't want to come back. I'm going to a better school."

"And so am I," said Link Merwell, as if he was anxious to make the fact
known to his former schoolmates.

"I don't care where you go, so long as you don't bother us any more,"
rejoined Dave.

"Oh, you haven't seen the end of us yet, has he, Nick?" said Link
Merwell, appealing to his crony.

"Not much he hasn't," retorted Nick Jasniff.

"We are going to Rockville Military Academy," continued Link Merwell,
mentioning a school which, as my old readers know, was located not a
great distance from Oak Hall. In the past there had been many contests
between the students of the two seats of learning, and the rivalry was
very bitter.

"Rockville!" cried the senator's son. "I shouldn't think they'd want you
there."

"Say, you take that back, or I'll--I'll----" blustered Merwell, and then
stopped, not knowing how to proceed.

"Oh, say, come on, you fellows," broke in Nat Poole, who was growing
scared, thinking there might be a fight. "You can talk this over some
other time. Just remember what we started out to do. Hurry up, let's do
it," and he motioned his companions towards the racing car.

"I'm ready to go ahead," answered Pete Barnaby, climbing into the
driver's seat. "Come on, pile in, if you're going."

"I don't want Dave Porter and his crowd to think I am afraid of them,"
growled Link Merwell.

"We'll meet you after you get back to Oak Hall," sang out Nick Jasniff.
"And we'll settle old scores."

"Well, you look out that you don't get your fingers burnt trying to do
it!" retorted Dave. And then the racing car started off and was speedily
lost to view around a turn of the road.

CHAPTER III

WHAT HAPPENED AT THE FALLS

"What horrid young fellows!" was Jessie's comment. She was trembling
from head to foot and her face was pale.

"Don't mind what they say," answered Dave, kindly. He thought a great
deal of the girl, and it distressed him greatly to see her so worried.

"I shouldn't think they'd want Jasniff and Merwell at Rockville," was
the comment of the senator's son. "Everybody in that town knows how
Jasniff was mixed up in that railroad station affair." He referred to a
robbery committed by some men, the particulars of which were recorded in
"Dave Porter's Return to School." Nick Jasniff had been in company with
the evil-doers, but his share in the transaction had been smoothed over
and hushed up by his family.

"Well, I heard that the mi