the street
when his glance fell upon a person standing in the glare of an
electric light. The person had his face turned full toward our hero,
so that Dave got a good look at him.

"Ward Porton!" cried the youth in astonishment. "How in the world did
that fellow get here, and what is he doing?"

Like a flash the memory of the past came over Dave--how Ward Porton
had tried to pass himself off as the real Dave Porter and thus
relegate Dave himself back to the ranks of the "nobodies."

Dave was crossing the sidewalk at the time, but as soon as he had the
team and the sleigh in the street he jumped out and made his way
towards the other youth.

"I think I'll interview him and see what he has to say for himself,"
murmured Dave to himself. "Maybe I'll have him arrested."

Ward Porton had been staring at our hero all the while he was turning
into the street and getting out of the sleigh. But now, as he saw Dave
approaching, he started to walk away.

"Stop, Porton! I want to talk to you," called out our hero. "Stop!"

"I don't want to see you," returned the other youth, hastily. "You let
me alone;" and then, as Dave came closer, he suddenly broke into a run
down the street. Dave was taken by surprise, but only for a moment.
Then he, too, commenced to run, doing his best to catch the fellow
ahead.

But Ward Porton was evidently scared. He looked back, and, seeing Dave
running, increased his speed, and then shot around a corner and into
an alleyway. When Dave reached the corner he was nowhere in sight.

"He certainly was scared," was Dave's mental comment, as he looked up
and down the side street and even glanced into the alleyway. "I wonder
where he went and if it would do any good to look any further for
him?"

Dave spent fully five minutes in that vicinity, but without being able
to discover Ward Porton's hiding-place. Then, knowing that the others
would be wondering what had become of him, and being also afraid that
the grays might run away again, he returned to where he had left the
sleigh standing.

"Hello! Where did you go?" called out Ben, who had just emerged from
the restaurant.

"What do you think? I just saw that rascal, Ward Porton!" burst out
Dave.

"Porton! You don't mean it? Where is he?"

"He was standing under that light when I drove out from the stable. I
ran to speak to him, and then he took to his legs and scooted around
yonder corner. I went after him, but by the time I got on the side
s