Part 3 (1/2)
”Say, you needn't----” began Jasniff, and then drew back, looking much disturbed. ”You--er--you needn't rake up old times. Those things are all settled, and I've got as much right to be here as you have.”
”Well, you won't come back to Oak Hall,” said Sam.
”Don't want to come back. I'm going to a better school.”
”And so am I,” said Link Merwell, as if he was anxious to make the fact known to his former schoolmates.
”I don't care where you go, so long as you don't bother us any more,”
rejoined Dave.
”Oh, you haven't seen the end of us yet, has he, Nick?” said Link Merwell, appealing to his crony.
”Not much he hasn't,” retorted Nick Jasniff.
”We are going to Rockville Military Academy,” continued Link Merwell, mentioning a school which, as my old readers know, was located not a great distance from Oak Hall. In the past there had been many contests between the students of the two seats of learning, and the rivalry was very bitter.
”Rockville!” cried the senator's son. ”I shouldn't think they'd want you there.”
”Say, you take that back, or I'll--I'll----” bl.u.s.tered Merwell, and then stopped, not knowing how to proceed.
”Oh, say, come on, you fellows,” broke in Nat Poole, who was growing scared, thinking there might be a fight. ”You can talk this over some other time. Just remember what we started out to do. Hurry up, let's do it,” and he motioned his companions towards the racing car.
”I'm ready to go ahead,” answered Pete Barnaby, climbing into the driver's seat. ”Come on, pile in, if you're going.”
”I don't want Dave Porter and his crowd to think I am afraid of them,”
growled Link Merwell.
”We'll meet you after you get back to Oak Hall,” sang out Nick Jasniff.
”And we'll settle old scores.”
”Well, you look out that you don't get your fingers burnt trying to do it!” retorted Dave. And then the racing car started off and was speedily lost to view around a turn of the road.
CHAPTER III
WHAT HAPPENED AT THE FALLS
”What horrid young fellows!” was Jessie's comment. She was trembling from head to foot and her face was pale.
”Don't mind what they say,” answered Dave, kindly. He thought a great deal of the girl, and it distressed him greatly to see her so worried.
”I shouldn't think they'd want Jasniff and Merwell at Rockville,” was the comment of the senator's son. ”Everybody in that town knows how Jasniff was mixed up in that railroad station affair.” He referred to a robbery committed by some men, the particulars of which were recorded in ”Dave Porter's Return to School.” Nick Jasniff had been in company with the evil-doers, but his share in the transaction had been smoothed over and hushed up by his family.
”Well, I heard that the military academy was rather hard up for pupils this term,” answered Sam. ”About a dozen of the sophs and juniors left, and the enrollment of freshmen was rather slim. I suppose on that account the authorities can't be overly particular as to who they take in.”
”And of course Merwell and Jasniff had their sides of their stories to tell,” said Dave. ”You can be sure they didn't tell matters as Doctor Clay would have done.”
”Or as we might have done--had we been asked,” broke in Sam.
”Well, I hope you boys keep away from them when you get to school,” said Laura.