"Yes," drawled Nat Poole. He turned and caught sight of Dave and Ben.
"Humph!" he muttered, and without saying more continued on his way down
the aisle and through to the next car of the train.

"He's real sociable, he is," observed Ben Basswood, with a grin.

"I knew he wouldn't want to see me," said Dave.

"What's up--more trouble, Dave?" questioned Phil. "Remember, I've been
away from Oak Hall so long I've rather lost track of things."

"This trouble didn't occur at the school," answered Dave. His face grew
a trifle red as he spoke.

"It happened back at Crumville," broke in Ben, and winked one eye. "You
see, Nat wanted to come to a Thanksgiving party the Wadsworths gave. But
Dave told Jessie just what sort Nat was, and she left him out at the
last moment. It made Nat furious, and I've heard that he is going to do
his best to square up with Dave this winter."

"You're mistaken, Ben; I didn't have to tell Jessie anything," corrected
Dave. "A fellow named Bangs wanted Nat invited, but Jessie didn't want
him and neither did her folks. Bangs got mad over it, and said he
wouldn't come either, and he and Nat went to a show instead."

"Well, I heard that Nat blamed it on you."

"He is apt to blame everything on me--if he can," said Dave, with a
short, hard laugh. "It's his style. I suppose he'll even blame me for
getting Gus Plum to reform."

"Well, you did get Gus to do that," declared Ben, heartily. "It's the
best thing I ever heard of, too."

"If Plum cuts Poole, what's the dude to do?" asked Phil. "The two used
to be great cronies."

To these words Dave did not reply. He was wiping the steam from the car
window. Now he peered out as the train came to a stop.

"Hurrah! Here we are!" he cried, and leaped from his seat.

"Where are you going?" demanded Ben.

"After Roger. I know he'll be at the station, for I sent him a special
message," and away went Dave after Roger Morr, one of his best and
dearest schoolmates. The two met on the car platform, and as the train
moved off again, both came in to join Ben and Phil.

To those who have read the former volumes in this "Dave Porter Series"
the boys already mentioned need no special introduction. They were all
pupils of Oak Hall, a first-class boarding school located in the heart
of one of our New England States. At the academy Dave Porter seemed to
be a natural leader, although that place had been at times disputed by
Nat Poole, Gus Plum, and others. It was