Read Ebook: Dave Porter and the Runaways; Or Last Days at Oak Hall by Stratemeyer Edward Boehm H Richard Illustrator

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Ebook has 2409 lines and 60016 words, and 49 pages

e 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.

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?"

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