Dave Porter and His Double Part 24

"Oh, I've had a perfectly lovely time!" declared Belle, when she and the others were on their way to the depot.

"And so have I had a lovely time," added Cora Dartmore. "But I'm so sorry your friend lost that fortune," she added. Ben had said good-bye over the telephone, the wire of which was once more in working order.

"If you ever do hear of those miniatures you must let us know," went on Belle.

"We'll be sure to do that," answered Laura. And then the train came in, and, with a final handshake all around, and with several kisses exchanged between the girls, Belle and Cora climbed on board, Dave and Phil a.s.sisting them with their suitcases.

"I'm sorry I'm not going with you," cried the shipowner's son, "But I've promised Dave and Roger to stay a few days longer."

"Be sure to send us a letter as soon as you get back home," cried Jessie.

And then the train rolled out of the station and the visitors from the West were gone.

On the night before Phil took his departure the three chums had what they called a "talk-fest" in Dave's room. They spoke about many things--of how they had first gone to Oak Hall, and of various adventures that had occurred since that time.

"The Oak Hall boys are becoming scattered," said Phil. "I don't suppose they'll ever all get together again."

"Oh, we'll have to meet at some future graduation exercises at the Hall!" cried Dave. "I can't think of letting such fellows as Shadow Hamilton, Buster Beggs, and Sam Day drop."

"Right you are!" came from Roger. "If I can get there at all you can count on my going back to Oak Hall whenever there are any commencement exercises."

"I half wish I was going into this civil engineering business with you two fellows," continued Phil. "But I'm afraid I'm not cut out for that sort of thing. I love the sea and everything connected with ships."

"That shows you're a chip of the old block," announced Dave, clapping his chum on the shoulder. "You take after your father, Phil, and I don't think you could do better than to follow him in his shipping business."

"If I do follow him in that business, I tell you what you've got to do," announced the shipowner's son. "Some time you've both got to take a nice big cruise with me."

"That would suit me down to the shoe-tips," returned Roger.

"It would be fine, Phil," answered Dave. "But just at present, Roger and I have got to bone to beat the band if we want to pa.s.s that examination. You must remember that being away from home on account of that blizzard put us behind quite a good deal."

"Well, you won't have me to worry you after to-night," grinned the chum. "Starting to-morrow morning you and Roger can put in twenty-four hours a day over your studies, as far as I am concerned."

"Wow! Listen to that! He's as considerate as old Job Haskers used to be," exclaimed the senator's son. And then, picking up a pillow, he shied it at Phil's head.

Another pillow was sent at Roger in return; and in a moment a so-called "Oak Hall pillow fight" was in full progress in the room, pillows, blankets, books, and various other objects flying in all directions. Then Phil got Roger down on one of the beds and was promptly hauled off by Dave, and in a moment more the three youths were rolling over and over on the floor.

Suddenly there sounded a knock on the door.

"h.e.l.lo! Who is that?" cried Dave; and at once the three youths scrambled to their feet, readjusting their clothing as they did so.

"Oh, Dave, such a noise!" came from his sister. "What in the world are you doing in there?"

"We are only bidding Phil good-bye," answered the brother, sweetly.

CHAPTER XVIII

THE CIVIL ENGINEERING EXAMINATION

As the days went by, and Dave and Roger continued to prepare themselves for the examination which was rapidly approaching, the authorities did all they could to locate Ward Porton and his confederate. Diligent inquiries were made concerning the ident.i.ty of the man who had occupied the room at Lamont with the former moving-picture actor, and it was finally discovered that he was Tim c.r.a.psey, a fellow already wanted by the police for several crimes.

"It's queer that a fellow like Porton should throw in his fortunes with a man like c.r.a.psey," was Roger's comment. "From all accounts c.r.a.psey is a thoroughly good-for-nothing fellow with a great liking for strong drink."

"That shows Porton's real disposition, Roger," answered Dave. "If he were any kind of a clean-minded or decent fellow he wouldn't want to put up with such a vile fellow as this Tim c.r.a.psey is represented by the police to be."

"If c.r.a.psey is already known to the police they ought to be able to locate him sooner or later."

"Those slick criminals have a way all their own for keeping out of sight of the police." Dave paused for a moment. "Do you know I've been thinking of something. Maybe this fellow, c.r.a.psey, simply used Porton as a tool."

"I don't quite understand, Dave."

"Why, in this way: when they heard about the miniatures, and c.r.a.psey heard how much Porton looked like me, and how intimate I and the Wadsworths were with the Ba.s.swoods, it may have been c.r.a.psey who concocted the scheme for getting possession of the miniatures. And if he did that, it is more than likely that he will be the one to dispose of the pictures or send in an offer to return them for a certain amount."

"You mean and cut Ward Porton out of the deal?" questioned the senator's son, quickly.

"He may not cut Porton out entirely. But the chances are that he'll let Porton have as little of the returns as possible. A professional criminal like this c.r.a.psey isn't going to let an amateur like Porton in on the ground floor if he can help it."

"Maybe he'll do Porton out of it entirely. Wouldn't that make the moving-picture actor mad!" and Roger grinned over the thought.

"It is no more than Porton would deserve," answered our hero. "Just the same, I hope the authorities capture them both and return the miniatures to Mr. Ba.s.swood."

Two days before the time when Dave and Roger were to undergo the much talked-of examination in civil engineering, there came news from a country town fifteen miles beyond Hacklebury. A livery stableman there sent in word that he was boarding a horse which he thought might be the one stolen from Mr. Bryson. The Crumville liveryman at once notified Ben and the local police, and the boy and an officer accompanied him to Centertown. Mr. Bryson at once recognized the horse as his own, and wanted to know how the Centertown liveryman had become possessed of the animal.

"He was left here by a man I think was this Tim c.r.a.psey the paper spoke about," announced the livery stable keeper. "He said he was on the road to the next town, but that the storm was too much for him, and that he wanted to leave the animal with me for a few days or a week. He said he was rather short of cash and asked me to lend him ten dollars, which, of course, I did, as I thought the horse was ample security," went on the livery stableman, bitterly.

"Was the fellow alone?" was the question which Ben put.

"He came in alone, but I think after he left the stable he was joined by another fellow down on the corner."

The Centertown livery-stable keeper had not noticed where c.r.a.psey and his companion had gone, but thought they had made their way to the railroad station. It was learned that a train bound for New York City had left Centertown about an hour later. All came to the conclusion that Ward Porton and Tim c.r.a.psey had taken this. The train had been stalled some hours along the road, but had finally reached the Grand Central Terminal of the metropolis.

"Well, this proves one thing--that Porton and c.r.a.psey got as far as New York City with the miniatures," said Dave, when he heard the news.

"Yes, and New York is such a large place, with so many people in it, that it will be almost impossible for the authorities to trace them there."

"That's it, Roger--especially when you remember that this happened some time ago, so that by now the thieves may be in Chicago, San Francisco, or in London, Paris, or some other far-away place."

At last came the time when Dave and Roger were to go in for the examination which meant so much to them. They had worked hard, and Mr.

Ramsdell had a.s.sisted them in every way possible; yet both were rather doubtful over the outcome of the affair.

"It isn't going to be like the examinations at Oak Hall," said our hero. "Mr. Ramsdell admitted that it would be stiff from the word go."

"I know that," answered the senator's son. "It seems that several years ago they were a little lax, and, as a consequence, some fellows slipped through that had no right to pa.s.s. Now they have jacked the examiners up, so that the test is likely to be fierce."

"Oh, Dave! what are you going to do if you don't pa.s.s?" cried Jessie, when he was ready to leave home.