l chums. In the end Dave "took the law in his own hands" by
giving Link Merwell a sound thrashing. Then some of the bully's
wrongdoings reached the ears of the master of the school, and he was
ordered to pack his trunk and leave, and a telegram was sent to his
father in the West, stating that he had been expelled for violating the
school rules. He left in a great rage.

"This is the work of that miserable poorhouse rat, Dave Porter," Link
told some of his cohorts. "Just wait--I'll fix him for it some day, see
if I don't!" Then he wrote a most abusive letter to Dave, but in his
rage he forgot to address it properly, and it never reached the youth.

The term at Oak Hall came to an end in June and then arose the question
of what to do during the vacation. In the meantime letters had been
flying forth between Laura and her warm friend, Belle Endicott, who was
still at Star Ranch, as Mr. Endicott's place was called. It may be said
in passing that Mr. Endicott was a rich railroad president, and the
ranch, while it paid well, was merely a hobby with him, and he and his
family resided upon it only when it suited their fancy to do so.

"The Endicotts want me to come out again," said Laura to Dave. "They
want me to bring you along with some of your chums, and they want me to
bring Jessie, too, if her folks will let her come."

"Oh, that would be jolly!" Dave answered. When he thought of Jessie's
going he blushed to himself, for to him the girl whose life he had once
saved was the nicest miss in the whole world. Dave was by no means
sentimental, but he had a warm, manly regard for Jessie that did him
credit.

More letters passed back and forth, and it was finally arranged that
Laura and Dave should visit Star Ranch during July and August, taking
with them Jessie and Phil and Roger. Dunston Porter was to accompany the
young folk as far west as Helena, near which the Endicotts were to meet
the travelers, and then Dave's uncle was to go on to Spokane on
business, coming back to take the young folks home about six weeks
later.

The thoughts of spending their vacation on a real ranch filled the young
folk with delight. All anticipated a "Jim-dandy" time, as Phil expressed
it.

"We can go out hunting and fishing, and all that," declared the
shipowner's son to his chums. "And maybe we'll bring down a bear or
two." And then he suggested that they get revolvers and perfect
themselves in marksmanship.

"Maybe we'll run into Link M