his shoetops, but when this happened he simply smiled
grimly and made the best of it. When at Oak Hall he had often taken
part in track athletics, cross-country running, and occasionally in a
game of hare and hounds, and consequently his wind was good and he
made rapid progress without becoming too much exhausted.

He was in the depth of the woods when, at a turn in the path, he saw a
figure ahead of him. The individual wore a heavy overcoat and had a
cap pulled well down over his ears and the back of his head.

"I may be mistaken, but that looks as if it might be Porton," said
Dave to himself. "However, I'll soon know;" and he increased his speed
so that he might catch up to the other walker.

As the ground was covered with snow our hero made but slight noise
while he advanced, and as a consequence he drew quite close to the
other individual before the latter was aware of his presence.

"Hi there!" called out Dave, when he was but a few feet behind. The
fellow had stopped and turned around, and a single glance showed our
hero that it was the youth he was seeking.

"Dave Porter!" muttered Ward Porton, as he recognized our hero. His
manner showed that he was much astonished, as well as chagrined, at
this unexpected meeting.

"You didn't expect to meet me out here, did you?" remarked Dave,
sharply, as he came up alongside the former moving-picture actor.

"Why--I--er--I--can't--can't say that I did," returned Porton,
lamely.

"You've been acting in a fine way, haven't you, Porton?" went on Dave,
angrily.

"Huh! What have I done?" Porton's gaze was shifty. He did not dare to
look our hero in the eyes.

"You know well enough what you've done, Porton--buying a whole lot of
goods in my name."

"What are you talking about? I didn't do any such thing!" was the
blustering reply. The former moving-picture actor was recovering from
his surprise.

"I can prove that you did; and I'm going to hold you responsible for
it," answered Dave, calmly.

"Look here, Porter, I don't want any such talk from you!" and now
Ward Porton doubled up his fists and stuck out his chin. "I've stood
all I am going to stand from you. I want you to leave me alone."

"Porton, you can bluster all you please, but it won't do you any
good," answered Dave, and his voice had a more positive ring to it
than before. "You thought you could play this trick on me and get away
with it, but I am going to show you it can't be done. I am going to
hand