Part 4 (1/2)

”I--er--I don't have to.”

”Yes, you do. If you don't----” Dave ended by walking over to a barrel and filling the syringe with the spraying fluid.

”Hi! don't you douse me with that!” yelled the other youth in alarm.

Then he started to run away, but the senator's son caught him by one arm and Phil caught him by the other.

”You've got no right to hold me!”

”Well, we'll take the right,” said Roger, calmly. ”Now, Nat, do as Dave told you.”

There was no help for it, and with very bad grace the money-lender's son drew from his pocket a silk handkerchief and removed what he could of the fluid from Caspar Potts's clothing. Many spots remained.

”I am afraid the suit is ruined,” said the aged professor, sorrowfully.

”Anyway, it will need a thorough cleaning.”

”If it is ruined, Nat can pay for it,” said Dave, firmly.

”I'll pay for nothing!” grumbled the boy who had done the mischief. He was short of spending-money, and knew how hard it was to get an extra dollar from his parent.

”He certainly ought to pay for it,” said Caspar Potts. ”Some men would have him locked up for what he has done.”

”Humph! Don't talk foolis.h.!.+ It was only a little fun!” grumbled Nat. ”I didn't mean any harm. You can easily get those spots out of your clothes.”

”Did he do anything else to you?” asked Dave of the professor.

”Yes, he plagued me a good deal, and he shoved me down in the cow-yard,”

was the reply. ”I was hoping some one would come to drive him away. I said I'd have the law on him, but he laughed at me, and said n.o.body else was around and his word was as good as mine.”

”If that isn't Nat to a T!” murmured the senator's son. ”Doing the sneak act every time!”

”Well, we are witnesses against him,” put in Phil. He looked at Dave and suddenly began to grin. ”Oh, but this is great!” he cried.

”What's struck you?” queried Dave.

”Oh, nothing, only I reckon we've got a good hold on Mr. Aaron Poole now--in case he tries to make a complaint against you.”

”To be sure we have!” burst out Roger. ”He won't dare to do it--after he knows what Professor Potts can do.”

”What are you talking about?” demanded Nat, curiously. ”Is my father going to make a complaint against Dave? What is it for?”

”Maybe you'll learn later--and maybe you won't,” answered the senator's son. ”But if you see your father you had better tell him to call it off as far as Dave is concerned--if he wants to save you.”

”Then you've had trouble, eh?”

”No worse than this--if as bad.”

”Humph! In that case my father won't believe what you say about me!”

cried Nat, cunningly. And then of a sudden he leaped back, turned, and ran around a corner of the barn at top speed. He made for the road, and was soon hidden from view by trees and bushes. Phil and Roger attempted to catch him, but Dave called them back.

”No use in doing that,” said Dave. ”Let him go. It will be time enough to say more when Mr. Poole makes his complaint.”