he
could not forget the fact that the youth had rescued Della Ford from the
sea, and she asked several times about the young lady and the
moving-picture company to which she belonged.

"I don't know much about the picture company," Dave had answered. "I
think there were about a dozen people in it, including Miss Ford's aunt
and the young fellow and the fat man we picked up."

"But you said you would call on her in Boston; didn't you?" queried
Jessie.

"I said I might call if I was in the city," Dave replied.

"And I suppose you'll go up there the first chance you get," pouted
Jessie.

"Maybe," he answered, not altogether liking her tone. And then before
anything more could be said the automobile swept up in front of Ben
Basswood's home, and the conversation became general.

Ben had been on the back seat with Laura, and now as he left the party,
Jessie came into the tonneau to keep Dave's sister company, so that on
the journey to the Wadsworth mansion the talk between Jessie and Dave
could not be renewed.

The next two days were busy ones for our hero. He had several matters of
business to attend to for his father and his uncle. Added to this, old
Caspar Potts asked the youth if he would not accompany him to the old
farm where the pair had spent so long a time together.

"Why, certainly, I'll go to the farm with you, Professor," replied Dave.
"But what are you going to do there, if I may ask?"

"I want to get a box of books that was left in the garret there when we
came away," answered the old, white-haired gentleman. "I would have
brought them here before, but it slipped my mind entirely. Perhaps you
remember the box?"

"Do you mean that old blue box that stood in the back of the garret?"
questioned Dave.

"That's the one, David. I don't think the books in it are of very great
value, but they might as well be added to the library here," went on the
old professor. The Wadsworth library comprised many hundreds of volumes,
and was a source of great pride to Professor Potts, who had spent many
days in classifying the books and getting out a private catalogue. To
please the old gentleman, Mr. Wadsworth had, from time to time, added
various books and pamphlets which he might not otherwise have purchased.

Since Dave and Caspar Potts had left the old farm, the place had been
leased to another party, but now it was unoccupied, and the cottage and
stable were locked up.

"Looks natural," remarked Dave, as he sto