ways.

"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 s