Edward Stratemeyer

“ In another instant he was by Gus Plum's side. "Now it's your turn, you overgrown bully," he continued.
"Wha-what do you mean?" stammered Plum, who had looked on the scene just enacted with a sinking heart.
"I mean you must apologize, just as Poole has done."
"And if I won't?" .
"I'll thrash you till you do—no matter what the consequences are," and Dave hauled off his jacket and threw off his cap.
"Would you hit a fellow when he is—er—half drowned?" whined the bully.
"You're not half drowned—you're only scared, Plum. Now, then, will you apologize or not?" And Dave doubled up his fists. ”

“ Dave's heart beat fast. He felt that he was getting at least a faint glimpse of his past. He turned again to Billy Dill.
"Then this Dunston Porter was your friend?" he observed.
"He was, and he helped me when I was stranded," was the answer. "I can't give ye all the particulars, cos some o' 'em is more like a dream than anything to me. When I try to think, my head begins to swim," and the sailor wrinkled his forehead as before and twitched his eyes.
"Tell me one thing," said the rich manufacturer, "Do you think this Dunston Porter is still at Cavasa Island, or in that locality?" ”

“ Then the whites went to sleep, and so did half of the natives, the remaining blacks keeping at the sweeps, guiding themselves by the stars, now that the sun had gone down.
When the boys awoke they were dismayed to see that a mist covered the sea.
"Hello! I didn't expect this!" cried the senator's son. "Why, a fellow can't see a hundred feet in any direction."
"What are the natives going to do now?" asked Dave of Captain Marshall, who had been awake for some time.
"Soko says they must rest and wait," answered the captain. "He cannot go ahead, for he knows not in what direction to steer." ”

“ What happened next came with such suddenness that Job Haskers was taken completely by surprise. As soon as the door was opened, the ram leaped out. He caught one glimpse of the teacher, and, lowering his head, he made a plunge and caught Job Haskers fairly and squarely in the stomach, doubling up the man like a jack-knife. Haskers went down in a heap, and, turning, the ram gave him a second prod in the side.
"Hi! stop! murder! help!" came in terror. "Stop it, you beast! Hi! call him off, somebody! Oh, my!" And then Job Haskers tried to arise and place a table between himself and the ram. ”

“ Soon they were out in the rear yard of the Hall, and there they beheld Shadow Hamilton walking slowly in the direction of the boathouse.
"Who is it?" whispered Roger.
"It is Shadow. He is walking in his sleep. I want to find out where he is going and what he'll do."
"Humph! This certainly is interesting," answered the senator's son.
"Whatever you do, Roger, don't arouse him, or there may be an accident," cautioned Dave. "Let him go his own way."
"But he may hurt himself, anyway."
"No, he won't. A sleep-walker can walk a slack wire, if he tries it, and never tumble. ”

“ The wind was whistling through the rigging, making the masts and yards creak and groan, and the rain came down in sheets, sweeping the decks by the bucketful. It was with difficulty that the Stormy Petrel could be kept before the wind. The waves were running like so many big hills, with the bark first on a crest and then down in a valley between. ”

“ It was certainly a remarkable trip!"
"And the trip brought remarkable results," said Dunston Porter, with a quiet smile.
When Dave arrived at Crumville there was quite a gathering to receive him and the others. All the Wadsworths were there, including Jessie, who rushed straight into his arms, and Caspar Potts and Ben Basswood.
"Oh, I am so glad you are back!" cried Jessie.
"We are all glad," added Ben.
"We cannot bear to think of losing you, Dave," said Mrs. Wadsworth, anxiously. "You have become very dear to us all." ”

“ Under the locket were a small Bible and a work on ocean navigation, and at the bottom a thick, brown envelope containing a photograph.
"Let us see whose picture that is," said Phil, and Dave opened the envelope and drew the photograph forth. As he held it up there was a general cry, in which he was forced to join.
"That's the man who looks like you, Dave!" cried Roger.
"What a striking resemblance!" exclaimed Phil.
"And he has the mustache, just as the sailor said," added Ben. "Dave, that man looks enough like you to be your older brother, or your father!" ”

“ As they neared Crumville, the heart of the country boy beat quicker. How many things had happened since he had left that town to go to Oak Hall!
"I see the old white church steeple!" cried Ben, as they came out of a patch of timber. "Looks natural, doesn't it?"
"I feel as if I had been away a year, instead of a few months," answered Dave. He was peering anxiously out of the window. "Here we come to the station, and, yes, there is Mr. Wadsworth's automobile, and Mr. Wadsworth himself and Jessie!" ”

“ At this Phil took a step forward.
"We are Dave Porter's school chums," he explained. "My name is Phil Lawrence, and this is Roger Morr."
"Glad to know you. Did you travel seven thousand miles to see me, too?" went on the man.
"Hardly that, but we took the trip with Dave," answered Roger.
"He wanted to find the man who looked like him," continued Phil, for he saw Dave could hardly speak for his emotion. "And he has found him. You two look exactly alike—that is, you would, if your mustache was shaved off." ”

“ A FIGHT AND ITS RESULT
"Dave, if you fight, and Doctor Clay hears of it, you'll get into trouble," whispered Roger. "You know what his rules are."
"I am not going to fight, but I'll defend myself," was the calm answer.
"Maybe you're afraid to fight," sneered Nat Poole, who stood close by.
Before the country youth could answer, Gus Plum sprang forward and aimed another blow at Dave's face. Dave ducked, but was not quite quick enough, and the fist of his enemy landed on his ear. ”

“ Nobody ought to be afraid to tell the truth."
"Oh, don't stand gassing!" burst out Nat Poole. "Give it to him, Gus—give it to him good and hard."
"I will!" cried the bully, and making a quick leap, he delivered a blow straight for Dave's face.
Had the blow landed as intended, the country boy would undoubtedly have sustained a black eye. But Dave ducked slightly, and the bully's fist shot past his ear. Then Dave drew off and hit Plum a stinging blow on the chin.
"A fight! A fight!" was the rallying cry from all sides, and in a twinkling a crowd assembled to see the impromptu contest. ”

“ Dave lost no time in placing the picture in an inside pocket.
"You're a fine fellow, not to take a bit of fun without getting mad," grumbled Gus Plum. He did not dare to say too much in such a crowd.
"So you call this fun?" remarked Phil, sarcastically. "Fun! to play the scavenger and bring this stuff up here? Well, I must say, I don't like your preference for a calling."
"Look here, you needn't call us scavengers!" howled Nat Poole. "I am a gentleman, I am!"
"Well, you brought this up here, you and Plum."
"It was only a—re—a joke. Everybody has got to put up with jokes to-night." ”

“ Do you think Shadow and Plum are up to something between them?"
"No, I don't," answered Dave, decidedly. "Shadow is not the fellow to train with Gus Plum. He doesn't like the bully any more than we do."
"No wonder Shadow feels sleepy, if he spends his nights on the river," said Phil. "But I can't make out what he is up to, I must confess. If it was some fun, he would surely take somebody with him."
The boys pulled with all their strength, yet when they arrived at the Hall boathouse, they found that they were exactly twelve minutes behind the supper hour.
"No time to wash up," said Roger. ”

“ They were soon out of sight of the island, and then all they could behold was the sky above and the sparkling waters on every side.
"It must be terrible to be lost on the ocean," remarked Phil, as he gazed around. "I don't wonder that men go mad, after they have been out days and days." ”

“ And then the hated teacher passed on to the next dormitory.
"I told you to get out of the window," said Macklin, as soon as they were alone. "I was caught that way myself once, and so was Gus Plum."
"Lazy is going to learn how to write a little better, too," said Dave, with a grin. At that moment Roger came in, looking thoroughly disgusted.
"Made me write half of it over again," he explained. "Oh, it's simply unbearable! Say, I am going to do something to get square, as sure as eggs is eggs."
"Eggs are eggs," corrected Polly Vane, sweetly.
"Oh, thanks, Polly. What about a tailor's goose?" ”

“ A few strokes took the boat back to the dock, and Dave and Roger assisted the dripping youth to land. Gus Plum was so weak he had to sit down on a bench to recover.
"You played me a mean trick," he spluttered, at last. "A mean trick!"
"That's what he did," put in Nat Poole, who had also returned to the dock. "I guess he was afraid to fight fair."
"I suppose you wanted to drown me," went on the bully of Oak Hall.
"I didn't want to drown you, Plum—I didn't even want to push you overboard. I didn't think we were so close to the dock's edge."
"Humph! It's easy enough to talk!" ”

“ The somnambulist had a pair of oars, and he stepped to the edge of the dock and untied one of the boats and leaped in.
"I must find them!" they heard the youth mutter to himself. "I must find them and bring them back!"
"Did you hear that?" asked Roger. "What is he talking about?"
"That remains to be found out. Come, let us follow him," returned Dave.
They procured two pairs of oars, and were soon in another boat and pulling behind Shadow Hamilton. The boy who was asleep seemed to possess supernatural strength, and they had no easy time of it keeping up with him. ”

“ Everything grows of itself, and they have a lazy man's life of it."
"Excepting when they fight each other," observed Phil.
An hour later they came out on the shore again. They were now away from the harbor and could look straight out on the ocean.
"Look! look!" cried Roger, pointing seaward. "Am I mistaken, or do I see a long canoe filled with men?"
"It certainly is a canoe," declared Dave, after a look.
"And it is filled with natives," added Phil.
"What do you make of this?" he added, turning to Billy Dill. "Are they coming here?" ”

“ You say things behind folks' backs and try to bully the little boys, and in reality you are no better than anybody else, if as good. You make me sick."
"I'll—I'll hammer you good for that!"
"All right, send me word when you are ready," retorted Buster.
In the meantime Dave was still standing over Nat Poole. Suddenly he caught the aristocratic youth by the ear and gave that member a twist.
"Ouch! Let go!" yelled Nat Poole. "Let go! Don't wring my ear off!"
"Will you apologize?" demanded Dave, and gave the ear a jerk that brought tears to Poole's eyes. ”

“ Van Blott just before we sailed."
"Ah! I thought so! Yes, I know him, and his reputation among shippers is none of the best. He used to be a supercargo for the Donaldson-Munroe Company, but they discharged him for some crooked work. What were he and Van Blott doing?"
Phil told of what he had overheard.
"That confirms my idea exactly!" cried the captain of the Stormy Petrel. "There is something in the wind. You must watch out, by all means, and I'll do the same. This man must not be allowed to do anything wrong, if we can possibly prevent it." ”

“ For several days Dave felt as if he was dreaming and walking on air, his heart was so light. The more the boy saw of his uncle Dunston he more he liked the man, and Dunston Porter was equally pleased. Both had long talks regarding the past and the future, and it was agreed that the man should return to the United States for the time being and, instead of hunting for the treasure, trace up the present address of David Porter, senior, and Dave's sister Laura. ”

“ When you go out, don't fail to place that bag of nasty stuff in a corner of your own room. The smell will give you both pleasant dreams."
"Phil Lawrence——" began the bully.
"Just wait till I——" came from Nat Poole.
"Silence!" cried Dave. "Not a word, or you'll be sorry. Take up the bag. Now, march!"
The door was flung open, and with the bag of messy stuff between them, Plum and Poole marched forth into the corridor and to the stairs leading to the back yard. The boys of dormitory No. 12 watched them out of sight, then returned to their room. ”

“ Previous to going, Dave gave Billy Dill the satchel and money and the bundle, which seemed to tickle the tar immensely.
"Douse my toplight, but I feel like old times again!" he cried, when they had had a good dinner and were seated on the forward deck of one of the lake boats, used to take out pleasure parties. "Oh, but I love the water!"
"I suppose this doesn't look anything like around Cavasa Island," remarked Dave, trying to draw the sailor out.
"Not much, my boy. Cavasa Island has a vol cano in the middle of it, and once in a while that volcano gets busy, and folks run for their lives. ”

“ When the breeze sprang up, it came from the wrong direction, and the Stormy Petrel had to tack as best she could. The breeze kept growing stiffer and stiffer, until it was little short of a gale. Then a thick mist settled down on the ocean, shutting out the view upon all sides.
"I must say I don't like this," observed the senator's son. "Supposing we should run into some thing?"
"There isn't much to run into," replied Dave. ”

“ And he began to write away vigorously on one of the pads the teacher had pointed out to them.
"I wish old Haskers had to write it himself," growled Roger, as he, too, went at the task. "Oh, but isn't he the mean one! I don't see why the doctor keeps him."
"He's smart, that's why," answered Phil. "I wish we could get square for this. I'm sure Doctor Clay would have excused us, had he known the facts. I've a good mind to go to him about it."
"Don't you do it, Phil," cried Dave. "It's not worth it. Get to work—and we'll think about squaring up afterwards." ”