Dave Porter on Cave Island: or, A Schoolboy's Mysterious Mission

“For caves and pitfalls that island certainly was the limit,” was Phil’s comment.

The voyage to New York proved to be uneventful, and all of the lads were glad when it was over. Arriving in the metropolis, they lost no time in getting a train for Crumville, the detective going with them, and Dave carrying the precious jewels.

And then what a home-coming followed! All the Wadsworths and the Porters were at the depot to meet them, and everybody was brimming over with good feeling. Mrs. Wadsworth fairly hugged Dave, and Laura kissed him over and over again, and even Jessie could not resist the temptation to rush into his arms.

“Oh, Dave, to think you really got the jewels!” said Jessie. “Oh, I’m so glad! What a hero you are!” And she gave him a look that touched him to the bottom of the heart.

And then came Mr. Wadsworth, his voice shaking with emotion, and then Dave’s father, and Uncle Dunston.

“One lad out of a million!” murmured the manufacturer. “Mr. Porter, you can well be proud of Dave!”

“And I am proud of him,” replied the parent, heartily.

“We are all proud,” added Dunston Porter.

In the excitement it must not be supposed that Phil and Roger were forgotten. While Dave related his story to the men, and delivered the jewels to Mr. Wadsworth, his chums had to tell about all that had occurred, to Mrs. Wadsworth and the girls. And the questions that were asked and answered would fill a chapter and more.

“And what will they do to Jasniff?” asked Laura.

“Undoubtedly put him in prison for a number of years,” answered the senator’s son. “And he deserves it.”

“What a misspent life!” sighed Mrs. Wadsworth.

“And what about Link Merwell?” asked Jessie.

“I don’t know what they’ll do to him. Perhaps they won’t catch him,” said Phil.

“If they don’t, I hope he turns over a new leaf and makes a real man of himself,” said Laura.

Dave had gone to the jewelry works with the men, and soon Phil and Roger followed. Here the jewels were examined with care, being checked off on a list, – the duplicate of a receipt Oliver Wadsworth had given to the owner of the gems.

“Four stones are missing,” announced the manufacturer. “And they are worth less than a thousand dollars. Dave, you certainly did well.”

“We can get back at least two of those stones,” answered Dave. “The pawnbrokers will have to give them up.”

“Then the loss will be less than five hundred dollars – a mere trifle alongside of what it might have been. Dave, I’ll not offer you a reward, for I know you won’t take it. But I thank you, my boy, I thank you most heartily!” And Mr. Wadsworth caught Dave by both hands, while tears of emotion stood in his eyes.

“It saved us all from a tight place, if not ruin,” added Dunston Porter.

“How is that old watchman?” asked our hero, to change the subject.

“You mean the man who was hurt?” asked his father. “He is about as well as ever.”

“And have you heard from Hooker Montgomery?”

“Not a word, and we sha’n’t need to, now.”

“Any word from Oak Hall?” asked Roger.

“Yes, the place opened again last week.”

“Then I suppose we’ll have to get back once more,” said Phil. “Well, we’ve had a long enough vacation, – if you can call it such,” he added, with a grin.

“And such adventures!” murmured Roger. “We’ll never see such strenuous times again, eh, Dave?”

“There is no telling, we may,” answered Dave. There were still many adventures ahead, and what they were will be related in the next volume of this series, to be entitled, “Dave Porter and the Runaways; or, Last Days at Oak Hall,” in which we shall meet our hero and his chums and enemies once more.

“If we are to go back to Oak Hall so soon, let us have all the fun we can,” said Dave, after the matter of the jewels had been settled; and the next day he and his chums and the girls went out for a grand sleighride, for it was still winter at home, even though it had been like summer on Cave Island.

“Dave, are you glad to be back?” asked Jessie, while they were gliding over the snow.

“Yes, I am,” he answered. “And doubly glad to be here, at your side,” he added, in a lower voice.

“Oh, Dave, I was so afraid while you were away!”

“Of what?”

“That those bad boys would harm you! Oh, please be careful in the future, for my sake.”

“All right, Jessie, I’ll be careful,” he answered, and then, under the big robe, he gave her little hand a tight squeeze, and I don’t know but that Jessie gave him a squeeze in return. To her Dave was the finest boy in all the world.

“Let’s have a song!” cried out Phil, from the seat in front.

“Right you are!” returned Dave. “What shall it be?”

“Oh, anything!” came from the girls in concert; and then they started to sing one familiar song after another; and while they are singing let us say good-by and take our leave.

THE END