Part 33 (1/2)
”hello! What luck?” called Ben, looking up And then he added: ”Great Caesar's ghost! if it isn't Link Merwell!”
”Where did you run across hi to his feet, followed by Shadow
”We found hi away from some kind of a wild man,” answered Dave
”The wild er
”We don't know if it was that fellow or somebody else,” answered Phil
Link Meras much crestfallen to confront so many of his former schoolmates of Oak Hall He realized that he was ”in the camp of the enemy” in more ways than one At one time or another he had played each of them some sort of a scurvy trick, and he realized that not one of theood word to say for him
”Well, I see they have made you a prisoner,” remarked Luke, as he noticed that Link's hands were tied behind hirowled the prisoner ”Where are you going to take alows,” announced Dave ”There you will have the pleasure of talking the matter over with Mr Wadsworth”
At the mention of the name of the man he had robbed, Link Merinced and his face paled Evidently he did not relish as in store for hi his hands tied behind hian Shadow ”Once there was a fellow----” and then, as the would-be story teller saw a look of disgust co over the faces of his chums, he added hastily: ”Oh, well, never mind I'll tell you that story so up here with you?” asked Link, while Ben and the others prepared to return to the bungalows
”He is,” answered Dave
”Is his family with him?”
”Yes, we are all up here for a short vacation” Dave looked at his ene ht? I never put a straw in your way, and yet you have done everything you could to s unpleasant for me I tried to help you down on Cave Island, and in return for that you have been sending letters to Nat Poole asking hime a 'poorhouse nobody'”
”Oh, don't preach to rowled the youth who had been made a prisoner ”I hate that kind of talk You always tried to set yourself up as being better than any one else Maybe you could get on the soft side of Gus Plua”
”Link, I'm sorry to hear you talk that way,” went on Dave, earnestly
”Do you want to spend all your life in prison?”
”Bah, don't talk to ot to go to jail I'll go, but it won't be for long, uess the lawyers will knohat to do But let , Dave Porter”--and now Link Merwell's face showed both cunning and hatred--”you found fault with that note I sent to you calling you a poorhouse nobody Well, that is all you are; a poorhouse nobody!”
”See here, Link----” began our hero, his te
”Oh, now, just wait, Dave Porter! Just wait a little, and you'll find out what Ielse Dave Porter? Why, you are not Dave Porter at all! You are a poorhouse nobody; that's all you are!”
CHAPTER XX
BACK IN CAMP
”What's this you are saying, Link?” demanded Phil, who had overheard the conversation just recorded ”You ought to be ashamed of yourself to talk that way Just because Dave spent part of his life in the poorhouse after he was stolen away from his parents is no reason why you should speak as you do”