at. I was with Messmer and Henshaw, and we left the craft
on the shore of an island. It's my opinion you two chaps ran off with
her."

"See here, do you take me for a thief?" cried Link Merwell. And in his
aggressive fashion he swaggered up to Dave.

"Not that, Merwell, but I think you took the ice-boat. I am going to
take her back, so I can get our crowd aboard."

"And what do you expect me to do?" asked Nat Poole.

"You can skate back to the Hall."

"I lost one of my skates."

"Then let Merwell tow you on one foot."

"Oh, you needn't boss us around, Porter," growled Link Merwell. "I'm not
used to it, and I won't stand for it. Poole and I are going to the Hall
on the ice-boat, and that is all there is about it."

He drew himself up to his full height--he was four inches taller than
Dave--and glared down defiantly. This gave Nat Poole a little courage,
and he ranged beside Merwell, and both doubled up their fists.

They fancied they could make Dave back down, but they were mistaken. The
lad who had been brought up on a farm faced them fearlessly.

"There is no use of fighting about it," he said, as calmly as he could.
"You have no right to this ice-boat, and you know it. If you don't give
it up perhaps I'll report you."

"Oh, you're a squealer, are you?" sneered Link Merwell. "It's about what
I would expect from a boy brought up in a poorhouse."

At this uncalled-for and cutting remark Dave's face flamed. He took one
step forward and caught the tall youth by the arm, in a grip that seemed
to be of steel and made Merwell wince.

"Are you going to bring that up?" he asked, in a low voice. "I should
have thought your friend Poole would have cautioned you that it wasn't
healthy to do so."

"Let go of my arm, Porter," and Merwell tried to pull himself free, but
in vain. Dave's eyes were blazing like two stars and seemed to look the
tall youth through and through.

"I am not letting go just yet, Merwell. I want you to answer my
question."

"If you don't let go I'll knock you down!" cried Link Merwell, in a
rage.

"If you do, you'll get well punished for it. I allow nobody to talk to
me as you have done."

"Want to fight?"

"No; but I can defend myself--I guess Nat Poole knows that."

"Don't soil your hands on him, Link," said Poole. Even though they were
two to one, he knew Dave's power and was afraid of him.

"He can't come it over me," answered Merwell. "Let go!" and then he
hauled off and tried