Part 44 (1/2)
”If that's the way you feel about it--and Laura says she feels the sa to worry just yet,” he answered
CHAPTER XXVII
WHAT HAPPENED IN THE NIGHT
That evening the sole topic of conversation at Bear Ca Dave The other lads could not bear to question Laura or Jessie on the subject, knowing how badly both of them must feel; but they asked Belle to tell all she knew, and also quizzed Mrs Wadsworth and Mrs Basswood
”It's the worst state of affairs I have ever knoas the way the jewelry er and Phil ”We, as you know, think the world and all of Dave, and we don't want him to drop back and become a nobody, even in name He is a splendid boy, and no matter what happens we shall always think as much of him as we ever did”
”I think all his friends will stick to hier ”At the same time, this will cut him to the heart; and what he'll do if they really prove he isn't Dave Porter, I don't know”
”Maybe the Porters will continue to keep hiested Phil ”That is, if this report really proves to be true, which I don't believe will happen”
”I have always thought a great deal of Dave, ever since he saved Jessie froasoline explosion,” returned Mrs Wadsworth ”Should they find out that he is not a Porter, I think I would be strongly in favor ofhim”
”Say, that wouldn't be half bad!” burst out Phil, ”and the suggestion does you credit, Mrs Wadsworth Personally, I think Dave is the finest fellow in the world”
”I aer ”Since he went to Oak Hall he has made a host of real friends, and I don't think one of the on, the other boys were talking to our hero, doing their best to cheer him up and to convince him that, no matter what happened, they would stick to him
”You take it frootten up by Link Merwell and this other fellow!”
”Certainly it's a scheme!” added Shadow ”It puts me in mind of a story I once heard about a fellon South who stole three water to tell a story now? I' settled,” he added, in disgust
”Don't you worry, Dave I aht in the end,” hat Ben said, speaking with an apparent conviction that he did not by any means feel
”You're all kind, fellows, and I appreciate it very much,” answered Dave ”But this is a blow to me If you'll excuse me, I'd like to take a little walk by , the youth withdrew fro a footpath bordering the shore
”It's the rankest shame I ever knew!” declared Ben, when the others were left to the his neck”
”I guess we'd all like to do that,” responded Shadow ”Nevertheless, if he is the real Dave Porter you can't bla about it that troubles me,” said Luke ”Don't you rereed that he looked very much like Mr Dunston Porter?”
”Yes, but Dave looks like Dunston Porter, too,” came quickly from Ben
”It's queer that he resembles his uncle more than he does his father,”
was Shadow's comment ”Maybe this Ward Porton resembles Mr David Porter”
”Well, it's fierce; that's all I've got to say,” declared Ben ”And what Dave is going to do if they prove he isn't the real Dave Porter is so I don't like to think about In those days e first went to Oak Hall, you'll remember how bitter he felt when some of his eneer he was to clear up the h it cost him a trip to the South Sea Islands”
Dave walked on and on along the lake shore, paying little attention to where he was going Hison bewilderment
In a faint, uncertain way he had anticipated some such calamity, but now that the blow had fallen, the matter looked almost hopeless to him Had he followed his own inclinations, he would have made preparations to return to Crumville at once