +I tell you!" and he flourished a wooden sword that he held in one +hand. + +"It is the wild man, sure enough!" whispered Roger, in great +excitement. + +"And evidently he has been expecting Nat," returned Dave. "Let us get +closer and see what is up." + +They advanced with care until they were behind a tree at the very foot +of the rustic bridge. In the meantime Nat had gone forward, bowing low +at every step. + +"I have brought you something, my king!" cried the money-lender's +son. "Something of great importance to you." + +"What is it?" demanded the wild man, his curiosity excited. + +"A new crown. It is of gold, a beautiful crown." + +"Ha! ha! that is well! The King of Sumatra needs a new crown!" cried +the wild man, strutting up and down in front of the cabin. "Give it to +me, that I may see if it fits." And he held out his empty hand. + +"Let us go into the cabin, and you can sit in your chair of state +while I place it on your head," said Nat, in a soothing, persuasive +voice. "You will like it, I know." + +"Did you bring your army with you?" demanded the wild man, +suspiciously. + +"No, I am all alone--the army is at Oakdale," answered Nat. + +"Again 'tis well. Come in, and I will sit on the throne," and with a +sweeping gesture of welcome, the wild man stepped back into the cabin, +and Nat Poole followed. + +"Now, what do you make of this?" whispered Roger, looking at Dave in +wonder. + +"I have an idea, Roger," answered our hero. "Nat knows that man; in +fact, he is well acquainted with him. I think he is going to try to +make him a prisoner." + +"A prisoner? Oh, I see; for the glory of it, eh?" + +"No, to get him back to some sanitarium as quietly as possible. I +think Nat would like to do it without anybody around here being the +wiser." + +"Oh! Then maybe the fellow is some relative of the Pooles." + +"Possibly, or a close friend. But come on, let us see what happens. We +ought to try to capture the man ourselves." + +"To be sure. But I don't see how we are going to do it. We are +unarmed, and they say crazy folks are fearfully strong." + +"We'll have to watch our chances." + +The cabin had a window as well as a door, and to the former the two +boys crawled. Peering through a vine that grew over the opening, they +saw that the wild man had seated himself on a rude bench which he +called his throne. It was covered with a tattered carpet and some +cabalistic signs in blue chalk. Nat had placed his valise on the +ground and was opening it. He brought out the crown and also the rope, +but took care to conceal the latter under his coat. + +"Now you must close your eyes and sit perfectly still while I place +the crown on your head," said the money-lender's son. "I will have to +do it from behind, for that is the way they do it in England and +Germany." + +"Do they do it in Russia that way, too?" demanded the wild man, and +his eyes took on a glowing look as he gazed at the brass crown. + +"Of course." + +"Then let it be so." And the wild man sat back on the bench and closed +his eyes, and stroked his straggly beard. + +Quickly Nat stepped behind the man, and while he fumbled with the +crown with one hand, he brought out the rope with the other. He was +greatly excited and his hands trembled. + +"Now sit perfectly still while I count fifty," said the money-lender's +son. "Then when I----" + +He did not finish, for at that instant the wild man let out a sudden +yell and leaped to his feet. He ran to the doorway; and the next +moment came face to face with Dave and Roger. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +SOMETHING OF A CLEW + + +"Ha! ha! you are the army sent to capture me, are you? But I am not to +be captured! Take the cannons away! Bring up the artillery! Forward +the light brigade! Victory for the King of Sumatra! Oh, if only I had +a company of trained monkeys I would show you how to fight!" + +Thus speaking, the wild man danced around before Dave and Roger, +swinging his wooden sword close to their heads. Indeed, our hero had +to dodge back, to keep from being hit. + +"Hello, you here?" cried Nat, coming from the cabin. "You followed me, +did you?" He scowled deeply. "It's just like you, Dave Porter!" + +"Nobody shall follow the King of Sumatra!" went on the wild man, with +a cunning look at the three students. "Away! Out of my sight!" he +yelled. + +He dashed past Dave and Roger, moving towards the rustic bridge. Our +hero caught him by the arm, but received a blow in the face that +staggered him. Roger also tried to catch the man, but he was too +quick, and a second later was on the bridge. + +"Come back!" bawled Nat. "Come back, Uncle Wilbur! Don't you know me? +Come back, please! We won't hurt you!" And then he set off after the +wild man, who was running along the road beyond the bridge. + +"Dave, did you hear that?" gasped the senator's son. "He called the +wild man Uncle Wilbur!" + +"Yes, I heard him," returned our hero. "No wonder he has been after +him, Roger. Come on, let us see if we can't catch him." + +The chums started after the wild man and the money-lender's son. The +way was along the road, but presently the wild man turned into a +stretch of woods. He could run like a trained athlete, and easily +outdistanced Nat, who kept calling after him. + +When Dave and Roger came up they found the money-lender's son leaning +against a tree, out of breath and much disgusted. + +"Couldn't get him, eh?" queried Roger. + +"No, you fellows scared him off," growled the money-lender's son. + +"I am sorry if we did that," said Dave. + +"You had no right to butt in," grumbled Nat. "What did you follow me +for, anyway?" + +"Because we thought you were after the wild man, that's why," answered +Roger. + +"Humph!" + +"So he is your Uncle Wilbur," went on our hero, after a pause, and he +turned a look of sympathy at Nat as he spoke. + +"Who told you that?" + +"You called him Uncle Wilbur." + +"I--I guess you are mistaken," stammered Nat, growing red in the +face. + +"No, we heard you as plain as day," put in the senator's son. + +"You haven't any right to pry into my affairs, Roger Morr! You nor +Dave Porter either!" + +"Perhaps not," answered Roger. + +"Look here, Nat, if we can help you we'll do it," came from Dave. "I +suppose, if that man is your uncle, you wish to get him back to +the--er--the sanitarium as quickly and as quietly as possible; is that +so?" + +"Wouldn't you want to do that, if he was your uncle?" asked the +money-lender's son, flushing deeply. + +"Certainly. But it looks, now, as if you couldn't do it alone." + +"I might have done it, if you hadn't come up and queered my game." + +"He didn't see us until he ran out of the cabin," said Roger. "He just +got a wild streak on, that's all. I don't think you could have +managed him alone. He wouldn't let you tie him up with that rope." + +"Well, he's gone, that's sure," grumbled Nat. "I'm going back to the +cabin for my valise." + +"He may come back," suggested Dave. + +"I don't think so. But I'll wait and see. I hung around once for +him--on that island--but he never came back. It isn't often he visits +the same spot twice. That's the reason the authorities around here +haven't caught him." + +"What is his name, Nat?" + +"Wilbur Poole, if you must know. He is my father's half-brother." + +"Where did he come from?" + +"From the Blossmore Sanitarium, in New York state. It's a private +place, near Lake Erie. He lost a lot of money several years ago in a +speculation in Sumatra tobacco and that made him crazy, and that is +why, I suppose, he calls himself the King of Sumatra." + +"Did you know he was missing when you heard of the wild man?" +questioned Dave, with interest. + +"No, I did not, for the sanitarium people did not notify us that he +had gotten away. I suppose they thought he would stay near the +institution and that they would be able to get him again. I can't +imagine what brought him away out here, excepting that I went to see +him once, when he was somewhat better, and I told him about Oakdale +and our school. I knew he called himself the King of Sumatra, and that +is why I got interested in the wild man as soon as I heard you mention +that name. Then, when the handkerchief was found, I was sure the man +was my uncle." + +"And you put the hole in the handkerchief," said our hero. + +"Yes, because--well, I didn't want folks to find out from the +Blossmore authorities that the man was my uncle," answered Nat, +casting down his eyes. "I thought I might be able to catch him and +send him back on the quiet. I didn't want the whole school talking +about it." + +"I can understand your feelings, Nat," said our hero, kindly. "And if +I can help you in the matter, I'll do it." + +"I suppose you'll tell everybody he's my uncle," came bitterly from +the money-lender's son. + +"No, I won't. But I think Doctor Clay ought to know it." + +"And what of your folks?" asked Roger. "Do they know?" + +"I sent my dad a letter about it last week. But he is away on +business, so I don't know when he'll get it or what he'll do. I didn't +let the Blossmore folks know because I don't think my uncle ought to +go back to that place. He ought to be put in an institution where they +are more strict, so he can't get away again." + +"You are right there," said Dave. + +"Nat, don't you know it is highly dangerous to allow that man at +large?" asked the senator's son, after a pause, during which the three +boys turned their footsteps towards the island cabin. + +"Oh, I don't think he is as dangerous as some folks imagine," was the +reply. "He has never actually harmed anybody yet. But he scares 'em." + +"He may have committed some deeds of which you know nothing." + +At these suggestive words from the senator's son Nat turned pale. + +"What do you mean? Have you heard anything, Roger?" + +"I hate to hurt your feelings any further, Nat, but I must be honest +with you. Dave and I have an idea that he was the one who blew up the +dining-room of Sparr's hotel." + +"Oh, impossible!" + +"What Roger says is true," said Dave, gravely. "I am sorry for you, +Nat, but that is the way it looks to us. He was seen around the old +stone bridge when it was blown up, and around the shanty where the +dynamite was kept, and he has been in Oakdale several times, so we +have heard." + +"Oh, he wouldn't do such a thing! He couldn't!" cried the +money-lender's son, in genuine distress. + +"An insane man is liable to do anything, Nat," said Roger. "Why, he +might have set off that dynamite without realizing the consequences. +The best thing we can do is to organize a regular search for him, and +round him up as quickly as possible." + +"I suppose that is so," groaned Nat. "But, oh, how I do hate the +exposure!" + +"You mustn't take it too hard, Nat," said Dave. "Remember, neither you +nor your family are responsible for his condition of mind." + +It did not take the three students long to reach the little cabin. +While Nat was packing up the things he had brought along, Dave and +Roger looked over the place. The wild man had had but few things, none +of them worth mentioning. There was a newspaper and an old magazine, +showing that Wilbur Poole occasionally indulged in reading. + +"Hello, look here!" cried Roger, as he turned the magazine over. +"Well, I declare!" + +"What is it?" asked Dave and Nat, in a breath. + +"Here's a picture, drawn in blue pencil. It is marked Fort, but it +looks like Sparr's hotel." + +"And look what it says!" cried Dave, eying the crude drawing. "'Powder +House to be blown up'! That's the dining-room, as plain as day!" + +"And down here it says, 'Dynamite will do it easily,' and signed, +'King of Sumatra.' Dave, he did it, and this proves it." + +"It certainly looks that way, Roger." + +"Let me see that drawing!" burst out Nat, and would have snatched it +from Roger's hand had not Dave stopped him. + +"You can look at it, Nat, but you must give it back," said our hero. + +"What for? My uncle drew that and I have a right to it." + +"No, I am going to hand this over to Doctor Clay and then to the +Oakdale authorities. It may be needed to clear Phil, Ben, and +Buster." + +"Hurrah, Dave, that's the talk!" cried Roger, with sudden enthusiasm. +"I didn't think of it, but that is just what is needed to clear 'em! +We'll knock Jason Sparr's accusations into a cocked hat!" + +"You let me see that drawing!" shouted Nat, making another grab for +it. "I've got a right to it--if my uncle made it." + +"You can look at it, but you can't handle it," said Dave, and he gave +Roger a look that the senator's son well understood. Both knew that +the money-lender's son could not be trusted with such an important bit +of evidence. + +The drawing was held up, but Nat was not permitted to get too close to +it. He looked it over carelessly and then his lip curled. + +"Huh! I don't think my uncle drew it," he said. + +"And we think he did," returned Dave. + +There was a sudden silence after this. Each boy was busy with his +thoughts. Dave felt particularly light-hearted. + +"This ought to clear Phil and the others," he reasoned. "And they can +come back to school without delay and finish the term and graduate." + +Having packed up his things, Nat got out his bicycle and prepared to +ride back to Oak Hall, and the others did the same. + +"Going to give me that drawing?" asked the money-lender's son, just as +he was ready to start off. + +"No, we are going to turn it over to Doctor Clay," said Roger. + +"All right, have your own way," growled Nat. + +As in coming to the cabin, the money-lender's son took the lead in the +return to Oak Hall. Dave and Roger kept close behind and occasionally +spoke of the happenings in guarded tones. When the school was reached +all left their bicycles in the gymnasium. + +"Going to Doctor Clay now?" demanded Nat. + +"We might as well," said Dave. "The sooner he knows of this, the +better for everybody." + +"All right." + +Doctor Clay was somewhat surprised to see the three boys, dusty and +tired-looking, enter his private office. He listened with close +attention to their tale of visiting the cabin and encountering the +wild man, and looked completely astonished on learning that the man +was Nat's uncle. + +"I am sorry for you, Poole," said he, kindly. "But such things will +happen and you must make the best of it. It is not your fault." + +Then Dave and Roger told of the finding of the old magazine with the +drawing and writing, and Doctor Clay shook his head sorrowfully. + +"Too bad! Too bad!" he murmured. + +"But this clears Lawrence, Basswood, and Beggs," cried Dave. "And it +clears Roger and myself." + +"Yes! yes! so it does, Porter!" + +"Don't you believe it, Doctor Clay!" cried Nat, leaping to his feet. +"It does nothing of the sort! That paper is no kind of evidence at +all!" And thus speaking, the money-lender's son glared defiantly at +Dave and Roger. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +AFTER THE RUNAWAYS + + +"Why, Nat, what do you mean?" demanded Dave. + +"I mean just what I say!" declared the money-lender's son. "This is a +frame-up, nothing more! I understand it all now, although I didn't at +first." + +"What do you mean by 'a frame-up,' Poole?" demanded Doctor Clay. + +"I mean that they took this magazine and the drawing to the cabin, +that is what I mean, Doctor Clay. They found out somehow that +my--er--that the wild man was there, and they got up this scheme to +make it look as if he had blown up the hotel,--and they did it just to +clear their cronies and themselves." + +"Nat, you know that is not true!" exclaimed Roger. "I found the +magazine with the drawing on a shelf in the cabin." + +"Yes, that is what you said, but I don't believe it, Roger Morr. I +think you put the magazine there yourself--you or Dave Porter." + +"We did nothing of the kind," cried our hero. + +"I think you did--and I think Jason Sparr will think so, too, when he +hears the story. It's a frame-up, just to clear yourselves and your +cronies," added Nat, with a sneer. + +"Nat, you ought to be----" began Roger, in high anger, when Dave +stopped him. Our hero looked at Doctor Clay. + +"What Roger says is the absolute truth, Doctor Clay," said our hero. +"He found that magazine on a shelf in the cabin where the wild man was +staying, and that drawing and the wording were on it, just as you see. +More than that, we can prove that the wild man was around the old +shanty where the dynamite was kept, and that he was seen in Oakdale +several times." + +Dave was interrupted here by Nat, and a wordy war lasting several +minutes followed. Finally Doctor Clay said he would take the magazine +and keep it, and that he would notify the authorities in what locality +the wild man might be found, provided he had not gone away further +than expected. + +"I am inclined to believe the story told by Morr and Porter," said he +somewhat sternly to Nat Poole. "But this matter cannot be cleared up +until we find your uncle. When captured, the unfortunate man will most +likely speak of the blowing up in some way or another, if he is +guilty." + +"I don't think so," answered Nat; but his manner showed that he was +much disturbed. Then Dave and Roger were dismissed, and the master of +the school took Nat with him to Oakdale, to see what could be done +towards rounding up Wilbur Poole in the near future. + +"Well, Dave, what is the next move?" asked the senator's son, as the +two were alone in the lavatory, washing up after the long bicycle +ride. + +"I wish I could find Phil and the others and get them to come back +here," responded our hero. "It is a great mistake for them to stay +away." + +"I believe you--it looks just as if they were guilty. I wonder that +they don't come back on their own account, now they have had a chance +to think it over." + +"I think they saw that article in the newspaper, Roger, and it scared +them worse than ever. Maybe they imagine the officers of the law are +waiting to gobble them up." + +"If we only had some trace of them!" + +"I've got an idea I am going to follow up." + +"What sort of an idea?" + +"I was thinking of that baggage that left here. Maybe it was shipped +to some point." + +"You'll have a job tracing it up." + +"I can try it, anyway," answered our hero. + +A day slipped by and nothing more was said about the affair by Doctor +Clay or Nat Poole. Then Nat left the school, telling some friends he +was going home for a week's rest. + +"Most likely he is after his uncle," was Roger's comment, and Dave +agreed with him. + +As soon as he could get the time Dave went to Oakdale to see if he +could find any trace of the baggage belonging to Phil and the others +who had run away. He made many inquiries but without success, and was +on the point of returning to the school when he happened to think of +an old man named Dowling, who did some trucking and who knew Buster +Beggs very well. + +"We'll go around to Dowling's place," said he to his chum. + +They found the old man in a little shanty behind his house which he +called his office. It had an old easy-chair and a desk, and on the +wall was a telephone. + +"How do you do, boys," he said, politely. "What can I do for you? Want +some baggage shipped?" + +"No, I came for some information, Mr. Dowling," said Dave. "Have you +shipped any baggage for Buster Beggs lately?" + +At the mention of the fat student's name the old expressman started. + +"What do you want to know that for?" he demanded. + +"I've a very good reason, Mr. Dowling. I want to do Beggs a favor." + +"Reckon you want to find him, eh?" + +"Yes." + +"So do some other folks;" and the old man chuckled. + +"Well, we are his friends, and we want to find him for his own good." + +"Who be you, if I may ask?" + +"I am Dave Porter, and this is Roger Morr. Buster Beggs is our friend, +and so are Phil Lawrence and Ben Basswood. They ran away and it was +foolish for them to do it. Now we want to find them and get them to +come back here." + +"It was foolish for 'em to run away--I said thet all along," murmured +the old expressman. + +"Then you know where they are?" put in Roger quickly. + +"No, I don't." + +"But you took their baggage away, didn't you?" questioned Dave, for he +could see that the old man was holding something back. + +"I allow as how I moved some things for 'em, yes," was the cautious +reply. + +"When they ran away?" pursued Dave. + +The old expressman nodded. + +"Who got those bags from Oak Hall?" asked Roger. + +"Thet's a secret," and now the old man really chuckled, as if he +thought it was a good joke. + +"You did!" declared Dave, bound to get at the truth. + +"No, I didn't. Buster did--carried 'em down on his back, one at a +time, in the middle o' the night, an' nobuddy knew it! Say, they could +walk off with yer hull school if they wanted to!" And the old +expressman chuckled again. + +"You were waiting for him?" continued Dave. + +"Might be as I was." + +"And you took the baggage to the depot?" + +"Maybe I did." + +"And had them checked on railroad tickets?" + +"No, Buster went one way, and the bags went tudder--leas'wise so I was +given to understand. Maybe he done it to put me off the track," +continued Isaac Dowling. + +"But where did the bags go to?" demanded Dave. "Come, out with it, Mr. +Dowling. I give you my word that I am acting for Buster's good. I +wouldn't get him into trouble for the world. He is my chum, and so are +those other boys my friends." + +"Well, you look honest, boy, so I'll tell ye. The baggage was sent by +express to a place called Camptown Falls, in Maine." + +"Camptown Falls!" cried Roger. Then he looked at Dave, who nodded, to +show that he understood. + +"Did Buster say he was going elsewhere?" queried Dave. + +"He didn't say so, exactly. But he mentioned Boston, an' I thought he +was goin' there." + +"He left on the train?" + +"No, he didn't! He went off in the darkness, an' that's the last I see +o' him," concluded Isaac Dowling, as a hail came for him to come into +the house. + +"Camptown Falls," said Dave, when he and Roger were alone. "Can they +have gone to that out-of-the-way spot?" + +"It would be the place Buster would pick out, Dave. He has often +spoken of going camping up there." + +"He must have mentioned Boston just to throw old Dowling off the +track." + +"More than likely. And to think he took those bags away while we +slept!" + +"I wonder where Phil and Ben were at the time?" + +"I don't know. Maybe they were at that camp." + +Much excited over what they had learned, Dave and the senator's son +returned to Oak Hall. They had expected to interview Doctor Clay and +were chagrined to learn that he had gone to New York on important +business and would not return for two days. Mr. Dale had been left in +charge of the school. + +"Roger, do you know what I think of doing?" said our hero. "I've a +good notion to get permission to leave the Hall and go after Phil and +the others. I think I can get them to come back." + +"Want me to go along?" + +"That will hardly be necessary. Besides, I'd like somebody to stay +here and watch Nat Poole, if he comes back. Do you know, I've a notion +that Nat knows more about this affair than he would like to tell." + +"He certainly acts that way." + +"I am going to see Mr. Dale." + +Our hero had a long talk with the head assistant, and the upshot of +this was that he got permission to go to Maine, to look for the +runaways. He was to be gone no longer than was absolutely necessary. + +It did not take our hero long to prepare for the trip. He packed a few +things in a suit-case and then he was ready. He consulted a map and +some timetables, and found he could leave Oakdale on the first train +in the morning, and by making two changes, reach Camptown Falls about +two o'clock in the afternoon. Nobody but Roger and Mr. Dale knew that +he was going away. + +"Got money enough, have you, Dave?" questioned the senator's son. + +"Yes, Roger." + +"It's a wild kind of a spot, so Buster told me." + +"I am not afraid of that--if only I can locate the boys," answered our +hero. + +"How are you going to look for them?" + +"I don't know yet--I'll find out after I get there." + +It must be confessed that Dave slept but little that night. His mind +was filled with what was before him. He felt that he had quite a +mission to perform, first in locating the runaways and then in +persuading them to return to Oak Hall to face the music. + +He had an early breakfast, Roger eating with him, and then the buggy, +driven by Horsehair, was brought around and he got in, and a minute +later he was off, the senator's son waving him an adieu from the porch +of the school. + +Dave found the first train he rode on but half filled with passengers, +and he had a double seat to himself. He changed at the Junction, and +about noon reached Lumberport, where he was to take the train on the +little side-line for Camptown Falls. At Lumberport he got dinner, at a +hotel frequented by lumbermen. He sat at a long table with half a +dozen men and listened to their talk with interest when he heard +Camptown Falls mentioned. + +"Yes, they tell me there is great danger of the dam giving way just +above Camptown Falls," one of the men said. "Doxey reported it hasn't +been safe for a week." + +"Say, if that dam gave way it would do a lot of damage below the +Falls," said another. + +"It certainly would," replied a tall lumberman. "It would wipe out +some of those camps on Moosetail Island. I rather guess the water +would cover the whole island." + +"Somebody ought to warn the campers," said another. + +"Oh, I guess they know it already," was the answer. + +Dave arose from the table feeling very uneasy. He remembered the name, +Moosetail Island, now. Buster had once mentioned it, stating he had +camped there and would like to go again. Were the runaways there now, +and in danger of the dam, should it break? + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +AT THE CAMP + + +At last the train came that was to take our hero to the railroad +station of Camptown Falls. It was merely a flag station, but the +conductor said he would stop there for any passenger who might wish to +get off. The railroad was a single-track affair, running through the +woods and across the country stretches, and the train consisted of one +passenger car and several freights. + +Dave looked at the passengers and counted them. There were just an +even dozen, and of these, ten were men, farmers and those in the +lumber business. One, a bright young fellow, sat near our hero, and +Dave resolved to ask him if he knew anything about Camptown Falls and +the summer camps in that vicinity. + +"Yes, I know all about the Falls," said the young lumberman. "I work +not over three miles from there--at Cropley's--the station this side +of Camptown. There ain't any town, not since the Jewell Lumber Company +busted up. Some folks camp out there, down along the river and on +Moosetail Island, but there aren't near as many as there used to be." + +"Somebody said the dam above Camptown Falls was dangerous?" said +Dave. + +"I think it is myself, and I can't understand how they allow folks to +camp along the river and on that island. If that dam ever broke it +would be good-by to anybody on the island, I'm thinking." + +"Have you been up to the island lately?" + +"I was there about a week ago." + +"Who were there then, do you know?" + +"A couple of men from Portland and half a dozen young fellers from +Springfield. There was another camp, with some women in it, but I +didn't get around to that, I only heard of it. There are half a dozen +camps along the right bank of the river, but they are on high ground, +and if the dam broke it isn't likely the water would reach 'em," +continued the young lumberman. + +The train rolled along at a rate of twenty miles an hour, making stops +at stations and crossroads. Here and there a person got on or off, and +by the time Camptown Falls was reached Dave had the passenger car +almost to himself. + +The train halted for but a minute and our hero alighted, suit-case in +hand. Much to his surprise, not a soul was about the little depot, +which looked old and dilapidated. There was a stretch of fields +beyond the track, and farther on he made out the glistening waters of +the river, and in the center the woodland stretch known as Moosetail +Island. + +"Well, this surely is Lonesome Land!" Dave murmured to himself, as the +train rumbled out of sight and he was left utterly alone. "And not +another train until eight o'clock to-morrow morning! I'll have a fine +time of it to-night if I don't meet those fellows, or run across some +camp where they will take me in." + +Dave looked at the sky and this did not tend to increase his good +spirits. When he had left Oakdale it had been warm and clear; now dark +clouds were forming overhead and it looked as if it might rain before +long. + +"Well, I've got my raincoat and a waterproof cap, and that is one +comfort," he told himself. "But I had better hurry up and see if I +can't find Phil and the others before it gets too dark. I wish there +was somebody here who could tell me where to go." + +He looked around for a sign of some habitation. Far across the river +he saw a column of smoke, coming up from among the trees, but that was +all. The only building in sight was the deserted depot. + +There was something of a path leading from the depot to the river, and +Dave followed this. But soon the path seemed to divide, and the +various branches became more indistinct at every step, especially as +it was rapidly growing darker and darker. + +"I'll strike a straight course for Moosetail Island," Dave said to +himself. "I'll surely find some people camping out there, and they may +be able to tell me about the boys, if they are here." + +As he approached the river, going down a small hill, the way became +stony, and he had to walk with care, for fear of going into some hole, +or twisting an ankle. It was hard work, especially with the suit-case, +and he half wished he had hidden the baggage somewhere near the +depot. + +"I was a big chump that I didn't bring some lunch along," he reasoned. +And then he had to smile at himself, as he remembered how he had +imagined that he might put up at some hotel in Camptown Falls! He had +not dreamed that the place would prove such a lonely one. It was +certainly an ideal spot for runaways who wished to remain +undiscovered. + +Presently Dave found himself at the bank of the river, a wide but +shallow stream, filled with sandbars, rocks, and piles of driftwood. +Not a great distance off was the end of Moosetail Island. + +It was now so dark that our hero could see but little. As he stood at +the edge of the river, he heard a patter on the leaves of the trees +and knew it had begun to rain. + +"Wonder how they get to the island?" he mused. "They must either use +canoes, or else wade across, or ford along the stones." + +He moved along the river-bank, and soon came to a point where the +stones in the river seemed to stretch in a line from the bank to the +island. + +"I guess I'll try it here," he told himself. "But I think I had better +leave the suit-case behind." + +He placed the case in a tree, sheltering it as much as possible from +the rain, which was now coming down at a lively rate. Then, donning +his raincoat and waterproof cap, he set out over the rocks in the +river, leaping from one to the next and heading for the island. + +It was no easy journey, and when but half-way to Moosetail Island Dave +slipped and went into the stream up to his knees. He floundered around +for a moment, splashing the water into his face and over his coat and +cap. + +"Phew! this is lots of fun!" was his grim comment, as he at length +found himself on a flat rock, catching his breath. "Well, I am +half-way over, anyway." + +The remainder of the distance proved easier traveling, and ten minutes +later our hero stood on the island. It was now raining steadily, and +the darkness of the storm had settled everywhere. + +"I guess the best thing I can do is to move right around the shore of +this island," he reasoned. "By doing that I am bound to strike one of +the camps, sooner or later." + +He moved along as rapidly as the rocky shore of Moosetail Island +permitted. He had to proceed with care, for there were many dangerous +pitfalls. + +At length his heart was gladdened by the sight of a rude log cabin, +set in the trees a little back from the water. He hurried to it and +found the door and window closed. Evidently the spot was deserted. + +"Nobody here," he murmured, and his heart sank for the moment, for he +could see that the camp had not been used for a long time. Then he +went on, the rain in the meanwhile coming down harder than ever. The +downfall made him think of the dam that was said to be weak. What if +the present storm should make that structure give way? + +"I wish we were all out of this," he murmured. "I wonder if it would +do any good to call?" + +He set up a yell and listened, and then he yelled again. From a long +distance came an answering cry. + +"Hurrah, that's somebody, anyway!" he exclaimed. "I hope it was one of +the boys!" + +He stumbled in the direction of the cry. Then he yelled once more, and +again came the answering call. But now Dave was sure it was a man's +voice, and he was somewhat disappointed. + +"Where are you?" he called out, a moment later. "Where are you?" + +"This way! Come this way!" was the reply, and soon Dave passed through +a patch of timber and around some rocks and reached a spot where there +was a tiny cove, with a stretch of fine sand. Facing the cove was a +neat log cabin with a small lean-to, the latter containing a tiny +stove. + +A tall, good-natured man stood in the lean-to, peering out into the +rain. He watched Dave's approach with interest. He looked to be what +he was, a camp-cook and general worker. + +"Hello!" he exclaimed, as Dave hurried in out of the rain and shook +the water from his cap. "I thought you were one of our crowd." + +"What camp is this?" questioned our hero, eagerly. + +"Well, it ain't no camp in particular," answered the man, with a grin. +"It's jest a camp." + +"But who is stopping here?" + +"Three young fellers and myself." + +"Are their names Beggs, Lawrence, and Basswood?" + +"You've struck it. Maybe you are a friend to 'em?" went on the man, +inquiringly. + +"I am, and I have come a long distance to find them," returned Dave, +and his tone of voice showed his relief. "Where are they?" + +"They left the camp right after dinner an' they ain't back yet. When +you called I thought it was one of 'em, although they didn't expect to +be back much before supper-time. But now it's rainin' I guess they'll +come back sooner." + +"How long have they been here?" + +"Most a week now, I guess. I didn't come till day before yesterday. I +didn't have nothin' to do an' they give me a job, cookin' an' like +that," returned the man. + +He invited Dave to make himself at home, and our hero was glad enough +to go inside and take off the wet raincoat and also his shoes and +socks. The baggage belonging to Phil and the others was in the cabin, +and he helped himself to dry garments and a dry pair of slippers. + +"We are all school chums," he told the man. "My name is Dave Porter." + +"Oh, I heard 'em talkin' about you!" cried the camp-worker, and then +said his own name was Jerry Blutt, and that he was from Tegley, just +across the Canadian border. + +"We are not far from the border here, are we?" asked our hero. + +"About six miles, thet's all," answered Jerry Blutt, and this reply +gave Dave another idea. More than likely Buster and the others had +chosen this spot so that, if pursued by the officers of the law, they +could flee into Canada. + +Jerry Blutt said the three lads had spent their time in various ways, +occasionally going fishing and swimming. They had also written some +letters and gone to the railroad station to mail them in the box +placed there for that purpose. + +"Have they been having a good time?" asked Dave, curiously. + +"I can't say as to that, Mr. Porter. They did seem mighty worried over +something," answered the camp worker, and from this our hero felt +certain that the man had not been let into the secret of why the +runaways were there at all. + +Half an hour went by and it continued to rain as hard as ever, while +the sky remained dark and the wind blew with more or less violence. +Time and again Dave went to the cabin door, to peer out into the +storm, but each time he turned back disappointed. His chums were not +yet in sight. + +"They'll be surprised to see me," he thought. "I wonder if they will +listen to reason and go back with me? Supposing they refuse to return? +I'd hate to go back alone." + +Then he questioned Jerry Blutt about the dam above the Falls. The man +shrugged his shoulders. + +"It ain't safe, so they tell me," he said. "But it's been that way a +long time, so maybe it won't break away yet awhile. But I'd hate to be +on the river when she does go." + +"Are there any other camps on this island?" went on our hero. + +"Not now. There was some other folks, two or three parties, I was +told, but they all moved out yesterday an' the day before. Maybe they +got afraid o' the dam," concluded the camp-worker. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +OUT IN THE STORM + + +"This is getting to be something fierce!" + +It was Dave who uttered the words, about five o'clock in the +afternoon. He was looking out of the door of the cabin, and beside him +stood Jerry Blutt. + +The storm had kept up without intermission, the rain coming down in a +perfect torrent, and the wind blowing in fitful gusts from the east. +It was raw and depressing, and our hero could not help but shiver as +he looked out on the turbulent waters of the river. + +"It's a pity them fellers ain't got back," said the camp-worker, with +a slow shake of his head. "It ain't nice to be out in sech a downpour +as this, an' with sech a wind! Might a tree blow down on 'em!" And he +shook his head again. + +Dave was even more distressed than the man. He could not get that dam +out of his mind. Such a heavy fall of rain would certainly cause a +great flow of water, and if the structure was weak, most anything bad +was liable to happen. + +"As soon as the boys get back I'll urge them to leave here," he told +himself. "If that dam breaks we want to be on high ground, where the +flood can't reach us." + +"'Pears to me like the river was gittin' putty high," remarked Jerry +Blutt, a little later, as he watched the water in the cove closely. + +"Well, it would rise some with all this rain coming down," returned +Dave. + +"So it might,--but I don't know. I wish this camp was on the shore, +instid o' this island." + +"So do I," answered Dave, bluntly. + +A fire had been started in the stove and a lantern lit, and Jerry +Blutt rather reluctantly began preparations for the evening meal. But +he kept peering out of the doorway of the cabin, and from the lean-to, +and his eyes always rested on the river, with its rain-swept, swollen +surface. + +"I don't like it at all!" he said, finally. "I wish we had moved over +to the shore." + +"Don't you think it is safe to stay here?" + +"It ain't as safe as it might be. If I was alone----" The man stopped +short. + +"What would you do?" + +"I hate to say it, but I think I'd go over to the shore, till the +storm was over and I knew jest how thet dam was a-goin' to act." + +"Well, I don't blame you," answered Dave. "And if you want to go, go +ahead." + +"Want me to go alone?" + +"If you wish to go, yes." + +"But it ain't no safer fer you than it is fer me." + +"That's so, too. But I want to see those other fellows--in fact, I +must see them. If I went to the shore I might miss them." + +"You could come back later on." + +"But I want to warn them of the danger from the dam." + +"You could write a letter and stick it up where they couldn't help but +see it. Then---- What's that?" + +The camp-worker stopped short, as a distant cry reached their ears, +sounding out above the wind. An instant later the cry was repeated. + +"That is Ben Basswood's voice!" cried Dave. "They must be coming +back!" + +Soon another voice sounded out, and our hero recognized Buster Beggs's +tones. He ran to the cabin door. All was dark outside, and the rain +was being driven in sheets by the wind. + +"Hello! hello!" he yelled, and catching up the lantern, he swung it +out in one direction and another. Then he saw two forms approaching on +the run, each dripping with water. + +"Ben! And Buster!" + +"Why, if it isn't Dave!" + +"Where in the world did you come from?" + +"Where is Phil?" demanded our hero. + +"He is somewhere behind us," answered Buster. "Oh, what a time we've +had!" and entering the cabin, the fat youth sank down on a bench all +but exhausted. + +"We've had to tramp for over two miles in this rain," explained Ben. +"And of course we had to ford to the island. Say, the current is +something fierce now! And the water is getting higher every minute!" +he added. + +"Did you say Phil was behind you?" demanded Dave. He still held the +lantern on high. + +"I thought he was--sure, he must be," answered Ben. "Give him a hail, +will you? I'm too tired," and he sank on the bench beside Buster. + +"Phil! Phil!" yelled our hero, at the top of his lungs. "This way! +This way!" and he swung the lantern to the right and left. + +"Did you say the river is rising?" demanded Jerry Blutt. "How high is +it? Over the White Bar yet?" + +"Yes, the Bar is a foot under water," answered Ben. "Oh, this is a +great storm!" + +"A foot under water!" murmured the camp-worker. "Say, we better git +out! First thing you know this hull island will be under! An' if thet +dam breaks----" + +"Oh, the dam!" gasped Buster. "I forgot about that! They say it isn't +safe at all! That is why all the other campers got out! Yes, we must +leave the island and go to the shore." He turned to Dave. "Did you +come alone?" + +"Yes, Buster. I'll tell you all about it later. But now we must find +Phil." + +"I thought he was right behind me," came from Ben. He looked greatly +distressed. "I wonder if anything happened to him? Maybe he slipped +off the rocks into the river!" + +"We must look for him!" cried Dave, and reached for his coat and cap. +"Show me the way you came, Ben." + +Ben was nothing loath, and side by side the two chums ran outside into +the storm, and in the direction of the upper end of the island. They +had gone but a short distance when they reached a low spot and here +suddenly found themselves in water several inches deep. + +"Hello, you are taking me into the river!" cried Dave. + +"This isn't the river!" answered Ben, with a gasp. "Gosh! how the +water is rising! This was dry when I came over it before!" + +"Dry!" ejaculated our hero. "Ben, are you sure?" + +"Positive! Say, the water is rising to beat the band! I guess we had +better get out! If we don't we'll have to swim for it!" + +"Phil! Phil! Where are you?" + +Standing in water up to his ankles, our hero called again and again, +and Ben joined in the cry. The lantern was flashed in all directions. +But nothing was seen or heard of the missing student. + +"I am sure he started to follow us across the river," said Ben. +"Buster was in front, I came next, and Phil was in the rear. I asked +him twice if he was all right and he said he was. Then it blew so +hard, and the rain got so heavy, none of us said any more. Oh, Dave, +what shall we do?" + +"I don't know Ben--wish I did." + +"Do you think he slipped off the rocks and was--was--drowned?" + +"I hope not." + +"If he was, wouldn't it be terrible?" + +"Yes." + +A cry came from behind them, and Buster appeared, followed by Jerry +Blutt. + +"Where is Phil?" demanded the stout youth. + +"We don't know." + +"The water is terribly high, and Jerry thinks we had better move to +the shore. He says we might be drowned if that dam should break." + +"Don't you think we ought to find Phil first?" + +"Sure--if we can. Maybe he went back, when he found out how the water +was rising," went on the stout youth, hopefully. + +"I don't think he'd desert us," answered Ben. "That isn't Phil's +style." + +"You're right, Ben," said Dave. + +All splashed around in the water for several minutes, but without +making any discovery of importance. The river was now rising more +rapidly than ever, and the camp-worker showed increased nervousness. + +"Ain't no two ways about it--the dam's bust!" he cried, at last. "I'm +goin' to git out, an' I advise all o' you to do the same. If you want +me to carry anything to shore I'll do it." + +"We can't carry any trunks in such a hurry," said Buster. + +"Let us carry our suit-cases and bundles," said Ben. + +With heavy hearts, Dave and the others returned to the cabin. The +water in the cove had now risen so high that it swept the edge of the +lean-to. + +"Can we get to shore?" asked Buster. "We haven't any boat," he added, +turning to Dave. + +"We can if you'll hurry," replied Jerry Blutt. "Every minit lost makes +it jest so much more dangerous." + +In great haste Ben and Buster and the camp-worker gathered together +such belongings as they could conveniently carry. The other things +were placed in a trunk and hoisted by ropes into a big tree. Then a +lantern was tied on a post in front of the cabin and to it was +fastened a brief note, for Phil's benefit, stating they had gone to +the shore. + +"Oh, I hope he is safe!" murmured Dave, anxiously. + +"So do I," added his chums. + +Jerry Blutt led the way along the shore of the island and then out +into the stream. They had the second camp lantern with them, one +belonging to Jerry. He led the way from rock to rock, and they +followed in single file, Dave bringing up the rear. Ever and anon our +hero looked back for some sign of Phil, but without avail. + +Once out in the river, all were certain that the dam above Camptown +Falls had burst. The water ran with great rapidity and was filled with +dirt and débris of various kinds. On the rocks that were low they had +all they could do to keep their footing. + +The most dangerous part of the river had yet to be passed--a section +close to the shore, where the water was deep and the rocks for fording +few. + +"Mind your footin' here!" sang out the camp-worker. "An' if you slip, +look out thet you don't hurt yourselves!" + +He was splashing along in water up to his knees, sometimes on the +rocks and then again on a sandbar running in that direction. Then he +had to make a turn, to avoid a deep portion of the stream, where the +current was rapid. + +Ben was behind the man and Buster was just ahead of Dave. As all +struggled along, there came an extra heavy blast of wind, followed by +a perfect deluge of rain. + +"Oh!" screamed Buster, an instant later, and peering through the rain, +Dave saw him suddenly throw up his arms and slip from a rock. There +was a splash, and poor Buster disappeared from view. + +"Buster is in the river!" yelled our hero, and then he leaped for the +rock from which the stout youth had fallen. He looked down and saw an +arm and a head come up. + +"Help! hel----" came from the unfortunate one, and then the swift +current caught him and turned him over, out of sight. + +"Help!" yelled Dave, to attract the attention of those ahead. And +then, as he saw Ben turn back, he slipped down on the rock and into +the swirling river and struck out after Buster. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +PERILS OF THE FLOOD + + +"Dave! Dave!" yelled Ben, as he saw our hero disappear into the +swiftly-flowing river. "Look out, or you'll both be drowned!" + +"What's the trouble?" yelled Jerry Blutt, as he turned back for the +first time since leaving the island. + +"Buster slipped in, and Dave went after him," answered Ben. "Oh, what +shall we do?" he went on, despairingly. + +"Here--we'll throw out the rope!" answered the camp-worker, and took +from his shoulder a rope he carried. + +In the meantime Dave had come up and was striking out with might and +main for his chum. Our hero realized that Buster must be hurt, +otherwise he would swim to save himself. + +"Must have struck on his head, when he went over," he thought, and he +was right, poor Buster had done just that and now lay half-unconscious +as the current swept him further and further from his friends. + +It was too dark to see much, and Dave had all he could do to keep in +sight of the unfortunate one. But presently the stout youth's body +struck against a rock and was held there, and our hero came up and +seized the lad by the arm. + +"Buster! Buster!" he called out. "What's wrong? Can't you swim?" + +"Hel--help me!" gasped the fat youth. "I--I got a knock on the head. +I'm so--so dizzy I do--don't know what I--I'm do--doing!" + +The current now tore Buster away from the rock, and he and Dave +floated along on the bosom of the river for a distance of fifty yards. +It was impossible to do much swimming in that madly-rushing element +and Dave wisely steered for shore. He continued to support his friend, +who seemed unable to do anything for himself. + +At length, when our hero was all but exhausted, his feet struck a +sandbar. At once he stood up, finding himself in water that reached to +his waist. He caught up Buster and placed the weakened lad over his +shoulder. In a dim, uncertain way he saw the shore loom up in front of +him, and struck out in that direction. + +It was a short but hard struggle. Twice Dave went down, once losing +his hold on his chum. But he got up each time and went after Buster in +a hurry. Then he made a final dash, came in contact with some bushes, +and hauled himself and his burden to temporary safety. + +All was dark around the two boys, and the rain came down as pitilessly +as ever. But for this they did not, just then, care. They had been +close to death, and now they were safe, and that counted for +everything. + +Poor Buster had received a severe bump on the forehead and had a +swelling there of considerable size. But the stunning effect was +passing, and he was able to sit up and peer around him. + +"Oh, what a crack I got, when I fell over!" he murmured, and then he +added, gratefully: "It was a fine thing for you to jump in after me, +Dave!" + +"Well, I couldn't stand there and see you drown, Buster," answered our +hero. "I had to do something." + +"Where are the others?" + +"Up the stream--unless they went overboard, too." + +"Then I suppose we ought to walk that way." + +"We will--after we get our breath and you feel strong enough." + +"Maybe you can call to them?" + +"I'll try." + +Dave yelled at the top of his voice, not once but several times. +Presently an answering hail arose from a distance, and then Ben came +running up, followed by Jerry. + +"Dave! Buster! Are you safe?" + +"Yes," answered both. + +"Oh, I am so glad! We were afraid you were both drowned! How did it +happen?" + +The two told their story, and then the others told how they had thrown +out the rope and had seen Dave disappear in the darkness after +Buster. + +"I would have jumped in, too, but I didn't see how I could do any +good," went on Ben. "Jerry said we had better come ashore and look for +you down here. So we did that. My! but it's a fearful flood, isn't +it!" + +"Yes. I wish we knew where Phil was," and Dave heaved a deep sigh. Had +their chum lost his life in that rapidly-rising river? + +"Ain't no ust to stay here--gitting wetter an' wetter," said the +camp-worker, after a pause. "Besides, if that flood gits wuss it is +bound to come up here. We better git further back--up the hill." + +"Is there any shelter around here? I mean on high ground?" asked +Dave. + +"Yes, I know of a cabin up on the hill," answered Buster. "I don't +know if I can find it in the rain and darkness, but I can try." + +He walked along, through the trees, until he reached a footpath +running up from the shore. They followed the path for about a hundred +yards, and then came in sight of a long, low, rambling cabin, the home +in years gone by of some lumbermen. It was in a dilapidated state, +with doors and windows gone, but it would provide a roof over their +heads, and that was something. + +Entering, the lantern was hung on a nail, and they looked around them. +There was a fireplace, with some dry sticks handy, and soon they had a +fire started, which added much to the comfort of the surroundings. +They hung up the majority of their wet garments and sat close to the +blaze, drying themselves. + +"If I only knew where to look for Phil, I'd go after him," said Dave. +"But to look for him in the darkness is like looking for the +proverbial needle in the haystack." + +"We'll have to go out first thing in the morning," returned Ben. + +"Yes, as soon as we can see," added Buster. + +The boys who had run away were anxious to learn what Dave had to say +about affairs at Oakdale, and in a low voice, while the camp-worker +was preparing hot coffee and something to eat, he related what had +happened since their departure. + +"You made a big mistake to run away," he said, earnestly. "Just +because you did that, many folks feel sure you must be guilty. You +ought to go right back and face the music." + +"I guess you are right, Dave," answered Ben, shamefacedly. "But when +Phil said 'run,' I didn't stop to think, but just got out." + +"And that is what I did, too," added the stout youth. "But I don't +blame Phil any more than I blame myself," he added, hastily. + +"Nor do I," said Ben. "We made a big mistake. We should have stood our +ground, like you and Roger did." + +"Well, you come back with me, and we'll face this to a finish," went +on our hero. "But, of course, we've got to find Phil first." + +Only the camp-worker slept well that night. The boys were restless, +and several times one or another got up, to go to the doorway and +listen, thinking he had heard a call from Phil. But the calls were +only imaginary, and morning dawned without a sign of the missing one. + +It was still raining, but not so hard as before, and by eight o'clock +the clouds broke away and the sun commenced to shine. All had an early +breakfast, from the stores brought along, and then the party hurried +down to the river. + +That the dam above Camptown Falls had broken was plainly evident on +all sides. During the night the river had risen seven or eight feet, +bearing on its bosom many trees and bushes, with here and there the +remains of camps that had been located on low ground. Moosetail Island +had been swept from end to end, only the higher spots escaping the +flood. The waters were now going down, the rush from the broken dam +having spent itself. + +The boys gave scant heed to the destruction effected by the rain and +the broken dam. All their thoughts were centered on Phil. What had +become of their chum? Was he dead or alive? + +"I wonder if it wouldn't be best to get over to the island and look +around?" suggested Dave. "Most likely he went there--thinking you +would be at the cabin." + +"But how are we to get to the island?" asked Buster. He had no desire +to fall into the turbulent stream again. + +"Oh, the water is going down rapidly, Buster. I think we can make it +by noon." + +All walked up and down the river bank, looking in vain for some trace +of the shipowner's son. Once they met some people from another camp +and asked about Phil. But these folks shook their heads. + +"Didn't see a soul," said one of the men. + +Jerry Blutt had been looking the situation over carefully, and he said +he thought they could get to the island by going up the river a +distance. + +"Then the current will help us along, and we won't have to fight so +hard," said the camp-worker. He did not like the idea of crossing the +water, but did not wish to desert the boys. + +On the trip they carried the rope, with Jerry at the head and Dave at +the rear. All took tight hold, so that if one slipped the others might +pull him up. + +"Now, take it easy," cautioned the camp man. "This water is runnin' +putty swift, even yet." + +He had mapped out a course with his eye, and proceeded slowly and +cautiously. Once away from the shore, they felt the full force of the +onrushing waters and were all but swept from their feet. It was well +that they were a good distance above Moosetail Island, for to reach +this spot by going straight out in the stream would have been +impossible. + +It was a long, hard, and dangerous trip, and all drew a deep breath of +relief when they finally set foot on the island. At times they had +been in water up to their waists and it had looked as if they must +surely be swept away. Once a tree branch, coming swiftly along, had +caught Dave and literally carried him off his feet for several yards. + +They landed at one end of the island, at a point where the bushes were +still two feet under water. The evidences of the flood were on every +hand, and the water was muddy and filled with broken-away brushwood +and trees. + +"I guess we had better strike out for the camp," said Dave. "Phil +would go there if he went anywhere." + +As they advanced one or another gave a loud call. But no answer came +back, and this made them look gravely at each other. Was the perilous +trip to the island to prove a vain one? + +In a quarter of an hour they came in sight of the camp. The cove had +been blotted out, and the water was eddying around the cabin to a +depth of several inches. Mud was everywhere, inside the place and out, +and this showed that the flood had swept the spot at a height of +several feet. + +"We might have stayed here," was Buster's comment. "It didn't hurt the +big tree." + +"But we didn't know how bad it was going to be," answered Ben. "It +might have washed away the whole island." + +"Let us go up to the high ground and look for Phil," suggested Dave. +"Maybe he went to the highest spot he could find." + +The others agreed, and leaving the camp-worker at the cabin, the boys, +led by Buster, tramped through the wet and mud to a little hill. Again +they set up their calls, but, as before, no answer came back. + +"I don't believe he came here," said Ben, at last. "If he was here he +would surely hear us." + +"Unless he was hurt and couldn't answer," returned Dave. + +From the top of the little hill they could see both ends of Moosetail +Island and also both shores of the river. As they gazed about them, +Dave suddenly gave a shout. + +"Look! look!" he cried, pointing to the shore which they had left but +a short while before. "There is somebody waving a handkerchief at +us!" + +"It's Phil!" returned Ben. + +"Are you sure?" questioned Buster. "I can see it is a man or a boy, +but that is all." + +"It looks like Phil," said Dave. "Oh, I hope it is!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +BACK TO THE SCHOOL + + +They waved frantically to the person on the shore, and he waved +frantically in return, and at last all were convinced that it must +really be their missing chum. + +"He must think I am Jerry," said Dave. "Won't he be surprised to see +me!" + +"He will be, unless he was at the cabin last night and read the note," +returned Buster. + +"The note wasn't touched," said Ben. "I noticed that it was exactly as +we left it." + +All gave a parting wave and pointed to the shore, and then left the +hill. They made their way down to the cabin, and told the camp-worker +what they had seen. + +"It must be Lawrence," said Jerry Blutt. "Maybe he'll come over here, +instead of waiting for us to go to him." + +"Gracious, I never thought of that!" cried Buster. + +"We'll be like the men in one of Shadow's stories," said Ben. "One was +upstairs in a big office building and one downstairs. The man +upstairs went down, and the downstairs man went up, and they kept that +up until both stopped, tired out, one upstairs and one down." And the +others had to smile at the brief yarn. + +All journeyed to the lower shore of the island, where they could get a +better view of the spot where the person they thought was Phil had +been. They saw the party walking up the river bank, looking for a good +place to ford. All shouted loudly and waved their hands to keep him +where he was, and he nodded his head deeply, to show that he +understand. + +"It must be Phil," said Dave. "Oh, how thankful I am that he wasn't +carried away by the flood!" + +The boys were impatient to get back to the shore, and Jerry Blutt did +not blame them. To carry any of the stuff over was still out of the +question, and they did not attempt it. + +"You can come and get it some day, Jerry," said Buster. "You can ship +it to us by express, and we'll pay you for your trouble;" and so it +was arranged. + +It was as hard to gain the shore as it had been to reach the island, +and all were well-nigh exhausted when they finally left the water, not +to return again. Phil saw them coming, and when he made out Dave he +was almost dumfounded. + +"Where in the world did you come from?" he demanded, as he caught our +hero by the hand. + +"From Oakdale, Phil." + +"Did you run away, too?" demanded the shipowner's son. + +"Hardly," answered Dave, with a grin. "I came to bring you fellows +back. But first tell us, how did you get out of the flood last +night?" + +"Oh, I had a fierce time of it. I tried to get back to the camp, but +stumbled over some tree-roots and went down in a hole and hurt my +ankle. When I got up I couldn't see the others, and I must have lost +my way. Then it began to rain and get dark, and I didn't know which +way to turn. I yelled dozens of times, but I didn't hear any answer. I +tried to locate the cabin, but I must have been completely turned +around, for I came out on the shore. Then the flood came along, and +before I knew it I was floating down the river. I hit a tree and clung +to that, and we drifted a mile or more before the tree got stuck on a +sandbar. I stayed there, in the rain and darkness, until morning and +then waded and swam ashore. I was so tired out I had to rest for +awhile, and then I came up here, to try to find out something about +our crowd. I was thinking of getting over to the island again when I +saw you on the top of the hill. Of course, I thought Dave was +Jerry." + +"We were scared to death, thinking you had been drowned," said Ben. + +"Well, I came pretty close to it," was the serious reply. "No more +such flood for me!" + +All turned towards the cabin where four of the party had spent the +night, and there Jerry was called on to prepare the best meal their +limited stores afforded. On the river-bank they had picked up some +fish cast up by the flood, and these were broiled, making a welcome +addition to the meal. + +While the meal was being prepared, and after it had been eaten, Dave +had a serious talk with Phil and the others, and all realized the +folly they had committed in running away from Oak Hall. Phil in +particular, was much disturbed and said he had been thinking of coming +back. + +"But we saw that article in the newspaper, and it scared us," went on +the shipowner's son. "Of course, it didn't mention any names, but we +knew it was meant for us. I know now, just as well as the others, that +it was a mistake to run away." + +"Then, you'll go back with me?" questioned Dave, eagerly. + +"Yes." + +"And you'll go back, too, Ben and Buster?" + +"Yes." + +"I am mighty glad to hear it--and I feel that this thing will come +out all right in the end," returned Dave. + +"By the way, there is one thing I haven't told you, Dave," said +Buster, a minute later. "The general excitement drove it clean out of +my head. We know who it was that spoiled the feast Phil got up for the +crowd." + +"You do?" asked our hero, with interest. + +"Yes. It was Nat Poole. He went to Rockville and sent those telephone +messages to Jason Sparr and that musical professor, calling the whole +affair off. He did it because he wasn't invited to take part." + +"How did you learn this?" + +"I heard it the night I went to the Hall to get our baggage. When I +was in hiding, waiting for a chance to go to the dormitory, I saw Nat +Poole come in, along with that new student, Will Fasey. They had been +out somewhere having a good time, and Nat was telling Fasey how he had +sent the telephone messages and queered the feast. I would have +pitched into him then and there only I didn't dare expose myself," +went on the stout youth. + +"But he'll get what is coming to him from me, when I get back to the +school," put in Phil. "It was a contemptible piece of business, and I +want everybody to know it. Besides, he has got to pay for what I lost +by the transaction." + +"If it wasn't for that, maybe we wouldn't have been suspected of +blowing up the hotel," said Ben. "Then you really think the wild man +did it, Dave?" + +"Yes." + +"But what of that letter Jason Sparr got, saying our crowd was +guilty?" + +"I don't know what to make of that, Ben. I don't think the wild man +could write that." + +"Would Nat Poole be bad enough to do it?" + +"Maybe. But it was an awful thing to do. I didn't think Nat would be +as mean as that." + +The boys had dried and pressed their clothing as best they could, and +put on clean collars, cuffs, and neckties, and therefore looked quite +presentable once more. + +"As soon as we get to town we can get cleaned up a little better," +said Dave. "So we won't look quite like tramps when we return to the +Hall." + +"I hate to face Doctor Clay," remarked Phil, dubiously. + +"So do I," added Ben and Buster. + +"Well, it has got to be done," answered Dave. "So make the best of it. +The doctor understands the situation, so I don't think he'll be hard +on you." + +"I hope they have got the wild man, and that they prove he blew up the +hotel," said Phil, wistfully. "That is the only thing that will +really clear us." + +"Oh, they are bound to get the wild man sooner or later," answered +Dave, hopefully. + +It was decided to take the one afternoon train from Camptown Falls, +and at the proper time the boys walked to the little depot, Dave with +his suit-case, and the others with some hand baggage. Instructions +were left with Jerry Blutt regarding the other baggage, and the man +was paid for his services. He said he was glad that nobody had been +drowned in the flood, and added that he was going up to the +broken-away dam later on to see how matters looked. + +It was a rather quiet crowd that got aboard the train when it came +along. The conductor wanted to know how they had fared in the flood, +and they told him. At Lumberport the boys had to wait an hour for the +next train to Oakdale Junction, and they spent the time in getting a +good supper, and in having their shoes shined, and in brushing up +generally. + +"I'll be glad to get back late at night," said Phil to Dave. "I'd hate +to have the whole crowd staring at us when we came in." + +At the Junction they waited but a few minutes, and the run to Oakdale +did not take long. They were the only ones to get off at the depot, +and the spot was all but deserted. But they had telegraphed ahead, +and Horsehair was on hand, with a carriage, to meet them. + +"Glad to see you young gents back, indeed I am," said the school +driver. + +"Any news, Horsehair?" asked Dave, as they piled into the carriage. + +"Not as I know of." + +"Have they got that wild man yet?" questioned Phil. + +"No, sir. But they seen him--along the river--day before yesterday. He +was sleepin' in a barn. But he got away before the farmer and his man +could git him." + +"Where was that?" questioned Ben. + +"Up to the Morrison place." + +"The Morrison place," mused Buster. "I know that family. When I get a +chance I am going to ask them about this," he added. + +When the boys arrived at Oak Hall they found Doctor Clay sitting up to +receive them. He smiled at Dave, but was somewhat cold towards the +others. + +"It is too late to listen to what you have to say to-night," said he. +"All of you may report in my office directly after our opening +exercises in the morning." + +When the boys went upstairs there were a good many exclamations of +surprise, and Roger and the others wanted to ask innumerable +questions. But a monitor cut all talk short, and Dave and the +runaways got to bed as quickly as possible. + +All were up early, and Dave, Phil, and the others had to tell their +story before going down to breakfast. Roger and those who had been +left behind with him listened eagerly to the tale of the flood and the +other happenings. + +"I guess Dave got there just in time," said the senator's son. "How +about it, Buster?" + +"He sure did," said the stout lad, and shuddered to think how close he +had been to drowning. + +It can well be imagined that Phil, Ben, and Buster did not have much +appetite for breakfast. Phil looked around for Nat Poole, but the +money-lender's son had not yet returned to the school. + +"Now, tell me everything," said Doctor Clay, when the boys at length +filed into his office. "As they say in court, we want the truth, the +whole truth, and nothing but the truth." + +"And that is what I'm going to give you, Doctor Clay," answered Phil. +"I made a big mistake in running away, and I am glad Dave came to +bring us back. I haven't done anything wrong, and I am here to face +the music, as the saying goes." + +"And so am I," came from Ben and Buster. + +Then the boys told their story in detail, omitting nothing, and Dave +related how he had gone to Camptown Falls, and how the flood had +caught him. In the midst of the narrative came a sharp knock on the +door. + +"Come in," said the doctor, and one of the servants entered. + +"A man to see you, sir," said the servant. "He says it is very +important--something about that wild man, sir! He's terribly excited, +sir!" + +"The wild man again!" murmured the master of the school, while the +boys looked at him and the servant with interest. "Show the visitor in +and I will hear what he has to say." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +THE TRAIL THROUGH THE WOODS + + +In a minute the servant ushered in a farmer whom the boys recognized +as Henry Morrison, a man who had a farm along the river-front, about a +mile from Oak Hall. + +"Good-morning, sir," said the farmer, bowing to the doctor and then to +the boys. "Excuse me for being in such a hurry, but I thought you +would like to know." + +"I'll be glad to hear what you have to say, Mr. Morrison," replied the +master of the school. "Sit down," and he pointed to a handy chair. + +"It's about that wild man, Doctor Clay!" exclaimed the farmer, +dropping into the seat and mopping his forehead with his handkerchief. +"It's something terribul, the way he carries on. He 'most scared my +wife to death!" + +"He has been to your place again?" + +"Yes, sir, last night. He was in the barn, and he jumped out at my +wife and said he was going to blow the fort to pieces! She got so +scared she dropped her pailful of milk and ran to the house. I got +mad and got my shotgun, but the fellow had skipped out before I could +catch sight of him." + +"What time was this?" + +"Just about six o'clock. But that ain't all. This morning I started +for town, intending to tell the constable and the justice about it, +when all of a sudden, when I was passing the end of your property, I +see the wild man down there, behind a tree." + +"Just now?" asked Dave, eagerly. + +"Not more'n a quarter of an hour ago. That's why I stepped in here. +He's a dangerous man, Doctor Clay, and I think he ought to be rounded +up!" went on Henry Morrison, earnestly. + +"You are right, he certainly ought to be put under restraint," +answered the master of Oak Hall. "I will see to this at once. Will you +assist in the hunt, Mr. Morrison?" + +"Of course--if I don't have to go alone. I don't think it is safe for +anybody to tackle him alone, he's that wild and dangerous." + +"Can we take part in the search?" asked Phil, eagerly. "Oh, do let us +do it, Doctor Clay!" he pleaded. + +"I suppose so, if you will promise to be careful. Mr. Morrison, can +you point out the exact spot where you saw the man?" + +"Of course I can." + +"Then we will at once make up a searching party." + +Doctor Clay could act quickly when the occasion demanded, and inside +of ten minutes a searching party was made up, composed of Dave and his +chums, Mr. Dale, Horsehair, and several men who chanced to be working +around the grounds. + +"Oh, I hope we catch him and are able to prove that he blew up the +hotel dining-room," said Phil to Dave. + +"So do I, Phil." + +Henry Morrison led the way, and it was not long before the spot was +gained where he had seen Wilbur Poole. From that point a path ran from +the river back into the woods. + +"Maybe he took that path," suggested our hero, and several thought the +same. + +"I think we had better scatter," suggested Mr. Dale, who had been +placed in charge by the doctor. "By doing that we can cover a wide +range of territory in a comparatively short space of time. And keep as +quiet as possible, for should he hear us he will most likely start and +run." + +"If he didn't run when he saw Mr. Morrison," murmured Buster. "He may +be miles away already." + +The crowd separated into pairs, Dave and Phil going together and Roger +going with Ben, and Buster with Horsehair. All had armed themselves +with sticks, and Mr. Dale carried a pair of handcuffs, and one of the +hired men had a rope. + +Deeper and deeper into the woods went the party, spread out in a long +line. They had examined the river-front and felt fairly certain that +the wild man had not left by boat. + +"Looks like a wild-goose chase," remarked Phil, with a sigh, after a +half an hour had passed. + +"Oh, we don't want to give up yet," answered Dave. "Why, it isn't much +after ten o'clock. We can stay out till noon, at least." + +"I'd stay out all day, if I thought we could catch him," returned the +shipowner's son, promptly. + +Presently the boys espied a small stone house, standing beside a brook +which flowed through the woods into the river. In the house lived an +old man who made his living by making baskets and fancy articles of +birch bark. + +"Let us see if old Herick is around," suggested Dave. "He may be able +to tell us something." + +They found the old man hard at work on a fancy basket. He looked +surprised when thus suddenly confronted by the students. + +"Did I see a wild man?" he queried, in reply to their question. "I +guess I did,--at least he acted queer enough. He danced up here, made +a deep bow, and told me the army would be along in four minutes. Then +he made another bow and walked off, as stiff as a drum-major." + +"When was this?" demanded Dave. + +"About half an hour ago." + +"And which way did he go?" put in Phil, eagerly. + +"That way," and the old basket-maker pointed up the brook. "Walked +right in the water, too. I was going to follow him at first but then I +didn't think it was any use." + +The boys waited to hear no more, but telling old Herick to watch for +the other searchers and tell them about the wild man, they set off up +the brook as fast as they could travel. + +As the chums progressed they looked to the right and left, wondering +if Wilbur Poole had kept to the tiny watercourse or taken to the +woods, which were now exceedingly dense. + +"I see his footprints!" cried Phil, as they passed a sandy stretch. +"Anyway, those marks look fresh." + +"I fancy you are right, Phil, and if so, he can't be very far ahead of +us." + +They went on, following the windings of the stream until it became +less than a foot wide. It came to an end at a number of springs among +the rocks. + +"Fine, cold water," announced Dave. "Here is a chance for a good +drink, Phil." + +Both were drinking their fill when a loud voice suddenly challenged +them. + +"Ha! What are you doing at my fountain?" + +Both looked up hurriedly and saw the wild man standing on the highest +of the rocks. He had his arms folded and was glaring at them sternly. + +"Oh!" murmured Phil. "Say, Dave, there he is! What shall we do?" + +"Let us try to make friends with him," suggested Dave. "If we don't, +he may run away, and he can easily do that in these thick woods." + +"If we could only notify the others!" + +"You can go back if you wish, while I talk to him." + +"Aren't you afraid?" + +"Oh, I reckon I can take care of myself," answered Dave. + +"Do you not know I gave a million dollars for these fountains?" went +on the wild man. + +"Well, they are worth it," answered Dave, calmly. "It is very good +water. Why don't you have it bottled, Mr. Poole?" + +"Who calls me Poole? I am the King of Sumatra. My army is following +me." + +"To blow up another fort, I suppose," said Phil, as he commenced to +back away. + +"Yes." + +"Then I must go, for I don't want to be blown up," and, so speaking, +Phil commenced to retreat. + +"The fort is not here--it is in Oakdale, close to the other fort," +said the wild man, and now he came down from the big rock and stood +quite close to Dave. There was a strange look of cunning in his eyes, +and Dave had to shiver, although he did his best to keep calm. + +"In Oakdale," said Dave, slowly. "Say, you blew up that hotel fort in +fine shape, didn't you?" + +"Ha! ha! so I did! But I was discovered, worse luck, I was +discovered!" continued the wild man, with a sad shake of his head. +"The enemy saw me!" + +"Somebody saw you?" queried our hero, with interest. + +"Yes, worse luck. But it shan't happen again. Next time I shall go +masked. I have my mask here." And Wilbur Poole pulled from his pocket +a mask made of a bit of blue cloth. "I will show you how I wear it." +And he fastened it over his face by means of a couple of strings. + +"Fine! fine!" cried Dave, in pretended delight. He wished to humor the +man until Phil returned with the others. "It couldn't be better. You +ought to patent that kind of a mask." + +"I will patent it soon, after the other fort is down." + +"You just said somebody saw you when you blew up the other," continued +our hero. "Who was it?" + +"Ha! that is a state secret. Only the cabinet must know of it--the +cabinet and the man who makes shoes." + +"I am sorry you won't let me in on your secrets," said Dave. "I want +to help you. Won't you hire me as a clerk?" + +"How much do you want a week?" demanded the wild man, in a +business-like tone. + +"How much will you give?" + +"To a good clerk forty dollars." + +"Then I'll take the job." + +"Very good. Your name is Crusoe, isn't it--Robinson Crusoe?" + +"You've got it." + +"If I give you the job, you must have your hair shaved off," continued +the wild man, looking at Dave's hair critically. + +"All right, I'll have that done when we reach a barber shop." + +"It isn't necessary to wait!" cried Wilbur Poole. "I am a barber." + +"You?" + +"To be sure--I have a certificate from the Emperor of Siam. See +here!" + +The wild man put his hand into an inner pocket and suddenly brought +forth a pair of long shears. + +"I can cut your hair and shave you," he announced. "Just sit down on +yonder throne and I'll start to work." And he pointed to a flat +rock. + +The sight of the sharp-pointed shears was not a pleasant one, and when +the wild man invited him to sit down Dave felt very much like running +away. The man evidently saw how he felt, and suddenly caught him by +the arm. + +"Sit down!" he thundered. "I won't hurt you. I am an expert barber." + +"Let us talk about the job first," said Dave, trying to keep his wits +about him, although he was terribly disturbed. He wondered how long it +would be before Phil would return. + +"What do you want to know?" + +"Will you cut my hair in the latest fashion?" + +"I never cut hair in any other way." + +"And will you curl the ends? I like curls." + +"If you want them, although they make a man look girlish," answered +the wild man. + +"And will you----" went on Dave, when Wilbur Poole suddenly grabbed +him by both arms and forced him backwards on the flat rock. + +"I'll go to work at once!" cried the wild man. "Sit still!" And he +flourished the shears before our hero's face. + +Dave felt a chill run down his backbone. But a moment later he felt a +thrill of relief, as from the bushes behind the wild man stepped Phil, +Mr. Dale, and several others. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +THE CAPTURE OF THE WILD MAN + + +"Now then, you may go to work," said our hero, as he saw Mr. Dale come +up close behind the wild man. "But sharpen the scissors first, +please." + +"I will," was Wilbur Poole's answer, and he opened up the shears and +commenced to stroke them back and forth on a rock near by. + +An instant later the wild man was jerked over backwards and the +dangerous shears were snatched from his grasp. He commenced to +struggle, but the whole crowd surrounded him, and before he could +realize the situation his hands were made fast. + +"It is treachery, base treachery!" he groaned. "My army has betrayed +me!" And he commenced to weep. + +"What a terrible state of mind to be in!" murmured Roger. "He is +certainly as crazy as they make 'em!" + +"I guess you are right," answered Phil. "But I am glad we have got +him." + +"He spoke about the blowing up of the hotel," said Dave. "And he said +somebody saw him do it." + +"Who was it?" + +"He didn't mention any names." + +"Maybe he was simply wandering in his mind," suggested Ben. + +"I don't think so," returned Dave. "I think, if he was questioned long +enough, we could get the truth out of him. He doesn't seem to be crazy +all the time." + +"It's a terrible thing for the Poole family--to have such a crazy man +in it," was Buster's opinion; and the other lads agreed with him. + +The prisoner was marched along the brook, past the home of old Herick, +and then down the river-road. By this time all the searchers had come +together, including Henry Morrison and some outsiders. + +"I'm mighty glad you've got him," said the farmer. "And I hope he +don't get away from you." + +"He won't get away," answered Mr. Dale. + +"The women of this district have been afraid to go out alone," went on +Henry Morrison. "They'll be glad to know he's been captured." + +"We'll have to let the Pooles know right away," said Dave. + +"I fancy Doctor Clay will send a telegram," answered Mr. Dale. "And +in the meanwhile we'll have to take the prisoner to the Oakdale +lockup." + +It was nearly noon when the crowd reached Oak Hall. The wild man had +but little to say. His capture had evidently broken his spirit, and he +was inclined to cry. But when Doctor Clay asked him if he would like +to have something to eat, he brightened up wonderfully. + +"It is a sad case," said the master of the Hall. "But under proper +treatment I think he can be cured." + +The news quickly circulated throughout the school that the wild man +had been caught and that he was Wilbur Poole, an uncle to Nat, and all +the boys were anxious to catch a sight of the strange individual. The +teachers and servants were likewise curious, and looked at him as he +ate his dinner in a corner of the dining-hall, surrounded by those who +had captured him and who were watching, to see that he did not get +away. He was not allowed to use a knife and fork, but his food was cut +up for him and served with a spoon. + +The only person at Oak Hall who did not come in to see the wild man +was Job Haskers. When asked about this, the dictatorial teacher +shrugged his shoulders. + +"Some of the boys are wild enough for me," he said. "I want nothing to +do with the insane." + +"It is a sad case," said the teacher who was addressing Job Haskers. + +"There are many just as bad," responded the other, coldly. "It is up +to the Poole family to look after that man and see that he doesn't +break out again." + +It was decided to take the wild man down to Oakdale in the school +carryall, to be driven by Horsehair. Mr. Dale was to go along, and so +were Phil, Dave, Ben, Buster, and Doctor Clay. + +The carryall was brought around to the side entrance of the school, +and Wilbur Poole was told that he was about to take a ride through the +country. He walked through the hallway willingly enough, but suddenly, +on turning a corner, set up a shout. + +"You! you! I have found you at last!" he cried, rushing forward. "You +are the one who exposed me! Base soldier that you are! You have ruined +the whole army!" And in a sudden fit of passion he ran up to Job +Haskers and caught him by the throat. + +"Le--let g-g-go!" gasped the teacher, and tried to shake the man off. +Then the others ran up, and Wilbur Poole was dragged back and +handcuffed. + +"Do you know that man?" asked Dave, struck by a sudden idea. + +"Yes! yes!" groaned the wild man. "He exposed me! The army is lost!" + +"How did he expose you?" + +"He saw me do it." + +"Do what?" + +"Blow up the fort-hotel. Oh, what a base villain he was to look on!" +groaned the wild man, and suddenly commenced to weep. + +"What is--the--er--man talking about?" stammered Job Haskers, and all +saw him turn pale. + +"He says you saw him blow up Sparr's place," said Dave, pointedly. + +"It is false, absurd!" said the teacher. "I--er--I never saw the +rascal before." + +"He isn't a rascal, Mr. Haskers. He is simply out of his mind," +remonstrated Mr. Dale. "He is not accountable for his actions." + +"Well, he ought not to say such things," returned the dictatorial +teacher. + +"You saw me--you know you did!" cried Wilbur Poole. "You spoiled +everything! I might have blown up many forts if it hadn't been for +you!" And he shook his head dolefully. + +"Take him away," said the teacher, and turned his back on the wild +man. + +"Dave, I think the wild man speaks the truth!" whispered Phil to our +hero. + +"Possibly, Phil. I think the matter will bear investigation." + +"And if old Haskers saw the thing done, why didn't he tell about it. +Do you think that letter--" + +"It struck me that such might be the truth, Phil. But don't say +anything until you are sure." + +"He was down on us--ever since we mentioned that affair with the Widow +Breen," went on the shipowner's son. + +"I'd like to see that letter Jason Sparr got--saying we were guilty," +returned our hero. "Maybe Doctor Clay can get hold of it." + +All the way to Oakdale the boys spoke of the case in whispers. Phil +was quite sure Job Haskers had seen Wilbur Poole blow up the hotel and +equally sure that the dictatorial teacher had written the letter to +the hotel-keeper stating he, Dave, and their chums were guilty. + +"He thought we'd be locked up, or at least that we'd be sent away from +the school and he would be rid of us," said Phil. "He is growing +afraid of us! Oh, if we can prove that he did it, I'll make it hot for +him!" + +"If he did such a thing as that, he ought to be discharged from Oak +Hall," was Ben's comment. + +"I'll get my father to sue him for damages," put in Buster. + +"Well, don't be hasty," advised Dave. "There may be some +mistake--although I think not." + +At Oakdale, Wilbur Poole was turned over to the authorities, who +placed him in a comfortable room attached to the lockup. As it was +known that he was insane, he could not be counted a criminal, and the +majority of the people pitied him and hoped that some day he would be +restored to his right mind. + +A telegram was sent to the Poole family, and the next day came a reply +that some men would come to take Wilbur Poole away to a sanitarium. It +was established beyond a doubt that he had used the dynamite to blow +up the dining-room of Sparr's hotel, and, consequently, our hero and +his chums were cleared of that charge, much to their satisfaction. + +"I wonder if Nat will come back?" said Shadow. "I should think he +would hate to do it." + +"I don't think he will," said Luke. + +"What will you do if he does come back, Phil?" asked Gus. + +"I don't know, Gus. Of course, I'll let him know what I think of him +for spoiling my plans for a spread. But I hate to be hard on him, +because of this disgrace about his uncle." + +"Yes, that's a terrible thing," was Chip Macklin's comment. "I'd hate +to have a crazy man in my family." + +"Well, such things can't be helped," put in Polly Vane. "The Poole +family will have to make the best of it." + +It was several days later when Nat Poole showed himself. Phil and Dave +did not see him until later, and both were struck by the change in his +appearance. He looked haggard and much older, and his arrogance was +completely gone. + +"Got back, eh?" said Phil, walking up to him. + +"Yes," returned the money-lender's son, and his voice sounded hollow. + +"What have they done with your uncle, Nat?" asked Dave, kindly. + +"Put him in another sanitarium, where he will have the best of care +and doctoring." + +"I hope he gets well." + +"We all hope that." Nat swallowed a lump in his throat and then looked +gloomily at Phil. "Well, you got the best of me," he said, shortly. + +"How the best of you?" demanded the shipowner's son. + +"I understand you found out about that spread." + +"I did." + +"Well, I'll pay for the damage done--as soon as I get the money. I +haven't any now--Dad's got too much to pay on Uncle Wilbur's account." +Nat swallowed another lump in his throat. "I'm sorry I did it now, +Phil, honest I am," he went on, brokenly. + +"Well, if that's the case, let us drop the matter, Nat," was the +instant reply. "I don't believe in hitting a fellow when he is down. +You haven't got to pay me anything. The whole thing is past and +gone,--and that ends it." + +"Thank you." Nat wanted to say something more, but his voice suddenly +broke and he turned away to hide his emotion, and then walked away. + +"He's hit and hit hard," said Roger, in a low voice. + +"And you did well to drop that matter, Phil," added Dave. "Maybe Nat +has learned a lesson he won't easily forget." + +Dave was right about the lesson Nat Poole had learned. He was deeply +humiliated, both by the exposure concerning the feast and by what had +been learned concerning his insane uncle, and for a long time was +quite another boy. + +It may be added here that at a new sanitarium, and under first-class +medical treatment, a marked change came over Wilbur Poole, and in less +than a year he was completely cured of his weakmindedness. With a +nurse as a companion he went into the country to rest both body and +mind, and later on came out into the world again as well as anybody. +Strange to say, he remembered nothing of calling himself the King of +Sumatra, nor of blowing up Jason Sparr's hotel. But others did not +forget about the blowing up, and the damage done had to be settled for +by Mr. Aaron Poole, who was his brother's guardian and manager of his +estate for the time being. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + +A BIT OF EVIDENCE + + +"Dave, what do you make of this?" + +"Well, to tell the truth, Phil, I don't think much of it." + +"You don't think it is a clew?" + +"Do you?" + +"It's rather faint, I must confess." + +"Oh, I don't think there is anything to it," declared Ben. + +"There is something, but not a great deal," came from Roger. "I don't +see how you are going to follow it up." + +This talk between the boys occurred after Dave, Phil, Ben, Roger, and +Buster had called upon Jason Sparr and the justice and insisted on +seeing the letter the hotel man had received which stated that the +boys were guilty of blowing up the dining-room of his hostelry. + +The hotel man had treated them kindly, for he was in dread that the +boys would get their folks to sue him for damages. He had offered to +pay back the money taken from Phil for the spread, and the +shipowner's son had taken the amount, to which he was justly +entitled. + +The examination of the letter had revealed next to nothing. It was +evidently written in a disguised hand, but some of the letters looked +like Job Haskers's handwriting. In the corner of the paper some sort +of an advertisement had been torn off, only the letters, "_blisher_" +showing. + +"I think those letters are part of the word, '_Publisher_,'" Dave had +said. "This letter was evidently penned by somebody who used some +publisher's blank." + +"Maybe Job Haskers had those blanks," Phil had exclaimed. "Remember, +he said he published or was going to publish something once upon a +time." + +The boys talked it over, but could reach no conclusion. Jason Sparr +told how the letter had come to him, but this added no new light on +the subject. + +"Well, it was a nasty trick, no matter who played it," said Dave. + +"I sha'n't rest until I find out who did it," retorted Phil. + +All were resolved to watch Job Haskers and also Nat Poole. But while +doing this they had to turn once more to their studies. Phil, Ben, and +Buster had to work harder than ever, and so did Dave, to make up for +the time lost during their absence. But Doctor Clay was kind to them, +and for once Job Haskers did not say anything, although he showed that +he expected them to "toe the mark," as Roger expressed it. + +Several weeks slipped by, and during that time Oak Hall played several +games of ball. One game of importance was won, and this was celebrated +in a befitting manner. Dave attended the games, and so did Phil and +Roger, but none of the three allowed the sport to interfere with their +studies. All were "in the grind," and resolved to graduate that coming +June with the highest possible honors. + +During those days Dave received many letters from home. His folks and +friends were glad to know that the wild man had been captured and the +mystery of the blowing up cleared away. Jessie sent him a very warm +letter in particular, congratulating him for bringing back the +runaways, and saying she hoped he would have no more trouble during +the final term at Oak Hall. She added that she and all the others +expected to come to the school at graduation exercises. + +"Now it is up to me to make good," said Dave, after reading this +letter several times. "Dad expects it, and Jessie, and everybody, and +I am not going to disappoint them." + +But it was no light task to remain at the top of the senior class, or +even near it, for there were bright seniors in plenty, including the +studious Polly Vane, who seemed the brightest of all. But Dave plugged +away, day after day, resolved to keep at it until the very last. He +was writing on his theme and had it about half finished. + +"One month more and it will all be over but the shouting," said Roger +one day, as he came into the room where Dave was studying. + +"All over but the shouting or weeping," returned Phil, who was +present. "I am afraid some of the fellows will do more weeping than +cheering," he added, grimly. + +"Let us hope that everybody passes," said Dave, looking up with a +quiet smile. + +"Such a thing has never been done," said Ben. "Somebody is bound to +drop by the wayside--I hope it isn't yours truly," and he sank his +head again into his book. + +"I think old Haskers is commencing to tighten the screws again," said +Buster. "He let up for a while, after the wild man was caught, but +yesterday and to-day--phew! we caught it, didn't we?" + +"We sure did!" cried Phil. "I can't understand that man. Why is he a +teacher when he just naturally hates boys?" + +"That's a conundrum that can't be answered," said the senator's son. + +"Well, we won't weep on leaving him," remarked Luke, dryly. + +"Say, that puts me in mind of a story," said Shadow. "Once on a time a +man in an auto ran into a boy carrying a cat in a basket. He didn't +hurt the boy much but he killed the cat. Says he, 'I am sorry, my boy, +and I'll pay you for the cat. How much?' 'I--I don't know,' blubbered +the boy. 'Will two dollars do?' asked the man. 'Yes,' says the boy, +and took the money. 'Were you taking the cat home?' asked the man, +when he was ready to drive on. 'No,' said the boy. 'I was going to +take him down to the canal and drown him!'" And there was a smile over +Shadow's yarn. + +It had been a blustery day, and as night came on the wind increased in +violence, until it fairly howled around Oak Hall. It tore through the +branches of the oaks that gave the place its name, until it looked as +if some of the trees might be broken off by the fury of the elements. + +"My gracious! I never saw such a wind!" cried Roger, as he came in +from a trip to the gymnasium. + +"It must be fierce at sea," returned Dave, who was with him. "I am +glad I am on shore. The newspapers will tell about wrecks along the +coast to-morrow." + +Nobody thought of going out that evening, and the boys put in the time +studying and reading. The windows rattled, and occasionally a shutter +banged, and a good night's rest seemed out of the question. + +"My, what a night for a fire!" remarked Phil, while he and his chums +were undressing. + +"Don't mention such a thing!" returned Ben, with a shiver. "It would +burn down everything!" + +At last the boys retired. A few dropped off to sleep, but Dave was not +one of them. He had studied hard and was restless, and the fury of the +elements added to his nervousness. + +At last he could stand it no longer to remain in bed, and got up to +sit in an easy-chair for awhile. + +He was just crossing the dormitory floor when there came an extra +heavy blast of wind outside, followed by a crash, as one of the giant +oaks standing close to the school building was broken off near the +top. Then came another crash, a jingling of glass, and a sudden wild +cry for help. + +"Hello, something's gone through a window!" Dave muttered. "Maybe it's +in the next room!" + +He ran to the window and looked out. Just below the window-sill he saw +some branches of the broken tree. He looked down and noted that the +tree-top had gone into the window of the room below. + +"What's the row?" cried Roger, springing up and rubbing his eyes. + +"Is the roof caving in?" asked Phil. + +"Some tree-branches came down and went through the window right below +us," answered Dave. "Listen!" + +All did so, and heard the cry for help repeated. + +"It's Job Haskers calling!" said the senator's son. "He uses the room +below us now." + +"Let us see if he is hurt," suggested another of the boys. + +Clad in their pajamas, the boys flocked out into the hallway, there to +be joined by others. Word was passed around of what had occurred, and +all made their way to the door of the instructor's apartment. They +heard him yelling for help with all his might. + +The door was locked, and Dave and some others put their shoulders to +the barrier and forced it open. All was dark in the room, and the wind +was rushing around, sending books, pictures, and other things in all +directions. + +Several matches were struck, and at last a sheltered light was lit. +Doctor Clay, Mr. Dale, and some of the other teachers had now arrived, +and instructors and students gazed curiously at the scene before +them. + +The top of the tree had come straight through the big window of the +apartment, crashing down on a bureau and a writing-desk, smashing both +flat. Some branches of the tree rested on the side of the bed, pinning +Job Haskers against the wall, as if in a cage. + +[Illustration: "HELP ME! SAVE ME!" SPLUTTERED THE TERROR-STRICKEN +TEACHER.--_Page 287_.] + +"Help me! Save me!" spluttered the terror-stricken teacher. "I am +being crushed to death!" + +"All hands to the tree!" shouted Mr. Dale, and showed what he meant. +Boys and men took hold of the tree-branches and pulled them to one +side. + +"Are you much hurt, Mr. Haskers?" asked Doctor Clay, kindly. + +"I--I don't know, I think so!" gasped the teacher. His face was white +and he was shivering from fright. + +"Can't you crawl under the branches?" asked Mr. Dale. "Here, come this +way." + +He showed how it could be done, and trembling from head to feet, the +scared teacher got out from under the tree-top. His face and one +shoulder were scratched, but otherwise he appeared to be unhurt. But +all were forced to acknowledge that he had had a narrow escape. + +"You had better take one of the spare rooms, Mr. Haskers," said Doctor +Clay, as another blast of wind swept through the room. "You cannot +remain here, with this tree-top in the room. And I am afraid we shall +have to saw it up to get it out again. You can be thankful that your +life has been spared." + +"The furniture is smashed!" murmured the teacher. + +"Never mind the furniture, so long as you are not hurt. It can be +mended, and all the window needs is some new sash." + +"My things have been scattered," grumbled the teacher. "A perfect +mess!" + +"Leave it until morning--you can do nothing to-night," said the +doctor; and so it was finally decided, and teachers and pupils trooped +off to bed. The broken-in door was closed, but it could not be +locked. + +The boys had scarcely gotten back to the dormitories when Dave called +Phil, Ben, Roger, and Buster to one side. + +"Now is our chance," he whispered. "Did you notice that the bureau and +the writing-desk in Haskers's room were smashed? It may not be the +most honorable thing to do, but I think we are justified in looking +his things over and seeing if we can't find some clew to that letter +Jason Sparr received." + +"Right you are!" declared Phil, promptly, and the others said +practically the same. + +They waited until the other boys had retired once more, and then, at a +signal from Dave, all filed silently into the hallway again and +tiptoed their way to the room below. Soon, they were inside and had +the light lit, and also a lantern which belonged to Ben's bicycle, +and which he had chanced to have on hand. + +Silently and with great care the boys went over the many things that +had been scattered over the floor--wearing apparel, books, pads, +papers, and various articles of more or less value. Presently Phil +gave a low cry. + +"Look at this!" And he held up several sheets of paper. In one corner +were the words: + + LATIN MADE EASY + + _JOB HASKERS, Publisher,_ + + ALBANY, N. Y. +"It's the same paper!" cried Dave. "He tore the corner off so that +just the letters '_blisher_' remained." + +"That's pretty good evidence," said Roger. + +"I should say it was!" cried Ben. "Wonder what he will have to say +about it, when we confront him with it?" + +"Let us look for more evidence, while we are at it," came from Buster. +And then the midnight search continued. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX + +THE EXPOSURE--GOOD-BY TO OAK HALL + + +"Doctor Clay, we must see you about something that is very +important." + +Thus spoke Dave, the next morning, as he and his chums filed into the +doctor's private office after the opening of the school. Job Haskers +was not at his class, but in his room, straightening out his things, +while some men had been sent up, to get rid of the tree-top and repair +the window. The storm was a thing of the past, and no other damage of +importance had been done. + +"Very well, boys," returned the master of the school, kindly. "Come in +and let me know what it is." + +The students came in, rather awkwardly it must be admitted, for they +had much on their minds and did not know just how the worthy doctor +would take it. But they had decided on a course of action, and they +had given their word to stick together to the end. Dave, as the +natural leader, had been chosen spokesman. + +"Doctor Clay, we want to bring up a subject of great importance," +said Dave. "Important to us, and to you, and to the whole school. The +boys have asked me to speak for them and for myself." + +"About what?" demanded the master, somewhat shortly. + +"About Mr. Haskers and how he has treated us." + +"What has he done now?" + +"It isn't what he has done now, Doctor Clay, it is what he did some +time ago--did his best to get us into grave trouble," answered Dave, +warmly. "You'll remember the letter Mr. Sparr got, stating we were +guilty of trying to blow up his hotel. We are now satisfied that Mr. +Haskers penned that letter--in fact, we have the evidence to prove +it." + +"Impossible!" + +"No, sir, it is true, and I dare him to deny it. It is an absolute +fact, Doctor Clay, and we have come here this morning to inform you +that we can no longer attend a school where he is a teacher," went on +Dave, firmly. + +"But--but you--er--you astound me, Porter! Tell me what you know, or +think you know." + +In a plain, straightforward manner Dave mentioned the letter and the +printing that had appeared on it. Then he told how he and his chums +had searched the bedroom after the tree-top crash and found the +sheets of paper with that same printing, and he produced them. + +"And we also found these, in a corner of the broken writing-desk," he +continued. "Some writing by Mr. Haskers, in which he practiced +backhand. This writing is just like that which appears in the letter +Mr. Sparr got. Compare the two and you will see we are right. Wilbur +Poole said Mr. Haskers saw him blow up the hotel, and he told the +truth, even if he is weak-minded." + +"But why should Mr. Haskers do such an outrageous thing?" asked the +master of Oak Hall. + +"I will tell you why, sir," returned Dave, and related the affair of +the Widow Breen. "That made him very sore on us, and he wanted to get +us out of the school. At first he tried it by overworking us in our +lessons, and when he found that that didn't work he tried this game of +making out that we were criminals." + +"Yes, but--but would a teacher of mine stoop so low?" murmured the +worthy doctor, shaking his head doubtfully. + +"No ordinary teacher would, Dr. Clay. But Mr. Haskers is not an +ordinary man--he is very dictatorial and harsh, and he hates boys even +though he has to teach them. He isn't a bit like Mr. Dale, or the +others." + +"We never had any trouble with any teacher but Haskers," put in +Phil. + +"And if we have to leave Oak Hall I'm going to get my father to sue +Haskers for damages," added Roger. + +A talk lasting the best part of an hour followed, and at last the +worthy doctor had his eyes opened to the unworthiness of his +assistant. He scanned the sheets of paper and the writing the boys had +brought with interest. + +"You are right--this is Mr. Haskers's hand," he said, slowly. "But is +it the same hand that wrote that villainous letter to Mr. Sparr?" + +"Compare the two and you will see that we are right," answered Dave. + +"I will," answered the doctor; and a little later he set off for +Oakdale in his buggy, going alone. + +The boys walked down to the gymnasium, resolved to keep out of all +classes until the matter had been settled. They had impressed it on +Doctor Clay's mind that either Job Haskers must leave the school or +they would do so. + +It was nearly noon when the master of Oak Hall came back, driving +slowly and looking very thoughtful. The boys met him at the entrance +to the grounds and he told them to come to the office, and closed the +door carefully behind them. + +"You were right," he said, almost brokenly. "I have been deceived by +this--this--I do not know what to call him! It will make a great stir +when the truth is known--and it will hurt the school," he added, with +a sigh. + +"Why should we make a stir about it?" asked Dave, quickly. "Let him +go, that is all we ask. He can resign." + +"No, the truth must come out," was the firm reply. "He shall not +shelter himself behind you, even for the benefit of the school. I have +already told the authorities the facts in the case. If they wish to +arrest him they can do so, and you may appear against him, if you +wish." + +"When will you tell him?" asked Phil, as there came a brief pause. + +"At once! And I wish you to be present and hear what is said," +returned Doctor Clay. He rang a bell and a servant appeared. "Tell Mr. +Haskers to come here immediately." + +There was silence after this, the boys not knowing what to say, and +the master of the school being busy with his thoughts. Presently the +door opened and Job Haskers came in, with a look of curiosity on his +face. + +"You sent for me, Doctor?" he inquired. + +"I did, Mr. Haskers," was the cold reply. "I want your resignation, +and I want it at once!" + +The master of Oak Hall had gotten to his feet and the two men stood +facing each other. Doctor Clay had his jaw set, and never had the +students seen him look so determined. He was no longer a kindly +schoolmaster, he was a judge, and a stern judge at that. + +"You--you want my resignation?" faltered Job Haskers. + +"Yes, and at once." + +"Why?" + +"Because you are not fit to teach here--you are not fit to teach +anywhere!" thundered the doctor. "I want your resignation, and then I +want you to leave just as soon as you possibly can." + +"But--but--I want you to explain. I want----" + +"It is not necessary for me to explain, Haskers. You have been found +out. You are a despicable villain, and you ought to be in jail. I +trusted you, and you have deceived me. More than that, you have tried +to get these young gentlemen into serious trouble. Don't deny it, for +it will do no good. We have the absolute proof against you, and those +proofs are also in the hands of the law. If you don't want to be +arrested, you will leave this school as soon as you can get your +baggage packed." + +"Sir, I want you to know----" commenced Job Haskers, but stopped +short, for Doctor Clay had taken a stride forward and was shaking a +finger in the teacher's face. + +"I will not argue with you, Haskers. For a long time I have not been +satisfied with your work, for you did not seem to have the students' +interest at heart. You have a good education. But a teacher must have +more than that--he must have a heart for his work. Now you are found +out, and I want nothing more to do with you. I will give you a check +for what is due you up to to-day, and you will sign a receipt in full, +and also your resignation, and then I never want to see or hear of you +again." + +"And suppose I won't resign?" snarled the teacher. "I have a +contract----" + +"If you don't get out, you'll go to jail." + +"And we'll sue you," Dave could not help putting in. + +"That's right, we'll push the case as far as the law allows," added +Phil. + +"Ha! you think you are smart, but you don't know it all," snarled the +teacher, but his manner showed his uneasiness. He attempted to argue, +but Doctor Clay would not listen, and when he said he would send for a +constable, Job Haskers quickly capitulated, signed his resignation, +took his check, and hurried away to pack his baggage. He left about an +hour later, by the back way, so that none of the students saw him go. +An hour after that a man came for his trunks and bags; and that was +the last seen or heard of him at Oak Hall. + +"Hurrah!" cried Dave, when the affair was at an end. "How glad I am +that Haskers is gone! I feel as if a weight had been taken from my +head!" + +"I guess everybody will be glad," returned Roger, and he was right. +Some of the students wanted to get up a celebration in honor of the +unpopular teacher's departure, but this was not permitted. But the +boys had a time on the quiet, and thoroughly enjoyed it. + +With the going away of Job Haskers, and the clearing up of the mystery +surrounding the letter, Oak Hall settled down once more to its normal +condition. Another teacher came to take the place of the man who had +left, and he proved popular all around, and made Doctor Clay wonder +why he had not made a change long before. + +With their minds free from worry, Dave and his chums buckled down to +their lessons, and our hero spent much time over his paper on "The +Future of Our Country." Soon the examinations started, and then the +boys fell to worrying over how they would fare in this final test. + +"Well, I hope I pass," remarked Phil, when the last examination was +over. "I don't expect to be near the top. I lost too much, going to +Cave Island, and when I ran away." + +"Me for the passing mark, too," chimed in Ben. + +"Well, I am hoping for something better," said Roger. + +"What about you, Dave?" queried Buster. + +"I am like Roger, hoping for something better," answered our hero, +with a smile. "But I'm prepared to take what comes," he added. + +At last came the day when the announcements were to be made. Dave had +sent in his theme and he expected to hear from this as well as from +his studies. In the meantime, preparations were going forward for the +graduation exercises, and visitors were expected from far and near. +Nearly all the folks from Crumville were coming, and also the parents +of Phil, Roger, and the other seniors. + +The big assembly room was crowded when the announcements were made. +The passing mark was seventy-five per cent., and many of the boys +dreaded to think that they might be below that. + +"I will read the names in the order of merit," said Doctor Clay, after +the opening exercises. "Only two boys have failed to pass for +graduation, and they will be conditioned, if they so desire. I am +proud of the record." And then the master of the school proceeded to +read the list. Polly Vane and Dave had each ninety-six per cent., +Roger had ninety-four, Shadow ninety, Sam and Luke each eighty-eight, +Phil eighty-seven, Gus eighty-six, and so on down to Buster, who +squeezed through with seventy-eight. The boys who had failed to pass +were Nat Poole, who had only sixty-eight, and one of his cronies, who +was marked sixty-nine. + +"It ain't fair! I did as well as lots of 'em," said Nat, when the +reading was over. But nobody listened to him, for all knew that the +examinations had been just in every particular. + +"I will now announce the prizes for the best themes on the subject, +'The Future of Our Country,'" went on Doctor Clay. "The reading of the +nine papers handed in has afforded me great pleasure, for all are good +and many of them excellent. But I think the best of all is that +written by David Porter, and the committee of teachers who have +examined the papers agree with me. Porter, I congratulate you, and I +will now ask you to come forward and read your meritorious composition +to your fellow-students." + +And amid a general handclapping our hero went to the platform and +commenced to read the theme. Everybody listened with close attention, +and loud was the applause when he had concluded. It was certainly a +fine paper, and later on Doctor Clay had it published in one of the +school journals, where it attracted not a little attention. + +Dave was certainly happy and he had good reason to be. He sent word +home that night of how he had fared and the next day received several +messages of congratulation. One message from Jessie he prized very +highly, for she wrote, "You deserve a big hug for coming through so +finely. My very best wishes." The other boys also got congratulations; +and that night and the night to follow were "bonfire nights," in more +ways than one. + +"Well, we are rid of Haskers, and also Merwell and Jasniff," remarked +Roger to Dave. "We ought to be happy, eh, Dave?" + +"Yes, and especially over coming out so well for graduation," answered +Dave. + +"Do you think we'll ever see Haskers or Merwell again?" questioned +Phil. + +"I don't know--I trust not," answered our hero. But his wish was not +fulfilled. He did meet the pair, and in a most unexpected fashion, as +will be related in the next volume of this series, to be called "Dave +Porter in the Gold Fields; or, The Search for the Landslide Mine," in +which we will learn how Dave went West with some of his chums, and +joined an old prospector in a hunt for a lost mine that had been +willed to Roger Morr's mother. + +The graduation exercises at Oak Hall that year formed a gala event +long to be remembered. The school and the campus were crowded, and +Dave and his chums surprised even Doctor Clay by "chipping in" and +hiring a brass band to play outside, after the exercises were over. +The boys also presented their teachers and the master with some +volumes of history and poetry, and received numerous gifts in return. +From his father Dave got a bank-book, with an amount written therein +that was a complete surprise. His sister gave him a neat stickpin and +his uncle a set of books, and from Jessie and her folks came a desk +set, of solid silver, suitably engraved. + +"Well, I think I ought to be the happiest boy alive," said Dave, after +the exercises were over, and he had his diploma, tied with a broad +ribbon. "I feel just as if I was walking on air." + +"And I am glad, too," said his sister Laura, warmly. + +"We are all glad," put in Jessie, and gave him her brightest smile. + +"Glad and proud, Dave," said his father. "My boy, you have done very +well." + +And then the whole party went down to the gymnasium, where +refreshments were being served to the visitors. And here let us leave +Dave Porter, wishing him well. + +THE END + + + + +DAVE PORTER SERIES + +By EDWARD STRATEMEYER + +"Mr. Stratemeyer has seldom introduced a more popular hero than Dave +Porter. He is a typical boy, manly, brave, always ready for a good +time if it can be obtained in an honorable way."--Wisconsin, +Milwaukee, Wis. + +"Edward Stratemeyer's 'Dave Porter' has become exceedingly popular." +--Boston Globe. + +"Dave and his friends are nice, manly chaps."--Times-Democrat, +New Orleans. + +DAVE PORTER AT OAK HALL + Or The School Days of an American Boy + +DAVE PORTER IN THE SOUTH SEAS + Or The Strange Cruise of the Stormy Petrel + +DAVE PORTER'S RETURN TO SCHOOL + Or Winning the Medal of Honor + +DAVE PORTER IN THE FAR NORTH + Or The Pluck of an American Schoolboy + +DAVE PORTER AND HIS CLASSMATES + Or For the Honor of Oak Hall + +DAVE PORTER AT STAR RANCH + Or The Cowboy's Secret + +DAVE PORTER AND HIS RIVALS + Or The Chums and Foes of Oak Hall + +DAVE PORTER ON CAVE ISLAND + Or A Schoolboy's Mysterious Mission + +DAVE PORTER AND THE RUNAWAYS + Or Last Days at Oak Hall + +DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS + Or The Search for the Landslide Mine + +DAVE PORTER AT BEAR CAMP + Or The Wild Man of Mirror Lake + +DAVE PORTER AND HIS DOUBLE + Or The Disappearance of the Basswood Fortune + +DAVE PORTER'S GREAT SEARCH + Or The Perils of a Young Civil Engineer + +DAVE PORTER UNDER FIRE + Or A Young Army Engineer in France + +DAVE PORTER'S WAR HONORS + Or At the Front with the Fighting Engineers + +For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by +the publishers. + +LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO. BOSTON + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Dave Porter and the Runaways, by Edward Stratemeyer + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DAVE PORTER AND THE RUNAWAYS *** + +***** This file should be named 28654-8.txt or 28654-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/8/6/5/28654/ + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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