Dave Porter on Cave Island Part 18

Wadsworth had agreed to re-set the jewels according to designs already accepted by the millionaire and his wife, and had guaranteed the safe return of the jewels, re-set as specified, not later than the first of the following May. As the millionaire was a strict business man he had demanded a bond for the safe return of his property, and this bond had been given by Mr. Wadsworth, indorsed by David Breslow Porter and Dunston Porter.

Thus it will readily be seen that the millionaire and his wife were amply secured. If they did not get the jewels back they would demand the payment of the bond, worth seventy-five thousand dollars, and Mr.

Wadsworth and the Porters would have to make good.

On the second day after the robbery, Dave, Roger, and Phil went down to the jewelry works and began a close investigation on their own account.

Dave had mentioned something to his chums that had caused them to open their eyes in astonishment.

An hour was spent around the offices, and then Phil picked up an empty cigarette case. He took it to Dave and Roger and both looked at it with keen interest.

"I guess that is another clew," said our hero. "Let us look around some more."

"I'm going for the train now," said the senator's son, a little later.

"And as soon as I find Hooker Montgomery I'll let you know."

"Yes, and make him come here, whether he wants to or not," cried Dave.

"You leave that to me," answered Roger, grimly.

Oliver Wadsworth had been interviewing a private detective, and soon the man left, stating he thought he could lay his hands on the guilty parties.

"I'll look for Tom Basnett," said the detective. "This looks like one of his jobs."

"I don't care whose job it is-I want the jewels back," said Mr.

Wadsworth, wearily. He had not slept since the crime had been committed.

"Mr. Wadsworth, Phil and I would like to talk to you in private," said Dave, when he could get the chance.

"You have some clew, Dave?"

"Well, I want to tell you something, and then you can judge for yourself."

"Very well, come with me," answered the manufacturer, and led the way to a little side-room, used by the salesmen for exhibiting wares to possible customers.

"I want to tell you all about something that happened early in the winter, while I was at Oak Hall," said Dave. And then he told of how he had called on the fake doctor, Hooker Montgomery, and how he had been attacked from behind and made a prisoner, and carried off to a house in the woods, the particulars of which have already been set down in "Dave Porter and His Rivals."

"The fellows who carried me off were the doctor and the driver, who was only a tool, and two fellows who have caused me a lot of trouble in the past, Nick Jasniff and Link Merwell," went on our hero. "When I got away I tried to follow up Jasniff and Merwell, but they got away from me, and so did the driver get away. But one day I found Hooker Montgomery, and by threatening to have him arrested I made him confess to the truth, which was that Jasniff and Merwell had hired him to help get me in their power. At first they told Montgomery it was only a schoolboy trick, and he said he believed them, but, later on, it leaked out that Jasniff and Merwell had another motive in making me a prisoner."

"And that motive--?" began Oliver Wadsworth, with deep interest.

"Doctor Montgomery said that Jasniff and Merwell had in mind to drug me and take me to some place a good distance from Oak Hall. He said he also heard them speak of robbing a jewelry works, and I was to be drugged and left in the factory,-to make it appear as if I had done the deed and as if the blowing up of a safe had stunned me."

"Dave, is this possible!" exclaimed the manufacturer.

"It is true, Mr. Wadsworth," said Phil. "I was along and so was Roger at the time. Montgomery couldn't give many details, but he said he thought Jasniff and Merwell were cold-blooded villains and he wanted nothing more to do with them."

"This looks as if those rascals, Jasniff and Merwell, had come here."

"I believe they did come," went on Dave. "And here is one clew we have already picked up against them." And he held up the empty cigarette box.

"What is that? Only a cigarette box. How can that be a clew?"

"I will tell you. Both Jasniff and Merwell are inveterate cigarette smokers. I have seen them smoking many times. They smoke a Turkish brand of cigarettes, having a peculiar blue and gold band around the box. This is the same kind of a box, and I am convinced that this box was emptied and thrown away in your offices by Jasniff or Merwell."

CHAPTER XIII-DARK DAYS

Oliver Wadsworth listened to Dave's words with deep interest. Then he shrugged his shoulders.

"That sounds pretty good, Dave, were it not for one thing. Do you imagine that two masked fellows, bent on blowing open safes, would stop to light and smoke cigarettes?"

"I think Merwell and Jasniff would, Merwell especially. When Link is nervous the first thing he does is to take out a cigarette and light it.

It's an almost unconscious habit with him."

"This story about what that doctor said interests me most of all," went on the manufacturer. "I think we ought to have a talk with him. For all we know, he may be one of the guilty parties."

"No, I don't think he is that kind. Besides, he was very angry at Merwell and Jasniff and wanted nothing more to do with them."

"The detective who was here thought he had a clew against a professional bank burglar. Personally, I think this looks more like the work of professionals than fellows just out of school," said the manufacturer; and there, for the time being, the matter rested.

During the day two more detectives appeared and went over the ground, as the other officials had done. One thought he saw in the robbery the hand of a criminal known as Red Andrews.

"This is just the way Red Andrews would go at a job," said the detective. "He was sent up for robbing a private banker some years ago, and he got out two months ago. He was in New York-I saw him on Fifth Avenue, not far from the Carwith mansion. He may have heard about the jewels there. I am going to look for him." And he departed on a hunt for Red Andrews.

It was not until two days later that Roger came back to Crumville. His face showed his disappointment.

"Such mean luck!" he exclaimed, when he met Dave, Phil, and Ben. "I went to four towns, looking for Hooker Montgomery, and at last I found out that he had left the east several days ago."

"Where did he go to?" questioned our hero.

"The folks I met couldn't tell exactly, but they thought to visit a rich aunt in the far west."

This was a great disappointment, for they had hoped to learn much more concerning the plans of Jasniff and Merwell, from the fake doctor.

"We might send him a letter, to his last residence. Maybe the post-office authorities will forward it," suggested Phil.

"I did that," answered the senator's son. "I told him that I wanted to hear from him at once, and that it would be money in his pocket to write or to telegraph to me. I didn't mention your name, Dave, for I thought he might hear of this robbery and get suspicious."

It was ideal weather for skating and sleighing, but none of the young folks at the Wadsworth mansion felt like going out for fun. All could see that the older folks were much worried, and consequently, they were worried, too.

"Oh, Dave, what if those jewels are never recovered?" said Laura to her brother, when they were alone. "It will just about ruin Mr. Wadsworth, Uncle Dunston says."

"Let us hope for the best, Laura."

"I heard you and the other boys talking about Nick Jasniff and Link Merwell."

"Yes?"